Pope Benedict XVI + Resources

With a busy schedule, as all of us have, it's hard to keep up with news from Rome, but whenever I check out headlines I'm always inspired by Pope Benedict. He's non-stop.

http://www.radiovaticana.org/en1/Articolo.asp?c=336332

Letter to Artists.

Good sources for catholic news (from my perpsective):

www.cwnews.com

www.zenit.org

www.catholicnewsagency.com

I mentioned this in an email, but this guy is incredible. Artist, author, commentator. Fascinating stuff.

http://www.studiobrien.com/

Book Review

"Psychology of Religion"- The Cult of Self-Worship

-Paul Vitz

Excellent book. Very interesting and eye-opening. Short, clear and informative.

9/10.

-Rambo

merton quote

"To emerge alive from a disaster is not just the answer to the question 'Shall I escape?'"

-Merton

Wrong Again

Actually, after looking into the matter more I think I'm mostly incorrect.

I asked a few language scholars the summary is:

"Ancient Greek had a very extensive vocabulary. It was also very precise. English however has blended Latin, Greek, Germanic and many other languages. Our language is gigantic and over the past 50 years especially, we have created thousands of words for technological and other purposes.

Since English blends these three roots we see double meanings for nearly everything (chair, and seat).

Ancient Greek gave many words to english though.

Kyrie Eleison

Christe Eleison

Kyrie Eleison

DRP

Clarification

Kenny- thanks for the comments, I realized my ambiguous classifications so let me clarify.

1. First of all, no it was Fr. Gadenz and Dr. Korn (Latin proff but I think he knows Greek as well).

2. What Class did you take with Fr. Doug? He's awesome.

--

1. Ancient Greek has a more precise (and more extensive) vocabulary. For example, in english we have "Love". The Greeks have agape, eros, philios etc all different expressions of love. In Greek they have a dozen "philes" bibliophile, anglophile (lover of something). Also "phobia". Aracnophobia etc (the list is endless). Their language is much more precise in these instances.

2. Translation is a separate issue. In some outlines, Fr. Gadenz will occasionally add the literal translations as a sidenote. In reading some examples of "literal translations" I realized how much more powerful the translation seems to be. To me, Jesus saying "Be muzzled" or even "silence" would be more powerful then "quiet". He is commanding a demon and taking authority over a dark force so a stronger verb would be more appropriate.

I think this is similar to what will happen over the next two years in the english translation of the mass. We are going back to the more literal and accurate translation of the Latin instead which I hope will heighten people's sense of mystery and transendence. Example:

Instead of, "and with the angels we sing a song of praise...holy holy holy"

It will be

And with the Seraphim, cherubim, dominions, principlaties, angels and archangels, let us sing....

I think that's the translation anyway...

Thoughts?

Ancient Greek

Danny -

Is that Fr. Milewski with the Greek stuff? He told me and the other students in the class who got an A to take "New Testament Greek". I never did.

I'm not sure about your argument that ancient Greek is a more powerful and precise language. You give an English word--like "quiet"--and say that it is not as powerful and precise as another English word--like "be muzzled". But comparing two English words doesnt show that Greek is more powerful or precise, only that one translation is more powerful and precise than another. Is it that "Be muzzled" doesn't work in intelligible English grammar or something? Or is it that ancient Greek had more potent language in common usage?

Re-Union

This is very interesting. It even made first page CNN. There is a lot of debate, but I like the direction of unity. "that the church may be one".

In my lifetime I hope to see the following churches come back to the apostolic church of Peter:

1. Anglican and Episcopalian
2. Eastern Orthodox
3. Evangelical

http://www.zenit.org/article-27281?l=english

http://www.zenit.org/article-27275?l=english

http://www.zenit.org/article-27274?l=english

http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=4384

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/10/20/vatican.anglican.church/index.html

Language

I am taking a class on the Synoptic Gospels. The professor, a very good priest, is a language scholar. He often gives us the Greek translation of some key words. It is very interesting to read, or understand the literal translation of the Greek words because they are so much more powerful.

For example:

When Jesus rebukes the demons and says, "quiet" (Mark 4 -I think) the Greek very literally means, "be muzzled". "Be muzzled" is a much more powerful command, and brings to mind strong images. Even "be silent" is better then quiet.

Another example is the word "coming" in the sense of the "Kingdom of God will come...or is at hand". Some Greek translations means "come near" which indicates that "the Kingdom" is talking about a person. Coming near, means the messiah-- the anointed one, is "coming near" instead of just coming by or coming along.

There are other examples too, but my point is that ancient Greek is a fore more precise and powerful language then our own.

Stuff

Kenny: I'm in VA visiting my parents and I realized that my dad had recorded the entire National Park series on the DVR thing and is planning on putting them on to discs. I watched part of the first one and over the next few weeks I plan to watch them in their entirety.

At first I thought all of your post was on the parks which made me really confused, then I realized Zombieland was something different.

--

EVERYONE:

I was thinking of doing a 3-4 day trip to vermont over Christmas break for snowboarding, recreation, praying, relaxing, hiking, eating, and things of the sort...If people go on the trip they can do their own things during the day (ie snowboarding, or skiing, hiking, or whatever-we don't have to all do the same things). Ya know? But, I was hoping to stay a monastery for cheaper. I'm looking into it.

Any takers?

National Parks plus Zombieland Review

First, in terms of the recent concern about science, I'd like to recommend the National Parks documentary recently aired on PBS. You might be able to catch reruns or download it or something. In it, the scientists featured are inspiring--their work, findings and writings as well as their characters. Lone scientists seem to be running through the Parks throughout its history like hermits or fawns. Their writings, filled with poetry and themes of transcendency as well as remarkable empirical findings and observations, were scattered throughout the nation, and found good earth in the ears of various presidents, whom we now have to thank for "america's best idea" - the National Parks.

Zombieland Review

Although this movie didn't do anything really special, it accomplished what I think it set out to do, and that can be best expressed in its motif, you have to "enjoy the little things." That is exactly what this movie has you do. It is a movie of small enjoyments, built off of the standard features of the zombie genre. All the little enjoyable things that the apocalyptic zombie comedy offers were freshly presented: the simplification of life to survival and the few people around you, the ability to not have to worry about breaking anything around you, the guiltless violence towards the zombies, the ease of romance with the providentially cute girl your age, the availability of all kinds of guns and weapons, etc. And if you're just kind of using the zombie genre to have fun, why not throw in Bill Murray as himself? Why not have your main character play ghostbusters ("Don't cross the streams!") with Bill Murray, and follow that with having your main character hit a bong with Bill?

The movie doesn't bite off more than it can chew. For the most part, it knew what it wanted to do and be and delivered on its simple goals. It just had fun. And to put it in a more formal way, it had a kind of identity of form with content in terms of the "enjoy the little things" theme.

Fides et Ratsio (+ Science)

One of the main themes here at seminary, as you could well imagine, is Faith and Reason. Everyone is quite into that, to say the least!

A week ago, I went to a friends house for dinner and my friends 14yo son asked me about creationism, and how I reconcile old testament creation stories in light of scientific discoveries. He was just shooting of questions, and not really interested in the answers so much as to put me on the spot. I mumbled something that probably didn't make sense.

Then on the way home, it occured to me. I don't know. I don't know anything about that whole arena of theology vs science, creationism, vs evolutionism etc. I don't even know where science stands. Furthermore, I am pretty unarticulate when it comes to anything scientific whatsoever.

And Dr. Velarde, and Weigel in Pope John Paul II's bio, constantly talks about the need for authentic scientific pursuit etc.

So, I had a talk with Fr. Guarino, a great theologian, about this mini-crisis. He reccomended a bunch of different authors etc after a conversation we had, but I ended up buying these. I finished the first one (only 80 pages-very very general overview, exactly what I wanted) and will be working on the second one (very long, extensive and comprehensive) over the next few months. The third one, just looked fun.

1. Natural Sciences, A students guide, Stephen Barr

2. Ancient Faith and Modern Physics, Stephen Barr

3. Miracles and Physics, Stanley Jaki

The Examen

I just read a book called the Examen Prayer by Tim Gallager OVM (oblate of the virgin Mary), "the foremost expert (english speaking) in Ignatian spirituality in the world"- Fr. Gerry McCarren.

The book is about St. Ignatius "Examen Prayer" something that has become somewhat well known in different ways. The 12 steps of AA is partially based on this. It's a traditional catholic practice.

Anyway, the book is awesome (only bout 12 bucks on amazon). It's a keeper. It was one of the most helpful books I've read recently regarding prayer, and growing deeper into prayer.

Objective Review: 9

Subjective Review: 9

MC Review: 8

One theme I am noticing over these past few weeks here at ICS is growing deeper into prayer. Not by our own efforts (cooperation of course) but by the Holy Spirit's inititiave and interest in us. He slowly leads us into deeper and richer places, close to pure Truth. The Truth.

Show and tell

2 things that I must share:

1. This article. Abbreviated Dona Nobis Pachem review--
Objective Scale: 9
Subjective Scale: 9
Miles Caritas Scale: 9

But perhaps you won't agree.

2. This photography.

Fr. Barron

Fr. Barron has a lot of new stuff on his website www.wordonfire.org and on youtube.

This one is very good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eyF0PiIY_o

John

WHat's your email? I'll re-invite you to be a tenured Mile once again. A new Pentecost within Miles Caritas so-to-speak.

Don't Forget

Miles:

Don't forget the Dona Nobis Pachem Miles Caritas book/film (or anything) review. It's based on a 10 point scale 1 being lowest 10 being highest. It has three categories.

Objective Scale
Subjective Scale
MC Scale (miles caritas scale) which indicates how much the reviewer thinks the other Miles members will appreciate the work.

Response and Others

Yes, I'd say so. It's quite relevant...The second part of that is very dark. yikes.
--


I'm reading a bio on JPII and one of his "spiritualities" or approach to pastoring was the "spirituality of acommpaniment. He wanted to share life with his "sheep". To share in their pain and suffering, their joys etc. like Christ. He didn't do this intentionally but it's the way it happened. It was other people saying that's how he ministered. His friends/parishoners said, "he never pried into anyones life, but we invited him into the most intimate parts. He mastered the art of listening. He respected our freedom and enabled us to discover our identity. He enabled us to become more human. He met was where we were and showed us how much Christ loved us. He didn't try to be one of the young folks in an immature way. The young folks wanted to be like him".

I love it...
--
And I just read (over the past few months) two incredible bio's on John Vianney. One is long and detailed and one is clever (it reminded me of the way chesterton wrote about St. Francis- witty, etc. But in order to read this you have to have some knowledge about him to begin with, or there might be confusion... I highly reccomend reading about St. John Vianney, especially during this year.

Spirituality of September

The unfortunate, neccesery, inevitable, depressing, hopeless beginning of death. Decay and despair looming. A part of man dies each September. Summer is over. Another year is gone. To me, New Years should be September 1st. That's when a year dies. So does our livlihood, our youth, our innocence.

It hits me each each, stronger each year. The slow waning of true life and joy. Transition. It's all a big paradox though, because transition, in it's death, also cultivates life. A small seed is planted. It begins again.

"Let us begin again, because up till now we've done nothing"
-St. Francis (right before he died)

"Wake me up when September pasts"
-Greenday

Chesterton

"The first [of the three major ideas that sum up Christianity] is the human instinct for a heaven that shall be as literal and almost as local as a home. It is the idea pursued by all poets and pagans making myths; that a particular place must be the shrine of the god or the abode of the blest; that fairyland is a land; or that the return of the ghost must be the resurrection of the body. I do not here reason about the refusal of rationalism to satisfy this need. I only say that if the rationalists refuse to satisfy it, the pagans: will not be satisfied."

Chesterton, The Everlasting Man

Thanks Simon

Simon, Thanks for the kind words. I'll probably be seeing more of you now that I'll be in nyc. I'll be with the guys in gray. Blessings,
Miles Brendan

Thanks & Sonship

Thanks for the encouragement Simon. These seem to be strange times.

Just trying to basque in the Sonship of our creator.


Mile Danny

Another step

Miles:

Just wanted to send a note of congratulations, gratitude, and assurance of prayers to Danny, Brendan, and Andrew.

May He who began this good work in you bring it to completion! (Phil 1: 6)

Thanks Simon

Thanks for the heads up, Simon. I ordered tickets the second I saw your post.

Animal Collective...

...is playing in Brooklyn on Friday:

http://nymag.com/listings/nightlife/animal-collective/

CARITAS IN VERITATE

http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=3457

Fr. Barron mentions Girard

Film Review

Once
2006
Independant


Objective Rating: 7
Subjective Rating: 8
Miles Rating: 8

An awesome movie. Beautiful czech girl is one of the main characters. It takes place in Ireland and is about two musicians who become friends. The soundtrack is INCREDIBLE. Really awesome, emotional folk songs (sounds a bit like Cat Stevens). Good ending, great acting.

Response

I think seeking the common good for your self, and for others is ideal. To serve others best and to bring yourself to completion, it's important to respond to God's calling for you. Not in a utilitarian way neccesarily.

I say "both" as opposed to one or the other.

Here's a question for debate:

Is doing what is best for the world, or the common good, what is best for yourself? Or is doing what is best for yourself what is best for the world?

In other words, if I did everything I could for the common good of humanity, or the universe, and always sacrificed my own desires and pleasures - stopping only to eat and sleep - would this, in turn and paradoxically, best fulfill my own spirit?

Or, would seeking what is good and right for myself at all times - what promotes my own growth and happiness - best lead others toward the good, and therefore be the best possible action of mine for the common good?

Is it somehow both? Is it neither? Where should the emphasis be applied? How does this relate to politics and other beliefs?



This can be rhetorical if no one has a response or if it is too big of a question.

Response

Kenny:

Interesting reflection. I'm interested in reading that story. Flannery is awesome. (and thanks for the Walker video, I didn't picture him looking like that.)

A brief response (just my thoughts, nothing coherent or organized, just off the top of my head):

What also comes to mind also is the gospel that "you can't serve two masters. You can't serve both God and Mammon". There is definitely a division that exists within many (most?) humans. I would like to read more about that novel to see how its portrayed in that character, but I find that if we are divided eventually it leads to unbearable conflict (as least in my experience it did).

It's relevant to mention, in response to the "many has many wills competing" (very intersting) statement from Flannery. We have within us:
The Spirit of God (union, communion, unity, patience, peace, joy, gentlessness, humility, Maine)
The Spirit of the World (riches, pride, fame, wealth)
The SPirit of the Flesh (lust, gluttony, exessive comfort, promiscuity)
The Spirit of the Enemy (accusation, fear, division, terror, rage, )

These spirits are always at a conflict. Sometimes there can be blends of some. The desires of the world aren't always totally bad (desire for a few days relaxing on the beach?) but that's where discernment comes in I guess.

I agree: prayer, art, literature definitely transforms consiousness (even sub/unconsiousness- I often have dreams where I intentionally turn away from a temptatino as I would if I was awake- which is a result of prayer). It affects those things you mentioned (spontaneity).

I think transforming grace is always propelling us toward completion. Completion of what we were created for. More on this later.

O'Connor quote

In Flannery O'Connor's preface to Wise Blood, she says

"For them (many readers) Hazel Motes' (the main character) integrity lies in his trying with such vigor to get rid of the ragged figure (Jesus) who moves from tree to tree in the back of his mind. For the author (O'Connor herself) Hazel's integrity lies in his not being able to. Does one's integrity ever lie in what he is not able to do? I think it usually does, for free will does not mean one will, but many wills conflicting in one man. Freedom cannot be conceived simply. It is a mystery and one which a novel, even a comic novel, can only be asked to deepen."

Does this mean that the character chooses Christ, in a sense, even without wanting to? even while setting up the "Church of Christ without Christ"?

The "many wills conflicting in one man" makes me think of discernment of spirits and things like that. The idea of trying to not choose wrong and instead choosing right is the reversal of Paul's "I do want that which I dont want to do, and dont do that which I do."

The whole idea also gives a sense of how things like literature, art, and prayer can change you internally - even when you seem to desire the same things. Perhaps a part of you chooses Christ, but outwardly you continue to want to behave a certain way. The conflict between the different choices will affect things like your inhibitions and your spontaneity.


...

Walker Percy -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6jaJy3gL2I&feature=related

nothing exciting, but he's the man

New Liturgical Translations

There is to be a new Roman Missle with more precise translations for the English speaking Catholics within the next two years. I sat in on a meeting of liturgists the other day. I found it to be an interesting.

Here is a link to the new translations.
http://www.usccb.org/liturgy/missalformation/index.shtml

Example:

The Lord be with you
And with your Spirit (instead of "and also with you").

Quote

"C.S. Lewis has done the best job portraying Christ (in Asland the Lion) as allegory in all of Literary History. No other fictional character so closely portrays Christ as Asland. The reader relates to the Lion as the apostles did to Jesus"
-Peter Kreeft (paraphrased)



WHERE HAS MILES CARITAS GONE???
-We haven't heard from many of you in some time now...???

R George

I think we should invite Professor George to be a regular contributor to Miles Caritas.

Scapegoat Violence?

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/05/31/kansas.doctor.killed/index.html

--

Kenny:

I'm somewhat suprised by his pick, although Obama has continually surpised us (both parties) by his choices in personel.

Sotomayor hasn't had any major oppurtunities in the past to vote on pro-life/pro-choice issues. The issue isn't completely clear, although she has ruled in favor or pro-life groups in a few indirect casses (don't know all the details).

If she turns out to be a good judge (and by good I mean respecting the right to life) then I attribute it not to Obama's good intentions, but to Grandma Jean's steadfast prayers for his conversion. The Hurricane's prayers are always yeard!!

New Supreme Court Judge

I see no comments about this major issue in terms of protecting life.

If Obama's entire platform was just a cover-up for his pro-choice agenda, he certainly has a round-about way of going about it with this new judge.

Must Read/View

Robert George and Douglas Kmeic had a discussion last night. George knocked it out of the park with his remarks. Read them here.

http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/viewarticle.php?selectedarticle=2009.05.29.001.pdart

You can also view their remarks here:

http://www.c-span.org/Watch/Media/2009/05/28/HP/A/19205/Catholic%20University%20Panel%20on%20Sanctity%20of%20Human%20Life.aspx

Kmeic starts his remarks around the 9 minute mark and George around the 30 minute mark.

What do you think?

Thanks

Kenny,

Thanks for the comment and repost. I'm totally inspired right now. I really liked that video to begin with, but I just re-watched it. I have goosebumps for sure. He's so on point. I love that idea of hunkering down. To "preserve". It's hard, sometimes it feels like the church (especially in the U.S.) will be crushed, anihilated. But, if we can preserve then the "propitious moment" will arrive and we'll unleash with a fury.

Unleashing after preserving + hpyomania = insanity....:)

Repost

Danny, you posted this not long ago:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZ9_J_Rw2VY&feature=related

Don't know if I mentioned it, but I love it as well. One of the best speeches I've ever seen. I thought it might have just been accidental that I was so moved by it when I first heard it, but upon review now my response is just as strong. "Hunker down", and then "unleash". It captures Catholicism as epic, adventure, fun and danger.

Catholic Culture

I really liked this article and thought it really hit the nail on the head in talking about the importance of Catholic Culture at a Catholic University.

The Pro-Life Center of Catholic Culture

We should never take politics all by itself, however, just as we should never interpret human interaction solely in terms of power. Politics is a power-inflected function of culture, and at the root of culture lies the deepest commitments to what people hold to be true. The role of culture—American Catholic culture, in particular—is what Fr. Jenkins at Notre Dame, and John DeGioia at Georgetown, and many other presidents of Catholic colleges seem not to understand. Indeed, their lack of Catholic culture is what makes them seem so un-Catholic to those they antagonize, and it is what so befuddles those college presidents when the charge is made. They know they are Catholics: They go to Mass, and they pray, and their faith is real, and their theology is sophisticated, and what right has a bunch of other Catholics to run around accusing them of failing to be Catholic?

But they live in a different world, attenuated and alone. Opposition to abortion doesn’t belong at the absolute center of Catholic theology. It doesn’t belong at the perfect center of Catholic faith. It exists, however, at the center of Catholic culture in this country (albeit a much thinner culture than Catholics knew before). Opposition to abortion is the signpost at the intersection of Catholicism and American public life.

http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/?p=1434

Angels and Demons

Danny, your boy Harold Bloom:

http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/676

For Bloom, to reconcile the Old Testament God and the New Testament God is to do "psychic violence".

A good pope

I was reading an article about St. Philip Neri, and awesome saint and a good role model for the diocesan priesthood. The article said, despite great scandal and corruption in the church during the time of his life, St. Philip resisted the temptation for division and accusation and worked to reform the church by transformation of his heart, not the political structure. At that time the Pope and bishops were extremely wealthy and corrupt.

I was thinking that the church today has a lot of problems. And there are persecutions of the church. The church is facing some powerful forces. But, how blessed are we to have had two AWESOME Popes. Even if the Church was under full attack from every known enemey (which it seems to be) at least we have a brilliant, holy, loving Pope to lead us. Pope Benedict, despite some controversies is a really great leader.

Book Review

Introduction to the Devout Life
St. Francis De Salles

Objective Scale : 10
Subjective Scale: 10
Miles Caritas : 9.9

I highly reccomend this book. I'm only halfway through. It's a classic and it's inexpensive. I would seriously suggest buying a copy to keep.

Intro to Devout Life (IDL) is packed full of helpful hints about the spiritual journey. There are meditations to help you pray and there are whole excersises on prayer, confessions and basically everthing you can imagine. The counsel is profound and practical at the same time. It's a great aid in the pursuit of truth, namely Christ.

Fr. Barron

This is really good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZ9_J_Rw2VY&feature=related

Anima Christi

Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me

Water from Christ's side, wash me

Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within Thy wounds hide me
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee
From the malicious enemy defend me
In the hour of my death call me
And bid me come unto Thee
That I may praise Thee with Thy saints
and with Thy angels
Forever and ever
Amen

Swine

Brendan- Interesting post. I didn't really think this thing was that serious, I didn't know why people were so worried.

A quick note:
The Swine flue may become pandemic which is even worse the epidemic.

Check out this article though.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/27/pandemic.next/index.html

It's scary:

"The disease would skip from city to city over an 18-to-24 month period, infecting more than a third of the population. World health Organization officials believe as many as 1.5 billion people around the globe would seek medical care and nearly 30 million would seek hospitalization. Based on the last pandemic and current world population, as many as 7 million people could die, epidemiologists said.


"Hospitals will become overcrowded, schools will close, businesses will close, airports will be empty," Dr. Lo said.
"Business will become very bad, as people avoid as much social contact as possible," added Dr. Yuen.

Health facilities will become overrun with patients and there would be less-than-adequate staffing, as medical health professionals fall ill themselves, experts say. "We saw cases in SARS where people who should have gone to the hospital for things like cancer treatment didn't go, and that resulted in higher deaths," Dr. Lo said."

Water Continued

Kenny:

A few scriptural points:

The verse you quoted is actually not the Samaritan Woman at the well although it’s nearly identical.

In John 4 Jesus tells the woman at the well:

“Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life”

It’s important to know that after this, in the next 2 chapters Jesus begins to reveal his identity:
“I am the bread of life”- John 6
“It is the spirit that gives life…the words I have spoken are spirit and life. No one can come to me unless the father beckons”- John 6

Then (note this is all chronological) John 7: 37
“Jesus stood up and exclaimed: Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as scriptures say, ‘rivers of living water will flow from within him’. He said this in reference to the Spirit”. I think the ‘rivers of living water will flow from within him’ comes from Isaiah.

Anyway, I think Jesus said that we need to be baptized by “water and the spirit” because we need a tangibles. Jesus always gives us tangibles. We need normal everyday things (like water/bread etc.) to accompany these mysteries. Also, water is the perfect thing because it is a cleansing and purifying agent as well as life-giving and life-sustaining!

But, it’s not only an act of symbolism- it’s a direct encounter with the Holy Spirit thus an encounter with the Trinitarian God. “Because that is the great mystery into which we are called” (Bailie).
At the baptism of Jesus it says, “When he came out of the water the Holy Spirit descended from the sky” I think this is also identification because God says, “you are my beloved son and I am well pleased”. God, the almighty creator, is identifying Jesus as a beloved son!

I think John the Baptism said that to emphasize that Jesus is the savior. John the Baptism simply, “prepared the way” for Jesus.

“You my child shall be called the prophet of the most high for you will go before the Lord to prepare His way, to give people a knowledge of salvation by the Forgiveness of their sins. From the tender compassion of our God, the dawn from on high shall break upon us to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death and to guide our feet to the way of peace”
Canticle of Zachariah- (and to think Zachariah hadn’t spoke in months and then he busts into this awesome poem!)

Blood and water represents humanity and divinity.
In the mass…
"By this mingling of water and wine may we come to share in the divinity of Christ, who humbled himself to share in our humanity”

Again, I think water (that flowed from his side) represents purification and life even on the cross, and the blood represents saving and mercy. Also, the liquids represent a universal ‘baptism’ because the water gushed form and spilled “on to everyone”.

I’m thirsty for actual water and for an encounter with Jesus.

And I love watersheds.

Prodigal Sons

The current scare of a swine flu pandemic brings to mind the story of the Prodigal Son in Luke's Gospel. I think that trends in our society are basically rooted in the prodigal son mentality; the idea of finding freedom with out God and the anything goes mentality. We know where the prodigal son ends up, tending the swine. If we hang out with the swine long enough we're bound to catch some of their diseases. Could this be a wake up call to return to the Father? We know what His response will be:

While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. LK 15:20

Water and the Spirit

Interesting, Dan.

I talked about that on the retreat in reference to "Ripple", by the Grateful Dead. The song includes the lines "Let it be known, there is a fountain / that was not made by the hands of men". I said, in different words, that this uncreated fountain is the uncreated Life of God, and that Jesus is this uncreated Life - he was "begotten not made". And I read the passage about the woman at the well you mention here. "Believe in me and living water will flow from within you".

I remember that Benedict's Jesus of Nazareth sorts through and reveals all of the symbolism from John's Gospel. I remember him going through the constant symbols of water, bread, wine, and blood.

You say that you discuss in your talk about water as a referent to the Holy Spirit. My question is, why would Jesus say that we need to be baptized of "water and the Holy Spirit"? Why did John the Baptist say "I baptize you only with water, He who will come after me will baptize you wiht the Holy Spirit"? Why does our liturgy make the distinction that water and blood came from Christ's side at the Crucifixion? What is the full significance of the major liquid symbols (water, blood, wine) and what are the distinctions between them?

Sun Spell

This heat is intense. I always seem to forget how powerful the summer is and how powerful (even opressive) the heat can become.

--

On a different note, I spent some time this morning writing a talk for my youth group (only about 10 minutes in lenght) about the "Spirituality of Water". I found it to be really interesting and while highlighting 2 scriptural passages (Jacob's well- the Samarian Woman and the "Those who drink of me will have a water of life flowing through them") I realized how closely Jesus indentifies the work of the Holy Spirit with water. He says water, or the spirit, will flow "through you" and presumabely, into or towards others (wellspring). I like the idea of Holy Spirit as overflow.

My basic outline:

1. Water is a force of desctruction (floods)
ALso lack of water as source of destructino (drought)

2. Water is Purification
"Lord cleans me of my sins, and wash me of my iniquities)

3. Water as Holy Spirit- as live giving- as wellspring

4. Water in Sacraments

5. Water in Liturgy
"Through this mingling of water and wine, may we come to share in His divinity"
among many other instances...

6. Water that gushed forth from the side of JEsus on the cross.

"let them come to Water"

h20!

Shrine of the North American Martyrs

The Shrine of the North American Martyrs is in Auriesville, NY, just south of the Adirondack Mountains. We could camp and hike. Plus there are other sites that we could visit in that area.

Fr. Suarez

Fr. Suarez has some powerful gifts. I saw some amazing things when he prayed with people at St. Antoninus.

Where is this shrine?

Pilgrimage

I'm in for a summer pilgrimage.

Fr. Fernando Suarez, a priest with a reported gift of healing, will be at the Martyrs Shrine June 6. (His site's been hacked by the Tamil Tigers).

Stuff

Simon- good post. Have you ever heard of Luigi Guissani. I think you'd like his writing- just a hunch.
--

"Women priests would become Sacramental Lesbians"
-Peter Kreeft

Christ and the defense of values

Brendan, your words on the Spirit of the World were very illuminating for me as I had not reflected on the characteristics of the devil in this way. And while I agree that we must be absolutely uncompromising in our hearts towards Satan and all of his ways, we must also be careful not to become Manichean and divide reality into good and bad. For all reality-- if it is reality-- is good. And God is the Master of it all. Like Saint Paul, we must test everything and retain what is good-- meaning that which is true, beautiful, and ultimately real. Satan, on the other hand deals with lies and tries to take our attention away from what is really real.

The situation at Notre Dame and the many cultural challenges to the Christian way of life you mention have been the subjects of many conversations lately for me (as I'm sure they are for so many). But I fear, that as Christians, we often don't go far enough. We take for granted what really is at stake, and we deprive ourselves and the world of the very reason why any of us should care about these issues (life, family, etc.) in the first place.

Let's take the invitation to Obama from Notre Dame. On the one hand, we can repeat all we want that his views are absolutely in contradiction with ours on the crucial matters of life (many of the pro-life responses, and calls to reverse the invitation hold this line). On the other hand, we can champion the need for dialogue and openness to the world. But both positions (which, besides indifference, tend to be the dominant ones), reveal absolutely nothing about why a Catholic should care enough to write petitions or grant honorary degrees. The Dalai Lama could hold the same positions on life or openness/dialogue.

Instead, what is taken for granted in all of the reassertion of the Catholic position on abortion, etc., is WHY we believe a human life is so precious so as to warrant support for a decision that would place an ill-prepared woman or couple in a position of tremendous difficulty. WHY is a human life so important that terminal illness should not lessen the commitment to care? If it were enough simply to justify these difficult positions on the grounds of "human rights", then in our era of rights assertion it should simply be a matter of accepting that all humans have rights. If it were enough to simply assert that "God said so" then Obama, who also recognizes God to some degree, might give pause. But we are also fallen human beings, and we are weak and emotional and prone to selfishness and rationalization. In the face of an unplanned pregnancy or dying relative, neither the concept of human rights nor the doctrine on the Imago Dei is enough. We need a presence, someone REAL, who can show me it is possible to live this way-- consistent with the "self-evident truths" that are before me.

I need to be shown a Christ who is so real as to walk with me through my troubles. I need a Christ who is so real as to make choosing the more difficult path reasonable. I need a Christ who is real, and experienced, who I can see and touch.

And no one, or at least very few, talks about this Christ. Instead, I hear the call to defend Christian values, and prevent the change of legislation. I hear the defensive call to segregate from those we disagree with (not unlike La Sapienza university's refusal to let the Pope speak last year). I hear the clash of ideologies. And if I were not Catholic, I would observe all this and conclude that Catholicism is simply another "faith tradition" that happens to be pro-life. Shrug shoulders, move on.

Is all we have to offer as Catholics, pro-life apologetics?

I'm not in any way shrinking from pro-life convictions or poo-pooing pro-life activism. But I really do see a giant missed opportunity to invite the world into the an understanding of how Christ could make a formerly pro-abortion Roman culture the most human one in all of history. The early Christians did this not with pro-life t-shirts, but with an invitation to share the experience of someOne who fundamentally altered their lives. And again, who talks about this?

I want so much to share with you this Q&A session with Fr. Carron we had earlier this year. We spent a whole morning talking about Christ and politics/social issues, and it's a real goldmine. Here is an excerpt:


Q: Lastly: can you help us, let’s say, as a community of CL in the United States, of Catholics with a great desire to promote a culture of life…

JC: Our desire is to promote Christian life. This is the big mistake. I have decided to explain this very well. What is the question? That many people in the last three centuries tried to defend Christian values without Christ. But doing Christianity without Christ, you know, is impossible. What we have before us—the collapse of the family, the collapse of the culture of life, the collapse of these kind of things—is the example of this failure, this cultural failure. Because the Enlightenment is the attempt to construct Christianity, the values of Christian life without Christ, without belonging to Christ, without the root, without the foundation of Christ. And this is what we can now see before us: the failure, the historical failure of this attempt. And many people, even with this historical failure right in front of them, keep going defending what is defeated, as if nothing had happened!

Chris Bacich: So—let me clarify here—what you are saying is that to have the presumption to be pro-life without Christ is something that doesn’t work.

JC: That’s right. How did we get to this situation? Because many people—for this reason I referred to the Enlightenment—for at least the last three centuries have tried to defend, to live Christian life without Christ. This is the project of the Enlightenment in a nutshell: the attempt to live Christianity without Christ, the reduction of Christian life to a set of values, of Christian values, without the necessity of belonging to the Church, to Christ, to the historical event in history that is the Church. This is the attempt. Now, we have the results of this attempt before us. What is happening? We should focus our attention to what is happening in a number of countries—in Spain, Italy, Ireland, Poland, here—in every country there is the defeat of the Christian mentality. In all of these countries everything has changed: in Spain one day it’s marriage, another it’s abortion, another it’s gay rights, another…in Spain, a Catholic country!

So, we are pro-life, we are defenders of life. But the question is: how can we defend life? What is the method to defend life? Without a Christian faith, without the discovery of Christ, life, the defense of life has no foundation. It is not because I don’t want to defend life: I want to defend life! The problem is how can I reach this goal? If I mess up the method, I fail my goal, you know? And this is the question! In order to create a culture of life, Jesus Christ did not make a pro-life movement; he founded Christianity, the Church. Why didn’t Christ make a pro-life movement instead of the Church? Or a university? He founded the Church and this is the answer to all these questions. Christ was not stupid, not as naïve as we think. Because this is the only realistic explanation for why we are here, why we are pro-life, why we defend education. Because we have met Jesus in a real movement that awakes ourselves to Christian life, to the love of Christ, and this embraces everything. Because we are Christian we defend life, education, everything! But the first thing is this: without the encounter with Jesus Christ, people are splintered. One of them can be pro-life and pro-abortion, or pro-life and pro-divorce—one part against the other one. This is a division in the person. What is the only way that we can meet something that unites all our person and enables us to embrace, to affirm every value, every Christian value? Only if we meet Jesus Christ. Without this, we are defeated in the long-term and, as we see, in the short-term, as well.

The Raging Culture War

Listening to Gil Bailie, he emphasize the difficulty of being able to read or acknowledge the "spirit of the age" or "spirit of the world" in the present times. It is easy to look back, say at the the Holocaust, and be able to say, " how could we not see what was going on" or "never again". The difficulty is that the spirit of the world, which is one of the three fronts of the evil(the world, the flesh, and demons), is constantly changing according to the times and also it is very difficult to describe, to put our hands around it. We do know that there are three characteristics that the spirit of the world seeks, they are: greed, vanity (honor) and pleasure.
One of the meditations of the spiritual exercises of Saint Ignatius is of the two banners or armies. On one side we have the the banner of Christ and the other we have the banner of the Devil and there is a war between them. Each side as there soldiers/apostles/followers. The goal of Christ is to win souls for His Father, the goal of the Devil is keep souls away from God the Father; He doesn't care about them for his own good or possession, just to make sure that they are destroyed. There are many other analogies that reflect this reality. It is important to realize that the battleground where this war takes place is our hearts. It is also important to realize that there are NO compromise/middle ground/peace treaties/Geneva conventions. You're either on the side of Christ or on the side of the Devil. Period. There are many different aspects of our lives that we need to surrender and give over to Christ until we are completely His and ready to die in battle. This is the reality of our own personal spiritual life and it is most definitely the reality of our culture. To me it is as clear as day that there is a absolute battle going on in our culture. It is exactly what JPII is speaking about when he spoke about the "culture of death" and what Benedict speaks about when he says "the dictatorship of relativism". These two men can/could see the spirit of the world in present times. There are three recent events that clearly point to this battle that is raging. What is so amazing is the timing of these events and how starkly that bring to light this reality.
1) Hilary Clinton visiting the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe and asking "who painted it" while they next day receiving the Margaret Sanger award from Planned Parenthood and praising the work of Sanger. You can't make this up. It shows either complete ignorance or direct attack from the Devil. She didn't know anything about the story of Guadalupe and she didn't know anything about the work/agenda of Sanger or she's an apostle/follower of the Devil. As I said, the goal of the army of the Devil is vague, there's no real goal except to take souls away from God, while the army of Jesus is clear and precise: to win souls for God. This is why it is not clear to Hilary or the general population that she's working for the Devil, there's no real objective. Most people who align themselves with the Devil don't even know it. The timing these events is what is really amazing.
2) Two days ago Archbishop Dolan was instilled as the Archbishop of NY. I didn't watch or hear any of his homily but I know that he spoke about being strong on Pro-Life and Pro-Family issues, that he would be a defender of these. Present at the instillation was Gov. Patterson of NY. Today, two days after Dolan's instillation, Gov. Patterson will introduce a bill to legalize "gay marriage". Again the timing of this is amazing.
3)On Tuesday President Obama spoke at Georgetown (forget that this is a direct rejection of the request of the US Bishops not to honor or give platforms to politicians who directly oppose fundamental Catholic principles) and what is absolutely amazing is that his administration requested that any religious symbols or signage be covered up. Georgetown proceeded to cover up not only the Crucifix but when out of their way to cover up the "IHS" as well. What's striking to me is not so much the denial of the Catholic faith by Georgetown but that it occurred during the Easter Octave. I see this as a direct attack; there is no gray area here and the timing just makes it more apparent.

We MUST be aware that there is a war raging and what's at stake is souls; the battle ground is in our own hearts, we must side with Christ.

Review

Book: The Violent Bear it Away
Author: Flannery O'Connor

Objective: 7
Subjective: Undecided, but I think 8
MC: 7-8

This novel is very intense and dark. Flannery does an awesome job using descriptive language to represent spiritual or emotional situations. For example, "His eyes as they turned and looked down at her were the color of the lake just before dark when the last daylight has faded and the moon has not risen yet, and for an instant she thought she saw something fleeing across the surface of them, a lost light that came from nowhere and vanished into nothing". Spiritual Vacuity (Bailie)?? I think so.

I'm not totally sure about how this story depicts the faith, but there are two drastically opposing characters. A zelous and crazy prophet and a overly reasonable atheist. They hate each other. They are bitter enemies. At one point the atheist (depicts a life of self control, intelligence, self reliance) is bragging to the third character- the nephew of the crazy prophet...It's opposite of the gospel...
"It's you the seed feel in. It ain't a thing you can do about it. It fell on bad ground but it fell in deep. With me, he said, it fell on rock and the wind carried it away"! He thinks the seed is toxic.
Flannery uses strong irony throughout the whole story to depict this dichotomy.

The story also portrays the monotany and "lameness" of most men's lives. The 14yo boy is so proud that he was born in the midst of a car accident. His mother went into labor after being hit by a car. "He had always felt that it set his existence apart from the ordinary one and he had understood from it that the plans of God for him were special, even though nothing of consequence had happned to him so far".

Another theme: false prophecy, righteousness etc. "This fixatino of being 'called' by the Lord had its origin in insecurity. He needed the assurance of a call and so he called himself (to be a profit)".

Other themes were unexpected violence (title?) (Large destructive fires, drownings,), grotesque and desperate characters. The prophet was insane, the nephew was lost and grotesque, the little boy was dim-wited and a symbol of lifelessness, and the athiest was an emotional wreck- a wounded soul.

The character names were interesting. Tarwater (the 14yo boy) and Bishop (the younger 8 yo boy).

Harold Bloom said this:

"Her comic genuis is certainly part of the asnwere; someone who can enterain us so profoundly can damn us pretty much as she pleases".

"Her obsessive spirituality and absolute moral judgements cannot just sustain themselves at the reader's expense."

Reading The Violent Bear it Away, I am exhilarted to the brink of fear"


"And yet her verve and drive, the propulsive gusto of her comic spirit, is overwhelming. Her Catholicism might as well be Holy Rollerism, so far as the aesthetic effect of her fiction is concerned. There we can locate her natural shrewndess; her mad and damned American religionists can be parodied, but the parody will not touch her assured Roman Catholicism. More then a comedian of genius, she had also the pentrating insight that religion for her countryment and -women was not the opiate, but the rather the poetry of the people".

Sounds Great

Brendan-

I love the idea. Why don't we settle on a date and go from there. Let's get an email chain going for a possible date.

D

Happy Easter!

He is risen, He is truly Risen!

Guys, I had the idea over the past few days of planning or thinking about doing a Miles Caritas retreat/outing some time this summer. I know that some of you will have time this summer to do something. Let's start thinking about something. Maybe 3-5 days somewhere relatively local. I don't think it has to be something at a retreat center, maybe like doing a pilgrimage to the shrine of the North American Martyers or something like that. What do you think?

Fr. Barron on Slumdog

It's a Beatiful Day

I am excited about the Spring season at our doorstep. I am looking forward to Easter.

FYI

http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=2429

Followup

Good post Brendan. It's really scary. The language issue here is crucial. A lot of people still don't realize the difference between Stem Cells and Embryonic Stem Cells. How can you not know? It's insane.
Also, The Obama administration is now pushing to exterminate conscience protection laws so doctors would be forced to perform abortions. That is borderline fascism. Seriously.

This is sickening.

Culture of Death

Yesterday I took a group of students from my school to the UN in NYC to visit an exhibit, Deadly Medicine: Creating the Master Race. This is part of our week long summit on Genocide. The exhibit was about the Nazis and their use of sterilization and euthanasia. The Nazis tried to use science as a means to spread their racist agenda. I couldn’t help but think of the irony of the location of this exhibit; the UN being one of the champions of “reproductive rights”, aka contraception (sterilization) for developing countries. I also couldn’t help but think of the present day scenario going on in our country and around the globe and their similarities; with our new administration now lifting restrictions on federal funding for Embryonic stem cell research as well as funding abortions overseas. It is know that scientists in the Nazi party were familiar with Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood, and her advocacy of eugenics. Sanger’s Negro Project had many similarities to the Nazi’s project of creating a master race. I mention this link because Sanger’s mission and spirit is still much alive in Planned Parenthood. African Americans only make up about 13% of our population but account for 35% of all abortions in the US. If we use an eyeball test, most abortion clinics are strategically placed in poor, typically African-American neighborhoods.

I’m also concerned with the uses of science in our present day situation with embryonic stem cell research. A lot of this comes back to the use of language to weasel one’s way around the facts. Look at a recent interview done with former President Clinton on “Larry King Live”, the interview was conducted by Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Dr. Gupta was sought after by Obama to be our nations Surgeon General but he declined. When asked about federal funding for embryonic research Clinton responded:

I think - the answer is I think that we’ll work it through. If - particularly if it’s done right. If it’s obvious that we’re not taking embryos that can - that under any conceivable scenario would be used for a process that would allow them to be fertilized and become little babies, and I think if it’s obvious that we’re not talking about some science fiction cloning of human beings, then I think the American people will support this….

Firstly, we know that an embryo IS a “little baby” but again here the definition of when life begins has been changed to implantation. Secondly, and more importantly, anyone who has taken biology knows that an embryo has already been fertilized. It’s fair to rule out that this was merely a slip of the tongue because he used the exact language further in the interview:

But there are values involved that we all ought to feel free to discuss in all scientific research. And that is the one thing that I think these committees need to make it clear that they’re not going to fool with any embryos where there’s any possibility, even if it’s somewhat remote, that they could be fertilized and become human beings.

Now, there are two possible conclusions: 1. That Clinton doesn’t know that an embryo is a fertilized egg or 2. That he’s using language to confuse/deceive the people watching. Also, I have to wonder about the good doctor who never corrected Clinton’s blatent mistake.

Another contradiction that needs to be pointed out happened with Obama during his March 9^th address defending his lift of the ban on federal funding for new embryonic stem cell lines. Obama states:

This Order is an important step in advancing the cause of science in America. But let’s be clear: promoting science isn’t just about providing resources — it is also about protecting free and open inquiry. It is about letting scientists like those here today do their jobs, free from manipulation or coercion, and listening to what they tell us, even when it’s inconvenient — especially when it’s inconvenient. It is about ensuring that scientific data is never distorted or concealed to serve a political agenda — and that we make scientific decisions based on facts, not ideology. By doing this, we will ensure America’s continued global leadership in scientific discoveries and technological breakthroughs. That is essential not only for our economic prosperity, but for the progress of all humanity.

Later in the speech he adds:

We will develop strict guidelines, which we will rigorously enforce, because we cannot ever tolerate misuse or abuse. And we will ensure that our government never opens the door to the use of cloning for human reproduction. It is dangerous, profoundly wrong, and has no place in our society, or any society.

It seems to me that he is using some sort of ideology here when he states that “it is dangerous, profoundly wrong, and has no place in our society, or any society.” He fails to give any explanation why it’s wrong, or more specifically “facts”, it’s merely his ideology. One could ague that Obama’s position on “cloning for human reproduction” is quite arbitrary and not based in “scientific facts”. Also, many “scientific facts” today will not be considered “scientific facts” in the future.

Yesterday, I also read an very interesting email discussion between Robert P. George and Doug Kmiec. Kmiec is a staunch supporter of Obama and supposedly pro-life. Kmiec uses the same language game to weasel his way around the issue that George brings up with him. I would love to see a debate between these two, as George proposes.

Brendan

Patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the US

As we celebrate the Annunciation this week.

There are some that I've never heard of: Our Lady of the Woods, Gulf, La Leche, the Milk and Happy Delivery, Prairie, Pines, Universe.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patronage_of_the_Blessed_Virgin_Mary

Immaculate Conception - USA
Immaculate Heart of Mary - Georgia, USA
Immaculate Mary - Colorado, USA
Feast of the Immaculate Conception - Soldiers of the USA
Patroness of the United States under her title of the Immaculate Conception
Mary of Nazareth - Iowa, USA
Mary, Queen of Angels - Kansas, USA
Mary the Virgin Mother - South Carolina, USA
Mary, Queen of Peace - North Dakota, USA
Mary, Queen of Peace - Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Mary, Star of the Sea - Hawaii, USA
Mother of God - Kentucky, USA
Notre Dame of Easton - Connecticut, USA
University of Notre Dame - Indiana, USA
Our Immaculate Queen - Washington, D.C., USA
Our Lady of America - USA; Rome City, Indiana - first canonically-approved apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the USA. Happened in The Our Lady Mother of Mercy Chapel on the campus of Sylvan Springs
Our Lady of the Annunciation - Texas, USA
Our Lady of Calvary - Missouri, USA
Our Lady of Consolation - Basilica and National Shrine in Carey, Ohio, USA
Our Lady of Good Help - Washington, USA
Our Lady of Grace - Vermont, USA
Our Lady of the Gulf - Alabama, USA
Our Lady of the Highways - Arizona, USA
Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, North Carolina, USA
Our Lady of the Holy Souls - Arkansas, USA
Our Lady of the Incarnation - Massachusetts, USA
Our Lady of the Kodiak and the Islands - Alaska, USA
Our Lady of Lebanon - Lewisville, Texas, USA
Our Lady of La Leche - Florida, USA
Our Lady of Mercy - Delaware,
Our Lady of the Milk and Happy Delivery, USA
Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, Pennsylvania, USA
Our Lady of Mount Carmel - Rhode Island, USA
Our Lady of Peace - Maine, USA
Our Lady Help of Christians - New York, USA
Our Lady of Las Vegas - Nevada, USA
Our Lady of Peace - Maine, USA
Our Lady of Perpetual Help - New Hampshire, USA
Our Lady of Perpetual Help - Ewa Beach, Oahu, Hawaii, USA
Our Lady of the Pines - Montana, USA
Our Lady of the Prairie - South Dakota, USA
Our Lady of the Presentation - Nebraska, USA
Our Lady of Providence - Indiana, USA
Our Lady of Prompt Succor - Louisiana, USA
Our Lady of the Snows - Utah, USA
Our Lady of Sorrows - Mississippi, USA
Our Lady of the Universe - Illinois, USA
Our Lady of the Valley - Wyoming, USA
Our Lady of Victory - West Virginia, USA
Our Lady of the Wayside - California (cf. Madonna della Strada)
Our Lady of the Woods - Oregon, USA
Our Lady, Gate of Heaven - Michigan, USA
Our Lady, Mother of the Church - Minnesota, USA
Our Lady, Queen of All Saints - Oklahoma, USA
Our Lady, Queen of the Apostles - Virginia, USA
Our Lady, Queen of the Angels - As per its name, Los Angeles, California
La Conquistadora Our Lady the Conqueror, New Mexico, USA

Mary, Mother of the Word Incarnate...Pray for us!

Re: Brendan's Reviews

Thanks for the post Bren. Both the movie and the book look good, but you're right in suggesting that I would especially like a book that is "sober" and "grounded" when it is about that kind of subject. Your description does catch my interest.

Reviews

Two reviews:
1. The Island. A Russian foreign film about a Orthodox monk who lives an intense hermetical and pentitenial life in a remote monastery. He's gifted with many Charismatic gifts (healing, prophesy, exorcism, and discernment) and is a real prankster. It has a great ending (I was surprised and felt a sense of relief for the main character). The combination of the Charismatic and Orthodox spirituality was very intriguing to me.
If you have netflix you can watch in instantly online (depending of the type of subscription)
Objective: 7.75
Subjective: 8.5
MC: 9

2. Authenticity: A Biblical Theology of Discernment by Thomas Dubay. I've read some of his other stuff and he is one of the foremost experts in spiritual direction in the tradition of St. John of the Cross. Two words that I would use to describe his writings are "grounded" and "sober". His writings are very straight forward and deeply rooted in Scripture and Tradition. This book is not referring to "discerning a vocation" but to "discernment" in terms of knowing whether or not I'm making spiritual progress, whether or not I'm truly following/being lead by the Spirit. He addresses many of the cautions, including "illuminism", the word he uses to describe what we typically think of when someone thinks that they are receiving personal revelation. I found these quotes to be very valuable as a measuring stick for spiritual progress

St John of the Cross explains that "communications which are truly from God have this trait: they simultaneousy exault and humble the soul". One who is genuinely of God is gradually enriched with the divine abundance, and at the some time he grows in humility. He knows God better and is therefor exalted; he knows himself better and is consequently humbled.

Also:
Humility is both a preparation for the Spirit and a result of the Spirit. Not only does the Paraclete choose to enlighten those who are not inflated with their own importance, but it is his very light that enables one to be humble. When God beings to pour his dark contemplation into our mind and heart, we begin to perceive more and more clearly both his purity and our sinfulness, his limitlessness and our finitude.

Kenny, I think you'll like the book, I'll pass it on.

Objective: 8.5
Subjective: 7.75
MC: 9

Film and Book Review

A few of us mentioned this on occasions, and I want to suggest making it a Miles Caritas reality. I am suggesting we have a movie and book review. Anyone can reflect on a movie or book they watched/read recently.

To make this consistent, I say we create our own rating system. I suggest every book/film should have two ratings; one objective and one subjective. I think we should use ten stars 1 being the lowest, 10 the highest. A third rating could also indicate how others in Miles Caritas would like it.

Example 1:
Lives of Others
Sub Scale: 10*
Obj. Scale: 9*
MC Scale: 9*

Example 2:
Animal Collective
Sub Scale: 1*
Obj Scale: 4*
MC Scale: 7-9*

What does everyone think about this idea/and about this rating system?

ESC research

That quote about the scientists reminds me of Gil Bailie story of the scientists who decided they didn't need God any more since they could create the perfect human. They went to tell God this and God challenged them to a contest of who could make a better human. God picked up a handful of dirt and made a human. The scientist goes to do the same when God tells him he has to get his own dirt.

Miles Caritas Is:

Logical,
Reasonable,
Useful,
Thorough
Transcendant


Cephas

Now that we've gotten rid of ideology...

In announcing the federal funding of ESC research, Obama pledged to "make scientific decisions based on facts, not ideology."

...while ignoring things like...

- More results, or rather, actual results from adult stem cell research
- The absence of any checks and balances on the judgment of the NIH
- That even scientists are susceptible to error, greed, partisanship and ideology

...but these don't count as facts because someone with a PhD in biochem didn't write them out on official Fact letterhead.

Disasterous Implications

Obama has already signed, by executive order, the reversal of the Mexico City Policy (international funding for abortion). Now, he is intending to reverse Bush's ban on Embryonic Stem Cell Research. I think this will be a common theme, there are many more devastating pro-death executive orders on the way...

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/03/08/obama.stem.cells/index.html

Dr. Harold Varmus, president of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and co-chairman of Obama's science advisory council, said Sunday that Obama will "endorse the notion that public policy must be guided by sound, scientific advice."

Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri, told reporters that reversing the Bush ban would "once again say to the rest of the world that we will be the beacon for cures and for hope." She credited her support for federal funding in part for her 2006 election.

Today

"These are the days of miracle and wonder, this is the long-distance call"

-John Paul Simon II

Agree with the Cyrene

I knew about Double Effect but I couldn't explain it. Nicely put Simon. Intentional killing of a innocent human as an ends in of itself is never permissable. I like the 1908 version of the Catholic Encyclopedia much better, they gave it some great updates that year.

Findings...

I don't want to interrupt the discussion on abortion (let's hear what everyone else has to say), but I wanted to share some items:

A new article on Fr. Giussani in Chiesa Espresso:
http://chiesa.espresso.repubblica.it/articolo/1337396?eng=y

An article on The Onion on China's One Child Policy. Has satire reached its fulfillment when it ceases being funny?
http://www.theonion.com/content/opinion/son_its_time_we_have_a_talk?utm_source=onion_rss_daily

Double Effect

Catholic moral teaching allows for the death of the embryo/fetus in the attempt to save the life of the mother (eg. in the case of ectopic pregnancy where the embryo grows inside the Fallopian tube instead of implanting on the uterine wall-- a situation that results in hemorrhaging and the mother's death if not treated). This situation is covered by the Principle of Double Effect (a la Aquinas) which maintains that a good intention towards a good outcome can be permitted even if a bad outcome happens as a consequence (the precise definition can be found here).

The Catholic Encyclopedia of 1907 states:

If medical treatment or surgical operation, necessary to save a mother’s life, is applied to her organism (though the child’s death would, or at least might, follow as a regretted but unavoidable consequence), it should not be maintained that the fetal life is thereby directly attacked.

So that's something to keep in mind.

As far as the legal restrictions-- I think attempts to save the mother whose life is endangered by the pregnancy should be permitted and taught (though technically, this would not be abortion as the Church defines it, i.e. Intentional Killing). State funding for abortion or abortifacients of any sort outside of this scenario I oppose.

But a society where this is possible is one which recognizes the utterly special dignity of human persons, perceives that life is worth living, and experiences the companionship of the divine that eradicates fear and provides the strength to choose the more difficult path. The only time in history such a society existed was Christian Europe. It was the presence of the Church (Christian people) that lead Roman society to abandon its own abortion practices.

Tuff

I would have to think more about this.

I wanted to say this:
In all circumstances, terminating a pregnancy is strictly prohibited. Although in the case where the health of the mother is severely at risk (to the point of death of the mother) the parents can choose to terminate the pregnancy.

Although, regardless, it still seems to be intentional killing which is difficult. For thousands of years, people have died during child birth.


But, I think I have to say this:
Under federal law, it is never permissable to intentionally terminate a pregnancy.

Yikes.

Everyone else?

Ok, but what about in legal terms? Do you think it should be legal to abort if the mother's life is in serious danger? If you had to make the law restricting abortion right now, what would the restrictions be?

Interesting stuff

I liked the posted lecture, and FOCA article. Kenny, I like the quote you picked out from that article, it's funny. It's true the Catholic Church does so much but more important it simply is. It exists.

"the beauty of liturgy is it's unspontaneity"
Benedict XVI


To answer Kenny's question:

I believe it is always and everwhere evil to commit abortion although I am very conflicted/confused/undecided about the threat to the mothers life. There is a lot of "gray area" here because of technical medical situations. Very difficult decision, I hope I'm never in that situation.

"The Paradox of Choice" Talk

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/barry_schwartz_on_the_paradox_of_choice.html

we all know this but i think he gives a good talk

I liked the follow-up that Simon posted to the TIME article on FOCA:

"Some people may find it difficult to do two things at once, but the Church can and does simultaneously carry on pastoral care services, relief services, health care for one-sixth of the patients treated in hospitals each year, secondary and higher education for millions of children, evangelization, teaching, preaching, dispensing sacraments, and so much more. We can even manage to fit in an occasional postcard campaign. "

Out of curiosity, what does everyone think is the appopriate level of restriction to abortion?

completely outlawed in every case?
only lawful in teh case of saving the mother's life?
lawful in the case of rape and incest?
the abortion pill should be legal?
only legal in the first trimester?
etc.?

Thank You Bloom

I finally found someone who qualified the way I read. Harold Bloom in How to Read and Why states: You can read merely to pass the time, or you can read with an overt urgency".

Other Interseting qutoes:

"One of the uses of reading is to prepare ourselves for change, and the final change alas is universal".

"Self-trust is not an endowment, but is the Second Birth of the mind, which cannot come without years of deep reading".

"Since Ideology, particularly in its shallower versions, is peculiarly destructive of the capacity to apprehend and appreciate irony, I suggest that the recovery of the ironic might be a principle for the restoration of reading"

"We read, frequently if unknowingly, in quest of a mind more original than our own".

10-12 inches of snow predicted for tonight. I didn't know nor-easter was here.

Things

Excellent psalm choice for Lent...

Follow-up piece to the TIME FOCA article from the USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities

I'm not surprised that these antics are going on... We had similar/worse at my college... though it wasn't Catholic of course... You've got paying students and a college administration sensitive about being insensitive.

A site for the linguistically inclined:
http://www.unnecessaryquotes.com/ Funny stuff

Also, have I missed something here, but since when did Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn become "ultraliberal"? Please advise.

Psalm 51

Friday in Lent is a great time to read Psalm 51. It was one of the prayers of this morning Liturgy of the Hours. It's beautiful, I highly reccomend it.


Brendan- that article is unbelievable. As you said, it almost seems fake although I don't know if anyone could make that up. Scary.


-Insecure and Wounded
DP

Off the Chart Insane!

You can't make this stuff up. The titles of some of the talks and books that are being discussed outrageous. All of this as the Church begins Lent. WTF?

http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/feb/09022603.html

Prayer and Fasting.