Servant For Truth

Litany of Humility

2009-07-07T12:30:00.000-07:00

I believe I may have posted this on the site before, but my friend Lee Anne reminded me of this beautiful prayer. This is something we would I all be good to strive for...

Many blessings,

Dean

Litany of Humility

By Cardinal Merry del Val

O Jesus meek and humble of heart, Hear me.

From the desire of being esteemed,

From the desire of being loved,

From the desire of being extolled,

From the desire of being honored,

From the desire of being praised,

From the desire of being preferred to others,

From the desire of being consulted,

From the desire of being approved,

Deliver me, Jesus.

From the fear of being humiliated,

From the fear of being despised,

From the fear of suffering rebukes,

From the fear of being calumniated,

From the fear of being forgotten,

From the fear of being ridiculed,

From the fear of being wronged,

From the fear of being suspected,

Deliver me, Jesus.

That others may be loved more than I,

That others may be esteemed more than I,

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

That others may be chosen and I set aside,

That others may be praised and I unnoticed,

That others may be preferred to me in everything,

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

Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. Amen.

Quote of the Day

2009-06-03T15:32:00.000-07:00

"The man who fears to be alone will never be anything but lonely, no matter how much he may surround himself with people. But the man who learns, in solitude and recollection, to be at peace with his own loneliness, and to prefer its reality to the illusion of merely natural companionship, comes to know the invisible companionship of God." --Thomas Merton

Interesting Headlines

2009-06-03T12:06:00.000-07:00

These just struck me as particularly interesting, all found on Drudge :

Obama: USA 'one of the largest Muslim countries in the world'...

OBAMA: Iran has the right to nuclear power...

Traces of cocaine 'found in Red Bull' in Hong Kong... (Gives a new definition to the term "energy drink")

VIDEO: Dem Leader says he hasn't read a single Sotomayor opinion... (You'd think that if you were voting on a possible future Supreme Court Justice, you might read some of her rulings.)

NBCNEWS anchor bows before president?

Venezuela Chavez says 'Comrade' Obama more left-wing...

And as for where I want to live when I grow up:

New Zealand rated most peaceful, USA 83rd...

(Those Kiwis have something going...)

Well said...

2009-06-01T02:19:00.000-07:00

From my dear friend Lee Anne:

George Tiller was a very strange man. I am sorry he was killed - but I am NOT sorry that he can no longer act out his perverse killing rituals. I am not sorry that he can no longer injure another human being.

Over the next couple of days, weeks and months to come, we are going to hear how the pro-life people are crazy. How they kill those who abort babies. I am here to set the record straight - pro-life people do not believe in killing. The person who murdered George Tiller was not a pro-life person.

Read the rest of this excellent post here. There are also some very beautiful pictures...

Let us pray for the pro-life movement, and for the innocent lives being ended. Let us also pray for Tiller, his family, and his murderer...

Pro-abortion Dr. Tiller murdered needlessly outside of church

2009-05-31T13:56:00.000-07:00

This is absolutely horrible news:

WICHITA, Kan. — George Tiller, a Wichita doctor who was one of the few doctors in the nation to perform late-term abortions, was shot to death on Sunday as he attended church, city officials in Wichita said.

Dr. Tiller, who had performed abortions since the 1970s, had long been a lightning rod for controversy over the issue of abortion, particularly in Kansas, where abortion opponents regularly protested outside his clinic and sometimes his home and church. In 1993, he was shot in both arms by an abortion opponent but recovered.

You can read the rest of the story here.

This story is sad from so many viewpoints.

First of all, and most importantly, a human life has been ended needlessly. Yes, this man did much to advance abortion, but this fact DOES NOT excuse his murder! Not only this, but the man was killed while attending church services!!!

This will have many repercussions I think for the pro-life community. We must all immediately and unequivocally denounce this horrible action. We seek to change this world through peaceful and just actions, not through the taking of human life. That is against our very outlook.

I have already seen comments on Facebook and articles surrounding this tragedy that concern me greatly. There are those that are cheering this event as a triumph for the Pro-Life movement. This is NOT a time to rejoice! We must pray for this man's soul, as we should for all of the departed. We must also pray for this man's family in this time of tragedy, and for the shooter, who it looks like has been apprehended.

Finally, we pray for all those who see this as some sort of victory, or are taking joy in this crime. Yes, what he did in life was a horrible thing. He supported the killing of millions. However, that does not justify the use of violence to end his actions. He is a human being, with the intrinsic God-given dignity given to us all, and his life is worth no less than anyone else's. VIOLENCE IS NOT THE ANSWER!!! Whether or not the shooter did this for activist reasons, I can guarantee you all that the media and our opponents will use this event to vilify pro-lifers.

May grace and peace be with us all.

Powerful Pro-Life Video

2009-05-30T00:36:00.000-07:00

If you can't see the above video in email or an RSS reader, click here.

H/t to Jimmy Aikin.

California Supreme Court Upholds Proposition 8

2009-05-26T11:43:00.000-07:00

I have to admit, I was surprised that our supreme court here in the golden state upheld Proposition 8, which in California, establishes the definition of marriage as being between a man and woman. The voters spoke, and they listened:

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The California Supreme Court upheld a voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage Tuesday, but it also decided that the estimated 18,000 gay couples who tied the knot before the law took effect will stay wed.

Demonstrators outside the court yelled "shame on you!"

The 6-1 decision written by Chief Justice Ron George rejected an argument by gay rights activists that the ban revised the California Constitution's equal protection clause to such a dramatic degree that it first needed the Legislature's approval.

The court said the Californians have a right, through the ballot box, to change their constitution.

The rest of the article from the Associated Press can be read here.

The ruling did not mention of course the court's opinion as to whether they agree with Prop. 8, but they did say they were "limited to interpreting and applying the principles and rules embodied in the California Constitution, setting aside our own personal beliefs and values."

You mean to tell me that a court is there just to interpret laws and stay true to their intent, and not create their own laws? Go figure.

And kudos to the California Supreme court for doing the job they were supposed to do, instead of attempting to legislate from the bench. And thank you, justices, for listening to the California voters, and not giving in to pressure, even if of you do personally disagree with Proposition 8.

Thursday Humor - Theology Joke

2009-05-14T15:30:00.000-07:00

Jesus and his disciples were walking around one day, when Jesus said, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like 3x squared plus 8x minus 9." The disciples looked very puzzled, and finally asked Peter, "What on earth does Jesus mean -- the Kingdom of Heaven is like 3x squared plus 8x minus 9? Peter said, "Don't worry. It's just another one of his parabolas."

H/t to The Ironic Catholic

BREAKING: Pope Benedict walks out on unplanned speech...

2009-05-11T13:59:00.000-07:00

From The Telegraph by Damian Thompson:

Chief Islamic Judge of the Palestinian Authority, Sheikh Tayseer Rajab Tamimi, launched a poisonous verbal attack at Israel at a Monday night gathering attended by Pope Benedict XVI.

In a meeting with organizations involved in inter-religious dialogue at the Notre Dame Jerusalem Center, Tamimi called upon Muslims and Christians to unite against what he said were the murderous Israelis.

Taking the podium after the pope without being on the original list of speakers scheduled for the evening, Tamimi, speaking at length in Arabic, accused Israel of murdering women and children in Gaza and making Palestinians refugees, and declared Jerusalem the eternal Palestinian capital.

Following the diatribe and before the meeting was officially over, the pope exited the premises. Army Radio reported that the pope shook Tamimi's hand before walking out.

Thompson comments on the above article from the Jerusalem Post:

The Vatican press officer, Fr Federico Lombardi, later said: "In a meeting dedicated to dialogue, this intervention was a direct negation of what [it] should be," and added that he hoped the incident would not damage the Pope's mission to the Holy Land.

I don't think it should. In fact, I reckon the Holy Father responded appropriately. He didn't precipitate a diplomatic incident by refusing to shake the speaker's hand, but by leaving before the meeting was over he made it absolutely plain that the Vatican does not take sides in the Israel-Palestine dispute.

It is just this sort of poisonous mud-slinging and diatribe that keeps peace from being a reality. The fact that the Holy Father acted so gracefully in this situation is a testament to his Christian faith. Goodness knows I wouldn't have been so cool headed! God bless you Papa Ben!

Let us keep Pope Benedict in our prayers as he continues his journey throughout the Holy Land.

Excellent coverage can be found HERE.

Hat tip to the American Papist.

If this does not bring a smile to your face...

2009-05-10T21:34:00.000-07:00

... you need to have your head examined. :)

Pax et bonum!

(If you are on RSS or email, click here for the video.)

Quote of the Day

2009-05-08T23:22:00.000-07:00

If our life were not under the protection of Mary, we might tremble for our perserverance and salvation.

-- St. Peter Julian Eymard

For the old pro death argument...

2009-05-07T23:02:00.000-07:00

...that states Catholics have changed their views over the centuries in regards to the protection of life, and where it begins:

A woman who deliberately destroys a fetus is answerable for murder. And any fine distinction between its being completely formed or unformed is not admissible among us.

--St. Basil the Great

Good ol' St. Basil was most likely born in the year A.D. 329, and passed on to his reward in A.D. 379.

Let us all pray for the saving of the most innocent in our population, the unborn children, and for the hearts of those involved with abortion to be changed to the defense of life.

Pax et bonum,
Dean

Immaculate Heart Radio's new surprise...

2009-05-06T23:07:00.000-07:00

So we had a wonderful benefit dinner tonight with Patrick Madrid. He is an awesome guy, although he sounds taller on the radio. Sorry Patrick, couldn't resist. :)

One of the wonderful things we found out was a new little surprise that Immaculate Heart Radio has in store. It's a new station, in a small town. Just a mere 50,000 watts...

Click here to see the new territory covered.. Look closely. When you find the star, you'll find where that new station will be located as well... Quite an accomplishment! God is good indeed!

Support Immaculate Heart Radio!

Blessings and peace to you all. I'm goin' to bed now. :)

Pax,
Dean

Thursday Humor

2009-05-06T11:50:00.000-07:00

Jesus was walking along one day, when He came upon a group of people surrounding a lady of ill repute. It was obvious that the crowd was preparing to stone her, so Jesus made His now-famous statement, "Let the person who has no sin cast the first stone."

The crowd was shamed and one by one began to turn away. All of a sudden, a lovely little woman made her way through the crowd. Finally getting to the front, she tossed a pebble towards the woman.

Jesus looks over and says, "I really hate it when you do that, Mom."

We need to pray for these guys...

2009-05-03T20:32:00.000-07:00

Take a look at the pictures of these guys. That's one awesome group there. Let us say a prayer for them as they begin their ministries as priests...

Ordination Class of 2009

This being Good Shepherd Sunday, don't fogrget to say a short prayer for your own priests as well! It is important, especially in these difficult times, that we stand behind our shepherds, and show them the support they need...

Blessings and peace,
Dean

Prayers of the Church Militant

2009-05-03T00:24:00.000-07:00

Throughout our daily lives, there is a constant need to let go and let God, to trust in His guidance and graces. One of the basic tenets of the Christian faith is to give everything to Him, especially in prayer.

There is also a need in today's world to turn back to the Sacred, to give our all to him, and to trust in the power of prayer, to trust in the Faith that He has given us.

We all have people in our lives that pass along prayer requests, whether they be in petition or thanksgiving. It is for this reason that I have created the group on Facebook called Prayers of the Church Militant, which can also be delivered via email by signing up in the box on the right hand side of this site.

Every two days or so, a short reflection will be sent out, along with a few prayer requests that have been received.

Click here for the Facebook group.

To join the email list itself, enter your address on the right, or send an email to prayersofthechurchmilitant-subscribe [at] yahoogroups.com and reply to the confirmation.

To submit a prayer request (no need to join the list if you don't want to) send a note to:

prayers [at] servantfortruth.com

Let us all remember to turn to the Father in all we do, and give our lives totally to him!

Blessings and peace,
Dean

Thursday Humor

2009-04-29T23:47:00.001-07:00

A Franciscan and Jesuit were debating which order was the greatest. So, they decided to ask for a sign from God. This is what they received falling down from heaven:

My sons,

Please stop bickering about such trivial matters,

Sincerely,

God, O.P.

My Cursillo Experience

2009-04-29T00:20:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, I attended a Cursillo retreat here in Northern California. I had been on retreats before, most of them silent or self-directed, and I honestly did not know what to expect when I arrived on Thursday evening. Let’s just say I wasn’t exactly in the best of moods when I arrived that night! I just pray that I didn’t bite anyone’s head off… But a bit of back story is in order I suppose, huh?

You see, I already felt torn, because of a decision I needed to make regarding the retreat, due to a scheduling conflict with another conference which I was really looking forward to. That week, I decided (or should I say that the Holy Spirit led me to decide) to attend Cursillo. It would be a bit hectic, due to school, but I was up for it. Then that same afternoon, I am at the post office mailing some paperwork to Franciscan University (I still can’t believe I am going there in the fall) and I go back out to my car, get in, turn the key, and nothing happens. Ok, I think to myself, no big deal. I knew that something has happening with my battery or some related aspect of my car, as I needed to get a jumpstart the previous day. After about twenty minutes, I was able to get some jumper cables, hook it up, and then… nothing. The engine wasn’t even turning over. I was due in class in twenty minutes for a lab I had been looking forward to for a couple of weeks (shark dissection). Needless to say, I was a bit stressed.

Thank God, my step dad just happened to have the day off. We were able to get a tow truck out there, and took the car over to the Car Czar (an awesome place by the way). I borrowed my step dad’s truck, got to school, walked into Biology, and they were just finishing the lab that I had been so looking forward to. The alternative? A written assignment. Figures.

After my next class, I rushed home because I still had a few things to take care of. I also found out that the problem with my car was going to cost 160 dollars. Not good for a poor guy trying to figure out a way to raise 26,000 dollars for one year of school.

I’m telling myself by this point: take a deep breath, pray…

My co-sponsor then arrived at my front doorstep. Enrique was a wonderful guy, and we had some wonderful conversation. What he didn’t know though was that I had been awake since about 5:00am, and really really wanted to sleep. I was worried about paying for my car. I was stressed about finals. I was stressed about paying for Franciscan. I think at this point the LAST thing I wanted to do was spend an hour and a half car ride into the mountains to sleep in an unfamiliar place, in what was due to be a chilly weekend. As I often do, I was worrying too much, and not letting God handle everything.

Boy, was the Lord about to give me a wonderful surprise!

When I arrived, everyone was welcoming, and despite the fact that I was late due to my classes, they got me right into the swing of things. I arrived just before the final prayer of the day before silence began, and was able to get some wonderful time for reflection. I knew by this point that if this was to be a fruitful weekend, I needed to let go, and trust God.

Throughout the weekend, I met so many new friends, and many old friends from my parish back at St. Mel’s. We studied what it means to be a Catholic, and what it means to carry out piety, study, and action in our daily lives. There were wonderful moments of reflection and being with the Spirit, moments where I was able to really take stock of everything in my life. I was also able to grow in fellowship with my fellow brothers in Christ, and relate with them in regards to some of the daily struggles in life. I was able to lend support to those facing difficult times, and at the same time, was given so much support in this time of change and action in my own life. I never realized before how many people cared about my journey, and how may of them were praying for me and my vocation.

All I can say is that it is indeed a grace-filled weekend that I would never miss in a million years! You can only attend once as a participant, but it if you are open to it, Cursillo WILL change your life!

The experience of Cursillo is one of a kind. It focuses one on what really matters: doing the will of God, and spreading His message throughout the world. It is practical in the fact that a man (or woman) can really evaluate his (or her) life as a Christian, and work towards bettering himself, and bringing the message of Christ to those around him. It shows one how to be a true witness to our Lord. Cursillo, in my opinion, equips soldiers of Christ with the tools they need to spread the Gospel message.

It is so difficult to express in words the effect that Cursillo has had on me, only to say that it was truly profound. I have no doubt that I will use what I learned from Cursillo throughout my life.

I thank all my fellow Cursillistas. You have all touched me so deeply with your support in my discernment of my vocation to the Priesthood and as fellow brothers on this pilgrimage on Earth, and your awesome witness to our wonderful Catholic faith!

If you are reading this considering a Cursillo weekend, pray hard about it. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you. If you are open to His promptings, I promise that you will not regret it!

Blessings and peace dear brothers and sisters in Christ. You all remain in my prayers.

De colores!

Pax et bonum,
Dean

Telemarketers and Murder Mysteries

2009-04-28T11:55:00.000-07:00

From the blog of a good friend, Writing for the Lord:

Last night was one of those nights I actually went to bed at mid-night. That is the good news. Bad news, my post-polio kept me awake until 4:00 am. Finally, I managed to get comfortable enough to drift into a blessed sleep. AH! Dream land…truly a gift after hours of tossing and turning in pain. At 9:15 am the shrill ringing of the telephone woke me up. Since I was half asleep, and still writing a novel in my sleep…the conversation went something like this.

Read the rest of the story here...

I only pray that I may be able to come up with such a witty rebuttal as Christine talks about in the above post the next time a telemarketer calls. :)

Pax,
Dean

Swine flu at local Sacramento parish school... UPDATED

2009-04-27T14:34:00.000-07:00

I found out today that the school located at my parish, St. Mel's Catholic Church, has been temporarily closed due to a possible now confirmed case of the swine flu:

As reports of swine flu cases accelerated worldwide, Sacramento County public health and church officials temporarily closed a Catholic school in Fair Oaks on Sunday because a student there is ill with what may be the new strain of influenza.

Local testing showed the ailing teenager from St. Mel School didn't have a standard flu strain, so samples were sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, which could have results as early as today.

A St. Mel seventh-grader had been in Mexico during the school's Easter break, then became ill and went home early on Monday, the first day of class after the break, said Kevin Eckery, a spokesman for the Catholic Diocese of Sacramento.

Read the rest of the article here (as much as I hate linking to the Sacramento Bee)…

I think this was a good precaution to take. However, people must not over-sensationalize. Use common sense people. If your child gets sick, especially with flu-like symptoms, it is a good idea to keep them home. Practice good hygiene with your kids. Most of all, do not worry too much. Just stay on the look-out and be proactive.

Let us all pray for those affected by the swine flu. May this issue be solved soon, and those impacted return back to normal daily activities quickly.

Pax et bonum,
Dean

UPDATE 1 (1433): It has been confirmed that the illness at St. Mel's is swine flu. Read here.

UPDATE 2 (1914): Over at KCRA , they are reporting that the student in question is doing just fine. Deo Gratias! Right now, there are four other students being tested that have flu-like symptoms. Interesting, as I have heard different numbers everywhere... See the video here.

FINAL UPDATE IT SEEMS: Three out of four students reporting symptoms have been diagnosed. Maybe the numbers are correct this time. :) Read the story here.

A bit of Thursday Humor...

2009-04-23T11:33:00.000-07:00

From The Onion:

Interrupting Pastor Terry Pridgen's sermon on His unending mercy, God appeared suddenly before His flock as an intense beam of white light, instantly dispersing the earthly forms of those seated in the first two pews. Sources said the remaining congregants had to avert their eyes from their Creator, whose booming celestial voice overwhelmed their worldly senses and humbled their hearts as He politely apologized for not calling first.

"I AM the God of Abraham, the LORD MOST HIGH, who brought you forth from the bondage of Egypt," God said unto church members, many of whom cowered in reverent fear of Him. "Thought I'd just pop in and see how things were going. Please, pretend like I'm not even here."

You can read the rest of the article Here: God Makes Surprise Visit to Local Church

Pax,
Dean

H/t to The Happy Catholic.

Truth, Love, and Divine Mercy

2009-04-20T12:04:00.000-07:00

As some of you may or may not know, I am a convert to the Faith. This August I will be 4 years a Catholic, with the entire journey coming to around 6 years, if i remember right, this past February. I have experienced many things spiritually, emotionally, and physically throughout these past six years that have defined who I am today.

Every day when I wake up in the morning, I am so thankful for where God has brought me. Sometimes I wonder “why me Lord? I do not deserve the graces you have bestowed upon me!” You know what? None of us do. That is the point. This gift of faith that we have received is totally unmerited. The graces of God are a GIFT, something to be cherished, not to squander and throw away. Oh, how I pray that we would all remember this.

Thinking about my journey of faith, and looking at the different ways God has unmistakably acted in my life, I yearn to be able to express the peace and joy that I feel. Especially to my non-Catholic friends and relatives. Sure, I have intellectual discussions, and talk about God, but how I pray they could experience the same Truth that I have found in the Church!

As Father Corapi says, Truth is Love! If we look in the Bible and teaching of the saints, even of our current Holy Father, Pope Benedict, we find indeed that Deus caritas est! God is Love! God is also Truth. So it is not a far leap to say that Truth is Love. As I look at the lives of those around me, and the sufferings of today’s world, I pray for all of these people, that they may find Truth, and therefore, the never-ending and complete Love of our Lord.

It is a hard thing to accept this Truth. It is not an easy decision to follow what God has in store for us. However, it is my firm belief that we will find complete fulfillment and happiness, no matter what may happen in our lives, if we abide in the Truth and Love that is God.

Ah, but my dear friends and readers, there is even more! After all, God is infinite. :)

In God, in Christ Jesus, we also find Mercy. We find the unending forgiveness of our Lord and Saviour. It is in His Mercy that we can find lasting peace and comfort. In order to be who we were created to be, we must accept His Truth, Love, and Mercy. In this infinite Mercy, our sins are washed clean, and we are made new creatures.

This Mercy is impossible to describe in human terms. As one who has experienced this Truth of Christ, even though I have not always been the best at holding on to it, all I can say is that it is like nothing else. To KNOW that one’s transgressions, no matter how terrible they may be, are forgiven, is a feeling like no other.

It is this Mercy that I pray all my friends will one day experience, and be open to. It is this Love that I pray they may all one day abide in.

We know that Truth is Love. Love is Mercy. Therefore the Truth of God is this never-ending
Mercy. Truth, Mercy, and Love. Three distinct aspects, but all clearly one. Sounds a bit familiar doesn’t it?

My prayers are with you all dear brothers and sisters, readers, friends, family, and those just passing by. On occasion of this Divine Mercy Sunday, I pray that we may all be open to the graces that God has bestowed upon us. I pray that we accept those graces, and therefore become the men and women God has created us to be, no matter what that may entail.

Blessings and peace,
Dean

Sancta Maria Faustina, ora pro nobis!

Happy Birthday Mother Angelica!!!

2009-04-20T11:11:00.000-07:00

May today and all of your days be blessed! Thank you for everything you have done for the Church and the world.

Pax et bonum,
Dean, who was largely influenced by EWTN when he came into the Church...

Quote of the Day

2009-04-17T23:07:00.000-07:00

"My first pastoral letter's gonna be a condemnation of light beer and instant mashed potatoes -- I hate those two things."

-Timothy M. Dolan the new Archbishop of New York

Pax,
Dean

Courtesy of Rocco over at Whispers...

A Must-see Movie

2009-04-17T12:00:00.000-07:00

Coming out on Earth Day, April 22:

Truly amazing photography! I can't wait to see it...

Blessings,
Dean