Sunday, December 31, 2006


Frequent Confession?


The Sacrament of Confession is probably the most feared Sacrament in the Church. The answer why is obvious. The person in Confession must confess all of their Mortal Sins (and smaller sins are suggested as well), and therefore, it may feel embarrassing to tell the priest about the bad things you have done. Hence, many souls have not gone to confession in years, and many only go when required, and some do not tell all of their sins. An understanding of why confession is necessary is the first step. When one falls into Mortal sin (1 John 5:16-17) he is cut off from God's saving Sanctifying Grace, and in that state cannot enter Heaven. In that knowledge, one could out of fear go to confession frequently. However, that is what we call an imperfect intention. God does not desire that we go to confession just out of a fear of Hell (however, we should all of some fear of Hell), but out of love for Him. That love is where the engines for frequent confession and the fight to do better should come from. That is the reason one would confess smaller sins in addition to the larger ones (if there are any). And that is also the reason one would choose to go to confession frequently, because out of love for the All Good Creator he would strive to reform his life constantly according to God's law. Every time he falls, he will get up again determined to do better.

And what of embarrassment? What if one is too embarrassed to mention a certain sin (many times sexual sins)? An answer I have given before is that pretty much every priest out there has heard just about every sin in the book and then some. He has heard "one-of-a-kind" sins before and all of the big ones, and he will not have a heart attack if he hears your confession. The point is love. You confess your sins not just to a priest, but to God and out of love for God. The priest is not God, but he is a representative, and the point in confession is confessing our sins to God, and asking for and receiving God's forgiveness. It is actually a sin to go to confession and leave out a mortal sin intentionally (If you honestly forgot, then you should confess the sin in your next confession.). Therefore, if you had 3 mortal sins, and intentionally only confessed two, you would walk out of confession with 4 mortal sins. But if you truly have love for Christ, (Who by the way, already knows all of your sins, but still has asked you to confess them) then why would you leave out a sin? You will only hurt yourself by not confessing. Confess your sins, and then give yourself to Christ! The Catholic Church requires that one receives the sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) at least once per year. However, being a sinner myself, I can tell you I have to go to confession a lot more than that (I suggest at least once a month, and ideally about every two weeks). I beg each of you to consider frequent confession as a means in which to come closer to Christ Jesus the Lord!


For more info on Confession, I suggest reading my previous article: "7 excuses that won't work for Confession"


Also, if you would like, please take my survey on when you last went to confession (screen down on right). Your answers are anonymous.

Saturday, December 30, 2006


Liturgical Abuse.... What's the Point?


Have you ever gotten frustrated about liturgical abuse and thought: What's the point? Why can't so-and-so or such-and-such just be done right? Well, believe it or not, those who do liturgical abuses usually do have reasons (though not necessarily good reasons). By the way, much of what I will be posting about liturgical stuff will be coming from Jimmy Akin's book "Mass Confusion". I suggest that you purchase this book if you are interested in promoting the Sacredness of the Liturgy. Anyway, so what reason is there for liturgical abuse? It mostly boils down to the priest (or whoever) not knowing the reasons for doing things the right way. The Church for example does not ask us to pour the wine before it is consecrated into the chalices for no reason. One reason would be to protect the dignity of the Precious Blood to prevent it from spilling and being irreverenced. But for everything in the Liturgy there is a reason it is done- from the beginning of Mass until the end. So, many times a priest who is not informed on why something is supposed to be done a certain way will change it to his way that he understands. A common example may be that the priest during consecration will break the host during the words: "before he was given up to death, a death he freely accepted, he took bread and gave you thanks. He broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said:" However, the priest is not supposed to break the host until the Agnus Dei (The Lamb of God). There is a theological reason for this though, and the Church has not said this for the sake of making more rules. When we study the mass, we can start to understand why things are done. When addressing a liturgical problem at your parish, remember to include why it is wrong. The Catechism talks about the Holy Mass starting at #1348. When trying to stop a liturgical abuse, try to find out what the reason is on their side first, and then show why the Church has said to do it the right way. I have not yet found a situation in which the liturgical abuse had the better reason.

Wednesday, December 27, 2006




I was asked by Mysterium Fidei to post this on my blog, so here it goes:


1. Favorite devotion or prayer to Jesus? The O My Jesus prayer after each decade of the rosary, the Divine Mercy chaplet, and prayers to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.


2. Favorite Marian devotion or prayer? The First Saturday Devotion is my favorite, but I have not been easily able to do it recently. Also the rosary.


3. Do you wear a scapular or medal? Scapular.


4. Do you have holy water in your home? Yes


5. Do you 'offer up' your sufferings? I try to remember to do that for various intentions throughout the day.


6. Do you observe First Fridays and First Saturdays? As stated above, between work, school, and lots of other stuff in my life right now, the First Saturday devotion has not been happening for me, however I would love to do it again. I have never done the First Friday devotion, but I am interested.


7. Do you go to Eucharistic Adoration? How frequently? Sometimes. I am trying to make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament daily or as often as possible, but this resolution started on Christmas---So Jesus please help me!


8. Are you a Saturday evening Mass person or Sunday morning Mass person? I have to go on Sunday morning because of work on Saturday evening.


9. Do you say prayers at mealtime? Yes.


10. Favorite Saints? St. Francis of Assisi, St. Isaac Jogues, St. Pio, St. Dominic Savio, St. John Bosco, St. Therese of the Little Flower.


11. Can you recite the Apostles Creed by heart? Yes, and I encourage those who don't know it to memorize it as it is simple and important, and is the first prayer of the Rosary.


12. Do you usually say short prayers (aspirations) during the course of the day? Yes. Normally something like "Jesus please help me, Lord have Mercy, etc."


13. Bonus Question: When you pass by a automobile accident or other serious mishap, do you say a quick prayer for the folks involved? I try to remember to, thanks to a few years ago seeing a fellow Catholic doing so. She inspired me to do the same.

Saturday, December 23, 2006


The Divine Nature of Jesus


I want to post this article on proofs for the Divine Nature of Jesus in response to a fellow co-worker of mine who believes that Jesus is the Son of God but not God, believing that the things that Jesus did (including the Resurrection) were simply God the Father's doing. I am providing text from the King James Version of the Bible, only because this seems to be the most widely accepted version of the Bible from various Religious groups. I would use my Catholic Revised Standard Version, but I am afraid an argument of text translation would ensue. So here I go:


First of all, I would like to remind folks that Jesus was crucified because He proclaimed Himself to be the Christ-God.

Matthew 26:63-66

"63But Jesus held his peace, And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.
64Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
65Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.
66What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death
."


Jesus was more than just a "Good Man". He was and is the Christ Who is Lord.

Acts 2:36:
"36Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ."


I think one of the greatest verses I found was in Philippians 2:5-11


"5Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father
."


OK, so Verse 6 seems to make that Jesus is actually God, and in verse 7 we see that Jesus "was made in the likeness of men". So you cannot say that Jesus was "just a man" with this verse in mind. Yes Jesus became man, but He was still God. Then in verses 10 and 11 we see that it is saying that Jesus is Lord and that we should bow down to Jesus. Now, if Jesus was ONLY a man, no matter how blessed, it would be idolatry to worship Him. BUT, since He is God, it is right that we should worship Him.


Finally, I found this very interesting verse in John 20:26-29:

"26And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
27Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.
28And Thomas answered and said unto him, My LORD and my God.
29Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast"
You really can't get much more clear here. Thomas called Jesus God, and Jesus never rebuked him for this.
and John 1:1-5 and verses 14-15

"1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2The same was in the beginning with God.
3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not
."
"14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
15John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
"
The "Word was with God and the Word was God" and "the Word became flesh" make it pretty clear that Jesus was and is indeed God.



I understand that this subject can be complicated, and that is a mystery to humans that Jesus was and is God and that He became man. But the scriptures clearly point out that Jesus was and is God.


Thursday, December 21, 2006


What Christmas is Really About



POPE CALLS UPON CHILDREN TO BEAR WITNESS TO JESUS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 21, 2006 (VIS) - In a traditional meeting for this time of year, the Pope today received a group of children from Italian Catholic Action, who came to the Vatican to wish him a happy Christmas.

Addressing the young people, the Holy Father made reference to the slogan - "Beautiful. True" - they had chosen for their formative journey this year. "Christmas," he said, "is the great mystery of the Truth and Beauty of God Who came among us for everyone's salvation. The birth of Jesus is not a fable, it is a story that really happened, in Bethlehem two thousand years ago. Faith brings us to recognize in that little Child born of the Virgin Mary, the true Son of God Who, out of love, chose to become man."

"In the face of the little Jesus," the Holy Father proceeded, "we contemplate the face of God, which is not revealed through force or power, but in weakness and the fragile constitution of a child. This 'Divine Child' ... demonstrates the faithfulness and tenderness of the boundless love with which God surrounds each of us. For this reason we rejoice at Christmas, reliving the same experience as the shepherds of Bethlehem."

"The wonder we feel before the enchantment of Christmas" is, said Benedict XVI, in some way reflected in the birth of all children, "and it invites us to recognize the Infant Jesus in all babies, who are the joy of the Church and the hope of the world."

The Pope assured the children of his trust in them and called upon them "to be friends and witnesses of Jesus, Who came among us in Bethlehem. Is it not a beautiful thing to make Him better known among your friends, in cities, in parishes and in your families? The Church needs you in order to be close to all the children and young people who live in Italy. Bear witness to the fact that Jesus takes away nothing of your joy, but makes you more human, more true, more beautiful."
AC/CHRISTMAS/CATHOLIC ACTION VIS 061221 (360)

Sunday, December 17, 2006


Litany of Humility


Here is a great prayer I recommend to all of you. It is a prayer for Humility that was composed by Cardinal Merry del Val. It is a prayer, that to say with conviction is difficult. I encourage all of you if possible to say this after Mass or after Holy Communion in your parishes. Yes! Not just you, but if possible, with your priest's approval have your entire parish say it! That would be wonderful. Tell me if it works!


O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.

From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, Jesus

From the desire of being loved,...

From the desire of being extolled,...

From the desire of being honored,...

From the desire of being praised,...

From the desire of being preferred to others,...

From the desire of being consulted,...

From the desire of being approved,.....

From the fear of being humiliated,....

From the fear of being despised,...

From the fear of suffering rebukes,...

From the fear of being calumniated,...

From the fear of being forgotten,...

From the fear of being ridiculed,...

From the fear of being wronged,...

From the fear of being suspected,...


That others may be loved more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That in the opinion of the world others may increase and I may decrease,...

That others may be chosen and I set aside,...

That others may be praised and I unnoticed,...

That others may be preferred to me in everything,...

That others become holier than I , provided that I may become as holy as I should,....

Saturday, December 16, 2006



Another Important Prayer Request!


Tonight at work, a co-worker identified himself to me as a witch. We were in a debate about the Catholic Church and stuff, and I have this uncomfortable feeling around him (that doesn't necessarily mean anything though) I normally don't get when talking to other people about the Faith. He has a very matter of fact attitude. I wish I knew apologetics better than I do. I feel so dum sometimes when people present these very weird ideas and I have a hard time knowing what to say. I wonder why God choose me to witness when I am so unfit?! But God works in mysterious ways. I beg that you would please pray for me-that I would be a good witness and that God would protect me. Also, most importantly pray for the conversion of this soul--I BEG you! Please! Say a decade, or a rosary, or a offer a Holy Hour, or offer the Sacrifice of the Mass, --Please! Here are some things that he believes that I will try to study up on, but any help would be appreciated.


1. Homosexuality is not wrong

2. Jesus is not God, only the Son of God. (It's so weird, because it seems that he believes in the Bible)

3. That the Catholic Church is a man-made Church, and that the real Church exists only in our minds and hearts.

4. Catholics worship Mary and only the original Apostles were true Saints but the Catholic Church has no right to say that anyone else is a saint.

5. Jesus rose from the dead only because God rose Him from the dead and not because He was Divine.


These are just some of the things. Please keep me and him in your prayers! Thank you and God Bless!

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Caption Contest
It's time for another Caption Contest. Please post any funny but clean comments below about the picture!

"Why didn't I just keep my day job!??"

Wednesday, December 13, 2006


Another update


Just wanted to post a really quick update as to the situation in my parish concerning the pouring of the Precious Blood to various chalices when it is supposed to be done before Consecration so as not to endanger the Lord's Blood. I met with my liturgist today and I really can't say if it was good or bad yet. She seemed to understand my concern and to agree for the most part. I think that if she had a total say in the matter the abuse would come to an end. She is going to take my request to our priest and another lady involved in liturgical matters, and also to our Diocesan liturgical committee that she is apart of. It seems doubtful that anything will be done, but PLEASE PLEASE PRAY for this, that the abuse would come to an end. Our Lord has suffered enough mistreatment! Thank you for your prayers!

Tuesday, December 12, 2006




Please join Mysterium Fidei and The Catholic Warrior in the new "I Pledge Support" Campaign. The Holy Father needs our prayers! He practically begs for them on a daily basis. Cardinal Levada estimates that on an average day, the Holy Father asks others to pray for him around 80 times. Wow! Shall we take this invitation seriously? Or just let it go in one ear and out the other? I hope each of you will post this on your blogs, and update it monthly with the Holy Father's intentions. Place this on your blogs, emails, desktops, send it to anyone, and everyone! Spread the word, the more the better.

BENEDICT XVI'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR APRIL

VATICAN CITY, 1 APR 2008 (VIS) - Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for April is: "That Christians, even in the difficult and complex situations of present-day society, may not tire of proclaiming with their lives that Christ's resurrection is the source of peace and of hope".

His mission intention is: "That the future priests of the young Churches may be constantly more formed culturally and spiritually to evangelise their nations and the whole world".
BXVI-PRAYER INTENTIONS/APRIL/... VIS 080401 (90)

Monday, December 11, 2006



Separation of Church and State




I found this recent article to be very interesting as it addresses the so misunderstood theme of separation of Church and State. It's separation of Church and State that's kicking God out of schools, out of government and out of our Country. By the way, the words "Separation of Church and State" are not found in the American Constitution but were first found in a letter from Thomas Jefferson who was not using these words like people like to twist them. Religion is a way of life and therefore cannot be totally separated from society. Yes, sadly our society may not be embracing Christianity, but it is embracing Humanism and Relativism. Below I have highlighted some of the great points our Pontiff makes....




STATE MUST RECOGNIZE PUBLIC RELEVANCE OF RELIGION

VATICAN CITY, DEC 9, 2006 (VIS) - The Pope today received participants in the 56th national study congress, promoted by the Union of Italian Catholic Jurists, which is being held in Rome on the theme: "Secularity and secularities."

The concept of secularity, said the Holy Father in his address to the group, originally referred to "the condition of simple faithful Christian, not belonging to the clergy or the religious state. During the Middle Ages it acquired the meaning of opposition between civil authorities and ecclesial hierarchies, and in modern times it has assumed the significance of the exclusion of religion and its symbols from public life by confining them to the private sphere and the individual conscience. In this way, the term secularity has acquired an ideological meaning quite opposite to the one it originally held."

Secularity today, then, "is understood as a total separation between State and Church, the latter not having any right to intervene in questions concerning the life and behavior of citizens. And such secularity even involves the exclusion of religious symbols from public places." In accordance with this definition, the Pope continued, "today we hear talk of secular thought, secular morals, secular science, secular politics. In fact, at the root of such a concept, is an a-religious view of life, thought and morals; that is, a view in which there is no place for God, for a Mystery that transcends pure reason, for a moral law of absolute value that is valid in all times and situations."

The Holy Father underlined the need "to create a concept of secularity that, on the one hand, grants God and His moral law, Christ and His Church, their just place in human life at both an individual and a social level, and on the other hand affirms and respects the 'legitimate autonomy of earthly affairs'."

The Church, the Pope reiterated, cannot intervene in politics, because that would "constitute undue interference." However, "'healthy secularity' means that the State does not consider religion merely as an individual sentiment that can be confined to the private sphere." Rather, it must be "recognized as a ... public presence. This means that all religious confessions (so long as they do not contrast the moral order and are not dangerous to public order) are guaranteed free exercise of their acts of worship."

Hostility against "any form of political or cultural relevance of religion," and in particular against "any kind of religious symbol in public institutions" is a degenerated form of secularity, said the Holy Father, as is "refusing the Christian community, and those who legitimately represent it, the right to pronounce on the moral problems that today appeal to the conscience of all human beings, particularly of legislators.

"This," he added, "does not constitute undue interference of the Church in legislative activity, which is the exclusive competence of the State, but the affirmation and the defense of those great values that give meaning to people's lives and safeguard their dignity. These values, even before being Christian, are human, and therefore cannot leave the Church silent and indifferent, when she has the duty firmly to proclaim the truth about man and his destiny."

The Pope concluded by highlighting the need "to bring people to understand that the moral law God gave us - and that expresses itself in us through the voice of conscience - has the aim not of oppressing us but of freeing us from evil and of making us happy. We must show that without God man is lost, and that the exclusion of religion from social life, and in particular the marginalization of Christianity, undermines the very foundations of human coexistence. Such foundations, indeed, before being of the social and political order, belong to the moral order."
AC/SECULARITY/... VIS 061211 (640)

Sunday, December 10, 2006

Christmas Quiz (I know it's still Advent, but I guess I couldn't resist!)
You are 88% knowledgeable regarding Christmas culture.

CONGRATULATIONS!!! YOU DID IT! YOU PASSED! Now you're ready to go on to gotoquiz.com/how_christmas_are_you Have a blessed Christmas!

THE CHRISTMAS QUIZ
Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

I just took this quiz and really enjoyed it. BTW, I am not endorsing all of the quizzes on that site, but found this one to be good. I guess I did pretty good!

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Talking About the Terrible "It"


What do you do when your talking about an unborn baby? You know, your talking on the phone with Suzy about Mary's pregnancy when you suddenly come to the crisis of what do you call the unborn child. OK. Normally you don't think of it as a crisis--- but seriously now. Which of these sentences would you most naturally and most likely say:

(Referring to the unborn baby)

A. "How old is it?"

B. "How old is he/she?"

C. "How old is your fetus?"


It depends on what you believe and how brainwashed by society you have become that would depend on your answer. Do you believe that an unborn child is a child? Or do you believe that the child is an "it"---not a child but a thing? Do you believe that this unborn human is simply a clump of tissues referred to as a fetus? If you believe that the baby is not a person, I ask you, when does "it" become a person? At birth? But the baby's heartbeat begins on the 21st day after conception, and electrical brain waves have been recorded as early as forty days after conception. So what exact moment does the "it" become a somebody??? It's a question people have pondered for a very long time, but there is a simple answer: Life begins at conception. Period. God gives each individual their soul at that exact moment. It's not when the baby is born, or when the parents take the child home. It's at the exact moment of conception. In the Bible in Jeremiah 1:5 it says: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations." The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, "Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person- among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life." (CCC 2270) (Bold marks added)

The Catechism really nails the point here. It says that at conception an unborn baby should be recognized as a human and have every human right. We would never think of calling a toddler and "it", so why should we to an unborn baby. If the sex of the child is unknown, it is appropriate to simply call the child "him". Please, I know it's hard for some of us to stop using this terrible pronoun, but please, never call a child "it"!

Tuesday, December 05, 2006


The Next Generation...


EDUCATION, A TASK FOR PARENTS, TEACHERS AND PASTORS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 5, 2006 (VIS) - Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. sent a message to Luciano Corradini, national president of the Italian Catholic Union of Middle School Teachers (UCIIM), and to participants in that association's 22nd national congress. The congress was held in Rome recently on the theme: "Education in schools. New scenarios, new responsibilities."

In his message, the cardinal gives assurances of Benedict XVI's appreciation for the activities of the UCIIM which, he recalls, was founded by Gesualdo Nosengo in 1944 and "works actively in schools, promoting initiatives for the cultural and didactic aggiornamento of teachers, showing particular concern for their religious and spiritual growth, and supporting all initiatives that effectively seek to promote the education of youth. [The Pope] encourages you to continue along this path, facing the challenges of the modern age with farsighted courage."

Cardinal Bertone continues: "The formation of new generations, as never before in history, calls for much shared reflection, and for the preparation of educational and pastoral strategies aimed at meeting the expectations of the world of youth in the third millennium. It is necessary to transmit to young people an appreciation of the positive value of life, arousing in them the desire to spend their own lives in the service of Good. And this requires a responsible contribution on everyone's part: teachers, parents, pastors and all people who truly have the future of humanity at heart."
SS/EDUCATION:UCIIM/BERTONE VIS 061205 (250)


I found this article to be very interesting. Cardinal Bertone says: "The formation of new generations, as never before in history,..."
It is so vital that the youth today are educated. The future rests in the hands of the next generation, and what I see so far is not so good. Today, Catholic children know next to nothing about their faith for one of two reasons. 1. Because their parents don't know their faith or 2. Because the parents just don't think it's very important or are afraid to teach the faith. We are running out of time. Too many souls leave this earth without faith. The time for conversion is now! We must pass on the Faith! Please do your part by studying your Faith, and by not being ashamed to stand up for it. If you have children to do not hesitate to teach them. God has placed a moral responsibility on all parents to pass down the Faith, and to not fulfill that obligation would be a grave matter. Matthew 28:19-20: "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you". If you will not teach who will?

Monday, December 04, 2006

Thank You Faithful Catholics!


Just wanted to say a quick "Thank you!" to all of you who were praying for the Pope's protection on his trip to Turkey! I am so relieved he got back safely! Have a great day! God Bless!

Friday, December 01, 2006







December Officially dedicated to The Holy Infancy.


Adorable Child Jesus, in You wisdom resides, divinity dwells, and all eternal riches are found. You are the beauty of Heaven, the delight of the Angels, and the salvation of mankind. Here I am prostrated at Your feet, O source of innocence, purity, and holiness. Although I am a slave of sin, I belong to You by the undeniable right of Your sovereignty.

I hereby render to You as my Lord-my King and my dignified and most adorable Savior-my faith and my homage with the shepherds, and my act of adoration with the Magi. I give myself entirely and without restriction into Your powerful hands, which drew all the universe from nothingness and preserved it in the admirable order that we see.

O lovable Child, grant that as a result of my total devotion to honoring the mystery of Your divine Childhood, I may have the happiness-through the mediation of Your holy Mother and St. Joseph, Your foster father-to live all the rest of my life in You, for You, and under the direction of Your divine Spirit. AMEN.
This year, try to make Christmas about Christ. It's not about all of the fuss of shopping for gifts, and going to parties, and traveling to family. It is about Christ. It's not just some birthday party for Jesus either. It's celebrating much more. Namely that the Word became Flesh. God became man. (Although Jesus is 100% God and also 100% man--- something we can't understand) This event in history changed the entire course of history. Millions and billions of lives have been changed because of Jesus. Then, we also recall the summit of Jesus' time on earth--- His death on the cross. He was born to die. But He conquered death so that we may have life! Praise Jesus this Christmas and worship HIM. Give thanks to the Savior of the World!

Monday, November 27, 2006

Vatican has Come up With New Plan!

According to an anonymous source, the Vatican has decided for security reasons to send Pope Benedict's decoy (who is known normally in the Vatican only as Dr. Petrus) to Turkey. He has been practicing the part as pope the last couple of days including this photo period taken on Sunday before the Angelus. Pope Benedict sends his apostolic blessing to his decoy and prays for his protection before the big trip. There is only one problem everyone is crossing their fingers about---he doesn't know a word of German.















Habemus (alter) Papam!






Sunday, November 26, 2006


Prayer Request


I would like to request that anyone reading this now would take a moment and pray for a deacon (The name is Deacon Denny) at my parish who is suffering from what I believe are blood clots in his lungs. I don't believe that this is the first time for this to occur, and it can be very dangerous. Pray for him and his wife as they go through this difficult time, and pray that he would be ready to meet Christ when the time comes. "Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of the night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come." (Matthew 24:43-44)

Saturday, November 25, 2006

Interview Involving a Success Story!
Last month I published this article about a liturgical abuse in my parish that I believe is very wrong. This abuse is commonly called "Fractioning". This means that at mass when the wine is received in the flagons it is not immediately poured into separate chalices but is consecrated in the flagons and then poured into separate chalices. However, after consecration the wine is no longer wine, but is our Lord's Precious Blood. Therefore there is danger of spilling the Precious Blood. In fact, the Church a few years ago put out a document called Redemptionis Sacramentum which stated: "[106.] However, the pouring of the Blood of Christ after the consecration from one vessel to another is completely to be avoided, lest anything should happen that would be to the detriment of so great a mystery. Never to be used for containing the Blood of the Lord are flagons, bowls, or other vessels that are not fully in accord with the established norms." Anyway, the author of Mysterium-Fidei has recently stated that his parish used to do this but has now stopped. I have interviewed him and he has provided the following answers:


Q. 1. Your article on Mysterium-Fidei on how a liturgical abuse at your parish stopped is very exciting! Please explain to your knowledge how this abuse started, in your parish.

A. About 6 months ago, our bishop sent a seminarian to Delta to assist our pastor during the Holy Week Liturgies. Now, our pastor did not want the seminarian to feel like he had nothing to do, so he allowed him to fraction the wine [Precious Blood], thinking this was just one more thing. (Please understand, our pastor did not mean bad by this.) Prior to this event our pastor did not fraction.

Q. 2. Why do you think this abuse continued even after Rome put out Redemptionis Sacramentum stating that fractioning was to come to an end?

A. Rome put this document out, because it knew that the Precious Blood was being spilled often. So, they figured that if the wine was poured during the Offertory, than if it was spilt, "O well, it's just wine!" Now, before our pastor started fractioning, the Precious Blood had not been spilled, but after he started, it has been spilled 7 times.

Q. 3. What happened that caused the fractioning to come to an end?

A. Well, after much controversy in the parish, the priest was notified by about 10 people, urging him to stop this act which was a sin against the Precious Blood. The priest felt pressured and decided to change his mind. The secondary thing that changed his mind was that it was less time consuming to do it the correct way.

Q. 4. What advice would you give to others who have similar abuses in their parishes that want to do something?

A. Please, I beg you, don't run in like a lion. Charity above all. First pray, and then talk to your liturgist, and if that doesn't work, talk to the priest himself. Give him the reasons, and show him the document. Be persistent, but not pushy! If this doesn't work, than you can always go to your local ordinary. While the Congregation for Divine Worship is another step, it is unlikely they will take this matter as a "gravatori delictica." If nothing happens, go back to step one: pray. Pray for conversion of heart.


Just as an update as to the situation in my parish: I have written my liturgist and I am going to be talking to her next week. Please pray all goes well!

Copyright 2006 Our Lady of Sorrows inc.

Caption Contest

Please post any funny and clean comments below about this picture. The best caption will be posted alongside the picture.


"Santa Dies in Sleigh Accident. Report says Rudolph's nose finally went out and in the middle of a blizzard in New York."
And so far Anonymous wins the award for funniest caption: "I guess that's what he gets for kissing mama."

Thursday, November 23, 2006


Happy Thanksgiving!



Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I just want to post a reminder of what we should be truly thankful for everyday, and that is Our Lord Jesus' death on the cross. It was through this terrible death that He brought a possibility of everlasting life to each and everyone of us. Do not ever think that it was easy for Jesus to die for us. It wasn't. We should in thankfulness return some gratitude to Christ. Remember we are also all called to live this life of holiness: "and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." (Matthew11:38-39)

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

New Book Coming soon by.... And no, thank goodness, it's not Dan Brown....


It's the Pope!


"POPE WRITING A BOOK ON JESUS OF NAZARETH

VATICAN CITY, NOV 21, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office today released a communique stating: "The Holy Father Benedict XVI has completed writing the first part of a book, the title of which is 'Gesu di Nazareth. Dal Battesimo nel Giordano alla Trasfigurazione' (Jesus of Nazareth, From His Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration) and, within the last few days, has consigned it to the Vatican Publishing House. The book will be published in spring 2007"


Well, this should be interesting. This Pope's first book written while he is Pope. I should very much enjoy to see the insights he will be putting in it. I know what my mom will think when she hears about this... "Will it have pictures?"
UPDATE:
NOTE BY FR. LOMBARDI ON BENEDICT XVI'S FORTHCOMING BOOK

VATICAN CITY, NOV 22, 2006 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J., has written a note concerning a forthcoming book by Benedict XVI, scheduled for publication in the spring of 2007. The title of the volume is: "Gesu di Nazareth. Dal Battesimo nel Giordano alla Trasfigurazione" (Jesus of Nazareth, From His Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration).

The Vatican Publishing House, which holds the copyright on all the Pope's writings, has ceded the world rights for the translation, distribution and marketing of this book to the Rizzoli Publishing House.

"The fact that Benedict XVI has managed to complete the first part of his great book on Jesus, and that within a few months we will have it in our hands, is wonderful news," writes Fr. Lombardi in his note. "I find it extraordinary that despite the duties and concerns of the pontificate, he has managed to complete a work of such great academic and spiritual depth. He says he dedicated all his free time to the project; and this itself is a very significant indication of the importance and urgency the book has for him.

"With his habitual simplicity and humility, the Pope explains that this is not a 'work of Magisterium' but the fruit of his own research, and as such it can be freely discussed and criticized. This is a very important observation, because it makes clear that what he writes in the book in no way binds the research of exegetes and theologians. It is not a long encyclical on Jesus, but a personal presentation of the figure of Jesus by the theologian Joseph Ratzinger, who has been elected as Bishop of Rome."

In the book's preface, Fr. Lombardi's note says, the Holy Father "explains that in modern culture, and in many presentations of the figure of Jesus, the gap between the 'historical Jesus' and the 'Christ of the faith' has become ever wider. ... Joseph Ratzinger, taking into consideration all the achievements of modern research, aims to present the Jesus of the Gospels as the real 'historical Jesus,' as a sensible and convincing figure to Whom we can and must trustingly refer, and upon Whom we have good reason to base our faith and our Christian life. With his book, then, the Pope aims to offer a fundamental service to support the faith of his brothers and sisters, and he does so from the central element of the faith: Jesus Christ."

In the introduction to the book, Fr. Lombardi continues, "Jesus is presented to us as the new Moses, the new prophet who speaks with 'God face to face,' ... the Son, deeply united to the Father. If this essential aspect is overlooked, the figure of Jesus become contradictory and incomprehensible. With passion, Joseph Ratzinger speaks to us of Jesus' intimate union with the Father, and wishes to ensure that Jesus' disciples participate in this communion. It is, then, a great work of exegesis and theology, but also a great work of spirituality."

Fr. Lombardi concludes: "Recalling the profound impression and the spiritual fruits that, as a young man, I drew from reading Joseph Ratzinger's first work - 'Introduction to Christianity' - I am sure that this time too we will not be disappointed, but that both believers and all people truly disposed to understand more fully the figure of Jesus, will be immensely grateful to the Pope for his great witness as a thinker, scholar and man of faith, on the most essential point of the entire Christian faith."
OP/BOOK BENEDICT XVI/LOMBARDI VIS 061122 (600)
That means we'll be seeing this book soon!!

Sunday, November 19, 2006

Making the Sign of the Cross
Do you pray before meals? It is a very good and wholesome practice to pray before meals to thank God for His blessings that He has given us. In 1 Corinthians 10:31. it says: "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever else you do, do all to the glory of God." The traditional prayer that Catholics do before meals is the following: "Bless us O Lord and these Thy gifts, that we are about to receive from Thy bounty, through Christ our Lord. Amen." Every time we pray, it is a reminder to ourselves that we are Catholic. However, can you go beyond just reminding yourself that you are a Christian to not being ashamed to tell others that you are? Do you ever pray in public before eating? It's not about showing off, but it is a simple way to show that we are un-ashamed to be Christians. In Matthew 10:32 it says: "Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father." Please, take one more step to make our culture a more Christian one. PRAY before eating and make the sign of cross, even in public. Do not be ashamed to be a follower of Jesus Christ!

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Gospel Reflection (Luke 14:15-24)
A reading from the holy Gospel according to St. Luke:
One of those at table with Jesus said to him, "Blessed is the one who will dine in the Kingdom of God." He replied to him, "A man gave a great dinner to which he invited many. When the time for the dinner came, he dispatched his servant to say to those invited, 'Come, everything is now ready.' But one by one, they all began to excuse themselves. The first said to him, 'I have purchased a field and must go to examine it; I ask you, consider me excused.' And another said, 'I have purchased five yoke of oxen and am on my way to evaluate them; I ask you , consider me excused.' And another said, 'I have just married a woman, and therefore I cannot come.' The servant went and reported this to his master. Then the master of the house in a rage commanded his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in here the poor and the crippled, the blind and the lame.' The servant reported, 'Sir, your orders have been carried out and still there is room.' The master then ordered the servant, 'Go out to the highways and hedgerows and make people come in that my home may be filled. For, I tell you, none of those men who were invited will taste my dinner.'" The Gospel of the Lord.
The invitation to the feast in now. The feast is Heaven. The invitation has already been delivered, and now, Christ is only waiting to see if we will come. There is room for everyone in Heaven, and we must make the journey here on earth to get there. It is not a physical journey but a spiritual one. We do it through repentance and acceptance of what Christ has told us. The people that were originally invited are those who hear Christ's invitation but are too busy with their worldly affairs to bother coming. So many people today are so caught up in their worldly tasks that they do not bother to live a Christian life or even to care. Their life is about money and fun. Unfortunately, those things do not last very long, and they only leave emptiness. When we follow Christ we will have that peace that this world does not understand. Yes, we will suffer hardships, but we will be truly at peace, because we know who we are and where were going. The master in the house invited all people, even the crippled and blind and lame, because Christ loves us all. He has enabled each and every one of us to be able to eat at the Heavenly feast one day. But we must strive to live as Christians in a very un-Christian world. Are we up to the invitation, the calling, the mission? Because in the end we will end up in one of two places: Heaven or Hell. "Lord help us to follow Your call! Help me to be strong in this un-godly world. Mary, Help of Christians, Pray for us!"

Tuesday, November 14, 2006


A Secret Society... A Spirit.... And a Catastrophe....
(Author's note: This article is humorous but is meant to show a point. I am not bashing the Church, Vatican II, or any women that are dedicated to God. I know that many of these women may be very holy, but I only want to address a point that I think is important.)
Introducing: SSSVII---The Secret Society of the Spirit of Vatican II
SSSVII is a recent order that has been established in many countries. Its numbers have increased greatly over the past 30 some years. This new order includes nuns, priests, and religious. The founder of SSSVII has not acknowledged himself, most likely because this is a secret organization. Here's what they do. The society first of all has a very strict secrecy code. They must not wear their habits or clerics except on very rare occasions. The cassock is to be completely avoided. Then this order must in secret attend mass and parish activities (remember they are dressed like everyone else) and therefore as to not arouse attention and so religious can see what their parishioners are really like. You see, if a parishioner sees Sister Clara dressed in full habit, it will remind him to act especially good. However, if Sister Clara is dressed just like everyone else, then the parishioner will be clueless and will reveal his true self. Sister Clara will take notes in her big black book, so she can report all findings to headquarters. Beware Catholics, SSSVII is out there.... Although sometimes hard to identify, I have done research on my computer to bring you this picture of an authentic SSSVII member. Watch as the man on the left, cluelessly shakes hands with an SSSVII nun. Under that overcoat of hers, she stores her big black book. However there is only one problem with this large order. Although it has grown rapidly, it is now dying out. You see, most of the members came from previous orders where the habit was worn. Many decided to join SSSVII, but not many new members have been coming in. They are desperate for vocations...........................Ok....... You can breath now!!!! Thank goodness that was a joke, but unfortunately it has more truth to it than not. Namely, the wonderful habit of a nun, the cassocks and clerics of priests, and the religious habit of various orders are being thrown away. I can find many many nuns on the internet in various orders (Not to mention the many nuns I have seen in person) that do not wear the religious habit. You would not know that they were nuns unless they told you. Why am I concerned about this? Because, when we threw out the habit, (which was a sign of throwing out the Divine Vocation, I think) we threw out many vocations. What girl would not see it as a privilege to wear the habit as a sign of her dedication to Christ? And how attractive is it to dress as someone ordinary? The habit is an outward sign to show that this person has dedicated their life to Christ. It is a beautiful witness to all of those people that see it. It almost appears to me that the nun is ashamed she is a nun when she hides it by not dressing like one. It is an honor to have one's life dedicated to Christ. It is stuff like this that seems to be kicking God out of society. We wonder why our country is so corrupt? Wake up Catholics! It should be us that come to conversion first, so that we may bring others with us. I am not wondering why orders are decreasing when there is such lack of Faith. I heard once a conversation among some Catholic young people who were saying that they thought nuns were pointless and that the Church should no longer have them. I am not surprised by these statements when all young people see a nun as is a strange woman who isn't married because she has a 'job' at the church. However, thankfully, not all is gone. Some orders have preserved the habit and the Faith that used to be more common among nuns. These orders are prospering. They are growing. Let us pray that God will instill Faith among all Catholics today.

These habit filled nuns are increasing in numbers.

Here is a good article in defense of the habit.


Monday, November 13, 2006


Pope's trip to Turkey to take place one week after Thanksgiving...
It's now official. We now know the complete schedule of his holiness Pope Benedict as he travels to Turkey. The dates are from the end of November to the beginning of December. (Specific dates I'm not giving out yet.) Pray very, very, very, very, very hard for his protection, and for his success in bringing about the message of Christ. I think that Pope Benedict wants to show Muslims that he intends to bring peace and that this example of his will show them that they are not forgotten. Think of all of the few Catholics that live in Turkey that hunger for Christ. I think this visit will mean a lot for them too. Pray for the conversion of Muslims and for an end to terrorism!

Thursday, November 09, 2006


Passing on the Faith

I have just recently finished helping teach at our church in our First Reconciliation Class. I feel confident that some of the students are ready to make their First Confession. And yes, I said some. Unfortunately, some of the students do not know much at all. They come to class, and although the class may be good, it is only 1 hour each week. If the children have not had proper religious education at home, they will suffer in their faith, and a First Confession class will only confuse them. For example, if they don't know who God is, they can't possibly understand His mercy and why we need forgiveness. Religious education at home is what is essential. The local parish may be able to provide some education, but it should only be supplementary. I can tell the difference between the children whose parents at home have gone over the "homework" (the terms and ideas of Reconciliation), and those kids whose parents bring them but do not teach their children.
Maybe, the parents do not teach their children because they themselves do not know their Faith. You can not give what you do not have. It is our responsibility to study our Faith so as to not only help ourselves but to be able to give it to others. The Bible says in Matthew 28:19-20: "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you". Please learn you Faith so you can grow closer to Christ and bring others closer to Him. A good sign to know if you know your Faith is to see if you can successfully teach it someone else. Maybe practicing in the bathroom a few times would help....

Homosexual parade cancelled. Now they'll just do a demonstration.....

Get the story here.
The "homosexual community" in Israel are going to be doing a demonstration in a stadium, instead of their original "gay parade" in Jerusalem. Together, Christians, Muslims, and Jews were outraged at the proposed parade. What I find astonishing is that Israel was planning on having 8,500-12,000 police officers give security to this parade. (Boy, they sure go out of their way for such a sick event.) Ok, so just recently the "gay community" called off the parade to just have this demonstration, because of the threats of violence. Talk about stupid. How far do people have to go to try to convince us and themselves that they are not living in sin? Pray for these poor souls who have listened to the lies of Satan, and are now living lives of fear and anxiety. Pray that they may one day come to Jesus and find true peace and happiness.

Wednesday, November 08, 2006


Good Job Colorado! (Well, mostly!)
Although Coloradans unfortunately voted for a Democratic Senator, we did good with Amendments 43 and 44 and with Referendum I. Amendment 43 on banning Same-sex marriage was accepted. Amendment 44 on legalizing 1 ounce or less of marijuana possession was voted no on. And Referendum I just barely did not pass! Thank you Jesus! I have gotten these results off of CNN News and I am not sure if all of the votes have been counted in yet, but I think it's accurate. I hope I'm not jumping the gun! Well, let's pray that America will wake up! It's time for conversion in this Country!

Sunday, November 05, 2006



November is All about Souls month!
November is officially dedicated to the Faithful Departed. This month then is dedicated to praying and doing works for those who have died, that they may spend less time in Purgatory. Now, I am posting this kinda late, but here is a remarkable way in which to help the poor souls.
An idulgence, applicable only to the Souls in Purgatory, is granted to the faithful, who devoutly visit a cemetery and pray, even if only mentally, for the departed. The indulgence is plenary each day from the 1st to 8th of November; on other days of the year it is partial.
Now, I guess I should explain what exactly an indulgence is.......
"An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints" (Indulgentarium Doctrina norm 1).
"An indulgence is partial or plenary according as it removes either part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin" (ibid. norm 2, norm 3).
What that means is that an indulgence will remove either partially or completely your temporal punishment from sin. So what is temporal punishment? Temporal punishment is the punishment acquired even though our sins may have been forgiven in whole. It is like if you broke your neighbor's window when you were a kid playing baseball. Even though you would tell them your sorry, and they forgive you, you will still have to pay for the broken window. Temporal punishment is that. Namely, we still have punishment- not that it will send us to Hell-but that it must be paid for because of the very fact we have sinned. It's called making reparation for your sin.
So, how do I gain an indulgence? There are certain requirements that must be followed in order to gain an indulgence.
1. First of all you must be in a state of sanctifying grace. That is, you have no mortal sin on your soul.
2. You must be Catholic
3. You must have the intention of gaining the particular indulgence.
For partial indulgences:
You have to carry out the action with a contrite heart.
For Plenary indulgences:
Same as partial, plus you must go to confession within 8 days before or after the act is done, receive Holy Communion, pray for the pope's intentions, (1 Our Father and Hail Mary are enough, but substitutions are allowed.), and you must be free from all attachment to all sin including venial sin.
So, to gain the Plenary Indulgence for a soul in Purgatory you must go to confession, receive Holy Communion, Pray for the pope's intentions, be free from all attachment to all sin (no matter how small!), and visit a cemetery and pray for the souls in Purgatory! Wowsers! I hope you got all of that! Really it is not that difficult to fulfil, except for perhaps the condition that requires one to be free from all attachment to sin. I know that only God can know if we truly are, and not many of us are anywhere close.
One final note: Indulgences are not a means to earn one's salvation. To receive an indulgence, one must already be a in a state of Sanctifying Grace (the grace needed for Heaven). As I said before, indulgences only remove temporal punishment-not eternal punishment. Also, indulgences can not be bought over e-bay, or sent in the mail. They are something that God bestows on us through His Holy Catholic Church. The Pope cannot just wave his hand and put an indulgence on you. They are not magic. It is only a gift from God, to help us grow closer to Him, and it is a sign of His infinite Mercy!

Friday, November 03, 2006


Colorado Voting issues 2006
I am writing here in summary two Amendments and one Referendum that effect our Catholic Faith. Please read these carefully, but remember, as Catholics there is no gray area as to what to vote for on these three issues.
Amendment 43: Defines marriage in Colorado as a union between one man and one woman. This would stop so called "marriages" between same-sex couples. Voting YES on Amendment 43 is the Catholic position.
Amendment 44: Makes legal the possession of 1 ounce or less of marijuana for anyone 21 & up. Marijuana is a drug that always leads one to intoxication. The argument is that marijuana is safer than alcohol, and therefore should be legal in some instances. However, when one is drinking beer, you do not have to become intoxicated. Intoxication is clearly condemned in the Bible. Although drunkenness with alcohol may be more dangerous than intoxication with marijuana, marijuana is always wrong, while alcohol can be used without abuse. Voting NO on Amendment 44 is the Catholic position.
Referendum I: Allows legal "Domestic partnerships" (Same-sex relationships) in the state of Colorado to have the same rights as marriage. All that is happening here is that this would allow same -sex couples to have marriage without calling it that. The commercials that have been running on TV have been misleading, but it is clearly an agenda for the same-sex movement going on here. Voting NO on Referendum I would be the Catholic position.
Please realize to be in communion with the Catholic Church requires one to believe in ALL that the Catholic Church teaches to be revealed by God. To not vote in line with the Catholic Church would be serious matter, and considered a mortal sin if followed with the 3 normal conditions. However, it is our duty to make a voice as Catholics! Please go and vote, and don't let the Devil take over our Country!

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Happy All Saints Day!!!
Here is a list of some saints who I thought fit in the appropriate categories. Feel free to copy/paste this onto your blog with your answers. Have a wonderful All Saints Day, and remember to go to Mass!
#1 Favorite saint: Blessed virgin Mary! Because she was conceived without sin, she stayed closest to God, and also is my Heavenly Mother, constantly caring for me and protecting me.
#1 Most courageous saint: St. Joan of Arc
#1 Most outspoken saint: St. Francis De Sales
#1 Hardest Martyrdom: St. Lawrence martyr
#1 Saint I know most about: St. Isaac Jogues

#1 Most joyful saint: St. Francis of Assisi
#1 Most forgiving saint: St. Maria Goretti
My patron saint: St. Francis of Assisi

Sunday, October 29, 2006



For all of you who have followed the story (Go down 1/3 page) on Jimmy Akin's Blog, it's true--- I too believe the Easter Bunny really is evil. I mean, c'mon, if that face doesn't convince non believers, what will???

Sunday, October 22, 2006

I have had enough: just STOP!
(Note: Thanks be to God, the situation described below is no longer occuring in my parish, however, I wish to leave this article here for readers to be informed of what a terrible liturgical abuse this is. Thank you to all who prayed for the end of this abuse!)
Today I was serving at the altar as an altar boy, as I have been doing now for about 3 years, and I have run across a problem that has been going on for WAY to long. Let me start from square one...
Our Church has a habit of during the offertory, receiving the wine in glass flagons and then of pouring a small amount of wine into the celebrant's cup, and leaving the rest of the wine to be consecrated in the glass flagons. Then, after consecration, the no longer wine but Precious Blood of our Lord is poured from the flagons into separate chalices so the people can receive the Precious Blood in that form. (I hope I made that clear enough.) The Church has already stated that doing this is a problem. In Redemptionis Sacramentum it says: "[106.] However, the pouring of the Blood of Christ after the consecration from one vessel to another is completely to be avoided, lest anything should happen that would be to the detriment of so great a mystery. Never to be used for containing the Blood of the Lord are flagons, bowls, or other vessels that are not fully in accord with the established norms." (Italics added by me). I have already done some action to try to stop this practice but to no avail at present. Before, I knew that by pouring the Precious blood we were in danger of spilling and disregarding even in accident our Lord's Body. Now, I know that we must have done this already it seems. You see, about two weeks ago when I was serving at the altar, the Deacon who would normally (but not always) pour the precious blood was not at the particular mass. So, one of the Extraordinary Minister's of Holy Communion came to pour the Precious Blood from chalice to chalice. The person who does the pouring will then hand the flagon to the Altar Server who will then take the flagon and place it on the credence table. I happened to be one of the Altar Server's being handed a flagon. I noticed as I was carrying the flagon that I felt something wet drip onto my hand. In horror I looked down to see that the Precious Blood was dripping down onto my hand. I consumed what I could and took a purificator and wiped up the flagon. Now, think about what another altar server (Or even myself, God forbid) could have easily done. By instinct, many people will simply wipe there hand on their clothes if they feel a wet substance. Imagine an altar server doing that, or perhaps the Precious Blood simply dropping on the floor where people will walk on it without a care.
Ok, so maybe what happened that Sunday was just a spoof. Maybe that never happens. Well, today when I was serving again, and the Deacon this time did the pouring and handed me the flagon---guess what???---the same exact thing happened!!!! I knew what I should do, and did pretty much the same exact thing. But this time, I was extremely angered. How can this be happening?
1. The Church has already told us not to be doing this.
2. It is extremely practical to pour the WINE before consecration (so it is wine, and will be no problem if it's spilt) and it would in fact save time.
3. Not only the situation I am talking about is obviously happening, but what if one day, a person pouring the precious blood accidentally drops one of the glass flagons on the floor? Our Lord's precious blood would be all over the floor!
I have had enough! There are no excuses for this. I will write our liturgist, my priest, my bishop, and even the Pope if I have to. I will not tolerate this! Our Lord's precious blood is being disregarded. Please pray for my parish and our diocese during this time, that we would come to a loving reverence of our Lord in the Eucharist. Pray, that this abuse would come to an end, please! I will close with this prayer:
"Our Lord told St. Gertude the Great that the following prayer would release 1,000 souls from Purgatory each time it is said. The prayer was extended to include living sinners as well:
Eternal Father, I offer thee the most precious blood of thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen."

Saturday, October 21, 2006



Voting: A moral issue?
Is voting a moral issue? Should religion at all be a factor for deciding who you should vote for? I mean, haven't you heard about separation of Church and State? (Oh, please, I could blow up my TV next time I hear that phrase misused again!) First of all, as a committed Catholic, my religion will influence my everyday to day actions: my relationships with others, my entertainment, my time, and a lot of other stuff. As Catholics we CANNOT allow politics to be totally separated from our religion. Our religion influences our decisions, and the politicians we elect should reflect our morals, that is, if you believe that what you believe is worth fighting for. That is, if you are 100% convinced of what you believe is true. I cannot in good conscious vote for a man that is ok with killing un born children. I cannot support someone who thinks it's ok for two same sex people to "marry". I don't care if a politician says he's Catholic! What does that mean? I can't think of a whole lot of TRUE Catholics running in our government right now. Just because he says he's Catholic, doesn't make him a true Catholic.
Do you realize that Adolph Hitler was elected? It was through a sort of vote that Jesus was put to death. Does voting make a difference? You better believe it! Even if this person is a local politician running, you should put the same standards before them. (e.g. The President was once a Senator, and the Senator was once a local mayor. )
What should your standard be? Here's a list of some of the essentials:
1. Is he/she 100% pro life from natural conception to natural death.
2. Is he/she against moral ethics the Church has clearly shown as wrong? (e.g. Homosexuality, Euthanasia, Cloning, ESCR, and abortion, etc...)
3. Is he/she against restricting religious or educational freedom.
Please take your time to research what the different folks running for office stand for, and vote for good and wholesome politicians.