Learning the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite Mass

The Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) has been training many priests during the past year to offer the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite Mass. I've been wondering about the results, and found a good example. A favorite blogger and science-fiction author and new Catholic (Easter 2008), John C. Wright, identified a particularly good sermon and I was curious about the homilist:

One Fr. John De Celles [STL], speaking in Old St. Mary's Church this weekend, delivered a homily to rebuke Nancy Pelosi, who publically offered a gross distortion of the Catholic teaching on aborticide. It is, if you will, the modern version of St. John the Baptist rebuking Herod, another figure who saw nothing wrong in slaying innocent children.

Wright noted that the entire sermon given on Labor Day weekend has been posted on the web. I read it and am very impressed. So who is Fr. John De Celles whose sermons are so good that one will be picked up and reprinted by the well-respected National Review magazine?

The current Bulletin of St. Mary's Church reports that Fr. De Celles now offers the old Latin Mass in Alexandria, VA:

You may recall that last summer Father attended a week-long seminar to learn how to say this Mass. He attended another seminar this summer to both review the rubrics of the Traditional Mass and to focus on the High Mass. In addition he put a lot of time and energy into preparing for [offering the Extraordinary Form on] August 15th.

Those efforts paid off in many ways. We expected some people would attend the evening Mass on the 15th simply because it fit their schedule. We did realize a few might have had no idea this would be the Traditional Mass despite weeks of announcing that it would be. And we thought a number would attend because it was a sung High Mass.

We estimate that there were 600 people here that night. The overwhelming response was a positive one, actually an extremely positive one, which was wonderful to hear. It provided, as we hoped, an opportunity for parishioners to experience the beauty of the “Old Mass.”

The FSSP priests are seeing a lot of good results from their training other priests to offer the old Latin Mass. In addition, I've noted over the years that the best prepared homilies seem to come from priests who are favorable to the old Mass.

Todd Palin--American Manhood at its Best

What's the story behind the Alaska governor with an approval rating of 89 to 93 percent? A good part of it has to be her husband, Todd Palin, who is discussed in ALASKA magazine of February 2008. Here are a few quotes from the cover story, "Palin's Way," by Melissa DeVaughn on "America's Hottest Governor."

It's her favorite room [kitchen] in the large but unpretentious home her husband, Todd, designed and built five years ago.... Todd's floatplane is docked just a hundred yards away [on Lake Lucille] at the edge of the neatly mown lawn....Having such a high-powered wife does not faze Todd, who refers to himself jokingly as the "First Dude."

While Sarah does the work of governor, Todd remains the quintessential Alaska man. He stays busy with his week-on, week-off job with British Petroleum on the North Slope. He's also one of the state's best snowmachiners, and has won the grueling 2,000-mile Tesoro Iron Dog race four times. In the summer, Todd fishes a commercial site in Bristol Bay and spends time flying his airplane, a hobby he has enjoyed for 20 years.

Having his wife become governor changed the Palin household, he said, but not in a monumental way. "Her schedule dictates my schedule, but with her being mayor for so many years, we were already used to it," he said. "The kids are very adaptable. There are thousands of Alaska families that adapt, whether you're a contract guy who's gone for the summer season, a sloper or in the military, we have a lot of families who don't have the 9-to-5 schedule."

On this day, Todd Palin is preparing to change into work clothes and help oversee construction of a community playground in Juneau. As First Dude, he is a champion of vocational education for Alaska students. "I'm a product of on-the-job training that was offered to me in 1989. And growing up in the high schools that I attended, we had great shops, mechanic shops and carpenter shops. In recent years, that has not been a high priority, but that is coming back. So I've told the commissioner of labor, 'Wherever you can use me in that role, I am there for you'."

"My slope job has provided for my family," he said. "when an opportunity is given to an individual, it is what that person does with it that matters. As I travel the state, that's a big concern, getting kids motivated. I am meeting kids that can't read a tape measure or just don't want to work, so it's the same message wherever we go. Step out. Once you step out and are given an opportunity, you can change a life"

Todd's family is spread from Bristol Bay to Homer.... when [daughter] Bristol revealed she spent $20 on leg waxing--'That was supposed to be gas money,' Todd Palin said disapprovingly [and Sarah Palin concurred!]

So what I learned about Todd Palin is that he is at least as good an individual as Sarah Palin--likely even better as he is a very strong and loving husband and father! The governor of Alaska seems to know that too, as she introduced Todd to the country as "the man she admires the most in this world."

Here are some other things I've found out about Todd Mitchell Palin in searching the web:

• One-eighth Native Alaskan (born 1965 in Dillingham, Alaska)
• Grandmother grew up in a traditional Yup'ik Eskimo house in Bristol Bay
• Graduated Wasilla High School, followed by college work
  
• Commercial salmon fisherman on the Nushagak River in Bristol Bay
• Coach of kids' hockey and basketball teams
  
• Member of the United Steelworkers Union
• Rugged individual who works at blue-collar job on the North Slope
• Avoids conflict of interest, including resigning as oil production supervisor when his wife was elected governor [later resumed non-conflicting labor in oil field)
  
• Four-time winner of the Iron Dog, the 2,000-mile snowmachine race (longest in the world) from Big Lake to Nome along the Iditarod Trail and then on to Fairbanks
• Prefers to vote as an independent
• Is reliable and trusted ["I have to trust my life in his hands, and I do, because he can still think when he's dehydrated and tired," says his partner in the Iron Dog]
  
• Has a lot of willpower and doesn't quit [During 2008 Iron Dog snowmachine race, was thrown 70 feet and broke his arm, yet finished to end up in fourth place]
• Committed to loving new life [When he found wife's recent pregnancy would result in a baby with Down Syndrome, commented “We shouldn’t be asking, ‘Why us?’ We should be saying, ‘Well, why not us?’”]
• Helps others even when seriously inconvenienced [In last year's Iron Dog, Palin and his teammate helped a racer with broken ribs reach the next checkpoint before heading on to victory]
• Won't spend money he doesn't have [Eloped with Sarah because her family had a bad fishing year and a $35 marriage was all that could be afforded]
• Rock and pillar of his family ["He can go on just an hour or two of sleep a night. He says, 'I can sleep when I die,' " said Sarah Palin. "There is no way I could have done this job [as governor] without his tremendous contributions to the home life. He's able to keep it organized, like a well-oiled machine."]
• Takes his family's safety and welfare seriously: "In 2005, before Palin ran for office, the Palin family accused Wooten [Sarah Palin's brother-in-law] of drinking a beer while in his patrol car, illegal hunting and firing a Taser at his 11-year-old stepson. The Palins also claimed Wooten threatened to kill Sarah Palin's father.... More recently, Todd Palin said, he took his concerns over the governor's safety directly to Monegan. But he said he never told anyone to fire Wooten." Another site adds, "At one point, Todd Palin brought information prepared by himself and a private investigator to Monegan." To see why Todd was alarmed, see the background information supplied in the Ethics Disclosure Form filed in this 'Troopergate' case.
  

Personally I applaud Todd Palin for being the best example of American manhood that I can imagine.

Gov. Sarah Palin - Experience Needed?

Gov. Sarah Palin is clearly well-liked by the people of Alaska because she has an 80+ percent favorable rating. But does she have adminstrative and foreign policy experience? Clearly, Gov. Palin is a very competent administrator, with more leadership experience than Barack Obama and Joe Biden put together. Here's an abbreviated list of past and current leadership duties of Gov. Sarah Palin:

• Managing the extensive resources of State and City personnel and offices
  
• Appointing qualified people to carry out the laws and direct the policies of Alaskan city and state government
• Conducting public relations campaigns to manage and market Alaskan resources
  
• Evaluating and signing (or vetoing) bills passed by Alaska legislators
  
• Serving as the commander-in-chief of the Alaska National Guard
• Preparing and delivering reports on Alaska to the Legislature and to other interested parties
  
• Estimating the amounts of money required to be raised by taxation, preparing and recommending City and State budgets, and holding firm to her goal of financial balancing of income and expenses
• Assuring the Alaskan people of honesty and ethics in State government
  

A comparative list of experience and achievements between Palin and Obama is given here. Moreover, I don't worry about whether Vice-president Sarah Palin has a lot of experience in foreign policy, because all administrators of complex institutions rely on knowledgeable advisors and consultants. U.S. foreign policy decisions always are preceeded by well-studied proposed policy documents, followed by meetings with key advisors whose differing perspectives create the necessary background for a final decision by the President. [One of my distant cousins is one of those policy advisors, in that some of his documents dealing with the Middle East have made it to the desk of the President.]

Gov. Sarah Palin already is quite knowledgeable about China and other PAC-RIM countries that buy the majority of Alaskan products. She also is highly concerned about new Russian interests and impacts, including near the North Pole. Alaska has recently been impacted by unauthorized Russian flights that intrude into U.S. airspace.

My personal belief is that McCain's four-time bout with melanoma eventually will become a five-time bout and he will not survive his complete term. That would put Gov. Sarah Palin into the White House. Here's what our oldest son wrote about Gov. Sarah Palin:

"She appears to be the most 'likable' of the four major Pres/Vice Pres candidates. This may have been a stroke of genius on the part of McCain, time will tell. The democrats' reaction strikes me as confused and ridiculous so far. I don't think they were ready. She is not the type of person you can attack head-on and walk away looking very good. I'm feeling better about the Republican ticket's chances in November already. Looking toward the future, I'd give her a greater possiblity of being President of the United States someday than Hillary."

Vice-president Sarah Palin will need to select good advisors, just as President Reagan did in the 1980's. For starters, I'd recommend Pat Buchanan who seems to have some of the best insights on foreign policy, including Russian, Chinese, and Middle East problems.

Demagogy, Change, and Utopian Promises

H.L. Mencken was right when he defined a demagogue as "one who will preach doctrines he knows to be untrue to men he knows to be idiots." I might change that definition a little: "one who makes promises he knows can't be fulfilled to TV viewers he knows to be forgetful idiots."

I listened to part of Barack Obama's acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention and suggest people should read his speech, rather than just listen to it. Obama promised everything but the moon to the American people, and I was reminded of Fidel Castro as he came to power many years ago.

Obama is a fantastically good speaker whose impassioned public speeches appeal to the emotions, fears, and expectations of many people. Here are a few excerpts of promises made tonight by Obama--unrealistic Utopian promises. Notice that Obama mostly uses the personal pronoun "I" in his promises for change. [Do people no longer remember the old saying, "Out of the frying pan into the fire!" meaning to go from a bad situation to one that's even worse?]

So let me spell out exactly what that change would mean if I am president...

I will cut taxes -- cut taxes -- for 95 percent of all working families. Because in an economy like this, the last thing we should do is raise taxes on the middle-class. [How does Obama define "working families" and "middle-class." "Economy like this" also gives him an 'out'. ]

And for the sake of our economy, our security, and the future of our planet, I will set a clear goal as president: in 10 years, we will finally end our dependence on oil from the Middle East. [Yes, but please tell us how much less energy our country will be using at the end of ten years?]

I'll help our auto companies re-tool, so that the fuel-efficient cars of the future are built right here in America. I'll make it easier for the American people to afford these new cars. And I'll invest $150 billion over the next decade in affordable, renewable sources of energy -- wind power and solar power and the next generation of biofuels; an investment that will lead to new industries and 5 million new jobs that pay well and can't ever be outsourced. [This paragraph should be re-read a third time! Does Obama have plans to unseat Congress, control wages, run businesses, and add 5 million new jobs to the federal payroll?]

Now is the time to finally meet our moral obligation to provide every child a world-class education... [If w-c implies the best education that money can buy, not every student can or will absorb a w-c education.]

I'll invest in early childhood education. I'll recruit an army of new teachers, and pay them higher salaries and give them more support.... [What's wrong with current teachers? Does Obama really mean an ARMY of new teachers drafted into federal government service?]

Now is the time to finally keep the promise of affordable, accessible health care for every single American. If you have health care, my plan will lower your premiums. [Just like in Canada, where my friend's father would have died because it takes months to get Canadian permission for open-heart surgery. Instead, he came to San Antonio for the surgery.] If you don't, you'll be able to get the same kind of coverage that members of Congress give themselves. [Get ready for more medical tourism.] And as someone who watched my mother argue with insurance companies while she lay in bed dying of cancer, I will make certain those companies stop discriminating against those who are sick and need care the most.

Now is the time to help families with paid sick days and better family leave, because nobody in America should have to choose between keeping their jobs and caring for a sick child or ailing parent. [Who's going to pay? Private companies already are struggling to stay alive while competing with India, China, and other developing countries.]

Now is the time to change our bankruptcy laws, so that your pensions are protected ahead of CEO bonuses.... [Translated: Bankruptcy laws need to be more lenient so that people who have spent themselves into deep debt can be relieved of their promises to pay what they borrowed. Uninsured medical expenses will be used to justify the easing of bankruptcy laws, although the changes will apply to every debtor who simply bought too much using their credit card.]

Kansas City Air Show

It's been many, many years since I attended an air show, and I was certainly impressed with this 2008 display of planes and aerial acrobatics at the Downtown Airport. The show started at 10:00 am and we didn't leave until after 4 pm.

I told one of our sons that the plane I was most impressed with was the jet-powered sailplane owned by Bob Carlton, a rocket scientist in Albuquerque, NM. The sailplane's two small jet engines were designed for smaller radio-controlled airplanes, but Bob mounted the engines in a retractable pod on top an Italian Alisport glider. The engines are powered up whenever the plane takes off or performs aerobatics near the ground.

The grandkids were most impressed by the NOISE of the military jets, including a U.S. Navy F-18 that dived and soared with thunderous blasts to bend, if not break, your eardrums. Yes, we used earplugs, but it's hard keeping them in young grandkids.

The best aerobatics had to be Sean Tucker in his Oracle Challenger II. I've never seen anything like the movements his plane performs in the sky. The bright red plane was doing stunts that are very difficult to do because the plane is designed to be quite stable and it resists being put into certain flight configurations, such as tail-down falls or slow forward movements with the nose up (continuous stall?) to make the plane appear to act much like a helicopter.

Corruptio Optima Pessima (of an Ex-Nun)

Stories that teach well can be either positive or negative. A negative learning story is embedded in the recent obituary of an ex-Catholic nun who appears to illustrate the Latin phrase--Corruptio Optima Pessima ("corruption of the best is the worst"). [I've heard this phrase used to indicate the primacy of the Catholic Church because when you see members of the Church fall--they fall much further downward into a pit of errors.]

The obituary states that the woman was a nun for 25 years before marrying and joining a Unitarian Universalist "church". I've checked the blog of the "pastor" to see a blasphemous post on "God of Queer, Transgressive Spaces." Not surprisingly, "Pastor Sean" has a "partner" and a substance-abusing son.

Why do I focus on the ugly, the blasphemous, and the loss of faith of a particular ex-nun? Because this falling away is only one example of so many other losses of Catholic religious and laity that occurred within twenty years of the significant destruction of Catholic liturgy and practice following Vatican II.

We often talk about "loss statistics" in the Church, but we can't forget each one of these losses is the sad story of an individual person who lost their way. Back in the 1970's, losses became so common that people just accepted it. The local parish lost at least three assistant priests who abandoned their vocations over a less than five year period. It became a joke.

I remember making Legion of Mary visits to fallen-away Catholics in the 1970s when it was common to hear "The Catholic Church has changed and I don't recognize or believe in it anymore." Then the person would say they weren't attending Church. It didn't seem to matter to them what they believed, which church they attended, or if they attended at all.

This particularly affected children who grew up in the 1970's and 1980's, and the result is that the Catholic Church is now trying to convert (not re-convert) an entire lost generation. The beliefs of older Catholics were also thrown into doubt. One example was a practicing Catholic who accompanied me and another fellow to a Catholic chapel where the Indian god of destruction, Shiva, was being honored. When the priest said his ecumenical gesture was not a problem, my friend abandoned the Catholic Church to join Full Faith Church of Love, a fast-growing evangelical church in Kansas City that became approximately half full of ex-Catholics who rejected the "new catholic church." Terrible, terrible times!

One lady approaching death during the 1970's told me that nothing mattered anymore. Because the Church had changed everything, she no longer believed in the Catholic Church or God's laws or Jesus' resurrection. I talked animatedly with her in her hospital room and insisted that enemies inside the Church were trying to obscure the Church's teachings and destroy Her, and that she should remain constant with what her parents had taught her and what she had learned as a child in Catholic school. I read her obituary about a month later and noted she had been buried at a Catholic Mass, but I never really knew whether she had resumed her beliefs in the Catholic faith.

What should be done about the ex-nun described in this post? I will ask Mary to intercede with Jesus for His mercy on this poor soul who descended into such grave errors. Her life is a chilling example of the many great falls that occurred in the unfortunate years following Vatican II.

China's Image

Bernardo Cervellera of Asia News writes of Chinese hoaxes at the Olympics to preserve the Chinese image, including:

...the fireworks displays seen on television all over the city were not real, but were generated by computers. The illusion was necessary because on the evening of August 8, the Beijing sky was cloudy and hazy - because of the pollution and heat - and visibility was poor.

The Washington Post also reports that ethnic children were not really members of Chinese ethnic groups, but were actors. [Well, if your historical practice is to deceive, it takes a while to learn to stop the deceptions.]

I often turn into China English TV to see what is going on and if China may be changing for the better (it is, but it takes someone smarter than I am to see how much of the change is both real and good). Invariably their TV ads are directed to showing China as a tourist's paradise with peaceful blue lakes, green forests, scenic mountains, and clean air. Obviously, these are very selective pictures--as is the news that is reported.

A couple of days ago I was surprised that CCTV.COM presented a TV feature on the Catholic Church in Beijing that showed the South Cathedral, including Mass offered by a "patriotic priest." The program was unusual in that it displayed the addresses and telephone numbers of at least five Christian churches in the capitol city.

Retreating to Youth

This afternoon I pretended to be much younger than I really am (very dangerous!). Two ear buds were inserted and tuned to a local Kansas City country music station while I cleaned the car from top to bottom, just like I might have done 50 years ago (substituting a Sansa mp3 player for the car radio).

So what did I learn? First, I learned my arthritis and other problems don't bother me with lively country music sounding in my head. Second, my car really needs to be cleaned more than once every three years! Third, hazards are associated with ignoring REALITY, as taught by some country songs that I heard.

Country music is usually a good bellwether of civilization (or the lack thereof). One song by Brad Paisley struck me as a sorrowful window into the souls of many young people who (1) are lonely, (2) are unsure of their own worth, (3) want to be more than they are, and (4) are driven to exchange acting for reality.

The lyrics to Paisley's "Online" are sung by an overweight, five-foot-three, asthmatic youth who works at the local pizza place. On MySpace, he pretends to be six-foot-five, lives in Malibu, and drives a Maserati. Obviously, he gets the girls' attention with his lies and exaggerations. When he logs in every night, "I grow another foot and lose a bunch of weight."

Unfortunately, this sung fictional autobiography is typical of many young people today who waste their free time by sitting in front of computers, eating snacks, and making up stories about being someone they are not. I wonder if they can ever stop telling stories when they eventually get a girlfriend and wife. Doesn't anyone ever talk about "bad habits" anymore?

A second song may illustrate the unwillingness of modern souls to accept growing old and the reality of dying. "Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven" by Kenny Chesney ends with:

Everybody wanna go to heaven
Hallelujah, let me hear you shout
Everybody wanna go to heaven
But nobody wanna go now
I think I speak for the crowd.

A third song by Rodney Atkins, "Cleaning this Gun (Come on in Boy)", is more my type. A daughter is now old enough for dating and the father recognizes the young man needs a reminder, "she deserves respect, that's what she'll get!" Of course, the father is cleaning his gun as he talks to the boy! There will be REAL consequences if the boy does the wrong thing!

Lastly (if you've gotten this far), P_L_EE_AA_SS_EE listen to the www.GodTube.com music about two roosters walking arm in arm by Lewis and Lewis, two Christian country singers. My husband laughed and laughed--even though this is a very serious song.

Summer Vacation

My husband really enjoys vacationing in the mountains, his favorite cool place in the hot summertime. This year, the temperature in Kansas City was almost as good as Colorado, so we really didn't need to travel to avoid the heat.

We camped with two of our children and their families which turned out to be a great trip. The kids didn't want to come home!

The most beautiful scenery was on the the gravel road from Paonia Reservoir east to the town of Crested Butte. We saw aspen groves like I've never seen before. See the photo which is meant as a belated "Happy Birthday" card for one of our daughters-in-law!

For me, the best parts of our vacation were climbing to the top of the sand dune, hiking up the side of a steep mountain canyon to reach the top and further to a shaded, woody glen, and finally returning home quickly on a private plane.

Splinters from the True Cross

When saying the rosary of Our Lady, it is best to meditate on each of the mysteries-- mostly incidents in the life of Jesus. This evening I thought about the fourth sorrowful mystery, "Jesus carries His cross up Calvary." During this painful and difficult journey, Jesus would likely have gotten splinters in his hands from the roughly hewn wood. A good meditation is to compare Jesus' splinters with the splinters we get in our own lives. The lesson is to bear small wounds willingly and silently.

I searched for the type of wood of the cross and found lots of guesses, including olive wood, cedar of Lebanon, cypress, planetree, and dogwood. Yet no ancient resource exists that tells us which kind of wood was used to construct the cross of Jesus Christ.

The old Catholic Encyclopedia identifies the wood as pine, which would have many splinters.

A microscopic examination of the fragments of the Cross scattered through the world in the form of relics reveals the fact that it was made from a pine-tree (Rohault de Fleury, "Mémoire sur les instruments de la Passion", Paris, 1870, 63).

Everything has some very interesting comments about the Aleppo Pine that grows in dry climates in the Mediterranean region.

The Aleppo pine, also known as Jerusalem pine, and its close relative, the Brutian pine, are a fixture in the Mediterranean....

This pine grows rather quickly, reaching a respectable height within five years and eventually growing to a height of about 20m (60'), especially if spaced in parks or reforestation projects. It will live to be about 150 years old. In the wild it's often shorter and stunted specimens can be seen living a precarious existence on steep, rocky inclines. Its timber has been used in construction and shipbuilding since ancient times.

There is one theory that says that the Aleppo pine is the original Christmas tree. That actually makes sense. Although we associate the Christmas tree with the spruce or larch of northern climates and surround it with very un-Mediterranean quantities of snow, the pine was the sacred tree of Attis. Now Attis was a thoroughly solar god, and this widespread evergreen figures prominently in his myth and rites, one of which is the winter solstice feast which Christians adopted early on in their history and long before Christianity spread to northern Europe. In the spring equinox rite a pine was cut down and on it was placed an effigy of the god that was then taken to his mother Cybele. Attis would rise on the third day.

So there you have it. Next time you see a Christmas tree, think of easter bunnies. The pine, either Aleppo or Brutian since the ancients didn't really make the distinction between different conifers, is generally thought to be the "fir" of the Hebrew scriptures and, according to one myth, it was blessed by the infant Jesus when it hid the Holy Family during their flight from Herod. The tree also figured in the rites of Bacchus....

The Aleppo pine is a tree used in the service of false gods that may have been used to crucify the real God-man, Jesus Christ. Don't forget that "groves" is used 24 times in the Old Testament to describe the the outdoor places located in or near trees where pagan altars and images were displayed and worshipped. The wooden cross of Jesus is a great sign of contradiction, even more so when we consider the history of the Aleppo pine and Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross.

Kansas City Catholic Conversion!

Kansas City Catholic has converted to Kansas Catholic! Just to let you know my favorite blogger, WOLFTRACKER, is actively blogging at his new location.

Down Syndrome Baby?

The pregnant wife was approaching the age when she knew birth defects became more common. It was impossible to ignore the information that babies born to older mothers are slightly more likely to have Down Syndrome with consequent genetic abnormalities.

Down syndrome is characterized by a combination of birth defects, including some degree of mental retardation, characteristic facial features and, often, heart defects, visual and hearing impairment, and other health problems. One of the first signs of Down Syndrome is a single crease across the palm of a baby's hand, rather than the child's palm having the typical three creases.

Downs' Syndrome children are usually the most loving and joyful children parents will have, as The Catholic Down Syndrome Society and others will confirm. I remember a woman introducing her daughter who told us a little about herself--what she liked and how much she loved everything! What came across so forcefully for me was how happy the daughter was to be alive. The mother was an extremely bright career woman who admitted she had never really grown a "sensitive heart" until her Down Syndrome daughter came into her life.

Yet every family wants healthy children, and this particular family of my story prayed diligently for a successful pregnancy and a healthy baby. The father was especially worried about his wife and their child in her womb and so prayed the rosary every day on his way to and from work.

When the baby was born, both mother and father were quite apprehensive when the infant girl had a single crease in her palm. Their worries heightened when the doctor expressed his concern that the baby's heart had a hole that had not closed properly. Even though the baby appeared outwardly normal, everyone was concerned that the little girl had Down Syndrome.

The little baby grew and is now a talkative, energetic, and bright cherub who is the delight of her parents and siblings. Her heart closed properly without medical intervention within three months of her birth. The single crease in the palm--well, it's still there but there appears to be no impairments to the child's health or intelligence.

I tell this true story to show that small miracles happen quite often to people who pray regularly and who are generous with God. They learn that God's generosity will never be outdone by their own. "Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened..."

Not every story is like the above one. For another story about a Down Syndrome baby born recently to Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska, see here. I was especially impressed by her husband's comments: "We shouldn't be asking, 'Why us?' We should be saying, 'Well, why not us?'" I guess God had other plans for Gov. Palin.

Papa Benedict XVI, the Juggler

If there has ever been a master juggler of a Pope, Papa Benedict XVI is It. Think about how many fiery hot rings he has been given to juggle--all at the same time! And not one of these can be dropped without serious spiritual and historical repercussions. At times it seems Pope Benedict is juggling the entire future of world history in his hands, as he attempts to:

1. Restore the liturgy
2. Inspire and train youth to follow Jesus Christ
   
3. Continue dialogue with the Orthodox, especially to build up a Christian defense against Secularism that is responsible for the death of Christian culture in western countries
   
4. Integrate the Chinese Patriotic Church without offending the long-time loyal Underground Church in China
5. Resolve the irregular situation of the Society of St. Pius X
6. Clean the Vatican house of insubordination
   
7. Deal with the sexual scandals caused by priests
8. Strengthen the hierarchy with firmly Catholic bishops
9. Halt the progress of militant Islam
10. Welcome traditionalists of other churches that oppose women priests and homosexuality
    
11. Affirm and promote the Church's positions on a multitude of important religious and social issues
12. Write a new (third) encyclical that will be issued this fall

I believe that if anyone on earth needs our prayers at this time, it is 82-year old Papa Benedict XVI. I don't see how he can avoid dropping one of these heavy, hot rings unless he receives the benefit of your many prayers.

Miracle of a Praying Woman

Several times in my life, I have seen very good things happen because of special spiritual circumstances and much intense prayer. This is one story, and several others will follow.

The old woman had lost most of her sight in one eye because of 'dry' macular degeneration. Once I asked her to cover her good eye and tell me about the vehicle ahead of us. She said she could see only to the sides, and couldn't see anything in front. Actually a big yellow school bus was right in front of us!

Eventually the lady's good eye began to deteriorate due to age-related 'wet' macular degeneration (wet AMD). Several laser surgeries were performed to stop the bleeding, but the disease was clearly becoming worse. The poor woman was very distraught because she knew she was going completely blind, and the doctor confirmed that the vision in her remaining eye was now worse than 20/500.

The old woman told me she was not able to read her daily prayers which she kept in a 3-ring binder. Someone had photocopied and significantly enlarged the print of the prayers, but even the very large letters were now indistinguishable. One of her daily prayers was to retain enough sight so that she could continue to read her prayers every morning.

A new treatment with Macugen injections had just been announced and the doctor decided to try the drug on the almost blind woman. The genetically engineered treatment is considered very helpful to halt further progress of wet AMD. However, the doctor noted that patients who start Macugen after wet AMD becomes advanced (as was this woman's disease) cannot expect much if any improvement.

After the course of treatment was completed, the praying woman had recovered most of her sight--better than 20/60 in the wet AMD-affected eye. The doctor marveled at her miraculous improvement and called her a "poster child" for Macugen. He said none of his other 60 patients had recovered their sight as well as this very old woman had.

Strangely, the elderly lady says that while she can now easily read her prayers, she still has a hard time seeing other things. My own opinion is that God gave her back the only sight she really needs.

Crime: Not Reported; Not Punished

It's not surprising that crime statistics in the U.S. show crimes against people and property are diminishing! A couple of personally-observed incidents make me realize that more and more crimes are not being reported to the police. These stories and other factors make me believe that significantly over 50 percent of crime is now unreported.

Add to that the problem of relatively few captures of criminals and even fewer convictions, and you realize a huge and growing problem is not being dealt with except through the privatization of security. Pay da' man and he will guard your property and person!

[The attached chart shows 2-year average data and identifies "Violent" crimes as including: rape/sexual assault, robbery, aggravated and simple assault. "Property" crimes include: household burglary, theft, and motor vehicle theft.]

Personally, I just learned that all U.S. mail containing economic stimulus checks sent to residents of a nursing home was opened by the nursing home, even though the mail was individually addressed to the residents. One nursing home resident wondered what had happened to her missing check and asked the bookkeeper, who then pulled the stack of checks out of her drawer. All Treasury checks had been removed from their original envelopes.

In the second situation, a "bad" guy drove three times into a fence and tore it down, resulting in over a hundred dollars damage each time. It appeared the man had to be drunk, on drugs, or typically drove in a fit of anger.

Why were these two crimes not reported? The nursing home resident whose check was intercepted fears retribution if she complains or reports the crime. She knows the employees are in total control of her life, and she can't afford to make enemies.

The old lady with the broken fence fears the man who tore down her fence, wonders what good it will do to report the incident to the police, and observes that homeowners' insurance rates will be raised if she reports the damage. She also believes that justice cannot be done because the guy has no money.

The two incidents and other factors inspired me to research the topic of Vigilantism, one of the most interesting subjects I've ever read on Wikipedia. [Note that the Wikipedia definition defines "Vigilante" as a single person. This definition is not historically sound because Vigilantism typically is implemented by committees or groups of citizens. For example, see the example of the citizens of Skidmore, MO.]

Vigilantism can be thought of as the insurance of justice outside of relying solely on government institutions. One way is through the use of private security firms. Private security officers are paid to both deter and capture criminals, but they have no responsibility for insuring justice after arrest of criminals.

Several years ago during Christmas sales, I saw two private security agents tackle a guy running from a store with a piece of electronic equipment in his arms. I found myself clapping as the "bad" guy got caught. Most interestingly, virtually all the many people in the vicinity ended up clapping too! People want justice, and right now very little justice exists--for a multitude of reasons.

How close are we to when Vigilantism will necessarily grow and possibly flourish? Certainly, a Vigilante Committee composed of responsible citizens always takes second place to law and order agencies established by the government. If criminal environments are successfully dealt with by government institutions, civilization has a firm foundation, and vigilantism is unwarranted.

Vigilantism may be necessary when a very large proportion of crime succeeds without interference from law and order agencies. Read the history references in the Wikipedia article before deciding. Especially see here, here, and here.

Damian Thompson of The Telegraph

I'm going to scan more frequently the short summaries of British news regarding the Roman Catholic Church written by Damian Thompson. Back in late 2007, he reported Pope Benedict XVI was moving faster to accomplish "breathtakingly ambitious" goals. Recent events seem to bear out Damian Thompson's 2007 analysis, including:

It's shaming to have to admit that the bishops of my own Church are the chief obstacle to a significant move of Anglo-Catholic clergy and lay people into full communion with the Holy See - but that's the way it was last time, in the early 1990s, and it's still the case today.

Fortunately, Pope Benedict XVI is more open to experiment than Pope John Paul II. He is taking a close interest in the progress of the rebel Traditional Anglican Communion towards reunion - a process which is under the control of the Congregration for the Doctrine of the Faith, not the Vatican's woolly-minded ecumenists.

I can't betray confidences, but my advice is: look at the new church structures, such as Old Rite parishes [see June 29 DT post], that the Pope is already encouraging, and ask yourself how those models might be adapted for the use of former Anglicans.

Add Damian Thompson to your blog list.

After Archbishop Burke Goes to Rome ?

Lots of sites, both blogs and news media, comment on the appointment of Archbishop Raymond Burke of St. Louis to head the Vatican's "Supreme Court." His new title is Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura and he will be moving to Rome. A St. Louis Newspaper says:

Burke said he will leave St. Louis for Rome at the end of August, but that because St. Louis is an archdiocese, the Vatican would be apt to name a successor soon. He would not mention candidates but said he would consult privately with Benedict to recommend bishops who would fit well in St. Louis.

So, "Who will be the next Archbishop of St. Louis?" My own opinion is that either one of the two Kansas City Bishops could easily be chosen to return to St. Louis from whence they came. Both men are tall and strong Catholic bishops who have recently and successfully instituted reforms to strengthen the Church in the two dioceses of Greater Kansas City.

Their efforts have resulted in creating a new program to confront the evil of pornography, significantly cleaning up two diocesan newspapers of unorthodox opinions, instituting a major annual celebration of the Holy Eucharist, supporting Catholic communities that treasure the old Latin Mass, reforming Catholic education by appointing new and energetic personnel faithful to Catholic doctrine, etc.

Bishop Robert Finn of Kansas City, MO is a likely candidate because of his public relations/news media background that makes him an interesting and articulate leader, and who has been mostly successful in rebuilding the Kansas City diocese with loyal Catholics. Here's how Rocco Palmo of "Whispers in the Loggia" described Bishop Finn in his confrontation with uncooperative liberals who once controlled diocesan structures when Finn first came to Kansas City:

And anyone who has an eagerness for all-out warfare in Kansas City doesn't know Bob Finn and how he operates. He's way too smart -- and effective -- to be a polemicist. In his prior incarination as editor of the St. Louis Review, Finn did block an ad for a talk being given at St. Louis University by John Allen because of the editorial stances of Allen's employer. It caused a similar tempest in a teapot at the time in the Rome of the West.

If anything, it seems, the more constructive (and, ergo, preferred) strategy would be not to defang the Reporter but to build up the Catholic Key as a faithful, well-crafted, informative and orthodox alternative to the gang down the street. That'd be very much in keeping with Finn's earthy, nonconfrontational style and his savvy for building the church in its best light. If anyone could pull it off credibly, it's Finn.

The other Kansas City Bishop is Archbishop Joseph Naumann, who perhaps has the better chance of replacing Archbishop Burke. This affable St. Louis native is just as good a writer as Bishop Finn, and he has shown substantial strength and wisdom in publicly instructing Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius to abstain from receiving Holy Communion until she repents.

Sebelius is a strong pro-abortion "Catholic" who was the featured speaker last year at Planned Parenthood's annual fundraising banquet. [Planned Parenthood is the biggest abortion provider in the U.S.] Gov. Sebelius is considered a front-runner for selection by Senator Obama for his vice-president.

Both Bishop Finn and Archbishop Naumann are gentlemen committed to the Catholic faith. St. Louis could not do better than to receive either of them as the new Archbishop of St. Louis. Of course, many, many Kansas City Catholics would mourn either one of them leaving us.

Mother of 11 Children Needs Your Prayers

Someone just sent me an email that reports a wonderful Kansas City mother of eleven children (a baby newly born on June 13) is now hospitalized with blood clots in the lungs. These clots can be life threatening and the treatment can be long and even require surgery, according to the NIH.

Please pray for R.R. whose family needs her so badly. She is a convert who attends the Latin Mass in Kansas City, and I'm going to ask Blessed Michael Davies to intercede with God for her return to good health.

Minimum Agreement? Assimilation or Union?

The five conditions in Cardinal Hoyos' letter of seem carefully worded to allow the FSSPX to accept a minimum proposed agreement with Pope Benedict XVI--perhaps a first step. As translated by Rorate Coeli, here are the five conditions outlined by Cardinal Hoyos and my personal comments:

1. The commitment to a response proportionate to the generosity of the Pope.

Clearly this first of five conditions is not very specific. The "generosity of the Pope" is not specified, but action(s) are implied, possibly even a personal prelature for the FSSPX. Thus, the response of the FSSPX needs to consist of charitable ("generous") actions, as distinguished from words/agreements. Actions could include spiritual activities and gifts, or simply provide a basis for a future, more detailed, agreement with Rome. The FSSPX might also offer priestly support to selected papal endeavors, such as a special mission for conversion of Islam. Actually, my interpretation of this condition is that the Pope already has recommended to the FSSPX the particular response that he wants from a particular generous action to begin a more complete union into the framework of the Church.

2. The commitment to avoid every public intervention which does not respect the person of the Holy Father and which may be negative to ecclesial charity.

This one might be more difficult for the FSSPX, because it states the FSSPX should respect "the person," rather than "the office," of the Holy Father. Other questions arise. What if the present Pope is succeeded by Paul VII? Does the commitment attach to the next Pope, too? The width of this condition implies that under no circumstances can the Pope be publicly criticized! However, this condition always must be interpreted in the Scriptural framework of St. Paul's criticism of Pope St. Peter.

The words "which may be negative to ecclesial charity" is another picky point. Why did this condition not say "which is negative..."? Some commenters have complained that this condition for reconciliation simply says that the FSSPX must "shut up!" in the future. No more complaining about how the Pope is running the Church. BUT, the condition doesn't say that the Vatican bureaucracy cannot be publicly criticized. Mmmm?

3. The commitment to avoid the claim to a Magisterium superior to the Holy Father and to not propose the Fraternity in contraposition to the Church.

I fail to see how this condition would be a problem for the FSSPX because they don't claim to be a "super Magisterium." Rather, they rightly state that all teachings of the Holy Father must conform to the traditional teaching of the Church. If I were in the FSSPX, I could sign this point without any qualms whatsoever because the Church with its Papacy is what I defend. Modernist churches are another matter, so the third condition wouldn't restrict the FSSPX in proselytizing members of church communities in apostasy.

4. The commitment to display the will to act honestly in full ecclesial charity and in respect for the authority of the Vicar of Christ.

The fourth condition appears to be rather nebulous, but I suspect the FSSPX knows what is meant. Nothing here seems to be a real problem, unless one wants to get 'real particular'.

5. The commitment to respect the date - fixed for the end of the month of June - to respond positively. This shall be a condition necessary and required as an immediate preparation for adhesion to accomplish full communion.

This may be a good thing for the FSSPX to decide quickly before pressures build up one way or another. The five conditions seem to be a good start but that will have some pauses in the future. The road now seems to be open, even though under construction.

MP3 Player/Recorder--How to Use

A friend points out that she lost a very nice tape recorder, and concluded that some things happen that we don't understand until later. I sympathized with her and pointed out that recently I ordered two $22 MP3 player/recorders because there was no sales tax or delivery charge [make sure you check the cheapest shipping box.] Stores in the KC area sell other MP3 players for only a little more.

I took my first Sansa m250 with me on vacation a month ago to the East Coast where some of my relatives live. I had loaded the unit with some great talks from Audio Sancto. One of the sons of a nephew is 19-years old, intelligent, quite handsome, and enrolled in technical school. I asked him what he liked to do in his spare time, and he responded that he liked to read history.

I had just finished listening to a very interesting talk about the Islamic wars of the 16th/17th centuries, that ends with the Western victory at the Battle of Lepanto (talk can be downloaded here--see 2006-10-01). So I asked the young man if he would like to listen to it. When he said yes, I gave him the MP3 player/recorder to keep. While his Dad is a fallen away Catholic, the son's mind appears to be open. [If the front door is locked, try the back door!]

The second MP3 player/recorder came last week and I again downloaded about 20 talks from Audio Sancto. An old lady I know mentioned she had not been able to use her broken recorder for several months. Because of her hearing loss, she had been unable to hear sermons in her church. So that's what happened to the second MP3 player. She called me day before yesterday and said she had listened to over two hours of Fr.'s sermons! What a great way to spread the faith with a MP3 player/recorder that only costs $21.99--the price of a good book!

Blessed Michael Davies, Swamp Guide

For quite some time, I've thought about who will be acknowledged as the Saints of the past 40 years who led us through the Swamp of Modernism. This swamp, like others, is a dark place with shallow, dirty water, and where shadows hide biting bugs, alligators, frogs, and snakes. Step into this swamp and you'll sink underfoot in the soft underlying mud. It's easy to get lost in a swamp and if you go there, you need to have a good guide.

One person I believe deserves to be called Blessed is the authoritative guide to the Swamp of Modernism for the past 40 years. Michael Davies (1936-2004) was the English historian and author who helped me and many others understand that we were seeing "reruns" of prior errors that afflicted the Church in the past--but on a bigger screen!

Those of us who lived through the debilitating feelings of religious depression following Vatican II often were confronted with temptations that the Church wasn't what She formerly said She was. The new Church was changeable-and her orientation depended on which way the wind blew. We saw Churchmen say that what was black was now white (or at least light gray), and what was wrong was now ok! Seemingly, the Church had confusingly set Her sails, and didn't seem to know the direction away from Hell and to Heaven. So many Catholics were diabolically disoriented in this terrible environment that they lost they faith.

It was Michael Davies who relentlessly explained the nature and causes of the liturgical decomposition of the Roman rite of the Catholic Church that occurred following Vatican II. He argued successfully that the Church was still the Bride of Christ and would survive, unchanged. His written works include many pamphlets, past columns in The Remnant Newspaper and other periodicals, and his masterful three-volume set on The Liturgical Revolution. He was also a humorist, and I and many others loved to read the stories about his students in an English classroom.

Part 1 of The Liturgical Revolution was published in 1976 as a small paperback, Cranmer's Godly Order, by Augustine Publishing Company in Great Britain. Subtitled "The Destruction of Catholicism through Liturgical Change", the book observed that the Church was "at present undergoing what is certainly the greatest crisis since the Protestant Reformation, quite possibly the greatest since the Arian heresy." The book has been revised and expanded a number of times since 1976.

Davies pointed out that "An examination of the new Catholic Mass makes it clear that the old Mass has been changed in a way which comes very close to what Cranmer did, and for which he has been censured by Pope, theologians, and Catholic historians." Davies' compared the novelties introduced in the new Mass following Vatican II with the changes instituted in the Mass of the 16th century by the Catholic turned Protestant, Archbishop Thomas Cranmer.

Dr. John Senior of the Integrated Humanities Program at the University of Kansas during the 1970s read the small paperback and concluded that Davies' powerful, historically-based observations were right. From that time, Dr. Senior believed the restoration of the old Latin Mass was necessary. [Senior's program at KU helped to encourage many religious vocations of today, including at least two Bishops.]

Three and a half years ago, Michael Davies died, and Pope Benedict XVI wrote:

“I have been profoundly touched by the news of the death of Michael Davies. I had the good fortune to meet him several times and I found him as a man of deep faith and ready to embrace suffering. Ever since the Council he put all his energy into the service of the Faith and left us important publications especially about the Sacred Liturgy. Even though he suffered from the Church in many ways in his time, he always truly remained a man of the Church. He knew that the Lord founded His Church on the rock of St Peter and that the Faith can find its fullness and maturity only in union with the successor of St Peter. Therefore we can be confident that the Lord opened wide for him the gates of heaven. We commend his soul to the Lord’s mercy.”

Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger
9 November 2004

We need a special Saint in heaven to intercede for the reconversion of all the young (and sometimes old) souls who have been lost in the dark and diabolical swamp of the past 40 years. Michael Davies, please pray that God will restore the Church's former beauty to attract Her children again.

Blessed Michael, diligent defender of the truths of the Catholic faith, I urgently recommend to you the souls of (N, N) whom Jesus redeemed with the Holy Sacrifice of His body and blood on the Cross. Touch the hearts of all prodigal children and assist them to find their way back to the eternal Sacrifice you so ably promoted. Don't abandon (N, N) as they can still plead for God's mercy before the finality of God's justice will prevail at the end of their lives.

You know how deplorable is the hemorrhaging of the Church as many Catholics have fallen into disbelief and apostasy, and how diabolical influences continue to dominate their lives. In particular, I fear my loved ones are in danger of losing their eternal salvation because of this long, long winter of the past 40 years. Please beseech Our Saviour, whom you so ardently loved, to create and intensify a new Springtime in the Church. [Not ecclesiastically approved]

2010 Census--David's Servant or Slave

Much planning has gone into the 2008 U.S. Census. This will be the first census to use hand-held computing devices with GPS capability, a feature to collect even more data about our citizens. The question becomes more pronounced--are we servants, or are we slaves of the State?

I'm on travel and often pick up the Gideon Bible (New King James version, 1982) published by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and read a little of the old Testament. In my home Bible (Douay-Rheims), I finally finished reading the old Testament about two months ago. This morning I saw an interesting reference to counting people in a nation. [Another important Biblical reference to a census is the one being conducted when Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem when his foster father, Joseph, was required to register in his city of origin.]

This morning I re-read I Chronicles 28, 21 where David was inspired by Satan to conduct a census of Israel. Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel. Joab tried to dissuade David by saying But my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? Why then does my lord require this thing? Why should he be a cause of guilt in Israel?

David then counted his people in a census and found that Israel had one million one hundred thousand men who drew the sword.

True Love

True love comes from the small garden of a very old lady who is keeping very few strawberries for herself and giving the best ones to her daughter.

The Saint of Buffonery, Fun, and Practical Jokes

Today is the feast of St. Philip Neri. I read a comic book on his life (possibly in the old Treasure Chest comics of the 1940's and 1950's) when I was in grade school. I won't ever forget there was a drawn picture of the saint with half his face shaved and the other half with a beard. In the story, St. Philip Neri explains to the party that he is adopting the new style of the day.

A short excerpt from a biography shows St. Philip Neri must be the patron saint of comedians and practical jokesters--but with the purpose of destroying pride and growing the virtues of patience and humility.

His extravagant behavior cannot be passed over without some explanation. Why, for example, when certain Polish noblemen came to visit him at the Vallicella, seeking edification, did he have read aloud the most ridiculous passages from pastor Arlotto saying that it was his spiritual reading? Why, when invited to the house of one of his penitents, a rich Roman lady who had invited him to meet her worldly relatives, did he arrive with half his beard shaved off? Why, when some scholarly Bishop, little given to jesting, attended his Mass, did he commit every possible error in pronunciation? Why did he sometimes wear a red jersey or a fur coat over his cassock? Why did he walk through the streets carrying a bouquet of flowers in his hand, or perform a burlesque dance before an audience of Cardinals chanting comic verses which he made up as he went along?

I think St. Philip Neri made himself a laughing stock to hide both his brilliance and holiness--and also perhaps to bring an understanding of our childishness to even the highest people. After reading the above paragraph, he apparently still may confuse some people. Frankly, I think this particular saint would be great company!

Eucharistic Family Rosary Crusade -- Kansas City

Last year I participated in the Eucharistic procession from St. Thomas More parish to Avila College in Kansas City. This year, our two Kansas City Bishops (MO and KS) greatly expanded the devotions to publicly adore our Blessed Savior in a Eucharistic procession and Benediction, and to honor His Mother with the recitation of the rosary. The Bishops jointly sponsored a Eucharistic Family Rosary Crusade held this afternoon at Kaufman Stadium, home of the Kansas City Royals.

I was very impressed with the crowd size and especially with the reverence and faith that were displayed by the participants. It was clear that many, many volunteers were required to work, and work efficiently, for the success of the Crusade. Several people that I spoke with were impressed and clearly glad they had come, including a young couple from a suburban Kansas parish who brought their six children.

For the past forty years, I've wondered when (or if) I would ever see even the beginnings of a restoration of the Church in the U.S. This evening, I am rejoicing that Archbishop Joseph Naumann and Bishop Robert Finn have and are instituting a plan to reinvigorate the Church as the great City on the hill. Worshiping our Lord in the Eucharist and asking Mary to help us by reciting her Rosary are clearly the foundation of this plan.

Here are some photos of the Crusade. Hopefully, they convey the great spirit and impact of the event.

Kansas City Catholic Shock!

Wolftracker turned off comments today on "KCC Signs Off" at Kansas City Catholic. Our friend announces that "This blog has ended. Go in peace."

He says:

...blogging takes a certain amount of time. Since the new year, I have had less time to devote to KCC than previously. I think that has been obvious. I have left but three posts on this version of KCC.

So what? Wolftracker seems to have unreasonable expectations that he can always work at close to 100 percent on his blog, even when family and professional duties are paramount. Hopefully as he gets older he will see that working even at 20 percent gets a lot of good done--over time. Yes, daily visits will decrease, but that is mostly a shock to the ego--not an indication of the value of the blog posts.

Looking back in my life, one of my regrets includes totally dropping difficult tasks, whereas I simply should have slowed down or taken a vacation. I'll miss Kansas City Catholic. It's worse than the neighborhood grocery store that closes suddenly with no warning. At least then we knew where to picket. What a loss.

June 2, 2008 ADDENDUM: Wolftracker has contacted me privately and I am ashamed that I challenged his reasons for ending Kansas City Catholic. He states:

....giving it up was/is difficult. But I have not dropped a difficult task because I found it difficult but ... because there are other priorities in my life that have a greater claim on my time and will have greater claim for some time to come.

Now there are new Catholic blogs in KC....they deserve a chance....In the meantime, I have to finish this novel that I am writing . . . I can work on that privately and at a pace without the daily 'deadline' of a blog. Having that done will make any new blog (of mine) all the better when the time comes.

Msgr. Mejak, Five Months Later

After a long winter, the grave of Msgr. Heliodore Mejak now has a nice tombstone and people have brought flowers since his death on last Christmas Eve. I've meant to add some additional information that has come up since then, and this seems an appropriate time.

If you remember, this very old priest (age 98) was active until the last week of his life as pastor of Holy Family Church in Kansas City, KS. After being in the hospital for several days, Msgr. Mejak was recovering and told visitors he wanted to come back to say Christmas Mass--a favorite feast. But another priest, Fr. Peter Jaramillo (now the administrator of Holy Family Parish), came to offer the Mass on Christmas morning.

One woman in the choir, Kathy R, told an interesting story at Msgr's wake. She and the other choir members were unaware that Msgr. Mejak had died during the night and were looking at their music books to prepare to sing the next Christmas hymn. Kathy said she then heard Msgr. Mejak saying the Mass prayers together with Fr. Jaramillo. She said she looked up, but only Fr. Jaramillo was there. It was only later that the choir and the parish was informed that Msgr. Mejak had died.

A couple of other stories include the woman who was overheard at the wake to say that she wished she was audacious enough to reach out to the casket and take a clip of his hair. Another person reported that Msgr. Mejak had chosen his own Mass readings for his funeral. Humbly, he had chosen the story of St. Dismas for the Gospel, even though he was much more than a simple parish priest. It seems that few knew he had completed all of coursework necessary for a doctorate in Sacred Theology at Catholic University of America.

Archbishop Naumann, God Bless!

The Kansas City Star (here and here) is furious that Archbishop Joseph Naumann, a big man with an even bigger heart, continues to try to persuade Kansas governor Kathleen Sebelius that she cannot be a good Catholic and still receive Holy Communion when she promotes abortion. The Archbishop is kind but firm:

Since becoming archbishop, I have met with Governor Sebelius several times over many months to discuss with her the grave spiritual and moral consequences of her public actions by which she has cooperated in the procurement of abortions performed in Kansas. My concern has been, as a pastor, both for the spiritual well-being of the governor but also for those who have been misled -- scandalized -- by her very public support for legalized abortion.

I have not made lightly this request of Governor Sebelius, but only after much prayer and reflection. The spiritually lethal message, communicated by our governor, as well as many other high profile Catholics in public life, has been in effect: “The church’s teaching on abortion is optional!”

I reissue my request of the faithful of the archdiocese to pray for Governor Sebelius. I hope that my request of the governor, not to present herself for holy Communion, will provoke her to reconsider the serious spiritual and moral consequences of her past and present actions. At the same time, I pray this pastoral action on my part will help alert other Catholics to the moral gravity of participating in and/or cooperating with the performance of abortions.

The Archbishop's comments address a number of other critical and interesting issues. Please read his full, but not lengthy, statement.

St. Meinrad's and Ferdinand Community

We stopped at Ferdinand, Indiana as we traveled east because the "Sisters of St. Benedict" brochure obtained at a rest stop advertised their beautiful monastery church of the Immaculate Conception. The magnificent edifice took nine years to build--from 1915 to 1924. It is truly a testament to the faith of the people of that time who funded, designed, and constructed the church.

From one picture in the brochure (we saw no nuns during our visit), the community members no longer wear their habits. We also saw a "no-nuclear" sign as we entered the grounds. Their web site advertises "centering prayer," Sr. Joan Chittister's books, and other "liberal" stuff. I concluded that the monastery is populated mostly by nuns who would not be comfortable with their founders' lives and beliefs.

I didn't get the same disturbed feeling when we visited St. Meinrad's ArchAbbey and Seminary that lies several miles south of the Benedictine nuns. We actually saw two men dressed in black cassocks! This large seminary has been used by the Archbishop of Kansas City, KS to train future priests. Again we saw a magnificent structure built by our forefathers in faith.