Summer School

If, for whatever reason, you stumbled on this site, WELCOME to the Ole Miss Summer School Session, kiddies!  Whether you are a freshman who is knocking out a few courses before fall, a die-hard student getting on the fast track to graduation, or someone who would rather sit in a stuffy, science lab during the summer than be under the gentle protection of Ma and Pa, WELCOME.

St. John's doesn't sleep for the summer, folks!
Mass: Daily MWF 12:10pm and T TH 8:30am

Confessions by appointment and before Sunday Masses (see sidebar)

Enjoy Oxford while you can get a seat at a restaurant within five minutes, find a spot to park on the Square and enjoy a summer matinee without Courtney, Hillary and Bethany talking on their cellphones to Chad, Jason and Justin.

And a little lazy summer music for your listening pleasure...a one, a two and a threeeeeeeeeeee....

No, no, no, no, no...

Liturgical dance: Wrong in so many ways.

This is an oldie but a great Colbert-flavored reminder that in the Mass, liturgical dance is always a big "no no." Just sayin'....

Fraternity Shut-down: VATICAN STYLE

 "Pope Benedict XVI has shut down a famous community in Rome that organised dances by a former nightclub dancer nun and hosted VIPs like Madonna, earning the disfavour of the Vatican. The closure of the monastery of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, which holds some of the Church's most prized relics, was reported by Italian newspapers La Stampa and Il Foglio. The reports said the community of Cistercian monks based at the church for more than five centuries was being transferred to other churches in Italy. The Vatican did not deny the reports.

The basilica had become a hub for the Friends of Santa Croce, an aristocratic group, and had been criticised for some unorthodox practices including dances in which nuns pranced around the altar. One of the nuns who performed at the church, a former disco dancer, can be seen in a YouTube video performing a modern dance with a crucifix.

The basilica's longtime abbot, Simone Fioraso, a flamboyant former Milan fashion designer, was already moved out of the basilica two years ago. The ban was adopted in March by the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life following an inquiry but has not yet been made public, the reports said. Pope Benedict, the leader of the world's 1.1 billion Catholics, is also the bishop of Rome, so the basilica is part of his diocese.
Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, built around a chapel dating to the fourth century, is one of Rome's oldest and most prestigious churches."
http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/breaking-news/pope-shuts-down-famous-monastery/story-e6frg12u-1226062352180?from=public_rss

Not that the Vatican ever asked me, but your first clue coulda been "The basilica's longtime abbot, Simone Fioraso, a flamboyant former Milan fashion designer".

The abbot in a tres' chic scapular and collar

Second clue, nun who was "former disco dancer".

Dancing? No habit? Creating a mess in the liturgy? I get all that but since when did we have sisters under 60

You can read and see more of her "dancing" here and here. And if you're in the market for liturgical/lap dancing, here's a supply company. Oh...before you go there. NSFW! However, it seems it's safe for Mass....

 Raucous parties. Lap-dances. Wanton disrespect for a traditional institution. A fraternity of men who ignore the institutional rules. With this much of a ruckus, seems the Vatican needs a capable, Catholic hand who can lay down the hammer. May I suggest....

Who's with me? Sparky Reardon: Vatican Enforcer!

The Surfing Servant

Surfing, the whole culture of the 60's surf culture, has not been very attractive to me. I do like some of the art and themes that come from the era but the athleticism and lysergenic pedigree sort of turns me off. 
However, after seeing this program in HD on teevee a few years back, I was  a tad enamored with the idea of surfing.

Narrated by Jeff Bridges and with some beautiful exotic scenery, it made surfing and the surfer lifestyle seem like something I may enjoy, if not peripherally. Listening to the surfers speak in their poetic way about being one with the wave and all that gave me a greater zeal to try it. Although I am not the most disciplined person nor dexterous, I wondered if the palms and mountains of surf locations would be at least good for the soul.

I'd put the idea out of my mind until the other day when I ran into a skater who was nursing an injury. I told him about "Chasing the Lotus" and how surfing and skating had a common origin. He told me that I should try it with the old adage, "You're not getting any younger". So I started thinking of it again. I looked at a few sites with classes in surfing began to imagine which of my friends I would want to join me (those who could stand the sight of me hanging ten in a skintight Body Glove outfit).

So anyway, this came in the mail today and proved to me that maybe I should either do this before I get older or just hang it up. Please, scroll down with caution:

No really, that's an actual ad. And from a good company, too. Personally, if I wanted a silver-headed, spiritual surfer to lure me into some trip, it would be this one:

Will we see an animated "liger"?

In the age of instant nostalgia, Fox announces that this Fall the cartoon version of Napoleon Dynamite will join their animated line-up.
So to recap: This Fall, Sundays- Confessions at 4pm, Mass at 5pm, Spaghetti at 6pm, 7pm ANIMATION DOMINATION ON FOX.

Sweet.
-----

N.B. Ok, someone mentioned RCIA. RCIA will be on Sundays still. So, those of you who are either on the team or want to be part of the ONEHOLYCATHOLICAPOSTOLIC Church, then you'll do what I do: DVR.
Nothing better than a full Sunday and a whole set of cartoons nesting on your DVD with the ability to fly through commercials!

Fresh Fish!

Two stories of Catholic recovery in the news these days.

One concerns the actual document on the "Traditional Latin Mass". This form of Mass was in effect, and the only Mass celebrated in the Western Church up until 1962. Then the Second Vatican Council met and we adopted the Mass we call the Novus Ordo which is the Mass celebrated most times in most Catholic Churches.

However, the Traditional Latin Mass was at one time suppressed and only allowed if the bishop of a diocese gave permission. Until recently, that was the norm until the Pope allowed competent priests to celebrate the TLM without prior bishop approval. Now we have Universae Ecclesiae which clarifies the Pope's directives.


Read more here and here.

The other story is that in England and Wales, the bishops are re-instituting FISH on Fridays! The statement reads:
".....in accordance with the mind of the whole Church, the Bishops' Conference wishes to remind all Catholics in England and Wales of the obligation of Friday Penance,” the bishops continued. “The Bishops have decided to re-establish the practice that this should be fulfilled by abstaining from meat. Those who cannot or choose not to eat meat as part of their normal diet should abstain from some other food of which they regularly partake.”
“Many may wish to go beyond this simple act of common witness and mark each Friday with a time of prayer and further self-sacrifice. In all these ways we unite our sacrifices to the sacrifice of Christ, who gave up his very life for our salvation.” 
http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=10330 


Our diocese so far is not offering Latin Mass but there is some interest. Of course, the instruction for abstinence in the USA is not the same as that of England and Wales. So you can still have a big beefy burger on Friday...if your conscience allows!

In the by and by, I suppose I better start getting my "deduxerants" and "adduxerants" all ready for at least one Latin Mass in the future. I already do the fish thing. Is there anything better than HAVING to have catfish once a week?
 

Just plain awesome.

A good friend pointed this story out to me on Yahoo Sports:

Saints owner Benson shows the pope his Super Bowl ring.

And in case you've never heard of the Fisherman's Ring (mentioned in the linked story above), here's a little bit of info about it. Popes (just like all bishops) have worn a special ring on their right hand for hundreds of years. While it has become a sign of their office in the Church, the wearing of a ring began with a very practical purpose: in past centuries, these rings were used to seal important documents and Church decrees.

The ring that the pope wears is a gold ring called the "Ring of the Fisherman" because on it is a depiction of St. Peter casting his net. The pope's name encircles the image of Peter. When a pope dies, his ring is immediately removed and destroyed by the Cardinal Camerlegno, the man who acts as head of state for the Vatican during interim time between popes. This is done to prevent the ring's use to seal false documents or decrees after the pope's death.

Here is a picture of Pope Benedict's Fisherman's Ring, which has considerably less bling than the Saints Super Bowl ring below it.

Vigil Against the Death Penalty tonight on the Square

Bishop Latino offers his support for ending the death penalty at the State Capitol this past April

Catholic Charities in Jackson sends the following message:
Please be reminded of the upcoming execution of Benny Joe Stevens today, May 10, 2011, at 6:00 pm.  We ask that you make plans to attend one of the below vigils in your area.  Vigil guides are enclosed for any parishes wishing to hold vigils of their own.

Hattiesburg - Sacred Heart Catholic Church steps, prayer vigil, 5:30 PM

Jackson - Capitol Street side of Governor's Mansion, 4:45 - 6:15

Jackson - Smith Park prayer vigil, 5:30 - 6:00

Oxford - Square - candlelight vigil, 6 PM

Parchman - visitors' gate entrance, Hwy 49, south of main gate; arrive between 4:00 - 4:50 only; penitentiary is on lock-down and times are strictly adhered to.

The vigil service is available here.

Bishop Latino recently spoke out against the death penalty as a member of a secular and religious body of activists. The Jackson Free Press story reads:
"Bishop Joseph Latino of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson was adamant, however, that the death penalty is not a solution to violence. During his short speech, he reached out to victims' families.
'We surely recognize that crimes have been committed that are most heinous in the eyes of our society and in the eyes of God himself; however, we only continue the cycle of violence by having our state kill in the name of justice,' Latino said. 'Indeed, I am very aware of the pain and suffering of victims' families in these cases. Theirs is a suffering beyond comprehension, and they deserve our support, our prayers and our love. Peace and healing for their unfathomable pain is something only that faith can offer. Putting to death the person guilty of causing such great pain will not bring back lost the precious lives that have been taken. In fact, it will only create another set of victims, namely, the family of the person who is executed.'

..."Asked what the response would be if all pastors denounced the death penalty from the pulpit, Bishop Latino was straight forward: 'Probably, some collections would drop. I'm sure people would not buy it. I'm sure there are some people in this country who still believe in an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'"

Bishop Latino (back row) along with Mary Woodward, director of Evangelization for the diocese, and religious leaders at the Capitol.

He also signed an emotionally charged statement agreeing with Protestant and non-Christian leaders on the issue:
WHEREAS innocent human beings have been given the death penalty and been put to death;

WHEREAS violent crime continues despite the death penalty;

WHEREAS the death penalty is not impartially sought or evenly distributed by the criminal justice system;

WHEREAS the majority of those convicted and given the death penalty lacked adequate education, and adequate financial resources;
THEREFORE, we the Mississippi Religious Leadership Conference, an organization of interfaith leadership, call for an immediate moratorium on sentencing human beings to death in the name of the state and in the name of justice.
We recognized that the pain families and friends of victims' suffer is beyond our deepest understanding and we keep these individuals in our prayers in the hope that one day they may find healing and peace.
We call on all people to reflect more deeply on the death penalty. We see it as our moral imperative to speak out against this unjust distribution of a penalty that is flawed.

Concerning the official Church teaching, the Catechism of the Catholic Church says:

2267 The traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude, presupposing full ascertainment of the identity and responsibility of the offender, recourse to the death penalty, when this is the only practicable way to defend the lives of human beings effectively against the aggressor.
"If, instead, bloodless means are sufficient to defend against the aggressor and to protect the safety of persons, public authority should limit itself to such means, because they better correspond to the concrete conditions of the common good and are more in conformity to the dignity of the human person.
"Today, in fact, given the means at the State's disposal to effectively repress crime by rendering inoffensive the one who has committed it, without depriving him definitively of the possibility of redeeming himself, cases of absolute necessity for suppression of the offender 'today ... are very rare, if not practically non-existent.' 

There is no official parish sponsorship of the vigil this evening. However, do pray for the victims of violent crimes and those who are responsible for judgments concerning human life. Even our bishop, who is entrusted with the care and leadership of our spiritual life.

Thor Losers

I'm geeking out since Thor, the movie has been released. I'll slip away and see it when the prices are low and the popcorn is hot. But until then, I'm reading all about it!

This particular piece from Comics Alliance (yes, it is a real website) reports on religious outrage against Thor, the movie. Neo-pagan worshippers of Norse gods are offended at the portrayal of the, as the article states, not-real-and-never-were-real" gods in the movie.

Thou Shalt Not Take the Name of False Gods in Vain!

One such pagan waxes poetic as he handles a toy Thor hammer in a Wal-Mart.

"I held that foam hammer in my hand for a long time, which I'm sure only confirmed my weirdness to the nightgaunts of the third shift. With my other hand, I rubbed the Mjolnir necklace I have worn every day since my initiation into my family's coven. I did not know what to think of it.

The truth is, I looked at the toys in my hands and I saw the result of millions of dollars of development and thousands of hours of manpower, put into something bearing the name of a god, my god, and it had nothing to do with me. Their Thor was a god forgotten by all except the few quiet geeks who read his adventures in Journey into Mystery and The Mighty Thor for forty years. It wasn't that they meant to upset or unsettle me; they simply realized that people like me were too few to matter. It's impossible to think of a story about Jesus like this, not written to pander to or irritate Christians, but simply not considering them at all.

But not Thor. The Aesir were dead gods, their stories ready to be stirred and stolen and sold, without any remorse or complaint.

I drove back home along a wet highway glistening with streetlights, one hand on the wheel, one on the sigil around my neck."
Read More: http://www.comicsalliance.com/2011/05/09/thor-pagans-norse-gods/#ixzz1Lt4ygKwP

Mjolnir: If you can't pronounce it, kids, don't do it!

The article also sites another (maybe-kinda-not) religious group, The Council of Conservative Citizens, earlier being offended that the Norseman and companion of Thor, Heimdall, was being played by Idris Ebla, a black man.
They wrote about Marvel:
"Marvel is headed by radical left-wingers who insert their ideologies and agendas into their comic books and movies."
Read More: http://www.comicsalliance.com/2010/12/16/racists-thor-idris-ebla-racism/#ixzz1Lt66m14O
Again, they were offended that a black man was portraying a fake mythic character.

 Heimdall comic book character as done by Jack Kirby

Heimdall is a Norse of a different color

And just to add a bit more perspective:

Traditional Icelandic drawing of Heimdall @15th century

 The depiction of Heimdall in the illustration above tends to favor neither Ebla or the Marvel comics version. I find a better Heimdall in the visage of one hit-wonder smooth jazz performer and "King of the Hill" in-joke Chuck Mangione. Behold!

Chuck Mangione

And so folks, the lesson is that if you want to get something fake right, then you have to know how that unreal thing really is before you portray it in a way that would portray it as unrealistic or people who also know the thing is not real will defend the truth of it's unreality really really hard.
Ow.
Brain. I just think I made Heidegger roll around in his grave.

Godless Russians?

 It used to be fashionable to talk about the "Godless Russians". However, since the fall of the Soviet Union, there has been a remarkable, yet slow moving, resurgence in faith. The Christian Science Monitor reports:
"Two decades after the collapse of Communism, Russians are more likely believe in God than are citizens of any other European nation, according to two recent surveys.
The Public Opinion Fund found that 82% of Russians believe in God, while a recent Ipsos survey put the figure at 56%--higher than that of Poles (51%), Italians (50%), Germans (27%), and Swedes (18%)."
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2011/0506/Russia-emerges-as-Europe-s-most-God-believing-nation

However, despite having more faith in a God, there is very little participation in Christian religious practice, especially the ancient Orthodoxy.
"There is no doubt that Orthodoxy is the traditional confession in Russia, but only a small part of those who call themselves Orthodox actually go to church regularly, mark the festivals, or practice the rituals," says Vladimir Gurbolikov, deputy editor of Foma, a missionary magazine published by the Orthodox Church. "The problem is a lack of information in society. People do not have normal communication with the Church and are unable to establish it, and so they do not know the Orthodox Christian faith even if they identify themselves with it."

The article continues:"Several countries, including Indonesia, Turkey, Brazil, Mexico, and the United States clocked in as significantly more religious than Russia."


So, in the Marvel Universe:

Godless (even though Thor is a god...kinda)

Less Godless

Even less Godless

Super less Godless...USA! USA! USA!

Now I lay me down to sleep....

That is one heckuva comforting graphic for a child's first book about God's providence....

Pray for the Mississippi

From the Clarion-Ledger:
"If worst-case scenarios prove true, flooding in the lower Mississippi Delta could put Rolling Fork and other towns underwater. 'We're not talking a 100-year flood,' said Peter Nimrod, chief engineer for the Greenville-based Mississippi Levee Board. 'It's way beyond a 100-year flood.'
Flooding could also hit the towns of Valley Park, Onward, Anguilla, Cary and Mayersville.
On Tuesday, Gov. Haley Barbour requested President Barack Obama declare 11 Mississippi counties as disaster areas in anticipation of major flooding. Those counties are Adams, Bolivar, Claiborne, Coahoma, DeSoto, Issaquena, Jefferson, Tunica, Warren, Washington and Wilkinson."

Other states affected by flooding are in Arkansas, Tennessee, and Missouri.

Please pray for the citizens of those areas and for our government officials. Despite what Led Zeppelin says, prayin' may do us some good...

Someone asked me just which saint do we pray to when it comes to floods? Seems there's several:
St. Christopher (who may or may not be a saint)

Columbanus is also the  Patron of Bikers

St. Columbanus (who also worked the miracle of multiplying steins of beer...really)
St. Florian (who also is the patron of firemen)
St. Gregory the Wonder Worker (who also in legend saw the vision of Mary, mother of God-theotokos, first)
There's also Hermengild, John Nepomucene, and Our Lady of Zapopan.

And this prayer comes from catholic.org:

Graciously hear us, O Lord, when we call upon You,
and grant unto our supplications a calm atmosphere,
that we, who are justly afflicted for our sins,
may, by Your protecting mercy, experience pardon.
Through Christ our Lord.

A bit about Bin Laden

What is the "official" Church position on the killing of bin Laden? Well, yesterday, the Vatican's press office issued the following statement:

Osama Bin Laden - as everyone knows - has had the gravest responsibility for spreading hatred and division among people, causing the deaths of countless people, and exploiting religion for this purpose. Faced with the death of a man, a Christian never rejoices, but reflects on the serious responsibility of everyone before God and man, and hopes and pledges that every event is not an opportunity for a further growth of hatred, but of peace.”

A good and necessary reminder that, as Christians, we don't gloat and glory in the death of any one. That does not mean, however, that we cannot be glad that some measure of justice has been served (though not complete justice for Bin Laden, like every man, must stand before the throne of judgement and receive his eternal reward). We can also be glad that Bin Laden will not be able to devise and/or fund more murderous plots against innocent people. That is definitely something to be happy about.

Well-known Catholic author Jimmy Akin, in a column that he penned yesterday for the National Catholic Register, also made mention of an important step for us Christians when he wrote: "Of course, our Lord's command to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us still applies. We must hope that Osama bin Laden repented at the last second, or that he had been crazy for years and not responsible for his actions, or that God might provide for his salvation in some other way. And we must remember that Christ himself died to make salvation possible for all men, Osama bin Laden included."

In the end, however, we in our area have more pressing concerns. We have just experienced the most deadly outbreak of spring storms since the 1930s, and more than 300 of our neighbors are dead. Many, many more are homeless, without power, mourning and in pain. Their needs are immediate. And the real danger of media is that it takes our minds away from pressing and immediate concerns. There is real need. In the euphoria of a royal wedding and the demise of a cowardly villain, please make sure that you have done your part to help the victims of last week's tornadoes.

You can give online to Catholic Charities here. Or to the American Red Cross here. Both organizations are working hard to provide immediate relief to disaster victims throughout the South. Thank you.

Another Obama v. Osama meme...

Not that I agree with all of that but...this is sorta funny.

Turns out that there's a group, the Deathers, who are demanding proof of the long form of Osama's death certificate...

Ok...that's it. Promise.

Just War On Terror

...or we can pray for his soul....

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:


2309 The strict conditions for legitimate defense by military force require rigorous consideration. The gravity of such a decision makes it subject to rigorous conditions of moral legitimacy. At one and the same time:
- the damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave, and certain;
- all other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective;
- there must be serious prospects of success;
- the use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated. The power of modem means of destruction weighs very heavily in evaluating this condition.
These are the traditional elements enumerated in what is called the "just war" doctrine.

Osama Bin Laden is dead (or so that's the general understanding). As Christians, we hate to give any indication that the taking of a human life is "good". On the same token, we cannot always determine that taking a human life is "evil" every time.

The points above are the condition by which a "just war" is produced. Thomas Aquinas is the author of the doctrine. The doctrine is one of the most controversial of Catholicism's canon of social justice principles. The simple adage, "WWJD" will beg the question: "Jesus said turn the other cheek, so why kill a man?" On another note, Jesus also spoke of His return where he would see to it that  His enemies are slain (Luke 19:27).

It is a brutal world. Jesus tells us that we must be as innocent as doves yet as cunning as snakes (Mt 10:16). The Just War theory shows how we may retain our innocence while striking effectively and prudently as a snake.

Hopefully, whether dove or snake, we only have to behave as animals on rare occasions. As humans, closer to angels, we are called to pray for our enemies...living and dead (cf Mt 5:44). Perhaps another just war is the war against our own rage.






 

A break for your Monday...

In case you're ready to take a break from the 24-hour bin Laden's dead news cycle, here's a mind-numbing attempt at that mythical creature called "Christian rap" from a decade far, far away. It's only slightly less painful to watch than chewing on aluminum foil:

Blessed John Paul II, pray for us!

Yesterday, at a Mass celebrated in front of an estimated 1.5 million pilgrims outside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Pope Benedict officially proclaimed his predecessor, John Paul II, to be "beatified." This is the final step before full-blown canonization, or sainthood.

Tapestry of newly-Blessed John Paul II in St. Peter's Square.

Remembered for many great deeds and the Christian inspiration that he fostered in countless billions throughout the decades, Blessed John Paul was called "the rock star pope," but he was nothing if not humble. Quite often, he characterized his great works in the Church as the being nothing more than the works of a simple priest and he constantly encouraged young men to give heartfelt and prayerful consideration to the calling to the priesthood. "Do not be afraid," said Blessed John Paul. "Open your hearts to Christ. The deepest joy there is in life is the joy that comes from God and is found in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Jesus Christ is the hope of yours. He is my hope. He is the hope of the world!"