50 Days After

This has made my Friday!

2012-05-25T08:10:00.000-04:00

"Dead men tell no tales!" I think translates as "Mortuus homines dico haud fabula!"
Walk the plank: Ingredior tabula
My Latin is rough though.
I found this and other awesome book ideas like "Rome Sweet Vampire" at This Ain't the Lyceum 7 Quick Takes
The post also reminded me of my Papal Spaghetti Western post.

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7 Quick Takes 25MAY12

2012-05-25T00:00:00.000-04:00

My Mom just confirmed that she will come down to visit my daughter and I on Father's Day weekend. Its going to be great!
I've put off my daughter's Chrismation until my Mom could be here and now I know she's going to definitely be here in June!
I'd be interested in having someone guest post on my blog. If you're interested hit me up at athanasius c mundo at gmail dot com.
I've been thinking about the HHS contraception mandate and the conclusion I've come to is that this is only the beginning. I fully expect that if Mr. Obama is elected again that it will only be the tip of the iceberg.
No one has solved the latest Saint Quiz.
The era of private space flight is now upon us. I'm curious to see how much quicker the private sector will transform the field. Government is subject to funding cuts and the voting public's attention span. The private sector sees a new field with unlimited potential ready for investment and R&D.
Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true Man!

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The best news coverage yet on the HHS Mandate controversy

2012-05-24T23:31:00.000-04:00

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Remarks on Fatherhood and the Faith

2012-05-24T15:43:00.002-04:00

I was just going to quote the article at the bottom of this post until I read the comment left at the bottom of the website. I still quoted the article since it was great material, but I wanted first to comment on the comment.

From SlargTarg:

Go ahead and keep blaming men. The truth is that 75% of divorces in the western world are initiated by women, and the family court system is setup in most western nations to expel men from their children's lives.
Not to mention the "Social Justice" welfare state where women are paid to be sexually promiscuous with players and cads. Meanwhile stable provider males are rejected by women and are taxed to death to pay for the social services of the single mothers who rejected them.
Google search "brides of the state" and "The misandry bubble" if you want to know the truth about the destruction of the family. You wont find any answers in feminized christian churches.

While there's a lot of truth to what he's saying, for instance the overwhelming majority of divorces are initiated by women and largely because they are awarded custody by default in most states. Apparently, Big Brother doesn't feel that men can make just as good parents. Of course that ignores the fact that the household most prone to poverty and crime is the single mother family. Child support has become for so many of us a third tax after the feds and the state. By the way, if I ever have the authority to do anything about it child support will become tax deductible. However, with that said there are many men out there who willingly choose to live far from their children and sadly many more men still are part of a growing wave who "hit it and forget it" then take no part in raising their children nor pay any child support which of course leads to a new generation with this as an example to follow.

I Googled "brides of the state" and "the Misandry Bubble". "Brides of the State" refers to the many women who have found it more profitable than work to have children and draw social services and child support. "The Misandry Bubble" from the site linked above : The Western World has quietly become a civilization that undervalues men and overvalues women, where the state forcibly transfers resources from men to women creating various perverse incentives for otherwise good women to conduct great evil against men and children, and where male nature is vilified but female nature is celebrated. This is unfair to both genders, and is a recipe for a rapid civilizational decline and displacement, the costs of which will ultimately be borne by a subsequent generation of innocent women, rather than men, as soon as 2020.

"You wont find any answers in feminized christian churches.": I've been aware of this for about ten years. When you go to church see how many men are there versus women. How many young men are there? There are few male role models for our boys and young men to emulate. Fewer dads are around. Fewer priests are around. Many of the traditional roles that priests had in the parish have been out of necessity taken on by laity. Very few of those taking on these roles are men. A young man today looks around and sees almost all women. The men have either left of been pushed out by an increasingly feminine theology that has alienated them in their parish, the parish of their forefathers. In fairness, I don't think most women intentionally do this. It seems to largely be the result of a vacuum left by fatherlessness and priest shortage. I read a book called Wild at Heart that was all about this topic and I didn't agree with all of it, but he had some valid points.

From the article:
Vatican City, May 23, 2012 / 11:42 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Dads who are absent from their family make it more difficult for their children to understand God as a loving father, Pope Benedict XVI said on May 23.
“Perhaps modern man does not perceive the beauty, grandeur and profound consolation contained in the word ‘father’ with which we can turn to God in prayer, because the father figure is often not sufficiently present in today’s world, and is often not a sufficiently positive presence in everyday life,” the Pope said in his weekly general audience address.
He underscored that the “the problem of a father not present in the life of the child is a big problem of our time” because it can become difficult for those children “to understand in its depth what it means to us that God is Father.”...
In his letter to the Galatians, St. Paul wrote that “As proof that you are children, God sent the spirit of his son into our hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!’” St. Paul also wrote to the Romans, “you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, ‘Abba, Father!’”
Pope Benedict noted that the familial Aramaic word “Abba” is also used by Jesus “even at the most dramatic moment of his earthly life,” thus demonstrating that he “never lost faith in the Father and always invoked him with the intimacy of a beloved son.”
Similarly, through baptism, every Christian also becomes a beloved son or daughter of God, “sharing by adoption in the eternal sonship of Jesus.”
In the selected passages, the Pope explained, St. Paul also demonstrates that “Christian prayer is never unidirectional, from us to God.” Instead, it is “an expression of a reciprocal relationship in which it is always God who acts first.”
Therefore, whenever we address the Father in prayer, even silently or privately, we are never alone, since “we are within the great prayer of the Church, we are part of a great symphony which the Christian community in all places and times raises to God,” he said.
It is this “prayer guided by the Spirit” that causes Christians to cry out “Abba! Father!” both “with Christ and in Christ,” Pope Benedict taught...
read the whole article

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Did you know...

2012-05-22T18:48:00.003-04:00

Did you know there are more slaves now than at any other time in history? Slavery is illegal everywhere, but it has flourished anyways.

St Josephine Bakhita pray for us.

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Something to remind myself of more often

2012-05-21T18:47:00.002-04:00

Wrath and anger are hateful things,
yet the sinner hugs them tight.
The vengeful will suffer the LORD's vengeance,
for he remembers their sins in detail.
Forgive your neighbor's injustice;
then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven.
Could anyone nourish anger against another
and expect healing from the LORD?
Could anyone refuse mercy to another like himself,
can he seek pardon for his own sins?
If one who is but flesh cherishes wrath,
who will forgive his sins?
Remember your last days, set enmity aside;
remember death and decay, and cease from sin!
Think of the commandments, hate not your neighbor;
remember the Most High's covenant, and overlook faults.

- Sirach 27:30 - 28:7

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St John the Baptist Cathedral Savannah GA Part II

2012-05-19T14:15:00.001-04:00

Part I
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St Nicholas and Arius

2012-05-15T05:00:00.000-04:00

Almost 2,000 years have passed since St Nicholas punched Arius at the Council of Nicea and even though the council denounced Arius' heresy it still persists today. It just goes to show that like the old saying, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink." that you can smack a heretic upside the head with the truth but you can't make him believe.

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Occupy a library

2012-05-14T06:49:00.000-04:00

These shirts photographed at Occupy protests are just further proof that bad ideas never die.

hat tip to Against the Grain via Convert Journal

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Thoughts on POTUSA gay marriage support

2012-05-13T16:32:00.001-04:00

Yes, President Obama came out to support gay marriage. I wish you could see how NOT surprised I was. However, I have a couple of thoughts on this:

At least he's honest! I bet Mr. Clinton was in favor of it, but stayed in the closet because he didn't want to risk his political career. He's also upfront and honest about his views on abortion. I'm not saying that either of these stances are good. In fact, I find them morally repugnant, but his honesty however belated is refreshing.
Supposedly 60% won't change their vote because of this. How many among that 60% were polled in left wing hotbeds like NYC or LA and how many won't change their vote because they weren't going to vote for him anyways. It's not changing my vote for instance because I was never going to vote for him anyways.

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I am thankful for my Mom because...

2012-05-13T00:30:00.000-04:00

Happy Mother's Day!
I was listening to the radio one year and they had a question on Mother's Day. What was the best thing your Mom did for you growing up? and people called in and answered. This year I'm trying something similar.

I am thankful for my Mom because...
for many reasons the foremost in my mind is the undying, unyielding faith that God will provide, also I am thankful for the example of calmness and patience during the many times I was a hothead and must have tried her patience terribly.

Why are you thankful for your Mom?

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Wisdom from Father Jose 25

2012-05-07T04:00:00.000-04:00

"Uncertainty dominates most of our life... but there is something rather someone who is our certainty, our life, our hope...Our Lord Jesus Christ." --Fr Jose Ramirez

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Thank a Priest

2012-05-03T12:34:00.000-04:00

When I was still an active duty soldier people would stop me all the time as I walked around in uniform to thank me for my service to our country. I appreciate the sentiment, but I can't stress enough that priests are heroes too and we should thank them for their ministry to the people of God.
I encourage everyone to thank our priests for all that they do.
I came across a website once called thankyoufather.com and you can post or read a thank you message directed at our priests.
Or even better yet, we can all thank a priest in person. I plan to.

"The eloquence of this liturgy was even more tremendous: and what it said was one, simple, cogent, tremendous truth: this church, the court of the Queen of Heaven, is the real capital of the country in which we are living. This is the center of all the vitality that is in America. This is the cause and reason why the nation is holding together. These men, hidden in the anonymity of their choir and their white cowls, are doing for their land what no army, no congress, no president could ever do as such: they are winning for it the grace and the protection and the friendship of God." --Thomas Merton from Seven Storey Mountain

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Theotokos Thursday II

2012-05-03T10:07:00.000-04:00

A painting of Sedes Sapientiae (Seat of Wisdom).

image source
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Athanasian Creed for the Feast of St Athanasius

2012-05-02T12:33:00.000-04:00

Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic faith; Which faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly.And the catholic faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; Neither confounding the persons nor dividing the substance. For there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Spirit. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit is all one, the glory equal, the majesty co-eternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit. The Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, and the Holy Spirit uncreated. The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Spirit incomprehensible. The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Spirit eternal. And yet they are not three eternals but one eternal. As also there are not three uncreated nor three incomprehensible, but one uncreated and one incomprehensible. So likewise the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, and the Holy Spirit almighty. And yet they are not three almighties, but one almighty. So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God; And yet they are not three Gods, but one God. So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Spirit Lord; And yet they are not three Lords but one Lord. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord; So are we forbidden by the catholic religion to say; There are three Gods or three Lords. The Father is made of none, neither created nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone; not made nor created, but begotten. The Holy Spirit is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits. And in this Trinity none is afore or after another; none is greater or less than another. But the whole three persons are co-eternal, and coequal. So that in all things, as aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshiped. He therefore that will be saved must thus think of the Trinity. Furthermore it is necessary to everlasting salvation that he also believe rightly the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the right faith is that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and man. God of the substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds; and man of substance of His mother, born in the world. Perfect God and perfect man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting. Equal to the Father as touching His Godhead, and inferior to the Father as touching His manhood. Who, although He is God and man, yet He is not two, but one Christ. One, not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh, but by taking of that manhood into God. One altogether, not by confusion of substance, but by unity of person. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and man is one Christ; Who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead; He ascended into heaven, He sits on the right hand of the Father, God, Almighty; From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies; and shall give account of their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting and they that have done evil into everlasting fire. This is the catholic faith, which except a man believe faithfully he cannot be saved.
Amen.

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Protest ended with Holy Water

2012-05-02T12:24:00.002-04:00

Apparently an anti-government protest was brought to an end by liberal use of Holy Water. From ByzTex:
Activists from a fundamentalist Russian Orthodox organization dispersed with Holy Water a group of protesters who gathered on Sunday in downtown Moscow to support jailed female Pussy Riot punk group...
The rally, a new episode of the anti-government protests that have spread across Russia since December, was designed to unite both believers and atheists in a mass prayer.

Police however cordoned off the territory in front of the Cathedral and detained two organizers of the protest to avoid “provocations.”

Members of the Union of Orthodox Banner Bearers calmed down other participants of the prayer by pouring Holy Water on them and chanting: “No Sodom!”... read more

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Wisdom from Father Jose 24

2012-04-30T07:00:00.000-04:00

"Don't slap the door at Jesus! Allow him to come in and clean your house, your heart." -- Fr Jose

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Sunday Snippets 28APR2012

2012-04-28T15:04:00.003-04:00

Its time again for Sunday Snippets!
Monday I had Wisdom from Father Jose 23. Two more and the series will be complete.
Tuesday was a link to the Wallace-Sanger interview and 6 Year Blogiversary.
Thursday I posted an icon for Theotokos Thursday.
Friday I posted 7 Quick Takes and Saint Quiz XVI.
Today, was a funny pope pic and an example of strange things you say as a parent.

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Not sure which Pope this is, but still hilarious

2012-04-28T13:31:00.001-04:00

image source

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Children make you say the weirdest things

2012-04-28T12:35:00.002-04:00

Like: "Get your foot out of the book!"

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Saint Quiz XVI

2012-04-27T20:45:00.002-04:00

Who can figure it out?

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7 Quick Takes 27APR12

2012-04-27T00:00:00.000-04:00

You can check out the other Quick Takes for this week at Conversion Diary

This week marks six years that I've been blogging on 50 Days After. So many things have happened in these six years for me personally. I was still at Mount Angel when I began blogging. Since then, I left there, went into the Army, married, had a daughter, went to Iraq, divorced, left the Army, and so much more. Who knows what will happen in the next six years? Hopefully they will be better than the last six.
Its hard to believe, but I've been a homeowner for a whole year. I bought foreclosed house and fixed a number of things, but there's still so much more to go. Every day I seem to find something new that needs fixing or replacing.
Still haven't yet had anyone solve Saint Quiz XV. Hint: Think of a Christian martyr killed by lions.
I thought about something the other day. Miriam was a prophetess who sang a song after the Red Sea consumed the Egyptians. Mary sang the Magnificat after the Annunciation. It seems like with the names and the songs there should be some connection but that's as far as I got.
A silly song that I really enjoy:
Yesterday I found a blog that I forgot I had set up. Apparently I created it in 2004 and only posted once. I changed the name from My Random Thoughts to Life in Exile and now it has two posts. I'm thinking maybe I'll make it into a photo blog or something else artsy.
Blessed be Jesus, true God and true Man!

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Theotokos Thursday

2012-04-26T09:03:00.003-04:00

image source

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6 Year Blog Birthday

2012-04-24T08:33:00.000-04:00

To commemorate my six years of ramblings, here are six random posts (and one Easter Egg) in no particular order:
Pope Pius XI Spaghetti Western Star: I found a post on Fr Z's blog about the good Pope packing a revolver and speculated on titles for possible Spaghetti Westerns starring him.
S amson and the Destruction of the Temple was a brief post on whether Samson destroying the temple was suicide.
David and Popes is an apologetic post on corrupt Popes.
100 places on my bucket list
My Christmas in Iraq poem

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The Wallace-Sanger Interview

2012-04-24T08:07:00.001-04:00

A 1957 interview on birth control with Margaret Sanger:
The Mike Wallace and Margaret Sanger Interview

I like the way he asks her about her own quotes and she's obviously uneasy answering.

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