Lower your expectations...

We're on Spring Break here at Ole Miss. So don't expect to see much action and foolery on this blog. Unless something really, really, really good happens.

Now, on to break:

Mass Times in the Jackson Area are....

Lift up your hearts. Insert heart gag here.

The infamous Catholic of the Republican fight for the nomination is in Jackson today. And will be at the Baptist Church in Brandon.
I asked some priests in the area where they thought Newt would go to Mass. I also wonder if the priest may give him communion. Because conservatism is one of those "ism" sins. Or so one would think.

Ugh. My head hurts again. Must. Stop. Politics.

My head hurts

Like clockwork, when the election cycle heats up, the so-called culture wars begin. Our American Catholics begin to hear the bromides from both "sides":
"As a Catholic, you cannot, under any circumstance, support a candidate who supports abortion."
"Catholics have to consider the broader aims of a candidate than to focus on one issue."
And then there's the middle:
"You have to vote as a Catholic and not just as 'an American'" 
Finally, there's the Vatican:

All of the rhetoric begins to beat down on the priest and pastor. On one hand, we're told to LAY TEH SMAKDOWN ON TEH LIBERALLZZZ!!!1 and preach the truth. On the other, we're told not to be offensive and to be considerate of the broader interests of the Church. We're told these things by our bishops, by the way.

When I was younger, hipper and hairier, I used to throw out the ol' saw, "The Church needs to get out of the school and marriage business." As I matured (?), I began to see the value of at least the marriage business. With that comes convictions concerning the marital state and the responsibility of bringing children into the world. I get it. I so get it. Then again, some of the annulment stuff and the hem-haw approach we have to it, I don't get. But fundamentally, I'm in. Yay, marriage! Yay, human life!

Catholic schools, not so much. Except maybe schools run by orders. And that's all I want to say lest I be rendered silent.

But while the heat continues to get heatier, I advise this:
Be informed.
Be prayerful.
Don't believe everything you read on the internet.
And true Catholic convictions are never consistent with any political party.
Oh..and...
Pray for us priests! We need it.

Good Cheer tonight: Catholic ills and thrills...

Father Joe will join us tonight at Good Cheer to help clear up some misconceptions about Catholics and certain topics which are near and dear to some of our hearts: "drinking, smoking, cussing and other things Catholics do."

Then-Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI enjoys a good German beer.

As a "convert"to the Church later in life, I can attest to the fact that this was the impression of Catholics that I carried with me throughout my pre-Catholic childhood and formative years: that Catholics drank, smoke and cussed. We Baptists never did those things. ...right? You know the old joke that there are three truths in modern religion: Jewish people don't recognize Jesus as the Messiah, Protestants don't recognize the Pope as the head of the Church, and Baptists don't recognize each other in the liquor store. There's a kernel of truth there for some.

Now, I'm not picking on my Baptist friends and family. In fact, many good and holy Protestants that I know and love - my parents, for example - simply don't drink out of principle. And for this, they are to be commended.

But there is a big difference between individuals who choose to refrain from using alcohol and an entire brand of Christianity which paints any use of alcohol as sinful. C.S. Lewis, the darling of modern evangelical Christianity (and, for what it's worth, one of my favorite authors in matters of spirituality), wrote about the same issue when he spoke of the virtue of temperance. He wrote:

"Temperance is, unfortunately, one of those words that has changed its meaning. It now usually means teetotalism... [In the past,] temperance referred not specially to drink, but to all pleasures; and it meant not abstaining, but going the right length and no further. It is a mistake to think that Christians ought all to be teetotalers; Mohammedanism, not Christianity, is the teetotal religion.

"Of course it may be the duty of a particular Christian, or of any Christian, at a particular time, to abstain from strong drink, either because he is the sort of man who cannot drink at all without drinking too much, or because he is with people who are inclined to drunkenness and must not encourage them by drinking himself. But the whole point is that he is abstaining, for a good reason, from something which he does not condemn and which he likes to see other people enjoying. One of the marks of a certain type of bad man is that he cannot give up a thing himself without wanting every one else to give it up. That is not the Christian way. An individual Christian may see fit to give up all sorts of things for special reasons--marriage, or meat, or beer, or the cinema; but the moment he starts saying the things are bad in themselves, or looking down his nose at other people who use them, he has taken the wrong turning."

Nothing kicks off a fun evening at the bar like a good Lewis quote. Let's talk more about this tonight.

The fun starts at 7pm at The Library. As always, everyone's welcome!

Thomas Aquinas: In Dreams

An oldie but a goodie in light of the current pro-abortion climate...

Stojan Adasevic

The most notorious abortion doctor of Serbia, Stojan Adasevic, converted from being a champion of death to a champion of life. The Spanish daily “La Razon” reported on the remarkable conversion of the abortionist who performed 48,000 abortions, at times 35 per day.

The doctor dreamed about a beautiful field filled with children and young people who were playing and laughing with delight. But the children, aged 4 to 24 years of age kept away from the horrid and terrifying man. The recurring dream puzzled him as a man dressed in a black habit stood by silently watching. He would wake in a fit of cold sweat.

One night he asked the man who he was. “Thomas Aquinas” he replied. But the Serb had no clue who Aquinas was.  The saint prompted him to ask who the children were in the dream. To his horror it was the children he had killed through the abortions he had performed.

As a result the startled Adasevic resolved to perform any more abortions. But a cousin came to him to abort the four months unborn child of his girlfriend. He agreed to do so. Through the abortion the baby’s heart came out and was still beating. He was so profoundly moved; this was a human being that he had killed. He thus told the hospital he would refuse to do any more abortions.

But the persecution came thick and fast. His salary was cut in half, his daughter got sacked from her job and his son was refused entry into university. After years of persecution he was buckling under the pressure and ready to give up. Once again the great saint appeared to him calling him a great friend. Saint Aquinas inspired him to continue to get involved with pro-life causes; and return to his Orthodox faith.
http://catholic.net/index.php?option=dedestaca&id=1318&pag=1

Thomas Aquinas: Dream visitor in Black. Take that, Gaiman!

Believe it or not, this story is an interesting take on the power of the Angelic Doctor. Aquinas' feast day is today. I hope you won't have to see him in your dreams!

The Confession Quiz

Think you know about sin and confession, try this test!

Question 1: When you go to Confession, you say:

• Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned.
  
• Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.
  
• I know I've sinned, Father, but let's talk about you!
  
• I make a boo-boo.
  

*drop down for answer* "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned". God forgives, priests bless.

Question 2: The Seven Deadly Sins are:

• Sloth, Envy, Wrath, Lust, Gluttony, Pride, and Greed
  
• Doc, Dopey, Sleepy, Bashful, Sneezy, Happy and Grumpy.
  
• Fun
  
• Laziness, Jealousy, Anger, Lust, Gluttony, Pride and Greed
  

*drop down for answer* Both the first and the last are right. The first is more cool, though.

Question 3: Missing Mass is a:

• mortal sin
  
• good way to get a good tee time on Sunday
  
• venial sin
  
• shame but nothing to sweat over
  

*drop down for answer* mortal sin! Yep. A biggee.

Question 4: A priest may never tell what he hears in Confession.

• True. Always true.
  
• False. There are several reasons to break the confidence.
  
• True except when authorities have to be notified.
  
• True but if it's really, really good...who can keep a secret?
  

*drop down for answer* True. Always true. Biggest secret in the universe is your confession.

Question 5: Racism is a sin as declared by:

• The USCCB in the 80's.
  
• Lilly livered liberals
  
• Natural Law
  
• It's not a sin. It's a way of life!
  

*drop down for answer* Natural Law dictates that all humans be treated with dignity.

Question 6: Confessions are heard at St. John's:

• In the girls' restroom
  
• Tonight, Tuesday March 6, during Adoration!
  
• Sundays, Tuesdays, and Fridays during Lent and by appointment.
  
• On Good Friday
  

*drop down for answer* All of the above! Thin walls, ladies, thin walls.

Dark Knight of the Soup

Lent is a good time for soups. I've tried my hand at making lintel soup and egg drop soup but don't do as well as my capable administrator, Terry, who makes stellar asparagus soup.

Recently, being a rather obsessive Batman fan, I found a Bat-soup that may be just great for Lent. Here's the recipe:

Batman Black Bean Soup
Serves: 4

1 tsp olive oil
1 medium sized portobello mushroom, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C onion, chopped
2 1/2 C mushroom stock
4 C cooked black beans
salt and pepper to taste
sliced cheese, biscuit cutter, and knife for making the symbol or these cutters
sour cream, optional

I cooked my beans ahead of time in a pressure cooker using this time chart.  You can use canned beans if you want.  Drain beans.  Heat oil in large pot and add mushroom and onions.  Cook until onions begin to soften.  Add garlic and heat until it just begins to cook.  Deglaze the pan with a little of the mushroom stock and then add the rest.  Add beans.  Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes; add salt and pepper

Sounds pretty good, right. But here's what it looks like:

The Bat-soup sorta looks like Bat-poop.

Meh. I'd eat it.

Friday Reflection...

Taken from the book Death on a Friday Afternoon by Fr. Richard John Neuhaus (d. 2009). As we commemorate the sacrifice of our Lord on the cross this Lenten Friday afternoon, through abstinence and increased prayer and charity, I offer this reflection:




"Exploration into God is exploration into darkness, into the heart of darkness. Yes, to be sure, God is light. He is the light by which all light is light. In the words of the Psalm, 'In your light we see light.' Yet great mystics of the Christian tradition speak of the darkness in which the light is known, a darkness inextricably connected to the cross. At the heart of darkness the hope of the world is dying on a cross, and the longest stride of soul is to see in this a strange glory. In John’s Gospel, the cross is the bridge from the first Passover on the way out of Egypt to the new Passover into glory. In his first chapter he writes, 'We have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.' The cross is not the eclipse of that glory but its shining forth, its epiphany. In John’s account, the death of Jesus is placed on the afternoon of the fourteenth day of the month of Nisan, precisely the time when the Passover lambs were offered up in the temple in Jerusalem.

Lest anyone miss the point, John draws the parallel unmistakably. The legs of Jesus are not broken, the soldier pierces his side and John writes, 'For these things took place that the scripture might be fulfilled, "Not a bone of him shall be broken." And again another scripture says, "They shall look on him whom they have pierced."' In the book of Exodus, God commands that no bone of the paschal lamb is to be broken. Then there is this magnificent passage from the prophet Zechariah: 'And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of compassion and supplication, so that, when they look on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.'

Here on Calvary’s hill, all is fulfilled. It is the glory of Jesus’ cry, 'it is finished.' The cross is the moment of passover from the old covenant to the new. Weeping at the cross, Mary is both the mother of sorrows and the mother of hope. The resurrection glory is discerned in the way that Christ dies. Now the reason for the whole drama becomes clear in the Son’s unqualified obedience to the Father, even to death, and the Father’s promise to glorify the Son. John says nothing about the risen Christ appearing to his mother. The other disciples discovered the resurrection glory at the dawn of the third day. Mary had already discovered the glory in the cross. There she took 'the longest stride of soul.'
...

"'Come follow me,' Jesus says. The invitation resounds through all the time there is and ever will be, and all who respond in faith—all who exchange their 'I' for the 'I' of the Christ who lives within them—make their way, one way or another, to the foot of the cross. There they find themselves with John and Mary and a host of bedraggled saints and sinners whose hour has come. And to each of the brothers and sisters in whom he forever lives, to each of us, Jesus says, 'Behold, your mother.' And to Mary, 'Behold, your children. Behold me.'"

Daily Show Rant.

If you're a college student, this is where you most likely get your news. Why lie? So do I

Last night's Daily Show with Jon Stewart had M. Cathleen Kaveny, of Notre Dame as the guest. According to the Notre Dame website, she's a professor of law and a professor of theology at the Law School of Notre Dame.

Click on the link to see the interview. Take your time. Watch the first part of the show where he makes fun of Catholics and contraception. Moving on. Go on, watch. I'll wait.

Done? Good. I truly appreciate some of the comments of the professor and I thought, under the circumstances, she did a fine job of explaining the Catholic position. Now here's my take:

a. Viagra. Viagra is not contraception. Viagra, I guess, can be more of an enhancement to bringing forth human life. Stewart's comment that men can use Viagra, which is covered by the insurance policies of Catholic institutions, to have sex outside of marriage is valid but Viagra in and of itself is not against Catholic moral theology. But the argument that "guys get something and women don't" doesn't wash.

b. The Church and "culture wars." Stewart's question of whether or not Catholics end up getting in culture wars with the issues of gay marriage and contraception was put-off well by the professor. However, yes, we end up in the wars but we aren't interested in civil rights. Got it? Even though the CHURCH OF THE NEW PARADIGM that DRE's have been pushing for 30 years is all about social justice, we aren't. It's embarrassing to see our Faith reduced to protesting on streets or making bumper sticker statements. The Church is not about civil rights. We are about HUMAN RIGHTS. Slavery and the oppression of black people was not a civil issue to us. It was to the secular society but not to us. It was an issue of human dignity. That's why abortion and gay marriage are secularly civil rights issues but for us human rights issues. Those bishops, priests, nuns, and others who are lukewarm on these issues may not get the difference. It's actually in the Vatican II documents. Yeah, I said it.

Before tv, people made fun of the Church with handbills.

c. The professor was saying that our Church has tried to speak to a Protestant culture. She was kind enough to say that but I would follow the dictum from one of Burgess' novels: "Catholicism is becoming Protestantism and Protestantism is becoming Atheism."  The Church is speaking to a non-Christian culture or as the professor said, a world that no longer accepts "natural law."However, in emphasizing how bad our faith comes off to the world, Stewart insinuated that the Church is polarizing, apocalyptic and triumphal in the language we use. I agree. And to his point, bishops and Church leaders, even bloggers say stupid things sometime. Or overstate a point. But that doesn't mean we are on the wrong side of an issue. We have an interest in reproduction and family life because it builds up the Church and society. And we believe no one has the right to undermine the growth of society or the Faith. That was nearly triumphal wasn't it? THE DEVIL WILL EAT OUR FACES IF WE USE CONDOMS! And that was apocalyptic.

Just for  fun.

d. Capital Punishment is mentioned. Stewart asks why a Catholic who supports the death penalty isn't denied Communion; or why a many-times divorced Catholic political candidate shouldn't be forbidden to receive the Eucharist. Capital Punishment is wrong almost all the time. Contraception and abortion, however, are wrong all of the time. We have in our moral tradition some leeway (thin, mind you) for the death penalty. However, in our faith, there's never leeway for choosing to frustrate the design for procreation or for taking the innocent life of a fetus. The professor didn't touch this but should have. Or maybe she was best off not.


Now, your moment of zen:

Good Cheer followup: Catholic Marriage

Jennifer Eidt speaks to the crowd at Good Cheer on Feb. 29, 2012.

Last night at Good Cheer, we were fortunate to have Jennifer Eidt, from the Jackson Diocese's Office of Family Ministry. She and her husband have been directing marriage preparation efforts and retreats for the past six years. Jennifer's talk was funny and light-hearted but also honest and eye-opening. In all, the evening was lots of fun and very informative.

Here's a quick synopsis of what we covered last night. Most of the info is aimed at the majority of college-aged women and men who will one day enter into marriage. Jennifer was very upfront about wanting to answer some of their questions and clear up some of their misconceptions about marriage and the Catholic Church.

Drawn from Jennifer's Good Cheer talk last night, I present to you top three most common Catholic Marriage Myths:

Catholic Marriage Myth #1: Catholics are supposed to marry another Catholic.

It's wonderful when two faithful Catholics fall in love and are eventually married and able to start a family together. But it doesn't always work out that way and it doesn't have to. Jennifer noted that in our diocese, only about 25% of young Catholic men and women who go through Church-sponsored premarital counseling are marrying another Catholic. That of course means that roughly 75% of Catholic men and women each year in the Diocese of Jackson entering into marriage are marrying a non-Catholic. Statistically, Catholics only make up about 2.5% of our state's population, so those numbers shouldn't be all that surprising. 

If you are a Catholic and you are able to marry another Catholic, that's great - but statically, in our state (Mississippi), it's unlikely. But seriously dating (and perhaps eventually marrying) a person who is not a Catholic need not be an obstacle to a happy, faith-filled and lifelong marriage. What you cannot afford to do, Jennifer stressed, is to sweep the topic of religion under the rug. Faith is not a small issue in a marriage and spouses (or future spouses) need to do their very best to address differences in this area and to get on the same page. If you are in a serious relationship with a significant other who is of a different faith from your own, you need to have some serious discussions with each other about faith and prayerfully seek common ground if at all possible. Also, honestly discuss the situation with your priest and seek his guidance. 

Jennifer's tip: Catholics who are contemplating marriage should make sure that they have a faith to share. In other words, live your Catholicism fully and faithfully - the Catholic faith fully lived out is ridiculously attractive.

Let me be clear here: we're not talking about one party making a half-hearted conversion or (even worse) being compelled to accept a faith that is not their own. This can do more harm than good. But the reality is that inter-faith marriages are difficult, so you if you're serious about your marriage lasting, have some honest and pointed conversations about faith. And if you're Catholic, be a strong and faith-filled one. A Catholic who faithfully lives out their faith (and understands it, too, so that they can answer questions when asked), is one of the strongest magnets to the Church. 

Catholic Marriage Myth #2: When a Catholic marries a non-Catholic, both spouses have to agree to raise their children as Catholic.

According to Jennifer, there was a time when both potential spouses entering into a mixed-faith marriage (the Catholic and the non-Catholic) were required to make a promise to raise their children as Catholic. In modern times, passing on the Faith is certainly still important, but now only the Catholic spouse in a potential mixed-faith marriage must promise to do all that he or she can to raise their children as Catholics. The non-Catholic spouse is not expected to make any such promise.

Nor should they. Faith is a personal matter and adults should not be forced to do things, in the realm of faith and religion, with which they disagree. A disgruntled, non-Catholic parent who feels forced to take his or her children to Mass will only sow ill will and discord and these are not ingredients for a happy, holy and lasting marriage.

If you are a faithful Catholic who enters into a mixed-faith marriage, however, you are expected to try (to the best of your ability) to raise your children as Catholics. If you are true to faith, this is no imposition - how could want to do anything else? Remember - if you are Catholic, you don't leave your beliefs and the teachings of your Church at the door each time you enter the room with your spouse of significant other. This applies to dating, too. One touchy subject Jennifer mentioned in her talk bears mentioning again: cohabitation; living with your boyfriend or girlfriend outside of marriage. Beside the fact that non-married couples who decide to live together for the longterm are doing something that specifically goes against Church teaching, there are some other facts to consider.

Jennifer's tip: Living long-term with your "significant other" before getting married (AKA: cohabitating) can cause many more problems than it solves and can lay the foundation for a failed marriage.

Some couples argue that they should live together to "work things out" before they make a commitment in marriage. But, according to Jennifer and contrary to popular belief, couples who live together before they marry actually significantly raise their chances of their marriage ending in divorce. In fact, research shows that couples that cohabitate tend to be more reluctant to make long-term commitments and are much more likely to call the relationship quits when serious problems arise. Cohabitating is nothing close to a "trial run" for marriage because the entire relationship for a cohabitating couple is built upon a premise of being able to leave in the face of difficulties - a premise which fosters attitudes and mindsets that actually make a lifelong and successful marriage more difficult. Cohabitating couples, then, may be less motivated to develop support and conflict resolution skills.

Catholic Marriage Myth #3: Catholics don't have to be married in a church - they can be married anywhere. 

Short answer: False. And Jennifer's answer really makes sense, when you think about it. In the Catholic understanding, marriage is a sacrament of the Church. Sacraments, whenever possible, should be celebrated in a church.

Again, it's really important that Catholic couples contact their local priest and the priest of the parish in which they hope to marry soon after they get engaged. This is a huge help in scheduling necessary appointments for premarital counseling and even in helping to reserve use of the church for the wedding.

For Catholics who are marrying a non-Catholic in a non-Catholic ceremony, the Catholic party should also contact his or her priest as soon as possible after being engaged. This is really important (and often overlooked) because the priest can help to provide important guidance to the Catholic bride- or groom-to-be on how to have their marriage blessed and remain in good standing with the Church.

Jennifer's tip: Your priest should be among the top five people that you call after you get engaged - whether or not you plan to be married in a Catholic church.

For more information and/or for help in registering for an Engaged Encounter retreat weekend in the Diocese of Jackson, visit the Office of Family Ministry.

Happy Anniversary, Pope BXVI!

Today you're the 6th oldest pope in history.

Somehow that can't be totally a compliment.

More gay...

Fr. Marcel Guarnizo: The Host Nazi?

A woman who is a self-professed lesbian goes to Communion at her mother's funeral and is denied Eucharist. That's a story that's been floating around the Catholic blogs today. The story is here.

The situation, as reported, tells of the priest behaving thusly:
A lifelong Catholic and former Catholic school teacher, Barbara says she hadn’t even considered that her sexual orientation would be a problem with Father Marcel until she stepped forward to take communion.
“He said, ‘I can not give you communion because you live with a woman,” Barbara says.

Of course, there is more to the story as the article relates. I feel bad for both the woman and the priest.

The woman probably understands that the Church does not discriminate due to her sexual preference and, especially at her mother's funeral, taking Eucharist is important to her. It's, I'm guessing, "tradition". I would surmise she's uninformed on exactly what Eucharist is and how it must be taken.
I say that because weekly I am presented with young and old Catholics and even priests who are not clear on the concept. One priest even told me that "at weddings or funerals" it's ok for anyone to receive Communion. When I asked him to back it up, he said it "wasn't in a book". So there's that.

The priest is doing what we do as priests. He wants to offer Mass for the Dead with solemnity. It's, I'm guessing, "Tradition". He is probably solid on his knowledge of what Communion means and what conditions one must meet before taking the host or cup. He also, obviously, may not understand that some people just don't know any better.
And there are better ways of bringing up the "teachable moment".

So here's how I would have handled it (and have handled it before):
A. I would contact the person beforehand and say, "I know you will be here for the funeral. I pastorally suggest that you consider going to Confession before taking Communion since you (insert transgression here). If not, then please do not take Communion."

The Communion Denial is News in some places.

B. I would let the thing play out and after the Mass, contact the person and tell them that I gave them Communion so as to not make a scene but would like to discuss with him/her more about Eucharist and what conditions must be met before they take it again.
C. I would give them Communion. Assume they are going to do what they are going to do and there is no good way to do otherwise. Especially at a funeral where something such as a lay "eulogy" is allowed. It's just not pretty. Ever.

  Plus, I always think of  St. Paul's injunction:

Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord. A person should examine himself and so eat the bread and drink the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are ill and infirm, and a considerable number are dying. If we discerned ourselves, we would not be under judgment; but since we are judged by [the] Lord, we are being disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.

In most cases, usually funerals, I go in that order. Some have vowed to never come to Mass again (which is sad but they didn't really have much of a track record before) while some have come back to Mass, even regularly. I wouldn't do what the priest did. Why?
Because I never assume, even if someone says that they have a gay lover that they are "making love". I never assume sexual sin on the part of anyone really, even if they are heterosexual and living together.

In my experience, I've seen couples who live cities apart have more sex than some who actually "cohabitate". I have also seen gay persons live in chaste relationships with men or women they discreetly refer to as the "significant other".

It's an interesting case and one that begs prayer on our part.
For both the priest and the woman.
And of course, for the repose of the deceased of whom the whole story whirls around.

What? Notre Dame wasn't good enough?

Born with semi-automatic breasts, Magneto sought to recruit Gaga into his Brotherhood.

Not that it's something ultra-important but I don't think Huxley, Burgess or even Kafka could have come up with a more bizarre social scenario concerning the melding of the strange and the stranger.

Actually, this is Gaga as a child. She was born this way.

Lady Gaga is expected to be joined by Oprah Winfrey and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius at Harvard University for the launch of the singer's Born This Way Foundation.
A kickoff event is scheduled for Wednesday at Harvard's Graduate School of Education.
http://www.sacbee.com/2012/02/29/4299940/oprah-others-to-attend-lady-gaga.html


And Deepak Chopra is there, too. All they need is a clown or a large roach who used to be a man to fill out the expressionistic goo this is.

If this was talk radio, I could say something about having two Catholics (Gaga and Sebelius) promoting the gay lifestyle which is against Catholic social teaching but since we've seen Sebelius' work on the HHS Contraception Mandate and Gaga just being Gaga, the point is moot not to mention just one more reason to not sweat getting into an Ivy League School.

I learned anti-bullying in the Episcopal nursery school I went to. You don't grow up in the Delta being ethnic, Catholic and 5'4" without picking up some tricks.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/02/29/4299940/oprah-others-to-attend-lady-gaga.html#storylink=cpy

How Long Does A Penance Last?

Last night, we had our "Reconciliation Service" for Lent. No, it's not one of those hoky, publisher-created services with long protracted readings, theme songs and some group activity like throwing rocks in a bucket or carrying sand in your shoe or some nunny thing like that. This was old fashioned, show up, fess up Confession.

And we had over 100 people.
Most of them, in my estimation, were young people.
And it was awesome.

The Church may survive after all.

Now, on to today's question from the email bin. A person who made his/her first confession last night wrote:
I do have a question, though; in general, can a penance last for days? I guess I'm asking if a penance is limited to when I just get out of confession. I know this sounds like a silly question...


Actually, a good question.
Some Penances are meant to be done immediately after Confession and Absolution. The priest will literally say, "Pray an 'OUR FATHER' as your Penance before you leave the Church today" or something to that effect.

Some Penances require a lapse in time between the Absolution and Penance. Such as, "Before you go to bed this evening, read over the story of the Good Samaritan and think of how you can help others."

Others do take more time to actually do. "For the next 30 days, say the 'Memorare' before you have your breakfast or check the iphone or read the paper."

And some, hardcore Penances, which are ill advised for priests to give (and short of impossible to carry out in some cases) are lifelong: "For your Penance, stay away from the internet for the rest of your life." That's impossible. Or nearly impossible. Unless you're Amish. Then you wouldn't be in Confession, though.
However, there are some that seek to correct lifelong spiritual illness: "From now on, as your penance, never mention this infidelity again. You are forgiven. Let it go."

In another vein, the questioner may be asking if one can actually keep doing the Penance. And I say, "YES!" If it helps you spiritually and morally, YES! Do it. Often.
Some things I started as Penances, such as no meat on a Friday, have become good practices period for every Friday.
So if it works, do it.
Penances aren't punishments. They are medicinal and curative.
Some of us need an aspirin, others need chemo.
So, under a priest's care, take as directed!

Tomorrow at Good Cheer: Marriage and the Church

Many of our college-aged readers are preparing - in one way or another - for their vocation; their calling in life. God willing, some of our young men will be called to the priesthood. Some others might be called to the religious life. But most will be called to marriage.

What does the Catholic Church really teach about marriage? What are the requirements for being married in the Church... and why? What about living with your boyfriend or girlfriend before you're married?

Tomorrow night at Good Cheer we're excited to welcome Jennifer Eidt, who will lead us in a discussion about marriage in the Catholic Church. Jennifer is the director of Family Ministry for the Diocese of Jackson and she and her husband have been part of the diocese's marriage prep. program ("When Families Marry") for the past six years.

Make plans now to join us tomorrow night as we explore Catholic marriage.

Bad Catholic: what the cool kids are doing

Brad was telling me that you kids are hip to one of patheos.com's Catholic blogs: BadCatholic. Pretty cool stuff!
Give it a look...but stick with us! We're cool too! Really!

This is the way we do it: Fasting.

Isaiah the prophet during his Tim Burton phase

The 1st reading from today's Mass is Isaiah, in his usual affable form, telling the Israelites just what a fast is:

This, rather, is the fasting that I wish:
releasing those bound unjustly,
untying the thongs of the yoke;
Setting free the oppressed,
breaking every yoke;
Sharing your bread with the hungry,
sheltering the oppressed and the homeless;
Clothing the naked when you see them,
and not turning your back on your own.

Granted, it's easier to lie in sackcloth and ashes. Even to eat veggies over meat. But fasting, in the Judeo-Christian sense, inspires action. Now all of the above commands from Isaiah are not readily available to us. So here's my DIY Isaiah fast:

releasing those bound unjustly, (how about pulling back on judging others or gossiping about people you don't know anything about? Maybe just not gossip at all!)
untying the thongs of the yoke;(not that kinda thong! But think about relieving someone of a debt. Do you hold something against someone? How long do you need to hold that?)
Setting free the oppressed,(although we live in a very free nation, there are still those who are oppressed. Have you engaged politically in understanding the issues that effect the poor or the Church?)
breaking every yoke;(what's holding you back? Alcohol? Drugs? Laziness? Facebook?)
Sharing your bread with the hungry,(can you be more disciplined in snacking and eating? Think about buying a meal for someone. Tip your server! They depend on your giving for their daily bread.)
sheltering the oppressed and the homeless;(if you can't give financially, give intellectually. Be involved with the Oxford Homelessness Task force or the Interfaith Compassion Ministry. St. John's is your ticket to either.)
Clothing the naked when you see them,(not necessarily that girl crashed on your couch after the swap but, yeah, she counts too. How about cleaning out the closet and giving to Goodwill? Passing on some unused clothing anonymously to someone who is needy is like being a secret Santa IN SPRING!)
and not turning your back on your own.(Call your Mom! Text your brother! Forgive family. And enjoy them.)

For more, check out today's reading and see what happens when you fast Isaiah-style.

Big Bad Breakfast after a Good Fast

Before I went to bed last night, I caught a commercial featuring the Lorax and a fox eating some very awesome looking ice-cream cone shaped breakfast food. Or I was delirious. No, it was a commercial. My deliriums NEVER involve the Lorax.

It was tempting since the restaurant is less than a mile from my home. But it being Ash Wednesday, I sucked it up, went to bed but resolved to tag that ice-cream cone thing in the morning. Early.

Woke up at 6:00am. Did all the morning things. Then remembered I have added some extras to my morning prayer. So that went long and then the hour fast was upon me. Celebrated Mass then went out for breakfast.

Catholic Trivia: The term "breakfast" has been associated with "breaking the fast". This morning meal was taken after Catholics had fasted either during a fast day or overnight before the Mass. The foods are traditionally those that are not to be eaten during fasts (eggs,milk, butter, sweet breads, meats). Eastern Orthodox and some Eastern European Catholics hold off those foods and have them blessed on Holy Saturday in anticipation of the big fast-breaker; Easter.

Num num

I decided not to go to the advertised Lorax place. My fasting had an itch that needed a big scratchin'. I had to have the hard stuff.So I went local and started with a keep-me-up-til-next-Wednesday coffee. Then I ordered. Grits with butter. Redeye gravy. Bacon. Thick bread with abundant swatches of grape jelly. With fruit on the side.
 It was big and bad. And so good.

SFC's Big Fat Lenten Post 2012

As all of you know, Lent begins today. If you aren't unlucky enough to be sick today (like me), you might have actually been able to attend Mass or a prayer service. And, if you received ashes on your forehead today, it might have been the impetus for a question or two about the season of Lent. 

Hopefully, this post will help you to answer some of those questions:

What is Lent?

Lent is a time when all throughout the Church prepare to celebrate Easter through penance, prayer, fasting and alms-giving. Traditionally, the season of Lent lasts forty days (not counting the Sundays of Lent), from Ash Wednesday until the Easter Vigil (the night before Easter Sunday). The word Lent is from an Anglo-Saxon word lencten, which means "spring." Observance of Lent can be traced to the earliest days of the Church, when Christians willingly joined catechumens (those seeking baptism) in a period of intense preparatory prayer and fasting in the weeks before their baptisms, which were performed during the Easter Vigil, in the pre-dawn hours of Easter Sunday.

What is the point of Lent? Is it biblical?

The point of Lent is that it is a time of prayerful reflection and conversion (turning away from sin and back to God). In imitation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who spent forty days fasting and praying in the wilderness before beginning His public ministry (see the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke), we spend the forty days before our annual celebration of the Lord's Resurrection (i.e. Easter) in fasting, prayer and sacrifice. The number 40 is important in the Bible because it symbolizes preparation and renewal. For example, Noah spent forty days and forty nights in the ark (Genesis 7:4, 12, 17; 8:6) and Moses spent forty days and forty nights on Mount Sinai when receiving the Law from God (Exodus 24:18; Deuteronomy 10:10). 

Do I have to "give something up" during Lent?

It seems that everybody - even those who know the least about Catholic Christianity - knows that Catholics traditionally give something up during Lent. In fact, it becomes a ridiculously common question for Catholics to ask one another "what did you give up?" during this season. Truth is, you are not required to give up something for Lent. What you are required to do, is to do penitential acts - making temporary sacrifices in an effort to draw closer to God. For many people, they may willingly give up something that they enjoy as a penance during Lent. This is certainly a good practice. For others, however, they may choose to do penance by setting their alarm extra early to get up and pray every morning, or by setting aside extra money each week for the poor or the Church. If you haven't decided what to do on this front, might I suggest that you pray and ask God what penance(s) He would have you do during Lent?

What about meatless Fridays?

You have a lot of leeway on your personal disciplines during Lent, but Fridays, however, are a different story. Whether you realize it or not, every Friday of the year is supposed to be a day of penance for Catholics, so Lent isn't all that different. Yep - that's not just a "pre-Vatican II" thing - current church discipline actually requires that on every Friday of the year, according to canon law and in recognition of Christ's sacrifice on the cross, you should either refrain from eating meat or do some other penance (such as praying the Stations of the Cross, saying extra prayers, or some other offering). On the Fridays of Lent, however, you don't have a choice: you are obliged to refrain from eating meat. The cool thing about this is that this is a communal discipline: in other words, while abstaining from meat on Fridays may or may not be difficult sacrifice for you, personally, the cool part is that we're joining the worldwide Church in a very ancient Catholic discipline.

Why do we eat fish on Fridays?

You certainly don't have to eat fish on Fridays. You could simply go vegetarian each Friday. But the point is refraining from eating meat. Eating fish is allowed on Fridays because, due to longstanding tradition, fish is not considered meat. The fish is an ancient Christian symbol and eating fish (and other seafood) on Fridays has long been allowed.

What are "days of fast and abstinence"?

During the Lenten season, we are encouraged to fast, pray and give alms (money to the poor), seeking to amend our Christian lives - the three traditional disciplines of Lent. But on two days in particular, the Church requires that we all fast and avoid meat. They are: Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. On these days, Catholics should fast (eating only one small meal, if needed). If they do eat a small meal, it should be meatless.

Are the Sundays in Lent part of Lent?

Many people ask if they can "cheat" on the Sundays of Lent? In other words, they want to know if they have to practice penance on the Sundays of Lent. Well, technically, Sundays are always a celebration of Jesus' Resurrection - sort of "mini-Easters," if you will - so Sunday is never officially a day of penance. In fact, on the Church's calendar, the Sundays during Lent are called the Sundays in Lent instead of the Sundays of Lent. So, it is really up to you. Lent is a season geared towards doing penance and turning towards the Lord. If you feel that you are "cheating" on your penance, then you shouldn't do it. Follow your conscience.

What is Ash Wednesday?

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. It is called this because we are marked with ashes as a sign of mourning for our sins and repentance. (Where did such an idea come from? See Daniel 9:3 where the author proclaims "I turned to the Lord God, pleading in earnest prayer, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.") On Ash Wednesday, Catholics are expected to fast and to abstain from eating meat.

Is Ash Wednesday a holy day of obligation?

No. Ash Wednesday is not a holy day of obligation, which means that Catholics are not required to attend Mass on that day. But they are strongly urged to attend Mass, if possible. At the very least, you should try to attend a prayer service and receive ashes. 

As mentioned above, Ash Wednesday is "a day of fast and abstinence", which means that adult Catholics should fast for the day, although eating one small, meatless meal is acceptable if needed to maintain strength.

Here are three important tips for a holy Lent:

1. Pray fervently for the Holy Spirit to show you the areas of your spiritual life that need to be amended and ask for God's help in establishing your spiritual practices for Lent.
2. Follow the Church's rules of fasting and abstinence, and your own Lenten practices, quietly, joyfully and without complaint. No one likes a complainer, and you may not realize it but you can bear important witness to your friends and family members by simply and humbly doing what is asked of us in ways of penance, fasting and abstinence.
3. Make a commitment to go to Confession at least once during Lent.

And finally, below, you'll can find more detailed suggestions, courtesy of the Aggie Catholic blog at Texas A&M.

Lenten Suggestions:

Increased Prayer:

- Wake up 20 minutes early and start the day in prayer.

- Daily Mass 1-2 times a week.

- Spend an hour in prayer in front of the Blessed Sacrament each week.

- Go to Confession.

- Read Scripture daily.

- Start a Lenten Bible study group with your friends.

- Start to pray a daily Rosary.

- Pray the Liturgy of the Hours.

- Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy each day.

- Pray the Stations of the Cross on Fridays.

- Pray for your enemies.

- Watch The Passion of the Christ and then meditate on Christ's sacrifice.

- Read about the life of a saint.

- Get involved with the parish if you haven't already.

- Memorize Scripture verses.

- Read a book on Catholic spirituality.

Increased Almsgiving:

- When you fast from a meal, give the money you would have spent to the poor.

- Use a coin box during Lent to collect your loose change each day and give it to the poor.

- Volunteer with Interfaith Compassion Ministry, the Pantry, Save-a-Life, or More Than a Meal.

- Spend more time with your parents.

- Visit a nursing home.

- Start tithing each week.

- Make a pledge to a worthy, charitable cause.

- Forgive an old grudge.

- Invite someone to attend Mass with you.

- Share your faith with someone.

- Give someone a Catholic tract, CD or DVD.

- Exercise patience and love.

- Speak in a pleasant tone to everyone.

- Look for extra ways to help others.

- Go out of your way to talk to someone who is shy or difficult.

- Offer to watch a mother's child(ren).

- Drive with love and care.

- Write a letter to a relative you haven't seen in a while.

Increased fasting:

The following are good things we can fast from and have back at a later time.

- Try to eat only bread and water on Fridays.

- Fast from TV.

- Fast from snacking or candy.

- Fast from the radio and/or iPod in your car; make driving time prayer time.

- Fast from the Internet and/or Facebook.

- Fast from caffeine.

- Do not use seasoning on your food.

The following are things we can fast from and continue to give up:

- Fast from alcohol (especially if you drink too much or are under 21).

- Fast from speeding.

- Fast from sarcasm or gossip.

- Fast from pornography.

- Fast from being lazy or lying.

- Fast from not studying or working too hard.

- Fast from complaining.

- Fast from some other bad and/or unhealthy habit.

Ash Wednesday 2000 AD

Trashing some old files and folders, I ran across this. That's me on the right. And the girl is Erin. She was at State at the time.
12 years ago. Saltillo. Campus Ministries Retreat.
I had hair. And back then, you could wear that shirt crossing the border.

I do remember I am dust....

Ashes to Go

The laundry did a good business what with the Episcopalians ashing all those white shirts on Wednesday.

I read this story in the paper this morning. This is happening. Today. Somewhere. My comments in snark-o-tron 3000 red.

It is called “ashes to go” and the unusual Ash Wednesday service is spreading among Episcopal churches across the country.(The same church who gave you U2charist!)

Started five years ago in St. Louis, Mo.,(the liturgical epicenter of guitar Masses) by Rev. Teresa K. M. Danieley( hey, her name has initials in it! Like M Night Shyamalan!) at a roadway intersection(and then some street kids run up and ask for a dollar to clean it off and do your windshield as well!), Episcopalian clergy smudge the sign of the cross on the forehead of anyone who stops and cares to receive the customary religious symbol for the start of Lent.(Let some Catholic clergy touch people on the street....)

“It started sort of half-jokingly, but it became something pretty profound,”(oh man...from the profane to the profound?) Danieley told Religious News Service. “It's fulfilling a spiritual need (whose need? The smearer or the smeared?) but also a pragmatic need. It's showing flexibility in an institution often seen as very inflexible (the Episcopal Church inflexible? DUHUH?).”

Rev. Susan Esco Chandler, rector of St. James Episcopal Church in Amesbury, Mass., said it is a way to engage people in Ash Wednesday even if they can't attend the traditional church service (Going all Catholic here: Some things are meant to be done IN A CHURCH. Because that's the point. Come to the place where the Lord dwells!)

So she will stand outside her church on Ash Wednesday for the first time and dispense ashes to people on the go.

“I have members that can't make it to service in the evening or during the day because of either work or family obligations,” said Rev. Chandler. “I wanted to do something in the morning where they could drop by on their way to work."(Because some people, maybe even clergy in some areas, have things to do other than stand at redlights and rub ashes on people).

 Yes, there is a website. For those too busy to get ashes on the street.

To Serve Man

The President at Notre Dame

This past weekend, Monsignor Elvin Sunds, Vicar General of the Diocese, asked priests (and I assume ministers) to read this letter concerning the Health and Human Services mandate that religious organizations supply contraception, sterilization and abortion in their insurance coverage for their employees.

This is a truncated version of the original letter  composed a week earlier. The tone, since there was some compromise, has softened but the issue of conscience still stands as a right for religious institutions. The bishop's letter argues that this right has been violated. The letter also warns that the good Catholic institutions do and service we provide can be halted. Catholics do not believe that one can do evil to do a good. Allowing the destruction of innocent human life is such an evil.

I read the first letter the week before because it had appeared in the Mississippi Catholic. I also thought the letter had some authentic, near visceral, passion that came from the Bishop himself which was notable. A parishioner had visited a mission parish and remarked that the letter was read there and hoped I'd read it at St. John's. If it flew in the mission, I figured it would fly here.

Among things changed from the first letter to the current one is the bishop makes a statement against the "President Obama Administration" where in the second letter, no such accusations against a particular person or administration is made.

Maybe it was a good move to change that phrase.

For one, it doesn't directly make it personal which can come off as ugly and partisan.

Secondly, as one priest said in a homily down south of here, the biggest fault doesn't lie with the president but with his Catholic staff, namely Director of the HHS, Kathleen Sebelius

And finally, from the way back machine that is the Mississippi Catholic archives,there are several priests in the diocese who would like to have the president over for dinner (links below).
http://www.mississippicatholic.com/categories/diocese/2010/022610/26yearofpriest.html

http://www.mississippicatholic.com/categories/diocese/2010/031210/28yearofpriest.html

http://www.mississippicatholic.com/categories/diocese/2010/030510/27yearofpriest.html

http://www.mississippicatholic.com/categories/diocese/2010/050710/34yearofpriest.html

http://www.mississippicatholic.com/categories/diocese/2010/062510/39yearofpriest.html

http://www.mississippicatholic.com/categories/diocese/2010/061110/38yearofpriest.html

http://www.mississippicatholic.com/categories/diocese/2010/072310/41yearofpriest.html

http://www.mississippicatholic.com/categories/diocese/2010/102910/51yearofpriest.html

http://www.mississippicatholic.com/categories/diocese/2010/110510/52yearofpriest.html

 

Maybe these guys actually feel a dinner would be the right setting to help change the President's thinking on abortion or religious freedom. But again, maybe they just like the guy and overlook "politics" and bask in his charm. So for them, to read the first draft, would come off as impolite to the dinner guest.
And maybe a little hard to swallow.

What times the ashing?

Memento Mori

Actual question. Someone asked me, "What time is the ashing?"

Tomorrow at St. John the Evangelist Church we will have Mass with "ashing" at 7:00am. For the time conscious, the Mass will last no longer than 35 minutes, tops.

At the Paris-Yates Chapel on the campus of Ole Miss, Brad, a Lutheran and an Episcopalian (stop me if you heard this before) will host an ecumenical service with "ashing" at 12:00pm.

At 5:30, the last "ashing" service will be held at St. John the Evangelist. The service will follow confessions from 4:00pm until 5:15pm. Again, for the time conscious, the service will last not longer than 30 to 35 minutes.

Happy Mardi Gras!

There are few southern traditions more impressionable than Mardi Gras. As we've pointed out here and here, it's a day that's deeply connected to the Church calendar though it is not a Catholic feast day. Sure, it's been super-commercialized and co-opted by cities and individuals far outside the confines of its birth over the past few decades, but no matter where people shout "laissez les bon temps rouler!", the sentiment is one of kicking back in a way that can best be done only where the speed of life is as slow as the regional speech patterns.

So, how are you spending your Fat Tuesday? This is, after all, the day that we are to prepare for the great fast of Lent. In centuries past, this was done very practically by emptying the storehouse of perishable food items with a great feast. Today, however, we can certainly have a good (and holy!) time, but we can also spend a little more time contemplating how God is calling us to empty out the things which are cluttering our paths along our spiritual walk with Him. We can "fatten up", spiritually, before the great fast. What is blocking your way to God? What surplus habits can you throw off to lighten your load? In what ways can you rid your spiritual life of the items that are threatening to spoil and taint the good spiritual food the Lord has provided for you?

Today is the day to take stock. Feast on God's goodness and enjoy your many blessings. Eat, drink and be merry.... for tomorrow we fast. If you need help in preparing for Lent, take a look at CCM's Big Fat Lenten Post and peruse Father Joe's Twelve Labors of Lent Worksheet. Above all, pray and seek the guidance of the One you are turning towards.

(Tonight we at St. John's have a parish Mardi Gras Festival in the Parish Hall at 6pm! Buy a dinner and help support our teens in their effort to go to Steubenville South this summer! There will be NO Adoration tonight due to the festival.)

Reposted from Mardi Gras, 2011. But the info's still good!

THE SECOND BIGGEST GATHERING OF NON-PRACTICING CATHOLICS!

Ashes: It's a conscience thing.

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday. In my opinion, this occasion brings more non-practicing/non-believing Catholics to Church second to Our Lady of Guadalupe. Yeah, I said that. Just now.

Why is this? I mean, why so many NON-PRACTICING Catholics? I ponder the question and here are a few possibilities.
1. It's a cultural thing. It's like getting a stamp on your hand to get in the club. A big ash mark on your forehead shows that you're a Catholic. The difference is that you actually have to pay to enter Proud Larry's to see The Heartless Bastards or Blue Mountain. We just let you in.
2. Your parents or some Catholic makes you feel like you have to go. Trust me. ASH WEDNESDAY IS NOT A HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION. However, how many Catholics-in-the-know or parents see to it that you go to Mass on the honest ta goodness Holy Days? For the perplexed, those days are:
January 1 (Feast of Mary the Mother of God)
August 15 (Feast of the Assumption of Mary)
November 1 (All Saint's Day)
December 8 (The Feast of the Immaculate Conception)
December 25 (Christmas)
And, SUNDAYS are obligatory as well.
3. The Catholic has come to realize that his life is a void and this season of repentance will begin his journey to spiritual repair. Yeah, right.

Ashes to ashes, monk to monkey, if you don't get ashed you'll look like a flunky.*

 4. You look bad when you tell people you're Catholic and then you have no ash to show for it. Like the old hymn, "They'll know we are Christians by our ash, by our ash...."
5. You get the smudge so it's like a total holy okey dokey from the Church. It's like absolution, validation and baptism all at once. Like a USDA stamp.
6.It makes you look good. Not "good" like hot or attractive but good like you are a pure-hearted clean person. Like wearing a "MADD" tshirt or having a "True Love Waits" sticker on your car, it makes you look like a good person. Just like a tshirt or bumper sticker. So believable.

John the Baptist says, "STOP SCREWING AROUND AND BE A REAL CATHOLIC! COME ON!"**

If this somehow gets the attention of the non-practicing, please, please at least refrain from Communion until you've made a Confession. And if you go to Confession, make it sincere. Catholicism is already being made light of. We don't need "our own" to add fuel to the fire. More of our own, that is.
Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel. Seriously.

Do that.

*David Bowie anyone? Anyone?
** He didn't say that. He said something like it. But not that.