We Are a Catholic Family

I've moved!

2010-09-28T12:37:00.000-07:00

Hello! Thanks for stopping by. Please check-out my new blog, Profoundly Catholic. I'm not sure how much longer I'll be here, so I hope you'll move over with me. :)

Two simple political rules

2010-05-13T11:35:00.000-07:00

Reading this political candidate's bigoted comment about her rival, a Catholic father of a large family, put me in mind of two simple political rules of thumb I've heard and used well in the poll booth over the years:

1. The best candidate is both moral and intelligent, but lacking such a candidate, it is far better to elect a moron who is moral than a genius who is immoral.

After all, immoral leaders do evil, which is far more harmful than almost any foolish thing a moron can do. Furthermore, ignorance can be easily cured with education and experience, but immorality requires a much more radical cure: conversion. Similarly, Winston Churchill has been popularly quoted as replying to a woman who accused him of being drunk: "Madam, you're ugly, but tomorrow I shall be sober!"

2. (An adage that I have yet to see properly attributed:) "If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it."

A busy person is often used to getting things done more-or-less efficiently and is less likely to meddle in what is not his business. Bored/lazy people have plenty of time to mess-around in others' lives -- and little good to show for it.

So, when I vote in November, I'll be looking for the pro-life/pro-family (moral) candidate who has the best policy ideas, and the one who has shown that he gets things done. Sadly, in the current political climate here in California, most candidates can't even make it across the moral threshold, so I'm often rendered a one-issue voter. That's fine with me, though; if a candidate won't even support the right upon which all other rights are based -- the right to life -- than he is both too immoral and too foolish to properly handle any other issue facing us.

Gut check

2010-04-22T12:02:00.000-07:00

On my (inevitable) death bed, what will I treasure and enjoy the company of more:

a lucrative and prominent career, or a game/hobby, or my time online -- or a fab body -- or whatever I chose to put first in my daily life

OR the people (God, family, and friends) I loved first and foremost every day?

Not every good interest can be the top priority.

Health care: the most important thing and politics

2010-03-21T12:40:00.001-07:00

Beyond the non-stop health care "news" (much of which is conflicting and confusing), I'd like to link to a brief selection of the best of today's least-talked-about -- but important -- reflections:

The Anchoress reminds us of the usefulness -- and proper focus -- of our prayers:

Got this from reader Alexandra, and thought it was such incredibly simple (but profound) advice, that I had to share it. It really humbled and instructed me:

. . .when the Bush-Gore recount battle was going on, I asked my parish priest, a very wise man who loves Christ, how to discern God’s will. I wasn’t asking so much for his opinion on the politics of the day but when I am in one of these political battles and a religious person, can I discern God’s will in the course of trying to decide whether I should write letters, call my Congressperson, or whatever?

His simple answer was “God’s will will always be for the salvation of the individual involved.”

So I try every day now to pray for the salvation of the president, all members of Congress, and the American people. I cast my cares upon the Lord.

We are in a deeper battle here, which you well know . . . I also think in the end this all has to do with the salvation of souls, including the souls of our president and these politicians who deign to rule over the rest of us. I think we who believe must hold fast to Christ, the True Center, and bring as many along with us as possible.

Creative Minority Report has a sobering, but realistic take on today's vote:

I fear that ominous signs indicate a likely terrible defeat for us today. The Politico reports some disturbing news:
THE ATMOSPHERE: The difference between today and November’s vote is stark. On the night before the House vote last fall, the Speaker's office was a beehive of activity. Last night, the speaker was gone by 9 p.m. and most of her staff seemed to filter out within the hour. And the Capitol itself was surprisingly quiet. Even most reporters had gone home...

ABORTION: Anti-abortion Democrats met with White House officials last night on how to word an executive order by Obama that will satisfy their concerns. Leadership needs to peel off some of those lawmakers to get to 216.

...

The major pro-life organizations have all made it clear that an Executive Order can't negate the bill, as pointed out by Kathryn Lopez. Anyone who supports this bill CANNOT be supported by pro-lifers in coming elections.

Father Z discusses the culpability of those who call themselves Catholic while undermining Church teaching and ministry, and how the "Last Things" will touch each one of us. (Both posts are too short and simple to excerpt here.)

On a related note, even Thomas Jefferson said: "To compel a man to furnish funds for the propagation of ideas he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical." (posted by a Facebook friend)

American Principles Project has some of the most helpful liveblogging.

Finally, as I posted earlier on Facebook: Watching CSPAN/Fox/CNN today is like watching a wreck in very, very slow motion. So, I'm trying to turn it off and pray instead -- far more useful, plus the kids seem to enjoy Little Bear reruns on Nick Jr. more than politics. Are these really MY kids?! :)

This weekend, my family is attending Sunday evening Mass. It looks like 5:30 Pacific time might be right about the time the final vote takes place. I know what my intention for Mass will be. Miracles still happen!

Celebrate St. Patrick today!

2010-03-17T11:29:00.000-07:00

Happy St. Paddy's Day and, most importantly, Happy St. Patrick's Day!

What I mean by this is that sometimes, amidst all the St. Patty's Day partying (which is generally fine, of course), we forget that today is chiefly the memorial of a saint, Patrick.

So, perhaps before we start-in on the green beer and corned beef and cabbage, we can honor this saint by thanking him for his holy example and intercession, and by trying our best to imitate him, particularly his manifest forgiveness and love towards those who enslaved him. Here's a much more detailed biography.

Briefly put, when he was young, Patrick was kidnapped from what is now England and taken as a slave to Ireland. He eventually escaped and, rather than seeking revenge or avoiding Ireland altogether, he chose to return and -- with great difficulty -- try to help the pagans there find their way into Christ's Church.

Maybe today would be a good day for all of us to pray blessings on our enemies, to pray for the grace to forgive them, and if possible, show love to them in a practical way.

Warning: Abortion "sidecar" to health care is a ploy!

2010-03-08T13:13:00.000-08:00

Does anyone really think that once the House passes the Senate's disastrous health care bill, immediately followed by President Obama signing it into law, the pro-life "sidecar" bill will ever even be considered by Congress, let alone passed by both houses and signed by the president?!

It would be the scam of all time if House members were talked into going first and voting for the Senate bill “to keep the process moving” toward passage of a reconciliation package, only to find that they have put Obamacare over the finish line with no guarantee of any changes. If the House passes legislation identical to the Senate bill, the president will surely sign it, and it will become law. That means House Democrats will have voted for a bill that clearly allows federal funding for abortion, which the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops solidly opposes. Any promises that this would be fixed later on won’t be worth the paper they might, or might not, be written on.
...

When all of the pro-abortion provisions are considered in total, the Senate bill is the most pro-abortion single piece of legislation that has ever come to the House floor for a vote...

The House could vote anytime on the Senate bill...

[Read the full story: Dangerous Negotiations Over Abortion]

Let's not fall for the ploy; rather Congress must pass major amendments to the Senate bill itself or -- even better -- scrap it to begin a new bill that really reforms health care!

The health care bill now: an excellent brief summary

2010-03-07T10:49:00.000-08:00

Thom Peters at American Papist has one of the best brief summaries of the current situation for the health care bill that I've yet seen. Here are some key excerpts, but it is well worth reading the entire post:

No chance for pro-life healthcare this time around
Pundits continue to claim that this is a fight between Democrats and Republicans. It isn’t. This is a fight between Democrats and other Democrats within their own caucus, a fight between Democrats and the majority of Americans, and a fight between the Democrat leadership and the US Bishops.

How did we get here? The Democrat leadership burned the bishops and pro-life interests. Badly. From day one they attempted to sneak abortion funding into the bill, and they continually shot down every attempt to remove it, either from within their own caucus or when it was offered by Republicans.
...

All of this backstory and context is prelude to this point: when it comes to abortion funding, the cat is out of the bag, and the Democrat leadership is responsible for this sorry state of affairs. If they refuse to start over, the only health-care bill that can be passed at this point is a pro-abortion bill.
...

Indeed, because of the corner Democrats and the President have painted themselves into, they cannot give pro-lifers what they have been demanding without admitting to the public that for months, and months, time and time again, they were lying about what this bill really represents when it comes to the interests of the unborn.
A final word: I’m not declaring this legislation dead, by any means. But I’m declaring the possibility of this legislation becoming pro-life before final passage impossible, given the political landscape I have laid out.

Peters also shows how the health care bill does fund abortion in several different ways, despite Democrat claims to the contrary.

It also bears repeating that even if the abortion issue were to somehow be resolved satisfactorily, this bill would remain a disaster for our nation's health care system and economy, with the government mismanaging an already damaged medical system as it has the bailout, the tax code, disaster relief, terror policy and just about everything else it touches -- while adding trillions of dollars of debt.

I urge everyone to read and consider these points and pray for new and genuine health care reform!

A few Lenten/recent links and commentary from my Facebook page

2010-03-04T19:21:00.000-08:00

I urge everyone to pray for Democrat Representative Bart Stupak and his allies, that they hold firm in their promise not to vote for health care reform in its current bad form, for they may be all that is standing between us and a health bill that will ruin not only health care, but the economy in our nation -- and take many innocent lives, too. And, how would you like to go to jail for choosing not to/being unable to purchase health insurance?! Sometimes, doing something is WORSE than doing nothing, and this is one of those times. Let's hold-out for REAL reform of our nation's health care! (March 4, 2010)
I am thrilled that one of my all-time favorite saints will be discussed in Phoenix Bishop Olmsted's latest series of columns for The Catholic Sun. I have most of St. Francis de Sales' writings (Introduction to the Devout Life, and his homilies on Prayer, on Mary, on Advent, on Lent, etc.) and would recommend them to anyone: helpful and not too scholarly. (March 4, 2010)
I am more upset than I thought I would be at learning that searchers have found the body of Poway High student Chelsea King. At least her family will now be able to lay her body to rest with respect and, hopefully, there will be enough evidence to help the three (?!) families put this rapist/murderer away for the rest of his life. Why was this unrepentant convicted child rapist given a short sentence in the first place?! And, please Ladies (especially) think of your safety when in remote/dark areas -- no run is worth your life!
I'll be at St. Michael's in spirit tonight as her candlelight vigil turns into a memorial. (March 2, 2010)//Our society needs to stop thinking of these crimes as "just" child molestation or "just" rape, and realize that not only are these devestating crimes, but they are also gateway crimes to other violence and murder! Please join this group, and let's not forget this issue when we go to the ballot box! (March 3, 2010)
I returned home a few minutes ago after seeing Rwandan genocide-survivor Immaculee (http://immaculee.com/) in Visalia, thanks to a last-minute invitation from a friend. Her insight and humor were amazing; she held our attention for almost two hours straight. What a gift she is! Now, I definitely have to read her books...! :) And become a fan (http://www.facebook.com/immaculee?ref=ts) ...
This book arrived this weekend as part of my modest Lenten reading goal and, though I'm just starting into the guts of it, I've already found some meaningful insights. Hopefully I'll get through the main part by Easter (the supplemental material is almost half the book, so I'll have to tackle it later). (Feb. 23, 2010)
While I'm making essential blog reading recommendations (like the Archbold brothers at CMR in the previous status), even though I'm trying (and mostly failing) to limit my online time during Lent, I still make sure to at least glance at all blog posts by Liz Scalia (aka The Anchoress) -- insightful Catholic spirituality and some social commentary (http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/theanchoress/), Jennifer Fulwiler (http://www.conversiondiary.com/) -- amazingly perceptive and prolific Catholic mother of four little ones, Thomas Peters (aka American Papist) -- news and comment on the Church and American politics (http://www.catholicvoteaction.org/americanpapist/index.php), and Mark Shea -- edgier Catholic commentary (http://markshea.blogspot.com/). (Feb. 21, 2010)
My take is that basically, like many mentally ill people, the Austin bomber convinced himself for years that the whole world had formed a coalition against him: organized religion (particularly the Catholic Church), the government, insurance companies, businesses and unions, accountants and the IRS (of course!) etc. -- and that these groups, not individuals (namely himself and perhaps his friends), were responsible for his personal failures (repeated financial wipe-outs, divorce, etc.). He also tacks-on quite a martyr (or perhaps patriot)-complex, looking for trouble and finding it, first playing some sort of game with tax laws that apply to churches, getting caught, and paying a high price. Then, he began agitating unsuccessfully against tax laws that he believed harmed his chosen profession of engineering. His manifesto ends with him offering himself as a holocaust, followed by a casual positive reference to communism. It seems to me that this man needed mental help for a long time and failed to get it, and that he could just have easily have flown his plane into any business highrise, government building, or even a church -- if he had found a way to obtain and fly multiple planes at the same time. I thank God that he could not, and that he failed to kill his wife, daughter, and any more than the one poor victim in the building! May God have mercy on his soul and that of his victim, and may his wife and daughter find healing. (Feb. 19, 2010)
Another awesome idea for Lent is to use this link that I just found today to start to pray at least one of the seven daily offices of the Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office). It is second in importance only to the Mass in our Catholic tradition. You will find both free mp3s and text without some of the complexities that usually overwhelm one at first. God bless you! (Feb. 16, 2010)
Lent (several weeks of spiritual preparation for Easter) begins tomorrow with Ash Wednesday. For those who may be looking for daily bite-sized meditations doubling as an intro to St. Ignatius' Spiritual Exercises, I've heard good things about what the Jesuits linked here have prepared. May we all have a blessed Lent and emerge better than we were when we entered! (Feb. 16, 2010)

Lenten reflections on charity towards those who bother us

2010-03-04T19:07:00.000-08:00

This Lent, one of my key resolutions is to avoid harboring resentments and (often related) complaining, particularly about some particular people in my life. As this has become an entrenched habit over several years, it's not surprising that I've had very mixed results with this resolution. But, I keep trying, which is bound to please our Merciful God and yield more success than giving-up! :)

On a related note, I've been troubled for some time that another resident of my diocese regularly comments on several wildly-popular Catholic blogs, spreading complaints about our bishop and diocese wherever s/he goes, whether it's relevant to the original post or not. Worse still, this commenter only uses a geographical handle that doesn't identify gender, let alone first name, so there is no good way to address the person privately. Though I tend to agree -- generally and quietly -- with this person's concerns about our diocese, his/her response of griping all over the Net not only violates the basic charity we owe to all and the respect we owe to our shepherds particularly, but unnecessarily shames our diocese before readers from all over the world.

And, griping campaigns -- this person's loud one and my quiet ones -- are ultimately weak tools for addressing our concerns with others. Prayer is not only a stronger tool, but a more charitable one, with ample precedent in 2,000 years of Church history.

Today, I read two valuable reminders about how praying for those who bother us is better than griping about them, privately or publicly.

You don’t have to like him but love him. Pray for him. Or this whole thing falls apart.

This latter statement ("or this whole thing falls apart") makes another good point. Really, gripe campaigns often fail to even touch the one at whom they are directed -- and if they do, it is not in a positive, corrective way, but in a negative, destructive way. Instead, they rather do great harm, especially spiritually and emotionally, to those who engage in them. If one is spending his time going around to blogs and making the same bitter comments everywhere, then how much of his life outside of the Internet must be eaten by the bitterness?!

So, if there must be a campaign, let it be like Rosary for the Bishop! Or for whomever.

I picked-up several more excellent ideas for responding charitably to those who bother us during a recent spiritual talk:

Don't judge the person rashly, as this then becomes a sin on your part.
Remember your own sinfulness and quirks.
Fight the urge to disassociate from the person and befriend him instead.
Have no enemies and write no one off.
Let go of anything that is unimportant or a matter of opinion -- and not just in your words, but even in your thoughts, as fascades always fail eventually.
Ask "Does it offend God?" If the answer is "Yes," then you are obligated, as a work of mercy, to correct the wrongdoing.
When you must correct, do it with prayer, privately, positively (as advice and not a reprimand), at the right time (not when the person is distracted or under pressure).
Be patient in waiting for results, as change often takes longer than we might expect.

A couple of notes about the blog

2010-03-04T19:05:00.000-08:00

Since joining Facebook a few months back, I've been doing a lot of posting of newsy links and brief commentary (in addition to personal/family stuff) there instead of here. Rather than direct blog readers to my Facebook page (because I generally reserve Facebook to my personal friends and family), I've decided to begin posting newsy links and commentary here again, and linking to these posts on Facebook for my friends/family. Therefore, posts here will likely become much more frequent than in the past, though more brief, as my responsibilities continue to expand with the birth of Little Blessing No. 5 in late May.

Due to some recent spamming of my comboxes, and much against my preference, I've decided to moderate comments. Hopefully this will not delay comment posting too much. As before, I welcome comments that disagree with me, as long as they are respectful.

Yet another reason why posting will be light...

2009-10-12T07:03:00.000-07:00

... to extremely spotty: Our not-yet-seven-month old Monica learned yesterday afternoon that she is a big sister! :)

Little Blessing No. 5 will probably be born around May. The usual Catholic Family Rules apply: no identification of the gender before birth, selection of one boy's name and one girl's name ahead of time, and all efforts (whining, pleading, begging, bribing...) to convince the doctor to induce at the right time because our kids always prefer Chateau Mommy to the outside world. :)

Tweeting Catholic Lessons

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

I just remembered -- amid chores, childcare, beginning homeschool, and summer traveling (ugh, DH goes back to teaching school in less than two weeks!) -- that I have a blog that I almost never find time to update any more (though I do manage to post my Catholic Company book reviews as promised, at least). I'm cheating a little, as "Tweeting Catholic Lessons" is a series I decided to Tweet and then copy here, but I still do have those dozen or so post ideas that I really want to get to before my kids are out of the house (and I forget what my scrawled notes mean).

Without further ado, here's the list of lessons, which I'll try to update periodically. Of course, you can also follow them on Twitter. It's a pretty neat little communications tool, and there are lots of cool Catholics out there (and some creeps, but we'll pass over that without further comment for now). Keep in mind that Tweets are limited to 140 characters a piece, so one learns new spelling, grammar and concise expression pretty quickly.

+++++

Beginning Tweet series "Tweeting Catholic Lessons" cuz I keep Cing the same types of Tweets on my "catholic" search, which I find intrsting

Tweeting Catholic Lessons 1: Many ppl see Catholic Mass/weddings as long & boring, & Masses R lots shorter thn many Prot services. Strange.

Tweeting Catholic Lessons 2: Phrase "is the pope Catholic"/some variation appears at least 2x times daily. MayB its time 4 a new expression!

Tweeting Catholic Lessons 3: Among Twitter antiCatholics, atheists outnumber Protestants at least 4 to 1, & they R much, much nastier.

Tweeting Catholic Lessons 4: Tho I was a uniformed Cath skool girl 4 8 yrs, I never knew how many men hv a totally perverted idea of it! Ew!

UPDATED 7/31/09 5:10 p.m. PST

Tweeting Catholic Lessons 5: The priest s*x abuse scandal may B long over 4 most of us, but it will live 4ever among antiCaths on Twitter!

Tweeting Catholic Lessons 6: Im now drunk w/the knowledge that there is a drink called Benedictine. I want the OSB, not the booze, Twitter!

Tweeting Catholic Lessons 7: If U search 4 Benedictine Oblates, U find lotsa sci nerds Twting re Earth="oblate spheroid." Fun only 1st 200x.

Tweeting Catholic Lessons 8: Theres more "Catholic guilt" on Twitter than in all Cath parishes combined. Folks, its why we have Confession!

Tweeting Catholic Lessons 9: Some1 keeps starting Cath sales Tweets w/"Catholic for sale" & it continues 2 make me 2xtake. Im not 4 sale!

Tweeting Catholic Lessons 10: Either lotsa young black men went 2 Catholic schools/saying so=an insult among them. White lady confused...

Tweeting Catholic Lessons 11: Some Prots take Jesus ev word literally--until "eat my Flesh"/"This is my Body." Then its no 2 Cath "ritual."

A travel diary for the spiritual journey

2009-06-26T17:06:00.000-07:00

"I realized that a lot of the time when I repent for my sin and go to confession, it is not because I truly want to be clean, rather it is because I don't want to 'stink' any more. I don't want to feel guilty or feel bad. ... It is the difference between 'Bless me, Father, for I did x, y and z' and 'Bless me, Father, for I have broken God's heart.' (p. 70-71)

In Hiking the Camino: 500 Miles with Jesus, Franciscan Fr. Dave Pivonka, T.O.R., has recorded a travel diary for the spiritual journey, one particularly suited for those who have perhaps tired and turned lukewarm on the road, or those who are willing but reluctant to start.

I particularly enjoyed the author's light tone and openness in recounting his Spanish pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, a L O N G walk undertaken to give thanks to God for the tenth anniversary of his priestly ordination. Though the reader can guess many of the spiritual lessons Father will draw from his tales before he explains them, some (like the one I excerpted above, from a funny account of the laundering differences between men and women on the Camino) really struck home, so the book serves as much more than a breezy travelogue. The book did, however, make clear to me that should the possibility of this pilgrimage ever present itself to me -- an unlikely event with four littles at my feet and our one-teacher salary -- I have no desire to make it! Give me a few days at a Benedictine monastery instead. :)

Speaking of which, Father tells of some Benedictine sisters in Leon who care for the pilgrims as they pass through, welcoming them as Christ and opening their community's prayer (as is the Benedictine way). A particularly beautiful part of this story is the "ministry" of one sister who greets each visitor entering the church with a large smile. The sisters also segregate the men and women pilgrims (unusual in lodging on the Camino, apparently) and offer to wash their clothes for them for a small fee.

Some spiritual lessons that merited an asterisk in my notes were:

When the walk is hard, keep walking forward to find rest; yet, the journey takes as long as it takes, so it cannot be rushed.
Don' t miss the beauty and opportunities on the journey because of pain, but actively unite your pain to Jesus'. Also, understand that others on the journey may indeed be consumed by their pain.
Seek Jesus Himself and then His will will become clear.
Make meals and Mass together priorities.

As an aside, it occurred to me as I read that, as challenging as this pilgrimage clearly is, the pioneers of our nation's Western Migration had to have even more grit to endure much more, especially in terms of distance and conditions. There were no yellow arrows pointing the way, or lodgings waiting for them each night, or even priests to offer them the sacraments. Most of the time, it was just your family, your wits and your wagonload of possessions, in the whole wide unsettled world. So, a strange effect of this book surely not intended by the author is a renewed admiration for the pioneers. End of digression. :)

This review was written as part of the Catholic Book Reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Hiking the Camino: 500 Miles with Jesus.

A rich and readable introduction to lectio divina

2009-05-19T12:31:00.000-07:00

This book review for The Catholic Company will be cross-posted on the Benedictine Spirituality Forum.

"If [lectio divina] is effectively promoted, this practice will bring to the Church -- I am convinced -- a new spiritual springtime." --Pope Benedict XVI (p. 37)

One of the most vital and beautiful aspects of Benedictine spirituality is lectio divina, the prayerful reading of sacred texts. Dr. Tim Gray (a seminary professor and co-developer of The Great Adventure Bible study) makes this ancient practice practical for anyone seeking spiritual growth and holiness in his packed but slender book Praying Scripture for a Change: An Introduction to Lectio Divina.

In fewer than 130 pages, Praying Scripture for a Change introduces the concept of lectio divina, and then logically devotes a chapter to each of the five "rungs" of the "ladder" of lectio divina: lectio (read), meditatio (meditate), oratio (pray), contemplatio (contemplate) and operatio (apply). The chapters include "walk-through" examples of the different rungs. This book is an easy read, but best done slowly, doubling back over rich passages.

Passages that struck me included:

"[St.] Francis is known for his joy and love of God's creation, but too often people see him as a simple-minded tree hugger. Francis exulted in the beauty of nature because he saw that it, like Scripture itself, is a love letter from our Heavenly Father. ... Francis knew how to hear God's voice in creation because he first listened to that voice in Scripture." (p. 14-15)
a detailed analogy of lectio divina to working a vineyard (p. 32-33)
a practical suggestion to record striking passages of Scripture and frequently return to them during the day's work, as did the ancient monks (p. 85-86)

The author also helpfully contrasts lectio divina with fad practices of today, like Eastern-style meditation, and Islamic prayer.

I was also impressed by the:

Imprimatur by Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput, well-known to be faithful to the teachings of the Church
many quotes from Pope Benedict XVI
use of the trusted RSV-CE translation of the Bible
author's use of humor (including citing St. Augustine's pre-conversion prayer: "O Lord, make me chaste. But not yet." [p. 18])

For me, the only chapter that was difficult to follow was the one about contemplation, which seemed to jump around. However, I'm not sure that anyone could describe God's gift of contemplation in linear style, so I appreciate that Dr. Gray tried.

This review was written as part of the Catholic Book Reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Praying Scripture for a Change: An Introduction to Lectio Divina.

A special request to Fresno-area readers

2009-05-10T21:00:00.001-07:00

To those of you who live near Fresno, a special request:

I'm writing to see if anyone knows of a quiet home without any pets that might benefit from the company of an affectionate older female cat who loves lap time. We adopted Peanut Butter about a year ago from the SPCA. She's about 13 years old and declawed, so she must be an indoor cat. We need to find another home for her because she is uncomfortable around one of our other two cats and has recently begun to urinate on the carpet in one part of the house. We had the vet check her out and she found the problem to be behavioral, probably due to the stress of the other cats and the noisy household. We think that Peanut Butter would probably do just fine in a quiet home where she is the only pet.

If you know of a good home for Peanut Butter, please e-mail me at weareacatholicfamily.blogspot.com.

Easter Meditation: Do What We Need to Do to Be What We Want to Be

2009-04-27T12:27:00.000-07:00

Happy Third Week of Easter! Thanks be to God that He really did rise from the dead, enabling us, too, to really rise from the death of sin and later even the bodily death that is the result of sin! Sometimes we forget that what we celebrate Mass is real and of unspeakable importance, not symbols placed before us for an hour on Sundays.

This post is the fruit of my lectio divina (here is an excellent book on the saintly practice of the prayerful reading of holy texts that I will be reviewing on the blog when I finish it) from today and from this weekend during some personal time in the beautiful St. Brigid Church in Hanford, CA.

In Ephesians 4: 1-16 (the first reading of this past Saturday's Office of Readings), St. Paul gives us an idea of how to realize Easter in our own lives -- to do what we need to do to be what we want to be.

What do we want to be?

Attain ... to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.

Or, as the breviary has it, simply the "full stature" of Christ -- to be fully integrated with Him.

[G]row up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.

As one of the saints put it, He became human so that we could become Divine! (This is obviously not meant in the sense of being made "gods," but as being united with God Himself by His Power.)

So, what do we need to do?

[L]ead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called.

Specifically, we are called to humility, bearing with each other in peaceful unity.

How are we to do this?

[G]race was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.

Through Christ's gift -- given in the Resurrection -- we can be humble and live in peace together, eventually fully united with each other in Christ. What more could we ever want?!

But, we must live and do -- not merely wish, think or even feel -- in order to achieve this Divine life!

In my own day-to-day life, this has proved particularly challenging. I find myself avoiding doing in order think. To combat this, I have come-up with yet another system/plan/rule (as I have done regularly since high school, with little success), this one formatted on the "hours" of the Divine Office, and organized around regular and special tasks related to the people and responsibilities that are most important to me. I've tried to keep it focused and simple, but given past experience and the present situation (wife, caring for four children under the age of four and three cats, in a home), I know that there will be many days that my reality will not remotely resemble this rule. (If the rule works reasonably well, then I'll blog on it.)

What's most important now is how to move past these apparent "failures." As we learn in the classic Abandonment to Divine Providence, we encounter God in the "sacrament of the present moment." We find Him not necessarily in doing what we plan for His glory each day, but in doing what He wills in each moment, in following His "will of good pleasure." We are reminded that too much of a good thing (study, rest, even lectio divina!) is not only not a good thing, but is actually a bad thing because it is keeping us from following God's "will of good pleasure" in that moment! It is keeping us from God!

After a "failure," then, what must be done is to return to the present moment where Our Lord is, and prayerfully proceed with what He has willed for this moment. This may not be what I planned, or even what I want right now, but it is what He wants. Therefore, I want it because I want to be united with Him!

It is also worth noting that human perfection is not necessary for holiness, for unity with God. Human failure can still mean supernatural success -- holiness. In fact, we understand more clearly with contrast. Light is defined by darkness, and a wave by the trough that follows it and precedes the next one. Similarly, success can be seen more clearly in contrast with failure.

Finally, for those of us who are blessed to be parents, we should be mindful that our approach to daily life -- how we use our time, how we respond to our failures, etc. -- marks a path for our children, too. I heard it said once that "kid does not mean 'stupid.'" They observe us, sometimes more clearly than we see ourselves. We need to show them and explain to them how Christians live safely in a world that is not ours. (An excellent guide for this is the classic Rule of St. Benedict, available with commentary useful for parents, in Fr. Dwight Longenecker's Listen My Son.)

This bird reluctantly Tweets

2009-04-22T13:44:00.000-07:00

Though I inexplicably feel like I've joined the "dark side," like most other bloggers out there, I've set myself up on Twitter. For the moment, I'm Tweeting in the blog's sidebar as a quick way to update without having to make a stand-alone blog post. We'll see if this works...

If you would like to join my little part of the craze, it's at www.twitter.com/kristennj.

I've also decided to avoid the labor of actually updating the blog (and avoid some icky household tasks, too, mea culpa!) by adding some new elements to the sidebar. You like?

Stay-at-Home Parent Group now has a Forum!

2009-04-09T16:01:00.000-07:00

The Stay-at-Home Parent group I posted about here now has its Forum. Please join us!

Benedictine/Catholic Reflections on Anger

2009-04-07T12:49:00.001-07:00

(cross-posted on the Benedictine Spirituality Forum)

I thought some brief Benedictine reflections on anger might be timely as we enter Holy Week and honor Our Lord's meekness and forgiveness of those who took His life and abandoned Him.

Quote:

22You are not to act in anger
23or nurse a grudge.

Verses 23 through 41 [of Chapter 4 of the Rule] are again practical advice for a strong spiritual life that is lived in our actions. In verse 25 we have the admonition never to give a hollow greeting of peace. We must be cautious with this advice because in the present time we judge the hollowness of a thing by how we feel about it. This is certainly not the intention of the Rule. Rather, the Rule is asking us to choose the good of the other, even when I feel total animosity toward the other. As Christians we are not to follow our feelings--and yet we must acknowledge them. Thus, a person must be able to acknowledge the dislike of another person, even anger towards another person, and yet still choose in Christ to act in a manner that is truly a reflection of Christ's love for us.

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Quote:

We might also mention another antidote to persistent anger. The fourth chapter of the Rule of St. Benedict has the wonderful title “Tools for Good Works,” and in the chapter says that the way of the monk should not be the way of the world. Benedict quickly adds: “You are not to act in anger or nurse a grudge.” He then, without explanation, adds a few more injunctions: do not be deceitful in your heart; never give a hollow greeting of peace or turn away when someone needs your love. In that almost brusque series of “good works,” he might have given us a gem: to avoid anger, turn from the self in love, and care for others. Without saying so, Benedict links anger to self-absorption and pride; he links peace of mind to its opposites, love and concern. That strikes me as a wonderful truth even if easy to give and hard to put into play.

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Quote:

It is quite simply not good enough to keep on apologising for the sharp tongue or
the hasty word, or even to check our words before we utter them. That may well
help relations with our correspondents, and it is, of course, essential to
acknowledge and confess our wrongdoing when we recognise it, and return once
again to our loving Father, but this does not change the fact that we allow the
anger take over our hearts in the first place. It is this that is damaging. Feelings
of anger and frustration, and the nurturing of them, should not be in the same
heart that is host to Christ. The two cannot co-exist.

source

Quote:

"Bitterness, like a Gillette blade unskilfully handled in the to-and-fro of a razor fight, can do a certain amount of harm to other people, but it can do far more harm to oneself. A bitter man (or woman) may be destructive in what he (she) says, may cause mischief, may dash the hopes of those who are ready to start off with a flourish of trumpets, but he is the sufferer in the long run. Bitterness is the extension of a bad mood; it jabs continuously at other people, and all the time the blade goes deeper and deeper into oneself. It is a curious and fatal tendency on the part of human beings that they tend to work up a grievance against people whom they have treated unjustly. Discovered in a critical judgment we dig ourselves in when we should be digging ourselves out."

source

Quote:

Feeling angry at life’s frustrations is a temptation of the human condition, and there is such a thing as righteous anger over one’s own sins and the sins of others. However, when this emotional sense of displeasure snowballs into antagonism, brooding resentment, the desire to sow discord, and especially the desire for vengeance, then anger is rightly called one of the seven deadly or capital sins along with pride, avarice, envy, lust, gluttony and sloth. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1866)

As followers of Christ it is important that we discern anger as a sign of the times — to use the words of the Second Vatican Council — in order to bring His healing to the world. Jesus faced a tidal wave of human anger leading up to His crucifixion. However, He overcame this tragic state of affairs, not by returning anger for anger, but as the First Letter of Peter says: “When He was reviled, He did not revile in return. When He suffered, He did not threaten, but He trusted to Him who judges justly. He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:23f)

If the triumphant Risen Christ has shown us anything, it is that patient endurance and merciful forgiveness — not anger — are the only paths to victory over evil and to the peace that this world cannot give, both for ourselves and for others.

...

When it comes to remedies, I cannot fail to mention the Sacrament of Penance. I once had a conversation with a psychologist about how much anger there is in people today. “Bishop,” she said, “what do you expect when so few people go to confession any more.”

source

Quote:

"The first step toward freedom from anger is to keep the lips silent when the heart is stirred; the next, to keep thoughts silent when the soul is upset; the last to be totally calm when unlean winds are blowing." (St. John Climacus)

"As water extinguishes fire, so prayer does extinguish the heat of the passions." and "Conquer your rage with wise, rational thought. Offer it up as a sacrifice to God." (St. John Chrysostom)

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Calling all Stay-at-Home Parents (SAHMs and More)!

2009-04-05T21:41:00.000-07:00

Much to my shock, I discovered tonight that one of my favorite sites, Catholic Answers Forums, did not have a group for stay-at-home parents. Now they do.

If you're a mom or a dad who works at home caring for your children, won't you consider joining the group so that we can start a discussion forum (we can do this once we hit ten members) to support and bounce ideas off of each other?! Thanks!

Welcome Monica Frances!

2009-04-05T21:23:00.000-07:00

Our latest blessing from God came into the world on March 24, a healthy and sweet baby girl: Monica Frances.

Thanks be to God!

Happy Feast of St. Joseph and his Office of Readings

2009-03-19T10:41:00.000-07:00

May St. Joseph intercede for us in the same spirit in which he watched over Our Lord and Our Lady!

The first reading of the Office of Readings in the Divine Office for this Feast is Hebrews 11: 1-16, a beautiful chronicle of praise of the faith in God of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham and Sara.

The second reading is particularly beautiful. I thought I would post it for those who don't have access to the appropriate volume. I've underlined the segment I found most powerful.

[QUOTE]

From a sermon by St. Bernadine of Siena

There is a general rule concerning all special graces granted to any human being. Whenever the divine favor chooses someone to receive a special grace, or to accept a lofty vocation, God adorns the person chosen with all the gifts of the Spirit needed to fulfill the task at hand.

This general rule is especially verified in the case of St. Joseph, the foster- father of our Lord and the husband of the Queen of our world, enthroned above the angels. He was chosen by the eternal Father as the trustworthy guardian and protector of his greatest treasures, namely, his divine Son and Mary, Joseph's wife. He carried out this vocation with complete fidelity until at last God called him, saying: Good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord.

What then is Joseph's position in the whole Church of Christ? Is he not a man chosen and set apart? Through him and, yes, under him, Christ was fittingly and honorably introduced into the world. Holy Church in its entirety is indebted to the Virgin Mother because through her it was judged worthy to receive Christ. But after her we undoubtedly owe special gratitude and reverence to St. Joseph.

In him the Old Testament finds its fitting close. He brought the noble line of the patriarchs and prophets to its promised fulfillment. What the divine goodness had offered as a promise to them, he held in his arms.

Obviously, Christ does not now deny to Joseph that intimacy, reverence and very high honor which he gave him on earth, as a son to his father. Rather we must say that in heaven Christ completes and perfects all that he gave at Nazareth.

Now we can see how the last summoning words of the Lord appropriately apply to St. Joseph: Enter into the joy of your Lord. In fact, although the joy of eternal happiness enters into the soul of a man, the Lord preferred to say to Joseph: Enter into joy. His intention was that the words should have a hidden spiritual meaning for us. They convey not only that this holy man possesses an inward joy, but also that is surrounds him and engulfs him like an infinite abyss.

Remember us, St. Joseph, and plead for us to your foster-child. Ask your most holy bride, the virgin Mary, to look kindly upon us, since she is the mother of him who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns eternally. Amen.

[/QUOTE]

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cross-posted on the Benedictine Spirituality Forum at Catholic Answers Forums

Some Basic Benedictine Links

2009-03-11T12:05:00.000-07:00

For those of us who are just beginning to plumb the riches of Benedictine Spirituality, here are some links I've found helpful, particularly for those of us in the world. Please feel free to add more to this thread. I'm sure I've missed a lot of them!

Rule of St Benedict

The Online Guide to Saint Benedict

The Jubilee Medal of St. Benedict

Oblates of the Order of St. Benedict

Benedictine Oblates: Introduction for Inquirers and Candidates

There are also some great basic books:

"The Benedictine Handbook"

"Seeking God: The Way of St. Benedict,", by Esther de Waal

"St. Benedict: A Rule for Beginners," by Julian Stead, OSB

anything by Blessed Columba Marmion, including "Union with God: Letters of Spiritual Direction" and "Christ, the Life of the Soul"

Who wants to chat about all things Benedictine?

2009-03-11T11:49:00.001-07:00

Well, the Catholic Answers Forum Benedictine Spirituality group that I mentioned here has, thanks be to God, already taken-off into its own discussion forum, with all the cool capabilities thereof.

Among the first threads are an ongoing study of the Rule of St. Benedict, a brief bio of a Benedictine saint, and some basic Benedictine links. I'll go ahead and repost the start of the latter thread here on my blog.

If you want to know what this Benedictine thing -- truly riches from Heaven -- is all about -- or if you're ready to chat -- please come on by!

Benedictine Spirituality group forming on Catholic Answers Forums

2009-03-10T10:46:00.000-07:00

Sorry for another l o n g lag in posts; unfortunately, there will probably be another soon, as I'm due to have our fourth child any day now. Prayers are always appreciated! :)

I did want to invite anyone who is interested in Benedictine spirituality to a group we're forming on Catholic Answers Forums. To get a taste of Benediction spirituality, you can check the posts here and then come on over to the group on Catholic Answers Forums.

May God bless you, especially in your Lenten journey!