Thursday, December 25, 2008
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Is Thanksgiving a Catholic Holiday?
The Puritans and their Indian/Native American/Aboriginal/First Nation pals put on the old feedbags in 1621. But what about this?
"An interesting bit of trivia is that the first American Thanksgiving was actually celebrated on September 8, 1565 in St. Augustine, Florida. The Native Americans and Spanish settlers held a feast and the Holy Mass was offered.
A second similar "Thanksgiving" celebration occurred on American soil on April 30, 1598 in Texas when Don Juan de Oñate declared a day of Thanksgiving to be commemorated by the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass."
Read about it here.
"An interesting bit of trivia is that the first American Thanksgiving was actually celebrated on September 8, 1565 in St. Augustine, Florida. The Native Americans and Spanish settlers held a feast and the Holy Mass was offered.
A second similar "Thanksgiving" celebration occurred on American soil on April 30, 1598 in Texas when Don Juan de Oñate declared a day of Thanksgiving to be commemorated by the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass."
Read about it here.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Feast of St. Cecilia
St. Cecilia was just the opposite of the one Paul Simon (the singer, not the Senator) knew.
From Catholic Online:
"The story of S. Cecilia is not without beauty and merit. There was in the city of Rome a virgin named Cecilia, who was given in marriage to a youth named Valerian. She wore sackcloth next to her skin, and fasted, and invoked the saints and angels and virgins, beseeching them to guard her virginity. And she said to her husband, "I will tell you a secret if you will swear not to reveal it to anyone." And when he swore, she added, "There is an angel who watches me, and wards off from me any who would touch me." He said, "Dearest, if this be true, show me the angel." "That can only be if you will believe in one God, and be baptized."
She sent him to Pope S. Urban (223-230), who baptized him; and when he returned, he saw Cecilia praying in her chamber, and an angel by her with flaming wings, holding two crowns of roses and lilies, which he placed on their heads, and then vanished. Shortly after, Tibertius, the brother of Valerian, entered, and wondered at the fragrance and beauty of the flowers at that season of the year."
The painting is by Carlo Saraceni, circa 1610.
Labels: Feast Days
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
What Do You Do When a Cardinal Loses His Mind?
Because His Eminence, Cardinal Schonborn of Austria , clearly has.
I hope our Youth Mass on Sunday is not ANYTHING like this...
I hope our Youth Mass on Sunday is not ANYTHING like this...
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Map of American Dioceses
This is cool...click on a diocese and it takes you to the webpage for that diocese.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Giant Fake Monk ATTACKS!
Giant: "Adsum!" (I am here!)
Capuchin Monk: "Alea iacta est." (The die is cast.)
Giant: "Audentes fortuna iuvat." (Fortune favors the bold.)
Capuchin Monk : "Mors tua vita Mea!" (Your death, my life!)
Labels: Giant puppets
Monday, November 10, 2008
Stay Focused, Sister
Dissention in the ranks.
Sister Alfonso, we must stay focused on the enemy (Giant Puppets). Just because you found out that Sister James of the Marches voted for Obama doesn't mean you can treat her this way.
FOCUS!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Saturday, October 18, 2008
At the Al Smith Dinner
The two Presidential nominees met one more time at the Al Smith Dinner in New York City the other night. Seated with them is Cardinal Egan of the Archdiocese of New York.
Al Smith was the first Catholic to win a Presidential nomination. He ran in 1928 and got clobbered by Herbert Hoover.
There has only been one other Catholic to gain a nomination for a major party. He went on to become President. Anyone?
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Christ... Football Star
From the Glouchester County Times:
CHRIST RUNS FOR 232 YARDS IN CATHOLIC VICTORY
"If they don't wrap me, I'm just going to put my legs out and keep them moving," said Christ.
CHRIST RUNS FOR 232 YARDS IN CATHOLIC VICTORY
"If they don't wrap me, I'm just going to put my legs out and keep them moving," said Christ.
Thursday, October 09, 2008
The Fightin' Carmelites
Just don't call them gladiators.
From www.indiancatholic.in:
"KOCHI (ICNS): A tussle between a convent and a parish priest in Kerala over a Catholic school has reached police station, making national headlines.
The controversy is over Carmel convent-owned Little Flower High School in Narakkal near Kochi. The convent authorities have now gone to police station seeking protection from their parish priest of St. Mary’s church."
Convent’s spokesperson Sister Jessy said the nuns own the school and its land but the nuns were being treated as “slaves” by those who are managed the school.
Labels: Nuns
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Feast Day of Pope Pius X
Our 259th Pope!
The name Pius is tied for second as the most common Pope name. There were 16 of them, which means Pope Benedict XVI created the tie.
Number one? John - 23 so far (not counting the two John Pauls). In my lifetime I've seen one of each (along with a Paul):
Venerable Pius XII (1939-1958)
Blessed John XXIII (1958-1963)
Paul VI (1963-1978)
John Paul I (1978 - for one month)
John Paul II (1978-2005)
Benedict XVI )(2005 - present)
Labels: Popes
Catholics at the Democrat Convention in Denver
From the Catholic News Service:
"WASHINGTON (CNS) -- St. Joseph Sister Catherine Pinkerton of Cleveland is not usually one to seek the spotlight, but she will take center stage at the Democratic National Convention Aug. 27 when she gives the benediction to close the party's third day of business. Sister Catherine, 86, a lobbyist for Network, a national Catholic social justice lobby, will close the convention on the night that Sen. Barack Obama is expected to formally become the party's nominee for president."
Who is NOT invited? Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput. Why? I don't know. Maybe it's because he wrote this.
Or because he says things like:
"(Catholic voters) have historically belonged in huge numbers to the Democratic Party. They could have stood up in former years and demanded that abortion not be part of the platform, but they did not."
And...
"Abortion always, deliberately kills an innocent unborn child. Nobody can honestly claim to be a faithful Catholic and then support a false “right” to abortion; it’s just an elegant way of evading the brutality of what abortion actually does."
"WASHINGTON (CNS) -- St. Joseph Sister Catherine Pinkerton of Cleveland is not usually one to seek the spotlight, but she will take center stage at the Democratic National Convention Aug. 27 when she gives the benediction to close the party's third day of business. Sister Catherine, 86, a lobbyist for Network, a national Catholic social justice lobby, will close the convention on the night that Sen. Barack Obama is expected to formally become the party's nominee for president."
Who is NOT invited? Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput. Why? I don't know. Maybe it's because he wrote this.
Or because he says things like:
"(Catholic voters) have historically belonged in huge numbers to the Democratic Party. They could have stood up in former years and demanded that abortion not be part of the platform, but they did not."
And...
"Abortion always, deliberately kills an innocent unborn child. Nobody can honestly claim to be a faithful Catholic and then support a false “right” to abortion; it’s just an elegant way of evading the brutality of what abortion actually does."
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Feast of St. Bernard of Clairvaux
St. Bernard, Doctor of the Church. He is shown here raising troops for the Second Crusade - a crusade that ended in disaster and for which he got blamed.
Best known for reforming the Cistercian Order, and was also instrumental in recognizing and promoting the Knights Templar.
"[A Templar Knight] is truly a fearless knight, and secure on every side, for his soul is protected by the armor of faith, just as his body is protected by the armor of steel. He is thus doubly-armed, and need fear neither demons nor men."
Bernard de Clairvaux, c. 1135, De Laude Novae Militae—In Praise of the New Knighthood[12]
Labels: Feast Days, saints
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Henry Poole is Here
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops gives two thumbs up to this movie. I might even go see it at the theater. No, not really, but I will rent it when it comes out on DVD...
Catholic Online likes it, too.
Catholic Online likes it, too.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Thursday, August 14, 2008
The Order of Mass
There have been some changes made! The USCCB has released the almost official, Vatican approved Order of the Mass, which will be instituted by 2011. So start practicing! Here's the Gloria:
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to people of good will.
We praise you,
we bless you,
we adore you,
we glorify you,
we give you thanks for your great glory,
Lord God, heavenly King,
O God, almighty Father.
Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us;
you take away the sins of the world,
receive our prayer;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father,
have mercy on us.
For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father.
Amen.
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to people of good will.
We praise you,
we bless you,
we adore you,
we glorify you,
we give you thanks for your great glory,
Lord God, heavenly King,
O God, almighty Father.
Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us;
you take away the sins of the world,
receive our prayer;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father,
have mercy on us.
For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father.
Amen.
Labels: Mass
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Holy Smokes! Now THAT'S a THURIBLE!
You want incense? You got incense! This is the "Botafumeiro (Smoke Boat)" in the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral, Galicia, Spain. The cathedral is the supposed burial location of St. James the Great.
This little tidbit made me laugh (from Wikipedia):
"One of the most renowned accidents took place during a visit of Princess Catherine of Aragon. She was on a journey to marry the heir to the English throne in 1499 and stopped by the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela. While it was being swung, the Botafumeiro flew out of the cathedral through the Platerias high window. No one was reported to have been injured on this occasion."
Labels: Cathedrals
Saturday, July 19, 2008
The Fourteen Holy Helpers Have a Basilica!
I never heard of them, and they have their own basilica? Who knew?
The basilica is located in Bad Staffelstein, Germany. According to Wikipedia, the fourteen holy helpers are:
* Achatius (or Acacius) (May 8), martyr, invoked against headache
* Barbara (December 4), virgin and martyr, invoked against fever and sudden death
* Blaise (also Blase and Blasius) (February 3), bishop and martyr, invoked against illness of the throat
* Catherine of Alexandria (November 25), virgin and martyr, invoked against sudden death
* Christopher (Christophorus) (July 25), martyr, invoked against bubonic plague
* Cyriacus (Cyriac) (August 8), deacon and martyr, invoked against temptation on the death-bed
* Denis (Dionysius) (October 9), bishop and martyr, invoked against headache
* Erasmus (Elmo) (June 2), bishop and martyr, invoked against intestinal ailments
* Eustachius (Eustace, Eustathius) (September 20), martyr, invoked against family discord
* George (April 23), soldier-martyr, for the health of domestic animals
* Giles (Aegidius) (September 1), hermit and abbot, invoked against plague, for a good confession
* Margaret of Antioch (July 20), virgin and martyr, invoked in childbirth
* Pantaleon (July 27), bishop and martyr, for physicians
* Vitus (also known as Saint Guy) (June 15), martyr, invoked against epilepsy
Labels: patron saints, saints
Feast of St. Margaret of Antioch
Not much is known about her, but here are three things about her that I found interesting:
1) While imprisoned for being a Christian, she had a showdown with the devil. The devil, in the form of a dragon (see picture) swallowed her, but the crucifix in her hand got caught in the devil's throat, so he disgorged her. And so she became the patroness of childbirth (no, really!).
2) Hers was one of the voices heard by Joan of Arc.
3) Her biography says she is one of "The Fourteen Holy Helpers". The what?
Labels: Feast Days, patron saints, saints
Two New Links
I've added two new links to the list on the right - one to EWTN and another to Rustle Hill Winery (owned and operated by St. Joe's very own Russell family).
Friday, July 11, 2008
Saturday, July 05, 2008
Friday, July 04, 2008
The Battle is Joined!
The giant puppets have gotten wind of the Crusade and are fighting back, terrorizing the population with weapons of mass digestion!
Labels: Giant puppets
Sister Godfrey
Apparently, declaring a jihad is not within my power. I am not an Imam. So I have changed my jihad against giant puppets to a CRUSADE against giant puppets. I have chosen Sister Godfrey (WATCH IT!) to be in charge of my troops. She has already begun recruiting. I have instructed her to go after the giant nun puppets first.
Labels: Giant puppets
Sunday, June 29, 2008
OK...I'VE HAD IT!
I stumbled upon the 2008 Eucharisticc Procession being shown live on EWTN last week. And there...leading this solemn event...GIANT NUN PUPPETS. I hereby declare a JIHAD on giant puppets, ESPECIALLY giant CATHOLIC puppets. No more. Stop it. Now.
BUT WAIT...there was more! There was a Mexican bishop wearing a HAT!
AND the ugliest monstrance on the face of the earth.
I won't even talk about the schloky music they were playing throughout the procession.
BUT WAIT...there was more! There was a Mexican bishop wearing a HAT!
AND the ugliest monstrance on the face of the earth.
I won't even talk about the schloky music they were playing throughout the procession.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Only Boys May Apply
A priest in Wisconsin has announced that hence forth, only boys can serve as Altar Boys. Welll...DUH. I won't link to the Madison Times story because the comments are obscene.
"Members of St. Barnabas Parish in Mazomanie say they are stunned to learn that the priests leading their Catholic community will no longer allow their daughters to be servers at Mass. From now on, only boys will be able to assist priests in the ancient religious rite.
The new policy was announced at a meeting with parents Tuesday by Rev. John Del Priore, who was assigned to the parish on June 1.
"It's an outrage," said Tammy Parks. "They said it was a good way for boys to be indoctrinated into being a priest."
After letting her 11-year-old daughter know that she would no longer be allowed on the altar, Del Priore asked her 8-year-old son about his interest in becoming an altar boy, Parks said in an interview.
"Not only is the priest discriminating against my daughter, he's teaching my son that that is appropriate behavior," she said.
Parents at St. Barnabas are so distressed that there is talk of having the boys boycott altar duty.
The Catholic Church broke with centuries of tradition in 1994, when the Vatican said girls would be allowed to join "altar boys" in assisting priests at Mass.
It is up to the local bishop to decide whether to allow lay women, or girls, to serve when needed, said Brent King, director of communications for the Madison Diocese. Female servers have been allowed in the Madison Diocese, King said, but it is ultimately up to each individual priest to decide whether he needs help at the altar. Priests may ask whomever they wish to assist them, so long as that person is a Catholic in good standing, King said.
He stressed that servers take on the duties of acolytes, traditionally a low clerical rank.
"Neither lay women nor lay men have the right to carry out the function of acolyte," King said.