Catholic Father

What you need to know about angels

2009-09-29T13:39:00.002-05:00

Insight Scoop (the blog of Ignatius Press) has a great post about angels that draws from Peter Kreeft, the brilliant philosopher and thelogian from Boston University. Kreeft's book Angels (and Demons) explores the topic in great detail. Here's an excerpt:

The Twelve Most Important Things to Know About Them

1. They really exist. Not just in our minds, or our myths, or our symbols, or our culture. They are as real as your dog, or your sister, or electricity.

2. They’re present, right here, right now, right next to you, reading these words with you.

3. They’re not cute, cuddly, comfortable, chummy, or “cool”. They are fearsome and formidable. They are huge. They are warriors.

4. They are the real “extra-terrestrials”, the real “Super-men”, the ultimate aliens. Their powers are far beyond those of all fictional creatures.

5. They are more brilliant minds than Einstein.

6. They can literally move the heavens and the earth if God permits them.

See the rest of the list and some Q&A by clicking HERE.

Food for Thought

2009-09-05T21:11:00.002-05:00

Great article by Michael Josephson that highlights a couple of very simple keys to success for children.

If you want to help your children do well in life, there are a few things you can do. A high proportion of high achievers have two things in common: lots of books in their house and an emphasis on reading, and a family tradition of regularly eating dinner together.
Filling a house with books surrounds children with endless and varied opportunities and challenges to explore and learn. Books provide knowledge and seeds of wisdom about morality and character.

Eating dinner together assures that parents have an opportunity to participate in their kids’ day-to-day lives and help shape the way they think and react. Coordinating schedules so everyone eats together requires an effort to elevate family time above other things and instills in children a sense of belonging.

But we can do more than promoting reading and family discussions to offset the bad influences to which our kids are exposed. Everything we do to or in front of our children matters; what we allow, what we encourage, and what we do ourselves teaches our children how to live and conveys powerful messages about values.

So be sensitive with what you say and how you say it, what you read and what you watch on TV. And be careful with how you handle relationships and deal with emotions like disappointment, anger, and frustration. Because what you do is what you’ll get.

Back to School - for the first time!

2009-08-18T19:24:00.003-05:00

Tonight marks the last night of freedom. The kids are getting ready for bed, preparing for the big day back. This year, the youngest of the 3 will start Kindergarten. He gets a bit of a reprieve - he doesn't have to start until Friday. Although he's the only one excited about it. Since I work from home, I'm really going to miss having him around. Mom, however, will be an absolute wreck! At least for a day or two. Then, we'll be like empty-nesters for 3 hours each morning. Granted I'll be working, but it's NEVER just the two of us in the house. OK, very seldom. It should be very interesting, to say the least!

First Communion Gifts

2009-05-07T12:54:00.002-05:00

My son (2nd of 3, oldest boy) made his First Communion last weekend. We had a small party for him afterward, and he received several rosaries, prayer books, and a crucifix.

On Monday, my wife helped with the 2nd grade's reading program, and a lot of the kids naturally shared what they got. One little girl said she got $550!! My wife asked if she also got a rosary or a prayer book, and she said no. While she didn't get any religious items, she did get a Webkin and some pajamas. I thought that was sad.

I don't mean to judge, but I would just expect that the gifts would match the occasion. I stressed to my son several times that this was just the first of many, and they're all just as important. Hopefully more so as his appreciation for the Eucharist continues to grow.

What about you? What kinds of gifts did you or your kids receive for First Communion? Do you have any favorite gifts that you like to give for First Communion?

Feast of St. Joseph the Worker

2009-05-01T10:51:00.002-05:00

Today is the feast of St. Joseph the Worker. Personally, I'll be praying a little extra today to St. Joseph. In the past, his intercession has been directly responsible for a job change that came with a nice pay raise, and separately, another pay raise. Each of these times, our family was facing the prospect of our stay-at-home mom having to go back to work.

I didn't often pray to the saints for intercession for specific things, but in these cases I did. And St. Joseph answered! Less than a month after my first "direct" ask of St. Joseph to intercede, I was offered a new position at work that cam with a 25% pay raise. I wasn't looking for this job, I hadn't heard about it, it just fell in my lap!

St. Josephe was a wonderful Protector of the Holy Family, and he protects our families today. I'd encourage anyone to make St. Joseph the patron saint of their career! God Bless!

And thank you, St. Joseph!!

Michael Dubruiel

2009-02-05T18:44:00.002-05:00

Michael Dubruiel, author and husband of Amy Welborn has passed away. This LINK to Amy's blog explains that he collapsed while working out and couldn't be revived.

Please pray for the repose of his soul, and for his wife and children.

Bigotry against Kentucky homeschoolers

2009-02-01T17:13:00.005-05:00

An article in the Cincinnati Enquirer describes a bill proposed by Jack Westwood that would allow homeschool students to participate in high school sports. The key to the issue is this:

"These families still pay taxes," said Westwood, one of the Legislature's staunchest conservatives. "It would be fair to let them play."

But here's the opposing view:

Grant County schools superintendent Mike Hibbett believes it should stay that way.
"I have nothing against home-schooled students if they feel that is what they need," said Hibbett, a former coach in the Boone County schools.
"But if you choose to home school, you choose not to be a part of the public schools. Why should a home-schooled student be allowed to pick and choose what they want to be a part of?
"I'm all about the fairness, and this wouldn't be fair to our students," he said. "I'm absolutely against it."

These people "choose" not to be part of the public schools because they feel it is in the best interest of their child. So how it is not "fair" to the students in the public school? What is it that they're being deprived of? And for what it's worth, Grant County isn't exactly know for academic excellence in the state of Kentucky. (Did he really say he's "all about the fairness?")

And then we've got a board member from another Northern Kentucky school district:

Campbell County Board of Education member Mike Combs of Alexandria said Northern Kentucky legislators should concentrate more on equitable funding for local school districts "instead a bill about kids who do not even go to the school being allowed to play for the school."
"How can a school have an athletic program that is OK for the home-school student but be so bad it cannot be considered for academic reasons?" Combs said.
"To preclude the academics from our schools but take advantage of the athletics and have a law passed to force our cash-strapped schools to deal with the desires of a 'few who asked' is not the answer for success in the field, the classroom or on the court."

Combs answers his question with the quality of his own school. Any parent who cares about their child, AND is able to homeschool them, would either do so, or find some other option. There is NO WAY in hell I would EVER send my child to Campbell County High School. It's a last resort for those with no other options.

First of all, it's not a funding issue. These parents are paying their taxes to fund the school. The issue is one of misplaced pride in a school that isn't deserving of any. Mike should worry more about getting meth and heroin out of his school, and less about good families who want to provide athletic options to their children. The school is ranked 68th out of 169 in the state. In case that sounds decent, keep in mind that this number includes many districts below the federal poverty level, which Campbell County is not.

(Grant county is 74th. Also, these rankings don't include private schools, which would push them even lower. In contrast, Highlands High School, also located in Campbell County, was ranked 4th in the state.)

Secondly, the district's job is to ensure that every child in their boundaries receives an education. Why take offense if someone feels that they are better able to provide that education in the home? If funding is truly his concern, these people are doing him a favor! Their paying their taxes, but not receiving the service. Since they would pay their athletic fees like any other student, how is this a problem?

The problem is low-level beauracrats wanting to maintain a system that is broken. They don't like it when folks realize it and find a better way to solve the problem. I live in Campbell County and send my kids to parochial school. If that wasn't available, I'd homeschool them. The public schools in this county aren't fit to teach my children.

Finally, I love the Tim Tebow mention. I would have thought that would shut a lot of these idiots up, but apparently not. Given the lack of success of these two schools, I'd think either of them would take all the help they can get!

The truth about the "green" movement

2009-02-01T17:03:00.002-05:00

From the Times in Britain:

Jonathon Porritt, who chairs the government’s Sustainable Development Commission, says curbing population growth through contraception and abortion must be at the heart of policies to fight global warming. He says political leaders and green campaigners should stop dodging the issue of environmental harm caused by an expanding population.

These people simply hate their own humanity. I love the environment, but I'm careful to identify as a conservationist, not an environmentalist. The key part of that word being "mental". None of these liberal issues stands alone.

I'm so sick of the term "environmental footprint". One of these days, someone's going to say it in front of me and I'm going to snap. This world was made for us. And it's to be used by us - responsibly. Killing people because of an imagined danger to the planet is, literally, insane.

Click HERE for an excellent column on the origins of the "global warming" crisis. It's from the founder of the Weather Channel, and is eye-opening.

Bias is all in the wording

2009-02-01T16:14:00.003-05:00

Here's how the Reuters wire story words it:

The Obama administration and Democrats have already cut two provisions in the bill passed by the House of Representatives without a single Republican vote. Dropped from the bill was $200 million to fix up the National Mall and millions for family planning that Republicans said would fund contraceptives. [Emphasis added.]

Here's what the proposed bill, HR1, actually said on page 147:

1 (4) not less than $335,000,000 shall be used as
2 an additional amount to carry out domestic HIV/
3 AIDS, viral hepatitis, sexually-transmitted diseases,
4 and tuberculosis prevention programs, as jointly de-
5 termined by the Secretary and the Director;

What is easily the #1 way that Democrats prefer for "preventing" the spread of AIDS and other sexually-transmitted diseases? That's right, contraceptives. Specifically, condoms. But this is just a Republican accusation. And cutting it is a concession to show that Dems are reaching out in a spirit of bipartisanship. Give me a break.

What recession?

2009-01-08T14:08:00.002-05:00

Apparently the economy isn't that bad. According to the American Family Association, Pepsi managed to find a millions dollars to donate to homosexual activist groups. $500,000 went to the Human Rights Campaign, and the other $500,000 went to the Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG).

AFA's request of PepsiCo was quite simply to remain neutral in the culture wars. That request was flatly refused.

Click HERE to sign an online boycott pledge, and get contact info for the various brands owned by Pepsi. Pepsi's products include Pepsi soft drinks, Frito-Lay chips, Quaker Oats, Tropicana, and Gatorade. Personally, I'll have no problem giving them up, and will be glad to do it.

How sad that the good Quaker Oats name should be dragged into all of this. What would Wilford Brimley say?

Catholic School Values

2008-12-03T10:14:00.002-05:00

I don't know if this will come out right, but here goes. My kids go to a decent Catholic school. They go to Mass twice a week and are reasonably well-prepared (by they school - I do my part as their primary catechist) to receive the Sacraments. It's not like it's a "bad" place.

But having said that, it's not like it's a great place either. What I've found in four years there, is that aside from the opportunity to go to Mass, there is little to identify the school as something special. In fact, the local public school seems to be more family-focused than our Catholic school! A couple of examples:

We always start on a Wednesday. For decades, those first three days were half-days. But for the last two, they've switched to full days. I don't care so much that they changed it, as I do why they changed it. The principal made the decision because she had so many parents complaining that they had to rearrange work schedules to accomodate their own children. Now, I understand that in some families, both parents have to work. But this is just one more way that we've changed our identity to accomodate those with secular values. While some of the families have to do it to get by, many others just do it drive a Lexus, or "keep my sanity".

Another thing is the way that parents are pushed away from the school. At the public school, parent-helpers are invited in to assist the teachers with class parties and projects. Not at our Catholic school! Parties are off limits for parents. One teacher explained that some of the kids would get upset that their mom had to work and couldn't be there. So we don't let any come?! At what point is the kid going to have to understand that either mom is making a sacrifice to serve the family in another way, or that she just would prefer the extra cash that comes in from that second job? We make sacrifices so that my wife can stay home, partly to be available for these kinds of things. As a convert, I thought we were trying to live out traditional, Catholic values. And again, I make a distinction between those that must work and those that choose to.

At a recent "Mother's Club" meeting, the audience was reminded that Christmas break would be a little longer this year, a full two weeks. The response? A collective groan. I don't get it. What kind of mother wouldnt' want to have that extra time with their children? Instead, they sit around and complain about it. These are the same moms who want to be "involved" in everything, and compete to sign up for room mother, and have their name linked with as much as they can, but when it comes down to it, they only want the school to offer activities that suit their schedule, and complain when they have to slip back into the role of parent. It's funny, only a few are available to assist with the Reading Program, but when a field trip pops up, all of a sudden everyone is able to get off of work and expects that they and their clicque will be the chosen few who get to chaperone.

I've been on the parish Board of Education for five years now, but that's just an exercise in futility. In two years as Chair, I couldn't enlist another soul to help make some minor changes. The principal runs the school, which she usually does a good job of. Kind of like a benevolent dictator. But that just means there's no accountability. The pastor thinks she does a great job, so he doesn't seem to question anything.

I guess I just need to get over it, or be more patient. And believe me, I try. But it's just when I see some of these simple, basic things - about putting family first, or not watering down sacramental prep - I just have a hard time with it. Maybe that's just something converts have to learn to accept. I hope not.

Fired for opposing "gay rights"

2008-12-02T14:08:00.003-05:00

Here it comes. As has been predicted for years, we're losing our rights to free speech. If you don't buy into the "gay" agenda, you're a bigot, and don't deserve to hold a job. LINK:

A University of Toledo administrator who was fired after criticizing gay rights in a newspaper column is suing the school for violating her free speech rights.
...
Dixon wrote in a newspaper column in April that gay rights can't be compared to civil rights because homosexuality is a choice. The university says Dixon's statements damaged her ability to perform her job.

So how exactly does this affect her ability to do her job? Is it that she's no longer accepted by her HR peers, the same people who have pushed this agenda in universities and corporations across America?

What they feel the need to silence is the truth. She's absolutely correct - this is not a civil rights struggle. Blacks at that time were denied basic legal protections. Homosexuals are not denied any rights whatsoever. This whole push for homosexual "marriage" is a joke. You have a loud minority who don't understand what marriage is, or why it is recognized by the state. Even though they can't produce the benefits that a marriage provides to society, they want it anyway. Don't know what it is, but I gotta have it!

Toddlers handle rejection better than these activists; look at the Prop 8 protests around the country. (And notice that I say activists, not homosexuals. Most of the fuss is coming from straight people with a deeply-embedded guilt complex that has to manifest itself in some way. Well-to-do white liberals find all kinds of ways to express this. Can you count them?)

Say it ain't so, Plaxico

2008-12-01T14:25:00.002-05:00

What is wrong with Plaxico Burress? I mean, how dumb can you be? LINK:

Burress shot himself in the right thigh in the VIP section of the Latin Quarter
nightclub about 1 a.m. Saturday, police said. He did not have a permit to carry
a handgun in New York.

Why would he NEED a permit to carry a handgun? First of all, if you don't think you can go out and enjoy an evening without fearing that some situation might arise that will require you to have your piece with you, you're probably not planning well. But beyond that, the man makes millions. Why wouldn't he just HIRE a bodyguard who can handle those kinds of things? I mean, was he really planning on shooting someone himself if the opportunity, er, need arose?

And I love his lawyer. Remind me to call that guy if I ever do something that stupid. He says:

"He is standing tall. He is a mature adult," said Benjamin Brafman, his defense lawyer.

Dude, last time I checked, mature adults don't carry loaded guns in their pockets to go to the club. At the very least, wouldn't a mature adult make sure the safety was on? I can't imagine him doing any jail time (BTW, isn't a $100,000 bond a little much in this case? Where's he gonna hide?), but it will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Update: The Giants just suspended him for four games, which is the rest of the regular season. That's awkward. Didn't he kind of already punish himself? You know, when he took that bullet in the leg? From that gun he had in his pocket?

Children dying in Haiti, victims of food crisis

2008-11-20T23:28:00.002-05:00

The 5-year-old teetered on broomstick legs — he weighed less than 20 pounds, even after days of drinking enriched milk. Nearby, a 4-year-old girl hung from a strap attached to a scale, her wide eyes lifeless, her emaciated arms dangling weakly.

In pockets of Haiti accessible only by donkey or foot, children are dying of malnutrition — their already meager food supply cut by a series of devastating storms that destroyed crops, wiped out livestock and sent food prices spiraling.

At least 26 severely malnourished children have died in the past four weeks in the remote region of Baie d'Orange in Haiti's southeast, aid workers said Thursday, and there are fears the toll will rise much higher if help does not come quickly to the impoverished Caribbean nation.

From the Associated Press. The rest of this tragic story can be found HERE.

An Open Letter to President-Elect Barack Obama

2008-11-19T22:54:00.004-05:00

November 14, 2008

President-elect Barack Obama,
As American Catholics, we, the undersigned, would like to reiterate the congratulations given to you by Pope Benedict XVI. We will be praying for you as you undertake the office of President of the United States.
Wishing you much good will, we hope we will be able to work with you, your administration, and our fellow citizens to move beyond the gridlock which has often harmed our great nation in recent years. Too often, partisan politics has hampered our response to disaster and misfortune. As a result of this, many Americans have become resentful, blaming others for what happens instead of realizing our own responsibilities. We face serious problems as a people, and if we hope to overcome the crises we face in today’s world, we should make a serious effort to set aside the bitterness in our hearts, to listen to one another, and to work with one another.
One of the praiseworthy elements of your campaign has been the call to end such partisanship. You have stated a desire to engage others in dialogue. With you, we believe that real achievement comes not through the defamation of one’s opponents, nor by amassing power and using it merely as a tool for one’s own individual will. We also believe dialogue is essential. We too wish to appeal to the better nature of the nation. We want to encourage people to work together for the common good. Such action can and will engender trust. It may change the hearts of many, and it might alter the path of our nation, shifting to a road leading to a better America. We hope this theme of your campaign is realized in the years ahead.
One of the critical issues which currently divides our nation is abortion. As you have said, no one is for abortion, and you would agree to limit late-term abortions as long as any bill which comes your way allows for exceptions to those limits, such as when the health of the mother is in jeopardy. You have also said you would like to work on those social issues which cause women to feel as if they have a need for an abortion, so as to reduce the actual number of abortions being performed in the United States.
Indeed, you said in your third presidential debate, “But there surely is some common ground when both those who believe in choice and those who are opposed to abortion can come together and say, ‘We should try to prevent unintended pregnancies by providing appropriate education to our youth, communicating that sexuality is sacred and that they should not be engaged in cavalier activity, and providing options for adoption, and helping single mothers if they want to choose to keep the baby.’”
As men and women who oppose abortion and embrace a pro-life ethic, we want to commend your willingness to engage us in dialogue, and we ask that you live up to your promise, and engage us on this issue.
There is much we can do together. There is much that we can do to help women who find themselves in difficult situations so they will not see abortion as their only option. There is much which we can do to help eliminate those unwanted pregnancies which lead to abortion.
One of your campaign promises is of grave concern to many pro-life citizens. On January 22, 2008, the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, when speaking of the current right of women in America to have abortions, you said, “And I will continue to defend this right by passing the Freedom of Choice Act as president.”
The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) might well undermine your engagement of pro-life Americans on the question of abortion. It might hamper any effort on your part to work with us to limit late-term abortions. We believe FOCA does more than allow for choice. It may force the choice of a woman upon others, and make them morally complicit in such choice. One concern is that it would force doctors and hospitals which would otherwise choose not to perform abortions to do so, even if it went against their sacred beliefs. Such a law would undermine choice, and might begin the process by which abortion is enforced as a preferred option, instead of being one possible choice for a doctor to practice.
It is because of such concern we write. We urge you to engage us, and to dialogue with us, and to do so before you consider signing this legislation. Let us reason together and search out the implications of FOCA. Let us carefully review it and search for contradictions of those positions which we hold in common.If FOCA can be postponed for the present, and serious dialogue begun with us, as well as with those who disagree with us, you will demonstrate that your administration will indeed be one that rises above partisanship, and will be one of change. This might well be the first step toward resolving an issue which tears at the fabric of our churches, our political process, our families, our very society, and that causes so much hardship and heartache in pregnant women.
Likewise, you have also recently stated you might over-ride some of President G.W. Bush’s executive orders. This is also a concern to us. We believe doing so without having a dialogue with the American people would undermine the political environment you would like to establish. Among those issues which concern us are those which would use taxpayer money to support actions we find to be morally questionable, such as embryonic stem cell research, or to fund international organizations that would counsel women to have an abortion (this would make abortion to be more than a mere choice, but an encouraged activity).
Consider, sir, your general promise to the American people and set aside particular promises to a part of your constituency. This would indicate that you plan to reject politics as usual. This would indeed be a change we need.
Sincerely,
Deal W. Hudson
Christopher Blosser
Marjorie Campbell
Mark J. Coughlan
Rev. James A. Nowack
Craig D. Baker
Susan DeBoisblanc
Megan Stout
Joshua D. Brumfield
Ashley M. Brumfield
Michael J. Iafrate
Natalie Navarro
Matthew Talbot
Paul Mitchell
Todd Flowerday
Henry C Karlson III

Adam P Verslype
Josiah Neeley
Michael J. Deem
Katerina M. Deem
Natalie Mixa
Henry Newman
Anthony M. Annett
Mickey Jackson
Veronica Greenwell
Thomas Greenwell PhD
Robert C. Koerpel
Nate Wildermuth

New, Online Signatures:
William Simon
Deacon Keith Fournier
Mary Ruebelmann-Benavides
Jesus Benavides
Steve Dillard
Toby Danna
William Eunice
Mark Shea
Fr. Phil Bloom
Christopher Gant
Robert King, OP.
Peter HalabuKelly Clark
Eric Giunta
Mark Gordon
Linda Schuldt
Michael Mlekoday
Bryan McLaughlin
Victoria Hoffman
Jonathan Jones
Jim Janknegt
Marcel LeJeune
Fr. John Zuhlsdorf
Ken Hallenius III
Zach Gietl
Megan Bless
Kathy Myers
Timothy M. Mason
Kevin Koster
John Anthony D’Arpino
Brian Desmarais
Mary C. Borneman
Sylwia Matlosz
Stephen Lewis
Susan Boedefeld
David Turner
Fr. Loren W. Gonzales
Barbara Emge
Adam Mateo Fierro
Matthew Hardesty
Mark DeFrancisis
Heather Barrett
Sally Hultgren
Esther C. Gefroh
Brian Murphy
Joe A. Potillor, Jr.
Daniel H. Conway
Andrea Brown
Allan Hebert
Brandon Charles Markey
Chris Altieri
Nick van Zee
Chad Toney
Michael Enright
Susan Windley-Daoust
Lisa Pieson
Lisa Commerford
Erica Ford
David Nickol
John Elfering
Paul Zummo
Alena Chovanec
Brian T. Coughlin
Darren Krakowski
Anthony F. Miller
Joe Schriner
Clayton Emmer
Thomas L. McDonald
Justin Nickelsen
Joseph S. Arena
Nicholas J. Hardesty
Eric McIntosh

Cross-posted at:
DealWHudson (Theocon)
Inside Catholic
The Hopeful Populist
Catholic Anarchy
American Catholic
Gift of Self
Adam V’s Blog
Thoughts of a Regular Guy
Against the Grain
Defending My Bean Field
Bound and Free
Suicide of the West
Pro Ecclesia * Pro Familia * Pro Civitate
Southern Appeal
Full Circle
One Nation Under God
Dyspeptic Mutterings
The Cranky Conservative
Astonished, Yet at Home!
Laughter and Humility
Catholic and Enjoying It
The Catholic Liberal
Ad Saeculum
The Lady in the Pew
Pansy and Peony
Confessions of a Liberal Traditionalist
James B. Janknegt’s Weblog
Aggie Catholics
What Does the Prayer Really Say
100% of Your RDA of Ken
Yellow Blog Journalism
The Black Biretta
The Rockin’ Traddy
The Holy Cookie
Overheard in the Sacristy
The School of Mary
The Practicing Catholic
A Catholic Mom in Hawaii
Verbum Veritatis
This Old Church: Behind Enemy Lines
Catholic Mountain
The Lazy Disciple
The Weight of Glory
PhatCatholic Apologetics

Media Coverage
Catholic News Agency
Catholic Online

Obama's Idea of "Change"

2008-11-14T14:43:00.002-05:00

Saw this on Politico today, via Yahoo:

Here's how you can tell the campaign is over and the transition has begun: Barack Obama's aides now wear suits and ties, their desks are in the Federal Building on 6th Street in Washington — and Clintonites are everywhere. [snip]
Thirty-one of the 47 people so far named to transition or staff posts have ties to the Clinton administration, including all but one of the members of his 12-person Transition Advisory Board and both of his White House staff choices.

I guess if by change he meant a change back to the 90's, then he was right. Within the first year, a lot of people are going to fuming that they've been sold a bill of goods. Obama is not going to deliver on his promis of change. HE CAN'T. He never took the time to tell anyone what he talking about. All he kept going on about was change, and hope, and things being better. He was never so foolish as to define it. That may work well for his Socialist heroes, but thank God that in this country we get an election every four years. And don't forget mid-term elections between that. Change is coming alright...

Activists attack Mormon Churches

2008-11-14T14:26:00.002-05:00

The AP is reporting today that Mormon temples in Los Angeles and Salt Lake City have received envelopes containing a white powder, clearly intended to recall the anthrax attacks of 2001, and intimidate the Mormon Chuch for its efforts to prevent homosexuals from attempting to marry in California. Excerpt:

Letters containing a suspicious white powder were sent Thursday to Mormon temples in Los Angeles and Salt Lake City that were the sites of protests against the church's support of California's gay marriage ban.

[snip]

The temple in downtown Salt Lake City, where the church is based, received a similar envelope containing a white powder that spilled onto a clerk's hand.

Aren't these the people demanding tolerance? Care to show any evidence of it? As always, the only view to be tolerated is the liberal agenda. The rest of us are closed-minded bigots. My favorite line comes at the end:

Authorities are looking into several theories on who sent the letters and why.

Seriously? Not sure why? My hope is that's meant to mean which particular homosexual activist group did it. They need someone to lash out against, and the Mormons seem to be the target of choice. What about Obama's mandate of "change"? Doesn't that apply to them? Doesn't the democratic will of the people count for anything?
These people are driven by hatred. There is nothing that is beneath them in this fight. I predict there is more of this to come.

No communion for Obama supporters

2008-11-13T22:58:00.003-05:00

A South Carolina priest is making headlines for telling those in his parish who voted for Obama that they shouldn't receive Communion until after they've confessed their sin in the Sacrament of Penance. As always, the MSM is alarmed. Honestly, I don't see why.

No Obama supporter can truly call themselves Catholic. This goes beyond any partisan differences. Obama is a staunch and unrepentant supporter of abortion on demand. Anyone who supports that has, in fact, rejected the teachings of the Catholic Church. Why then would they want to receive Communion? If for no other reason than that it's a visible sign of their unity with the teachings of the Church? I would think they'd want to be as far from that as possible.

The only reason I can imagine is that it's a cultural thing. They grew up Catholic, their family is Catholic, and they'll always see themselves that way. But the plain fact is that they're not. I humbly suggest that they do the honroable thing, and leave the Church. There are plenty of Protestant denominations that would match their thinking. Some even have an imitation of Holy Communion so it can still "feel" like home. (Isn't that what's really important, anyway?)

I'd hate to see anyone walk away from the grace found in the Catholic Church, but they've already done it. I just ask them to be honest about it. Don't be so arrogant as to think you're going to change 2000 years of consistent Church teaching to suit your twisted agenda.

So do we worship science, or not??

2008-11-05T13:51:00.002-05:00

From the AP:

A first-of-its-kind measure in Colorado, which was defeated soundly, would have
defined life as beginning at conception.

The biological sciences have known and taught for decades that life begins at conception. How can a civil law possibly refute that? I'm trying to keep up here: science is infallible in describing the origins of the universe, but not in defining the origin of a person? Am I missing something here?

Milestone?

2008-11-05T09:26:00.003-05:00

It amazes me (not surprises, amazes) that almost every article on Obama's election focuses on his race? Was that really the goal? To elect a black man, even if of mixed race? So are we done with race as a dividing issue now? Is it put to rest? Why is there so little talk of his actual policies? Is it because he has none? Is it because he speaks so eloquently of "change", without ever defining it? So he can be all things to all people?

Well, he got it. Now the free ride ends. He's going to have to take a stand on something besides killing babies (although he'll stick with that stand). I think Democrats are going to see that he's not the panacea they hoped for. Only Jesus is, yet they still seem to be a little confused on identity there. After the Democratic hangover wears off, they're going have to ask themselves tough questions about why their man hasn't delivered on his promises, on their expectations. There will be plenty of excuses, plenty of continued Bush-blaming, but the bottom line is that the change they seek will not occur. The exception of course is on life issues. Regrettably, there will be plenty of losers in that regard.

Blacks in particular are giddy that a black man has finally been elected. But what happens when they realize that he isn't going to help them? That his welfare policies will continue to keep the ghettos full. That his abortion policies will continue to kill their future, literally. That those same policies will encourage the view of women as objects.

The disappoint will come. But none of the blame will be his. Yes, we have a black president. But do we have a good one? I don't care what the President looks like on the outside. I'm concerned with what he's made of inside.

P.S. - Why did we never see this kind of support for Alan Keyes? Keyes would make an excellent president, regardless of the color of his skin.

Why Pro-Life?

2008-10-31T13:33:00.002-05:00

There is an excellent article at the St. Therese Parish website by their Parochial Vicar, Fr. Paul Berschied on the importance of pro-life issues in the election. Here's an excerpt:

We sometimes forget that Mozart was the product of woman of ill-repute and that
Oprah Winfrey is a product of rape. These two individuals are certainly great
successes in human terms and they are not the only ones that can be cited. Have
we killed by abortion the person who would have cured cancer or developed an
alternative fuel for industry or found the cure for some other disease, or
brought about a modern invention that would help the progress of human
development?

~~Fr. Paul Berchied

(H/T: St. Therese Parish)

On the value of life

2008-10-24T21:35:00.002-05:00

"One day, please God, when the stranglehold on public opinion in the United States has been released by the extremists for whom abortion is the center of their political and moral life, our nation will, in my judgment, look back on what we have been doing to innocent human beings within their mothers as a crime no less heinous than what was approved by the Supreme Court in the "Dred Scott Case" in the 19th century, and no less heinous than what was perpetrated by Hitler and Stalin in the 20th. There is nothing at all complicated about the utter wrongness of abortion, and making it all seem complicated mitigates that wrongness not at all. On the contrary, it intensifies it."

~~Edward Cardinal Egan

(Source: http://www.cny.org/archive/eg/eg102308.htm)

Do Your Best

2008-10-23T23:26:00.001-05:00

"Don't measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but what you should have accomplished with your ability."

~~John Wooden

"Private matters"

2008-10-23T18:36:00.003-05:00

"Error about God cannot be a private affair. It can only lead to a diminished and distorted life for everyone. God’s will is the sole reason for our existence; be wrong about His will and we are inescapably wrong about the reason for our existence; be wrong about that, and what can we be right about?"

~~Frank Sheed, Theology and Sanity

St. Therese Quote

2008-10-22T18:34:00.000-05:00

“Perfection seems simple to me. I see it is sufficient to recognize one’s nothingness and to abandon oneself as a child into God’s arms.”

~~St. Therese of Lisieux

St. Therese and Holy Communion

2008-10-09T14:09:00.000-05:00

Mother Gonzague would not give in to the petition of Therese for more frequent Holy Communion. And so Therese looked at her, and said with resolve: “Mother Gonzague, when I am dead, I will make you change your mind” (The Hidden Face, Ida Friederike Gorres, New York: Pantheon, pp. 234-35).And that is precisely what she did! The great revision of liturgical practices undertaken by Pope Pius X was attributed largely to the intercession of St. Therese. A wonderful story: a few days after Therese’s death, a newly-ordained priest came to the Lisieux Carmel where he preached his first sermon on the words, “Come and eat my bread.” Soon after that, with the Prioress’s blessing, the chaplain introduced daily Communion to the Carmel.~~From First Steps on the Little Way of St. Therese of Lisieux, by Fr. Peter John Cameron. The entire text can be read at http://www.kofc.org/un/eb/en/resources/cis/CIS307.pdf

Becoming a Real Man

2008-10-08T22:38:00.001-05:00

In marriage preparation, I often ask would-be grooms whether they love their fiancée enough to take a bullet for her. Never has one said no. Then I ask whether his answer would be the same if the “bullet” took one of the following forms: being abstinent before marriage; giving up smoking if she asks; being on time if he is habitually late; cleaning up after himself better; patiently telling her what happened that day at work if she requests it; learning the faith better to help pass it on to her more completely; or making the time and the priority to pray with her. Those are the types of grenades on which many men refuse to dive! But these gifts of oneself are so much more valuable than almost any material gift one could give, and they are a far greater sign of real love than any ring could symbolize. When a future husband and wife begin to love each other through sacrifices like this, their marriage can become what it is meant to be: a sacrament, a visible sign and reflection of Christ’s love for his Bride, the Church, because Christ who “loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her” (Ephesians 5:25-26).

~~From "Becoming a Real Man of God", by Fr. Roger J. Landry. The full article can be read at http://www.kofc.org/un/eb/en/resources/cis/CIS322.pdf

(The entire thing is only 26 pages and is written simply, powerfully, and without compromise for the truth.)

The Real Problem With The Pill?

2008-08-13T10:18:00.002-05:00

A British team of "scientists" finds one flaw with the Pill:

Birth-control pills could screw up a woman's ability to sniff out a compatible mate, a new study finds.

While several factors can send a woman swooning, including big brains and brawn, body odor can be critical in the final decision, the researchers say. That's because beneath a woman's flowery fragrance or a guy's musk the body sends out aromatic molecules that indicate genetic compatibility.

Seriously? Look, if body odor attracted a mate, my wife never would have spoken to me in the first place! Never mind the Horomone Havoc, the breast cancer link that no one seems to want to talk about, or that it encourages sex to be considered a recreational activity. No, the real problem is that it might mess up her sniffer.

Read all the nonsense HERE.

1600 Year Old Bible to go online

2008-07-21T20:49:00.005-05:00

The Codex Sinaiticus Project is placing high-resolution images of the oldest complete copy of the New Testament online - the complete manuscript! The text is in ancient Greek (of course), but there will be translations in English and German. (Will that be the King James version? 'Cause you know, if it ain't....)

As much as I love wasting time on the Internet, it's nice to see something this important and historic going online. Even if it is likely to be over my head!

The site goes live on July 24th, but they do have an intro up. LINK

You can read the Reuters article HERE.

Girl Sues Dad Over Punishment - And Wins

2008-06-20T10:38:00.002-05:00

This is pathetic. A dad tells his daughter that she can't go on a class trip. Not happy with the news, the daughter ultimately sues dad to get to go. And guess what - she found a judge stupid enough to overrule the dad. LINK

Wrong on so many levels. The article mentions that the parents are divorced and that dad has legal custody. However, it doesn't mention who helped the girl find a lawyer. Mom? Her school? (Wouldn't be surprised!)

Liberals scoff at the notion of "judicial tyranny", but this is it - defined. This guy now has some moron telling him how to discipline his daughter. He wasn't beating her, or denying food. He just said Enough. No trip. And the State tells him no. You can't do that. Apparently it's in Canada's national interest to see this girl go on a school trip.

America may be a world leader, but we're a follower in judicial matters. If it hasn't already happened here, it won't be long. Might as well just give them want they want and save yourself the legal expenses.

Cub Scout Camp

2008-06-17T23:08:00.002-05:00

I've just spent the last two evenings at Cub Scout Camp with my 8 year old son. Wow! For anyone who is worried about the future of our country, check out what the Scouts are doing. The kids are having a blast, but what they don't realize yet is that they're being raised as the next generation of leaders for this country.

Like most of you, I'm disgusted by the legal recognition of "gay" so-called marriage in California and the consequences that the rest of the country are soon going to have to deal with. It's easy to get discouraged by this and so many other things in politics. But when I read about the Scouting program, and see how these boys are being shaped into leaders, I breathe a (small) sigh of relief. The ship will be righted. And I've seen who's going to do it!

Worst Dad of the Year Candidate

2008-06-04T22:31:00.001-05:00

When the cops came after Tyrone Spiller, he was pushing his 1-year-old son in a stroller.
The kid proved to be an obstacle to his escape.
Police say Spiller, 39, ditched the stroller on the street and ran last month, leaving his baby in the path of oncoming traffic.

The rest of the article can be found HERE, but this pretty well sums it up. This guy takes abandoning fatherly duties to a new low. Just disgusting...

What a Teacher Makes...

2008-05-14T08:15:00.001-05:00

Taylor Mali "honestly" explains what a teacher makes. (H/T Regular Guy)

Nice...

2008-04-18T19:16:00.001-05:00

Dad: What happened?

8 year old: He hit me.

4 year old: Well, she tried to hit me back!

Kids and the Pope

2008-04-17T09:07:00.002-05:00

If you kids attend a Catholic school (or a public one for that matter), what are learning or being told about the Pope's visit to the US? Are there any lesson plans built around it? Do they watch any news coverage?

My kids were told he was coming, but that was about it. Oh, and that he would have a birthday over here! Just curious what other schools were doing (or not).

Conversation in the Living Room

2008-04-10T09:54:00.001-05:00

To my son, with his arm cocked back...

Me: Don't throw that.

4-year old: Can I toss it?

What's Wrong With Contraception?

2008-02-20T09:57:00.001-05:00

Originally posted on the St. Therese Parish blog.

Since this was the topic with the most votes on the "What would you like to learn about" poll, let's take a closer look at it. We'll try to keep it family friendly.

Despite what secular stereotypes may lead you to believe, the Catholic Church teaches that the "marital act", as revealed by God, has only two conditions placed upon it:

1) that it take place in the bonds of matrimony - that the two be married and,

2) that it be open to life - not that pregnancy necessarily be achieved or even attempted each time, but that the end result could possibly end in conception. That's it. Two things.

First is the marriage part. You have to be married. That's the only place where sexual relations properly belong. The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us: "It (sexual relations) demands a total and definitive gift of persons to one another."(CCC, paragraph 2391) It is a total gift of the self, and therefore is only appropriate between a man and a woman who have publicly and faithfully committed their love to one another in Marriage. Anything less is a shadow of this. So when people start talking about handing out contraceptives to kids to promote "safe-sex", they've missed the boat entirely.

Now, open to life. That's a simple rule to guide us. A moment of reflection will reveal that certain "perversions" are considered illicit because they have no chance of resulting in the creation of a new life. Again, not that it must, but that it be open to it. This very simple guide will explain for us why homosexuality is wrong, why sterilization is wrong, and why contraceptive use is wrong. In all three instances, the procreative nature of the sexual act is thwarted. We've taken the power - God's power - into our own hands. In a sense, it's a re-enactment of the Original Sin. WE know better than God what's good for us. WE will decide how this ends up.

This is simply an introduction to the topic, and the Church certainly has much more to say about the issue. If you'd like to learn more, a good place to start might be this article on Catholic.com.

Feel free to use the Comments box for questions or comments.

David Pollack to return to Bengals?

2008-01-24T23:18:00.000-05:00

An article in today's Enquirer examines the possibility of David Pollack returning to play for the Bengals next season. After a fractured spine, that's impressive enough. But was most remarkable was this comment from Pollack himself:

“I will want to take some time, though, to fast and pray and spend time by myself a lot and try to figure out where God is leading me,” he said. “If it closes one chapter, it opens another.”

And it's not even Lent! We rarely hear of people incorporating fasting into their prayer life these days (at least publicly), but I think he's setting a great example. Who would have thought - act like a Bengal to draw closer to God? (Just kidding!)

Paragraph 1434 of the Catechism tells us that

"The interior penance of the Christian can be expressed in many and various ways. Scripture and the Fathers insist above all on three forms, fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, which express conversion in relation to oneself, to God, and to others.

Most of us pray and give some amount to charity, but do we fast? There's something about a physical hunger to make us more deeply understand our need for God. Maybe a good place to start would be to abstain from meat on Fridays. While this is required of us during Lent, it is actually encouraged by the Church year-round.

Paragraph 1438 of the Catechism says:

The seasons and days of penance in the course of the liturgical year (Lent, and each Friday in memory of the death of the Lord) are intense moments of the Church's penitential practice. These times are particularly appropriate for spiritual exercises, penitential liturgies, pilgrimages as signs of penance, voluntary self-denial such as fasting and almsgiving, and fraternal sharing (charitable and missionary works). [Emphasis added]

Abstinence is not expressly required on Fridays, but only because the Church has left it to our discretion how we will make that penance. If we are not fasting or abstaining, we should be doing some other form of penance in remembrance of our Lord's suffering. Start today?

Cub Scout Pinewood Derby - Help Wanted

2008-01-07T14:10:00.001-05:00

My first grade son and I are getting ready to build our first Pinewood Derby car. I've been trying to read anything I can about them (the cars, not first grade sons), but would appreciate any advice you might have in the Comments box. We're not obsessed with winning, but you don't want a clunker either! My main concern is that for all of the speed tips out there, it seems everybody has a story about someone who just nailed the wheels to the block and took first or second place! Any advice/tips are much appreciated.

A Must-Read for Fathers with Daughters

2007-12-28T22:38:00.001-05:00

Zenit.org posted a great interview with an author about the role that fathers play in their daughter's lives. It's not very long, but it's time very well spent. If you've never read much on the topic, it will be a real eye-opener. Here's a link to the article, and an excerpt:

...the most important thing a father can do is live a life of integrity -- living truthfully. A daughter, within 15 seconds, can tell if her father is in a bad mood, good mood, telling the truth or not, etc. Those fathers who don't live truthfully do a great disservice because a daughter doesn't believe in him, doesn't trust him. Dads think they need to earn heroism, but they really don't. The role of a hero is just given to him until proven otherwise. Most dads don't know this.

Click the envelope below to send this post to a dad with a daughter. She'll thank you later!

Help Build a Library in Honduras

2007-11-08T11:48:00.000-05:00

When Jesus tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves, He doesn't just mean the person across the street. He also means people around the world. Our community is presented with a wonderful opportunity to embrace this Gospel message.

Molly McCord is currently serving in the Peace Corps in Honduras. She is trying to build several libraries there, and needs our help. She says in an email:

They are really incredible kids and deserve all the good things that life has to offer. It`s so sad the poverty that they live in and just will never get to experience a lot of these things...but we can give them a jump-start with books, which will open the door for them by improving their reading skills, writing skills, overall education, expand their imaginations....

Donating is easy. Molly has set up a Wish List of Spanish-language books on Amazon.com. Just click on this link to view the list, select which books you would like to donate, and follow the prompts. You can practice Stewardship without even getting out of your chair!

We're not all called to serve in Honduras. Molly felt the call, and thankfully answered it. However, we are all called to love our neighbor. Perhaps this is one way you can show that love. And please remember to keep Molly and her work in your prayers.

Parents Beware - The Golden Compass

2007-11-07T11:51:00.000-05:00

There is a movie coming out on Dec. 7 called The Golden Compass. It stars Nicole Kidman, and at first glance may appear to be in the same league as The Chronicles of Narnia. Nothing could be further from the truth. The movie is based on the first book in a trilogy by Philip Pullman called His Dark Materials. Pullman is an avowed atheist, and his mission is to destroy the faith of young Christians.

Lest anyone think that Christians are overreacting, take a look at the review at the secular, urban myth-debunking site Snopes.com:

Pullman left little doubt about his intentions when he said in a 2003 interview with the Sydney Morning Herald that "My books are about killing God."

Some of the more overt instances of anti-Christianity have been toned in the movie. But on their website, the Catholic League lays out the primary concern with the movie:

The Catholic League wants Christians to stay away from this movie precisely because it knows that the film is bait for the books: unsuspecting parents who take their children to see the movie may be impelled to buy the three books as a Christmas present. And no parent who wants to bring their children up in the faith will want any part of these books. [Emphasis added]

Dark materials, indeed. I can't imagine a worse Christmas present for a child.

I think it also bears mentioning that the first book in the series, Northern Lights (on which the movie is based) was awarded a Carnegie Medal for Children's Literature in 1995, and in 2007 was named the "Carnegie of Carnegies" as the best children's book of the last 70 years. I know a lot of parents see that a book has received a Carnegie Medal and assume that it's a quality book that their child should read. Just another reminder to be careful who you trust to make recommendations for your child's reading material. I think it speaks volumes that this was the best book they could find in a 70 year span.

Is the Catholic Church responsible for the spread of AIDS in Latin America?

2007-10-23T14:40:00.000-05:00

A recent article published by Reuters news service states that the Catholic Church's opposition to the use of condoms is contributing to the spread of AIDS in Latin America. Let's take a look at the holes in the argument, shall we?

First, there is no empirical evidence offered that the Church is responsible for this. All that is presented is that the Church opposes the use of contraception, which is true. What is also mentioned, but given no credence, is that the Church also opposes sex outside of marriage.

So we should draw the conclusion that the Latin American people follow the Church's teaching to the letter when it comes to contraception, yet ignore the teachings against fornication? It seems to me that the decision to fornicate comes first, then the decision whether or not to use a condom. So the Church is not in their thinking for the first decision, but then, between deciding to do the deed and actually doing it, they stop to ask "what would Jesus do"? And don't go back to revisit the first decision? The argument makes no logical sense.

Second, a UN official is quoted as saying:

"In Latin America the use of condoms has been demonized, but if they were used in every relation I guarantee the epidemic would be resolved in the region."

This is the lie that spreads the use of condoms around the world. The latex in a condom is dense enough generally to stop sperm from passing through it. It is NOT, however, dense enough to prevent the AIDS virus from passing through, rendering it useless in preventing the spread of AIDS.

A 2004 study titled Condom Promotion for AIDS Prevention in the Developing World: Is It Working? (Studies in Family Planning 2004; 35[1]: 39–47) found that:

"In many sub-Saharan African countries, high HIV transmission rates have continued despite high rates of condom use." In fact, they continued, "No clear examples have emerged yet of a country that has turned back a generalized epidemic primarily by means of condom distribution."

No surprise, then, that Botswana, Zimbabwe, Kenya, and South Africa — the nations with the highest levels of condom availability — continue to have the highest rates of HIV prevalence ("The White House Initiative to Combat AIDS: Learning from Uganda," Joseph Loconte, Executive Summary Backgrounder).

This article also mentions an example of AIDS declining in Uganda:

Uganda at one time had the highest rate of HIV/AIDS in the world. Starting in the mid to late 1980s, their government instituted a program to teach abstinence before marriage and fidelity to one's partner afterwards. They only reluctantly advised condoms for high risk groups (like prostitutes) whom they knew would not accept the other two approaches.

[snip]

In 1991, the prevalence rate of HIV was 15%. By 2001, it had dropped to 5%. It was the biggest HIV infection reduction in world history.

When you read these kinds of articles, do so with a critical eye. The UN and the mainstream media are no friends of the Catholic Church. But Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. And the Truth will set you free.

Response to contraception editorial

2007-10-17T15:17:00.000-05:00

The Cincinnati Enquirer ran a local man's response to an editorial arguing that contraception was a "logical" choice. He put it very well:

Unfortunately, due to our humanness, contraception automatically leads to promiscuous sex, and the resulting pain and confusion.
As parents, we do our children a great disservice if we abdicate and retreat from this battle. We don't give them enough credit to do the right thing. It is hard, and much harder than in a bygone era, but not impossible.

Click here to read the entire response. It will take less than 5 minutes to read it, and it's time well spent. We'll be exploring more of this theme on this blog in the near future.

Don Lucia on Youth Sports

2007-09-13T13:15:00.001-05:00

Don Lucia is the head coach for the hockey team at the University of Minnesota. His comments are about hockey, but can easily be applied to any sport. He talks about parents having the proper attitude toward youth sports, and he doesn't pull any punches. This video should be required viewing for any parent or coach involved in youth sports. It's nothing we shouldn't know already, but there are too many people who need to be reminded.

Making Boys Interested in the Church

2007-06-15T11:22:00.000-05:00

An article at Crisis Magazine by Anthony Esolen explores three ways to make (and keep) boys interested in the Church. Excerpt:

Insofar, then, as the liturgy is seen as a feminine enterprise, so will it fail to interest boys. I don’t mean that they will reject it consciously. We are not talking about something bad that happens, so much as about something good and necessary that does not happen. They will not say, “I don’t like holding hands, I don’t like the soprano at the piano bar, I don’t like the cutesy slogans on the banners.” It’s simply that their minds and hearts will wander. They will not be inspired to devotion.

How, then, to win the hearts of the boys? I have three recommendations.

[More]

A Lawyer's Guide to Fatherhood

2007-06-13T13:24:00.000-05:00

Fun article in USA Today about the "legality" of fatherhood. Excerpt:

...all children are born with an innate sense of the law. Indeed, when the Framers spoke of natural rights, they might have hit on the same discovery in their own children. You can actually track your kids' development by the legal arguments they make. Take it from me, the best way to prepare for parenting is to take a law course at your community college.

Takings. The Constitution prohibits the taking of property without compensation by the government. Within their first two years, all children embrace this principle with a vengeance. Parents learn they must compensate for any item removed: a toy for the car keys; a cracker for the 12-inch butcher knife.

Contracts. By 3, negotiating with kids is like working with little Teamsters on a labor contract. Bring a sandwich truck to the site; it becomes part of the contract. Likewise, once a parent buys a scone at Starbucks or allows cartoons in the morning, it is part of an unwritten but enforceable contract. This develops into a form of collective bargaining with the addition of another sibling: Any benefit to one is instantly an expected benefit to the other. Break the contract and you'll face work stoppages, unending protests and even sabotage that ranges from spilled milk to items in the trash can.

Cruel and unusual punishment. By 3, children have defined what they view as cruel and unusual punishment. Denials of favorite foods or toys are considered to be measures that "shock the conscience" and require immediate redress.
Privacy. As soon as a child goes through potty training, privacy becomes an increasingly important right - reaching its apex in the teen years. The same parents who spent two years changing them and bathing them must now sequester themselves in a distant room to avoid the "chilling effect" of surveillance.

Equal protection. By 6, all children put themselves in what the Supreme Court calls "a suspect class" - any different treatment based on their identity as a sibling can be enforced only after parents show a compelling reason that they are using "the least restrictive means." Otherwise, a difference of only 10 minutes in television time is enough to unleash demonstrations reminiscent of the march on Selma.

Due process. By 6, kids will insist on full due process in adjudicating their claims. Major penalties such as loss of Game Boys require something close to a full trial with two days of arraignment, jury selection and sequestration - and inexhaustible appeals.

[More]

10 Pardoxes of Fatherhood

2007-06-13T11:13:00.000-05:00

Jay at Catholic-Dads posted a great article from Donald DeMarco in the National Catholic Register on the "10 Paradoxes of Fatherhood".

...Fatherhood means being:

1. A leader without being a frontrunner.
Our prevailing notion of leader comes from the worlds of sports and from politics. In this sense, in accordance with the “leader board” in golf, the leader is the one who is ahead of the rest of the field. Or he is the one who is leading in the political polls by outpacing his rivals. But a father is not a leader in this way. He does not try to remove himself from his family. Nor does he regard the members of his family as rivals. On the contrary, he leads in a manner that fulfills each member. His leadership is inseparable from those he leads. What he leads and “fathers” into being is the good of those whom he loves.In other words, fatherhood requires that a father leads by being there, rather than being “ahead of the pack.”

2. A visionary without being arrogant.
Every home must have a hearth and a horizon. The father is a visionary in the sense that he has an eye on the future. He has a keen sense of the importance of time. But he has this without presumption or arrogance. He is providential in his fathering. He knows instinctively that his children will grow up and lead independent lives. He provides for them a future vision of themselves.

3. A servant without being servile.
The expression servus servorum Dei (servant of the servants of God) adopted by John Paul II, comes from Pope Gregory the Great. Paradoxically, this servant of the servants of God earned the appellation “Great.” He who humbles himself shall be exalted. The father serves all the members of his family without being in any sense inferior. One might say, in this respect, that a father is like a tennis player: When they serve, they both enjoy an advantage.

4. An authority without being authoritarian.
The father, like God, shares in the authorship of life. He is an authority and therefore someone to learn from and be guided by. But his authority does not restrict the liberty of others. In fact, fatherly authority is to cultivate and enhance liberty. St. Thomas Aquinas wisely pointed out that “the respect that one has for the rule flows naturally from the respect one has for the person who gave it” (Ex reverentia praecipientis procedere debet reverentia praecepti). A person best understands fatherhood by knowing someone who is a good father. One must begin with the real experience and not the inadequate abstraction.

5. A lover without being sentimental.
The love of a father is strong and unwavering. Love is not bound by a feeling, and hence prone to sentimentality. It is strengthened by principles that always focus on the good of others. Love means doing what is in the best interest of others. Sentimentality means always being nice because one is fearful of opposition.

6. A supporter without being subordinate.
A father is supportive. He holds people up, keeps them going when they are inclined to be discouraged. His encouraging role does not imply subordination, but reliability and trustworthiness from someone who is strong. He is not supportive in the Hollywood sense of being a “supporting actor.” His supportive role is played out as the leading man.

7. A disciplinarian without being punitive.
A good father knows the value of rules and the consequences of disregarding them. He wants his children to be strong in virtue. Therefore, he knows the importance of discipline, restraint and self-possession. He is not punitive, nor is he overbearing. He makes it clear to his children that there is no true freedom without discipline, that discipleship requires training. He is wary of punishment as such, since it can strike fear in the heart of a child.

8. Merciful without being spineless.
Mercy must be grounded in justice. Otherwise it is dissipation and weakness. In fact, it is unjust. A father, because he recognizes the uncompromisable importance of justice is anything but spineless. He is merciful, but his mercy perfects his justice. Mercy without justice, is mere capitulation to the desires of others. Justice without mercy is cold legalism.

9. Humble without being self-deprecating.
Humility is based on the honest recognition of who one is. It takes into account one’s limitations and weaknesses. The humble father, when he encounters difficulties, has enough humility to ask for help, even at times from his own children. Yet, he never gets down on himself. He knows that remaining self-deprecating at a time of crisis is utterly futile.

10. Courageous without being foolhardy.
Courage is not fearlessness, but the ability to rise above fear so that one can do what needs to be done in a time of danger or difficulty. A father does not fall apart when he begins to feel the pressure. Foolhardiness is not courage but an unfocused and unhelpful recklessness. Moreover, courage, as its etymology suggests, requires heart. The father, above all, is a man of heart...

[More]

Marriage Makes You Happy?

2007-06-04T14:08:00.000-05:00

Science has once again confirmed what we common-folk have long known: marriage is good for your well-being. A study from an Ohio State grad student reveals that "marriage provides a greater psychological boost to depressed people than to happy people, even if the marriage is so-so. "

The big remaining question, she says, is why depressed people benefit more from marriage than happy people. It could be that marriage provides the companionship and emotional support needed to help alleviate depression, she said.

Could be. But not sure. Probably take some more grant dollars to settle it.

Avoiding sports burnout for our kids

2007-06-04T10:15:00.000-05:00

A new report states the obvious: kids need a break from sports. I think most parents intuitively know this, even if they don't practice it. But I thought this line at the end was revealing.

The pediatricians who wrote the report said aiming for the Olympics or a career in professional sports was unrealistic for most children. Less than 1 percent of high school athletes make it to the pros, the report said.

Of course, a lot of them just know that their special prodigy is a part of that extreme minority. I think it's amazing how many kids say they just want to have fun playing and not be tied to a schedule.

Religion vs. "spirituality"

2007-05-23T12:42:00.000-05:00

Rich at Ten Reasons had a great post with a quote from Archbisop Charles Chaput from Denver. Archbishop Chaput is an eloquent defender of the Church. Pray for more like him.

The quote is fairly short, so I've just re-printed the part that Rich did. If you haven't checked out his blog, do so. You'll find it much more fruitful than what I have here.

Religion vs. "spirituality"
Denver archbishop Charles J. Chaput on a key distinction:

You know, there’s a reason why "spirituality" is so popular in the United States today and religion is so criticized. Private spirituality can be quite satisfying. But it can also become a designer experience. In fact, the word spirituality can mean just about anything a person wants it to mean. It’s private, it’s personal, and, ultimately, it doesn’t place any more demands on the individual than what he or she wants.

Religion is a very different creature. The word religion comes from the Latin word religare—to bind. Religious believers bind themselves to a set of beliefs. They submit themselves to a community of faith with shared convictions and hopes. A community of believers has a common history. It also has a shared purpose and future that are much bigger than any political authority. And that has implications. Individuals pose no threat to any state. They can be lied to, bullied, arrested, or killed. But communities of faith do pose a threat. Religious witness does have power, and communities of faith are much harder to silence or kill.

Modesty question

2007-05-21T15:08:00.001-05:00

An article on the Catholic Dads blog brought up something that's been bothering me lately:

When did "dressed up" for girls and women become equated with cleavage? It seems to have become a pre-requisite for going out, even to Church. I go to Church to pray, not to see a complete side-view of some 17 year old's breast, which is what I saw a couple of weeks ago. Clothes are too tight, too short, too revealing, and the parents condone it. I'm on the Board of Education for our parish and have brought this up with the principal - about school uniforms being too tight, etc. She just said it's a losing battle with the parents, that they meet the letter of the law and don't want to hear it. What a shame.

That's why I think the Catholic Dads movement is so important. Our daughters need to hear from us about what message that sends. They need to ask themselves if that's really the attention they want. And if so, why?

Alec Baldwin on Parenting

2007-04-21T11:49:00.001-05:00

Actor Alec Baldwin has driven one road lower in his bitter custody dispute with his ex-wife Kim Basinger, this time verbally unleashing on their daugher. He was recently recorded on voicemail calling his 11 year old daughter a "rude, thoughtless little pig." He went on to say:

"You don't have the brains or the decency as a human being," he says, apparently upset that she did not answer her phone for a planned call.

"I don't give a damn that you're 12 years old, or 11 years old, or that you're a child, or that your mother is a thoughtless pain in the ass who doesn't care about what you do as far as I'm concerned. You have humiliated me for the last time with this phone."

It's not my place to jump on him, but clearly he's missing the purpose of his role as a father. Is he fighting to see his daughter more, or to punish his ex-wife more? Trying to explain himself, he said,

"I am most saddened that this was released to the media because of what it does to a child. [snip] I am sorry for what happened. But I am equally sorry that a court order was violated, which had deliberately been put under seal in this case." [emphasis added]

So the worst part is not what he said to his 11 year old little girl. It's that a court order was violated to keep the tape private. No matter who else hears the comments, it's he who hurt his daughter. No the media, not her mother, not the lawyers.

We should all pray for Mr. Baldwin.

Shootings at Virginia Tech

2007-04-16T12:39:00.000-05:00

My three children are still very young, but I can't imagine the panic that the students and their parents at Virginia Tech must be feeling right now. It just makes you want to hold them tight, no matter how old they are. Pray for all of the families and the victims of this senseless violence.

Bishop Foys' Easter thoughts

2007-04-12T13:40:00.000-05:00

Since we are still in the Easter season, here's an excerpt from Covington (KY) Bishop Roger Foys' letter in the Easter issue of the diocesan newspaper, The Messenger.

But then the women came with the fantastic story that the grave was empty! Jesus had made good on his promise. He had risen from the dead! What inexpressible joy! Their night now became day; their sorrow, joy; their tears, laughter! Death had been overcome! Jesus was victorious over sin and death! And his disciples would be changed forever!

Supreme Court Watch

2007-04-04T09:27:00.000-05:00

Maggie Gallagher had a great article recently about the Courts' efforts to hamper prosecutions of child pornographers. Excerpt:

With this ruling, the Supreme Court made prosecutions of child pornography much harder for two reasons: first because the burden of proof shifted to the government to prove an actual child was involved; and second because any idiot with Photoshop could convert his illegal "actual photos" into a computer-generated image protected by the First Amendment, and sell, distribute and possess to his twisted heart's content.

Stem cell advance

2007-04-02T14:27:00.000-05:00

Scientists are excited about an advance in stem cell research

Researchers led by Magdi Yacoub, a professor of cardiac surgery at Imperial College London, have grown tissue from stem cells in bone marrow that works in the same way as the valves in human hearts, it said.

We'll see how excited the media gets about this. They usually prefer to downplay any advance in stem cell research that doesn't come from an embryo. However, the most useful advances to date have come from non-embryonic sources. The Church is not opposed to stem cell research per se, only that research which destroys human embryos (read: human life).

Grieving couple commits suicide after dog dies

2007-04-02T11:59:00.000-05:00

Is is surprising to hear that the couple (in their60's) had no (human) children? According to the AP:

Police said the childless couple had held a burial ceremony for their dog of 13 years, called "Puppy," and hosted a feast for friends before hanging themselves in their bedroom.

News break: Corporate America doesn't care about your daughter

2007-02-20T16:28:00.000-05:00

In case you were starting to drift off, an article on Yahoo today highlights another study about the harmful effects of the sexualization of girls. Short of passing laws, it isn't going to change. There's no financial incentive for the big corporations to change their programming or advertising. They couldn't possibly care any less about your little girl. The question is - are we going to continue to invite them into our homes?