So Sweet

Pope Loses Battle With Peace-Symbol Dove

Sunday January 30, 2005 11:16 PM

VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope John Paul II shooed a dove - a symbol of peace - out his apartment window Sunday, chuckling with children who watched in delight as the bird flew back into his room overlooking St. Peter's Square.

The pontiff was addressing thousands of young people from an Italian Catholic organization who marked January as a month to promote peace.

He was flanked at his studio window by a pair of 8-year-olds - a boy and girl - who urged the world to remember children who live in countries wracked by war.

John Paul prayed that young people, ``who so desire peace, become courageous and tenacious builders'' of peace.

Each of the children at his side sent a dove flying, but the white birds, perhaps alarmed by Rome's unusual cold spell, almost immediately darted back into his studio.

Laughing, the 84-year-old ailing pontiff seemed determined to set the symbol free. He grabbed one of the doves as an aide returned the birds to the window sill, and he shooed it out the window and playfully patted the boy on the head.

After a quick flight over the square, the bird quickly fluttered inside again as the pope grinned.

From the Guardian (AP).

Oh Yum!

Thank you, Lauren, for the chapstick. Mmmmmmm :)

Also for taking me away from my sociology. My nerves were fried. Ooops, still fried! But I gotta go do it ... ahh ...

Oh darn

I have waaaay tooooo much to do. I have to write six to eight pages for my history class mid-term, due next Monday, and I have no idea how to do it. Pant, pant. And I have a Sociology test tomorrow. I didn't buy the book for that class - dumb, dumb. And I have bugs crawling out of my ears. Okay, I'm lying about that. It might as well be true, since my brain has gone to rot ... ahk ...

Last night was supremely odd. They weren't having Adoration for some reason or other, so Mel and I went from St. Paul's to Taco Bell and then to the Donkey (the coffee shop we have here in Athens). Her big thing was apparently how Catholicism is allllll wrooooong. It was the same old crap about how we worship Mary etc. etc. - if you've read one "Death to the Papists!" pamphlet you've read them all.

Idddddiiiiiioooootss! I should be charitable. Maybe she hadn't had it explained to her before. I spent about ten minutes explaining the difference between dulia (the respect we give to the saints) hyperdulia (the way we honor Mary) and latria (worship, which means it's for God alone). She still didn't get it! And it wasn't just because she didn't know Greek.

She is also one of those people who like to throw Scripture quotes at you. The thing is, you can find lots of contradictory statements in Scripture, especially from Old Testament to New; if you've ever seen "sola scriptura" people debate, you know what I'm talking about - we can play the Game of Dueling Scripture Quotes all day long. I knew of a couple verses that contradicted what Mel was saying, and I showed her how the "Hail Mary" comes word-for-word from the Gospel according to St. Luke. She seemed rather annoyed. "Catholics aren't supposed to know the Bible!" Bleeeeeehhhhh.

Anyway, she's going to give me a big list of all the things that are wrong with the Church. The nice thing about my position is that I didn't go to Mass until I was 18, I wasn't raised to believe any of it and before I decided to "revert" I studied what the Church believed and whether it made sense and matched up with history. I was convinced intellectually; it wasn't the result of some previous emotional attachment. So I've encountered all these claims against the Papacy and Mary and the Real Presence before, looked into them, and found them lacking. I don't think they can have come up with anything new. Maybe "all priests dally with little boys!!!!" or something lovely like that.

Whaaat do nuns do all day?

(A nun on her wedding day :)

The full quote from the Pope is: "It is time to propose the religious life once again as a serious plan of life to show the nobility of the total gift of one's heart to God."

Some people were wondering (ahem :) so here is a sample schedule from the Poor Clares of Rockford, Illionis. As you can see, they go to bed at 9, wake up at 12:30, go back to bed at 1:45, and rise again at 5. Most Carmelites don't do that, I don't think, but still it is verrrrry POD!! I wonder if I would be up to that ... maybe ... lol, it's always "maybe!"

You can see that they call Lunch "Dinner" and Supper, "Collation."

12:30 am Rise
12:45 am Matins (Office of Readings)
1:45 am Retire
5:00 am Rise

Dusting charge

5:30 am Lauds (Morning Prayer)
6:00 am Meditation
7:00 am Rosary
7:30 am Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

Thanksgiving

Breakfast

Work period

9:30 am The Abbess' blessing
Terce (Midmorning Prayer)

Work period

11:45 am Sext (Midday Prayer)
12:00 pm Angelus & Examen

Dinner

1:00 pm General Work
1:30 pm Quiet Time
2:00 pm None (Midafternoon Prayer)

Work period

4:30 pm Vespers (Evening Prayer)
Scripture Reading
5:30 pm Angelus

Collation (Supper)

6:30 pm Recreation
7:30 pm Compline (Night Prayer)

Free Time

9:00 pm Retire

Next Chief Supreme?

Antonin Scalia has always been my personal favorite for the next Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (may Justice Rehnquist live and serve for a long time still.) Ugh, that last line sounds a bit like "Live long and prosper ..."

Scalia: Faithful live for Christ

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia said Saturday that people of faith should not fear being viewed by "educated circles" as "fools for Christ."

The justice -- in Baton Rouge to address the Knights of Columbus Council 969 centennial celebration without charging a fee -- told a largely Roman Catholic crowd of 350 at the Holiday Inn Select that there's nothing wrong with "traditional Christianity."

"To believe in traditional Christianity is something else," Scalia said. "For the son of God to be born of a virgin? I mean, really. To believe that he rose from the dead and bodily ascended into heaven? How utterly ridiculous. To believe in miracles? Or that those who obey God will rise from the dead and those who do not will burn in hell?

"God assumed from the beginning that the wise of the world would view Christians as fools ... and he has not been disappointed."

...

The Catholic justice -- raised in the New York City Borough of Queens, and the father of nine children, one of them a priest -- has become an anti-abortion hero to many in the American political right and a leading conservative voice on the court.

He has described himself as an "originalist," following the Constitution as written by the Founding Fathers, rather than interpreting it to reflect the changing times.

Read the rest.

I really stink

Not just in reality, but metaphorically too! :)

I just got done writing a "disaster" story for my Newswriting class. Does three inches of snow count as a disaster? Oh well. I guess the professor thinks so. She gave us "notes" - made up, of course - with information from different sources that had been "interviewed." There is no Center City, Ohio. I don't think there is, anyway. Notice how my style is all choppy. ::: sob ::: I wonder if I will ever get decent at this ...

CENTER CITY, OHIO - An unseasonably early snowfall here Wednesday surprised locals and caused major traffic problems, resulting in injuries for some motorists.

Center City police Sgt. John Milne says police and troopers responded to more than 90 accidents from Wednesday morning to late evening. Nearly 20 people were taken to Center City Hospital and mostly minor injuries were reported. On Bug Highway, there were five accidents within 30 minutes and one driver injured his leg, according to Trooper Dale Gibson.

The snow caught motorists off guard, said Sgt. Milne. "People should drive slowly and make sure to prepare their cars for winter ... people should also plan alternate routes and allow themselves more time to drive to work in the morning."

The snow is not expected to stay for long. George Calzada, a forecaster with the National Weather Service, said that the year's first snowfall began at 8:30 a.m. and brought three inches of accumulation. A change to rain on Thursday, accompanied by highs in the mid-40s, is expected to melt most of the snow. Calzeda said that new records were set for early winter weather. Previously, the earliest recorded snowfall in Center City happened on Sept. 1, 1944.

Officials at Center City International Airport report that air traffic has been unaffected and flights in and out will continue.

Center City Schools have not had to close, but officials are monitoring the situation, according to Superintendent Bob Bouse, who suggested tuning into TV or radio after 5 a.m. to learn of any schedule changes.

Skiers will not be able to take advantage of the unseasonable weather. John Houser, director of mountain operations for Center Mountain Ski Resort, said that not enough snow fell for a startup. He added that the resort usually opens in early November.

The early snowfall was an economic boon for some local businesses. Hegedus and Sons Firestone, Grand Auto Supply and P&G Auto all reported jumps in sales for weather-related products. "We've been selling snow blades like crazy," said Jeff Krummeck of Grand Auto Supply in East Center City. "I made more money today than I have in a week."

Ugh, ugh. Heh, my professor told us all about the wonderful development her previous classes showed by the time they finished the class. We'll see what she can do with me. Alas, methinks she is no miracle worker.

Prayer of Thomas Aquinas

Thanksgiving After Mass

Lord, Father all-powerful and ever-living God, I thank You, for even though I am a sinner, your unprofitable servant, not because of my worth but in the kindness of your mercy, You have fed me with the Precious Body and Blood of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

I pray that this Holy Communion may not bring me condemnation and punishment but forgiveness and salvation. May it be a helmet of faith and a shield of good will. May it purify me from evil ways and put an end to my evil passions. May it bring me charity and patience, humility and obedience, and growth in the power to do good. May it be my strong defense against all my enemies, visible and invisible, and the perfect calming of all my evil impulses, bodily and spiritual. May it unite me more closely to you, the One true God, and lead me safely through death to everlasting happiness with You.

And I pray that You will lead me, a sinner, to the banquet where you, with Your Son and holy Spirit, are true and perfect light, total fulfillment, everlasting joy, gladness without end, and perfect happiness to your saints. Grant this through Christ our Lord, AMEN.

Saint of the Week

One of my patrons.

SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS




1226 - 1274

FEAST DAY: JANUARY 28
"The Angelic Doctor"; "Doctor Communis"; "Great Synthesizer"; "The Dumb Ox"; "The Universal Teacher"
Patron Saint of Book Sellers, Students, Universities, Theologians, Philosphers, Publishers

St. Thomas Aquinas, priest and doctor of the Church, patron of all universities and of students. His feast day is January 28th. He was born toward the end of the year 1226. He was the son of Landulph, Count of Aquino, who, when St. Thomas was five years old, placed him under the care of the Benedictines of Monte Casino. His teachers were surprised at the progress he made, for he surpassed all his fellow pupils in learning as well as in the practice of virtue.

When he became of age to choose his state of life, St. Thomas renounced the things of this world and resolved to enter the Order of St. Dominic in spite of the opposition of his family. In 1243, at the age of seventeen, he joined the Dominicans of Naples. Some members of his family resorted to all manner of means over a two year period to break his constancy. They even went so far as to send an impure woman to tempt him. But all their efforts were in vain and St. Thomas persevered in his vocation. As a reward for his fidelity, God conferred upon him the gift of perfect chastity, which has merited for him the title of the "Angelic Doctor".

After making his profession at Naples, he studied at Cologne under the celebrated St. Albert the Great. Here he was nicknamed the "dumb ox" because of his silent ways and huge size, but he was really a brilliant student. At the age of twenty-two, he was appointed to teach in the same city. At the same time, he also began to publish his first works. After four years he was sent to Paris. The saint was then a priest. At the age of thirty-one, he received his doctorate.

At Paris he was honored with the friendship of the King, St. Louis, with whom he frequently dined. In 1261, Urban IV called him to Rome where he was appointed to teach, but he positively declined to accept any ecclesiastical dignity. St. Thomas not only wrote (his writings filled twenty hefty tomes characterized by brilliance of thought and lucidity of language), but he preached o ften and with greatest fruit. Clement IV offered him the archbishopric of Naples which he also refused. He left the great monument of his learning, the "Summa Theologica", unfinished, for on his way to the second Council of Lyons, ordered there by Gregory X, he fell sick and died at the Cistercian monastery of Fossa Nuova in 1274.

St. Thomas was one of the greatest and most influential theologians of all time. He was canonized in 1323 and declared Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius V.

From Catholic Online.

That went great!

I had my Confirmation class tonight. Oh, I was so nervous. But the priest was very nice! We went over the sacrament of Baptism, and we're going to go over the other sacraments every time we meet. I was the only one in the class. I am sooo relieved, ahhhhh.

No human explanation for weeping Madonna

From The Age:

A study into the case of a statue of the Madonna reported to have shed tears of blood a decade ago near Rome concluded the event has no human explanation, an Italian newspaper reported today ...

... "Everything - they (the experts) say unanimously - indicates that in that corner of the earth at the gates of Rome an event took place that has no human explanation and points at the mystery of the Supernatural," Corriere wrote ...

... In February 1995, a five-year-old girl claimed she saw the statue cry tears of blood.

The 43-centimetre tall statue was reported to have cried a total of 14 times in subsequent months. The city's bishop, Monsignor Girolamo Grillo, claimed the statue cried in his hands.

"We have not proclaimed that the tear-shedding of the Madonna was miraculous," Grillo told the ANSA news agency today.

"But the facts speak for themselves."

Here's what the statue looks like:





The Vatican has yet to say anything about the matter, but it certainly is interesting. Like the Shroud of Turin, it is not de fide; but still, it seems that science has failed on this point.

I will maybe write more later, when I have stopped freaking out about this Confirmation class thing.

Oh, goody

Mass was certainly odd today. Hardly anyone was there on account of the weather, and the organist couldn't make it in, so we sang without accompaniment. It was definitely shorter without a choir. I like the little-bit-longer, choir version better, though, he he.

I am hoping, hoping this Confirmation class thing goes okay. Pleaaaase don't let me be the only student. Of course, it would be worse if there were two other students and they were already chummy with the priest. Ugh. My shyness would stand out even more. So, pleaaaase don't let them be thick as thieves or else pleaaaase let me be the only one in the class.

Ah ... Is this a prayer being made "on the margin?" Too much econ studying ... bleh ...

Anyway, here is the goody in the title of this post: Napoleon Dynamite Soundboard. Bwaaa ha ha!! I particularly like "Hold on ... I forgot to put in the crystals."

Bunnies

Stole this from Kat's blog:



You are the "you suck, and that's sad"
happy bunny. You're truthful,
but can be a bit brutal.


which happy bunny are you?
brought to you by Quizilla


yes ... it all makes sense now ... ;)

Grim Anniversary

It has now been 32 years since Roe v. Wade. Interestingly, (and tellingly) the woman who was "Roe" all those years ago has since become an ardent pro-lifer:

From CNN (in 1998):

(CNN) -- Norma McCorvey won't be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the historic Roe vs. Wade decision that legalized abortion.

McCorvey is "Jane Roe," the pseudonym she assumed to remain anonymous as the lead plaintiff in the case that legalized abortion in the United States.

"I'm very sad (about the anniversary)," she told CNN Interactive in a telephone interview. "But this year, I've got so much to do, I don't have time to sit down and be sad."

Once an abortion-rights supporter, the 50-year-old McCorvey has switched sides: She's now a vocal anti-abortion activist. She has started a ministry called Roe No More to fight against abortion rights with the aim of creating a mobile counseling center for pregnant women in Dallas.

Read the rest here.

FYI: Later in 1998, McCorvey was recieved into the Roman Catholic Church. (see her press biography).

After over 28 years of guilt induced drug binges and various jobs in abortion clinics in an attempt to justify her involvement in the legalization of abortion, Norma McCorvey did the unthinkable. As the former “poster-girl” for abortion who, in the words of a friend, “jumped off of the poster and into the arms of Christ,” Norma truly began to live her life for herself. Norma has commented on her conversion, saying “after being Jane Roe and working in the reality of death at various abortion clinics, it began to eat away at my soul. God was my saving grace that literally saved my life.”

Inaugural Report From Betsy!!

Wow! No arrests for Mom! Just kidding :)

Okay, before everyone asks me how it went ...

Me and Ma rode the subway, stuffed in a train like sardines, to Judiciary Square, a subway stop I'm familiar with. I thought "oh this'll be great. I know where to go." Ma didn't think so, so she asked a 'scout volunteer' for directions. We had "Gold Tickets" (Nose bleed section) so she said 'go down to 7th street.'

So we went down to 7th street, and waited for security. It was a huge group, and we were quickly surrounded by 'ANSWER" protestors. And of course, there we were wearing our "W in 2004" buttons on our hats, surrounded by these people. Well, they were real nasty. One of them said to us 'Republicans don't want a democracy'. This one mean looking lady accused us of cutting in line (as if. There was no 'line', there was a huge blob of people. We were pushed further into the blob by the cops.)

So I gave this mean lady a cold stare, right into her face, and I said "Ma, I think we should go somewhere else. There are lots of hostile people here." Ma said "No, I'm not moving. She wants me to, so I'm not going to give into her." But then they were turning on tv cameras, and I told Ma, in a real loud voice, "Ma, I don't want to be photographed standing around with THESE PEOPLE. I have a CLEAN record. And it would damage my REPUTATION."

So then we hauled off to a 3rd street enterance. There were a number of protestors there too, but also lots of Bush people, and we felt more safe. I saw one buck-toothed lady holding a sign that said "Texas feminists say impeach Bush" or something like that. So, I took a photo so Shannon could ritually burn it later. Most of the protestors were college kids, they were from DC, because they were all shouting "get out of our city!" There weren't lots and lots of them, and I'm guessing they had nothing better to do (all the city colleges were closed for the day.)

They had a variety of chants, many so offensive, I can't repeat them. Others included "Who is the terrorist? Bush is the terrorist!" and "What do we want? peace! When do we want it? Now!" (Vietnam rehash, totally unoriginal.)

Security searched us in the typical 'spread 'em' pattern, and then we walked over to the Capital! The grounds were limited to ticket-holders, and all of these were Republicans. We got there two minutes before the Vice-President took his oath. The best part was hearing Chief Justice Rehnquist swear the President in. His voice was really tired, but he got through it!

As for the speech: I liked it. It was short, and eloquent. It was a little dark, though. It felt kinda like we were troops being rallied to go fight in the Apocalypse or something. Not so much "Hope" but more "All Hail the victorious dead!" (Lord of the Rings, Return of the King quote, when King Theodin is congratulating his people on their victory in Helm's Deep, but while the final battle of Minas Tirith looms ahead, am I not a dork or what)

Some wide-eyed crazy looking lady was weaving through the crowd, waving a foot-long hankercheif with red paint on it, whispering to us 'Bush is lying! He's hypnotizing you!" Ma said "we're trying to listen to a speech!" The guy next to us said ' thats news to me lady' and she ran off.

We didn't stay for the parade. On our way back there was some guy with a placard, and he was screaming, informing us that "George is the Anti-Christ!" . We went home and we watched the parade on t.v. Then we went out for dinner , and when we got back we watched all the coverage of the innagural balls, and Ma gave the thumbs up sign for Laura Bush's gown. Me, personally, I liked her red one last time better. But I thought the white thing she wore in the parade was way better than the blue thing she wore to the parade last time. Okay, now I'm a super dork.

All in all, gooood. Ma only fought with me a few times. It was great, and i have pictures! (Not of anyone famous, but still) Which I will be sending sometime! I just got back from delivering Ma to the airport. TTFN!!!!

Candlemas

Candlemas, also called the Feast of the Purification or the Feast of the Presentation, is celebrated on February 2.

From Christmas to Candlemas in a Catholic Home by Helen McLoughlin - from EWTN.

FEAST OF THE PURIFICATION

The feast of the Purification of our Blessed Mother closes the forty days of the Christmas season. The day is also called the Presentation of the Child in the Temple, or the feast of Candlemas. On this day each member of the family should receive his or her own blessed candle to be lighted on birthdays, baptismal anniversaries, first Holy Communion, and in sickness. This is another appropriate occasion to invite friends to a home ceremony.

The family, who with lighted candles goes in spirit to the Temple with our Lady, will learn a wonderful lesson of her humility. When Mary went to offer her first-born Son, Joseph carried the offering of the poor, two turtle-doves, symbols of purity and fidelity. According to Jewish law, one would be offered as a holocaust and the other for a sin offering. The Book of Leviticus reads: "The priest shall make atonement for her sin, and thus she will be made clean." Actually Mary, the God-bearer, was not subject to such a rite--no "purification" was necessary after a virginal giving birth to Christ. Nevertheless in her humility she observed the Law.

As the Holy Family enter the Temple, the aged Simeon and Anna, called by the Holy Spirit, wait to see the Child. It had been promised to Simeon that he would not die until he had seen the Savior. Mary, the living "Ark of the Covenant," guided by the same Spirit, welcomes the saintly old man and puts the Salvation of the world into his arms. "Now," he says, "Thou dost dismiss Thy servant in peace, O Lord, because mine eyes have seen Thy salvation which Thou hast prepared to enlighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel."

The blessing of candles, which takes place on this feast, is one of the three principal popular blessings conferred by the Church. Ashes and palms are the other two. The father of a family begins the home ceremony by gathering the family in candlelight around the crib for a last time.

Father: Lord Jesus Christ, the true Light that enlightens every man who comes into the world, pour forth Thy blessing upon these candles; sanctify them by the light of Thy grace and mercifully grant that as candles by their visible light scatter the darkness of night, so too our hearts, burning with invisible fire, may be freed from all blindness of sin. With the eyes of our soul purified by Thy Light, may we discern those things that art pleasing to Thee and helpful to us, so that having finished the darksome journey of this life, we may come to never-fading joys through Thee, O Jesus Christ, Savior of the world. In perfect Trinity Thou livest and reignest God forever.

All: Alleluia.

Christmas evening prayers follow the blessing (p. 14).

With the family and friends we usually have a candlelight procession from the dining room through the halls to the living room. There a Simeon of ten in a borrowed white Jewish prayer cap awaits Mary with her doll, wrapped in swaddling clothes to symbolize Baby Jesus, and a young Joseph carrying a cage with two pigeons made from modeling clay. In candlelight Simeon takes the child and prays his canticle. Then he blesses Joseph and Mary and adds: "Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and for the rise of many in Israel, and for a sign that shall be contradicted. And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."

Then the Antiphon, "It had been revealed to Simeon by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord," is sung or said in unison. A family could easily make its own prayer to the Queen of Heaven, asking that the graces of Forty Days remain with them for the year.

There is a prayer by Abbot Gueranger which we like for Candlemas:

"O Blessed Mother, the sword is already in your heart. You foreknow the future of the Fruit of your womb. May our fidelity in following Him through the coming mysteries of His public life bring some alleviations to the sorrows of your maternal heart."

Let's see if I can procrastinate some more

Still ice-cold here in good old Athens. Still snowing. Brrrr.

You know, I prefer extreme temperatures of cold to extreme temperatures of heat. When it's cold, everyone walks around bundled up and no one pays much attention to how anybody else looks; at least, not when they pass each other going from class to class. Also, one can complain about the cold with impunity. When it is hot, sunny and muggy, one gets the idea that disliking all that scorching sunshine is publicly considered a crime against nature which proves, if nothing else, that the guilty party is not a member of the species homo sapiens sapiens.

But everyone loathes frostbite, and so do I! Hooray for normality! (You gotta take it where you can get it).

Hmmm, interesting: New study confirms ancient origin for Shroud of Turin

Jan. 19 (CWNews.com) - New scientific tests on the Shroud of Turin have confirmed that the cloth dates back to around the time of Christ. The results dismiss a 1988 study that claimed the cloth was manufactured in the 13th or 14th century.

Well, the Shroud of Turin isn't de fide, that is, it isn't necessary to believe in it to be a Catholic. Still, there are lots of smart people who do. I'm leaning more toward belief.

Loverly

Listen to the GORGEOUS music, here, from EWTN. Especially listen to "Adoremus in Aeternum." My sister Betsy bought the CD, but it Belongs To Her. According To Her. Of Course There Is Also the Christian Tradition of Sharing and Giving. (Hint, hint, hint ;)

Oh, Yum

I am going to eat all of the candies pictured and keep eating until I die of diabetes. All that matters is going with chocolate all over my face! Who's with me? ... Just kidding. I really should be more concerned about my health. And I do appreciate gentle reminders to control my diet :)

I have to say I don't think the college years are well known as a period of "healthy living" in people's lives, but there are people trying to diet, and it is probably not pleasant for them to watch me scarfing sweets. It is very inconsiderate of me not to take this into account.

As far as diabetes itself goes, it is apparently not a "sugar" thing:

I think for years we have grown up with the misconception that highly refined carbohydrates (table sugar and sugar-containing foods) will cause diabetes. We can only safely say that diet rich in simple sugars is associated with cavities and not necessarily type 2 diabetes.

But then he goes on to say:

It appears that the overall number of calories we eat -- be it from fat or carbohydrates, simple or complex -- is more related to developing type 2 diabetes.

Urgh. Plenty of calories in chocolate cupcakes and muffins and Snickers, alas! ;) I am going to try to be at least a little bit better about this kind of thing.

As far as the positive effects of alcohol:

Binge drinking is defined as having four or more drinks at one sitting for females and five or more for males.

and this:

Is Moderate Drinking Beneficial to the Heart?

At this point, doctors aren't sure. Research is ongoing to clarify the relationship of alcohol and the heart. However, findings in recent years suggest that moderate alcohol consumption (wine or beer) does offer some protection against heart disease for some people. Moderate drinking is defined as no more than one drink per day for women and no more than two drinks per day for men. One drink is equal to the following: 12 ounces of beer or wine cooler, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor.

To my readers who have nooo idea what I am talking about: Fear not! Do not freak out! Especially y'all in my Hudson Fan Club ;) who know where my parental units live!

And then Maggie's limbs froze, fell off, and then at last she died

and they tried to bury her but the ground was too frozen and they couldn't throw her in the river (darn that ice!) so eventually they just put propped her up in front of the dorm computer with AOL Mail running, and no one could ever tell the difference. Least of all, her.

LOL, I guess I am just reminding myself to dress warm. This morning as I sat down in my Sociology class I was very shocked to discover that I had not aquired a sheet of ice on my face on the walk over. Also, that I could speak.

Martin Luther King Weekend went fine, although I got a lot less done than I expected. I hung out with Jen on Saturday and watched Safe Passage, with Susan Sarandon. It was tres bien. Later I went with Leslie to see A Series of Unfortunate Events, which was narrated in loverly style by Jude Law. Alas, we did not get to see the equally loverly-looking Mr. Law, except in profile. Tragedy.

It was a very good movie, though! It ended on a rather happier tone than the books, which I had already devoured (I mean, read) and enjoyed. I sure hope there will be sequals. Evidently it did quite well at the box office, so that's a good sign ...

The movie site (different from the one linked above) is quite funny.

And check out the super-amusing Countolaf.com. Someone very clever came up with all this ... ;)

I slept until 2 on MLK Day itself. I have not done that in years. Blast, I am regressing!

Saint of the Week

I strongly recommend finding out more about St. Agnes, since she was only 12 or 13 when she died and provides a fine example of someone standing up for their faith.

ST. AGNES



3rd Century Virgin and Martyr

Feastday: January 21

Patroness of Rape Victims, Chastity, Young Girls,
Engaged Couples


At age 12 or 13 Agnes was ordered to sacrifice to pagan gods and lose her virginity by rape. She was taken to a Roman temple to Minerva (Athena), and when led to the altar, she made the Sign of the Cross. She was threatened, then tortured when she refused to turn against God. Several young men presented themselves, offering to marry her, whether from lust or pity is not known. She said that to do so would be an insult to her heavenly Spouse, that she would keep her consecrated virginity intact, accept death, and see Christ. Martyr Foster-sister of Saint Emerentiana. Mentioned in first eucharistic prayer. On her feast day two lambs are blessed at her church in Rome, and then their wool is woven into the palliums (bands of white wool) which the pope confers on archbishops as symbol of their jurisdiction.

From Catholic Forum.

The Pope's Red Ferrari

From CWNews.com:

Vatican, Jan. 17 (CWNews.com) - Pope John Paul II met on January 17 with members of the Ferrari auto-racing team, who presented him with a red scale model of their world-championship car.

"Your presence here gives me the chance to emphasize how important sports are to modern society," the Pope told the Ferrari executives, engineers, and drivers. He said that the principles of sporting competition, including solidarity and fair play, could help to "build a more just and unified society."

Weeeell, that seems to be sort of stretching it. Then again, I am one of those people who avoids the sports pages. So I am probably just not "getting it." ;) Besides which, it is very cool to read a news story with both the words "Pope" and "Ferrari" in it. Apparently, about fifteen years ago, the Pope got to tool around in one, himself -

From the Montreal Gazette:

"That car is different than the other one," papal spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls quoted the Pope as saying after the audience, referring to the sports car the Pope took a spin in during a 1988 visit to Ferrari headquarters.

Interesting

Atheist and Agnostic Pro-Life League

Well, they're wrong about God. But they're very right about abortion! And it's always nice to be able to smash the "Pro-life people are all Christian fanatics!" bigotry.

Found the following story in the online version of the Modesto Bee:

Gianna Jessen came into the world as a surprise. Her 17-year-old mother knew she was pregnant. She also knew she didn't want to be. She underwent an abortion procedure, having toxic saline solution injected into the womb during the third trimester.

Jessen, then in the womb for 7½ months, spent 18 hours in the solution. "It burns the baby inside and out," she said. "(The mother) is to deliver a dead baby within 24 hours." But when a 2-pound Jessen emerged, she was alive.

"I did not die that day," Jessen said. "I was delivered alive in a Los Angeles County abortion clinic in a room full of teenage girls who had already had the saline injections and were feeling their children die inside of them."

... "She is a living example of an unborn child being a child and not being a thing, a glob, an unidentified piece of nothing," Shatswell said.

... "My biological parents made some really poor choices," she said. "I forgive them for what they did (but) I live every day with the result of the 'choice' that my biological mother made 27 years ago. So it's ridiculous to think our choices on a moment-by-moment basis only affect us. They always affect someone else, for good or ill."

... Jessen is sometimes unprepared for the grief that pours out from others when they hear her story. "Women who have had abortions have come up to me crying, saying, 'I wish I had never done this. I had no idea the pain I would live with for the rest of my life,'" she said.

Read the rest here.

Verses

I loooove Gerard Manley Hopkins. Or more accurately, I looooove his poetry. As you can see from the sub-title, this is about a girl who becomes a nun - "takes the veil," in common parlance. Nothing subconscious about my choice of this, is there? ;)

Heaven—Haven

A nun takes the veil

I have desired to go
Where springs not fail,
To fields where flies no sharp and sided hail
And a few lilies blow.

And I have asked to be
Where no storms come,
Where the green swell is in the havens dumb,
And out of the swing of the sea.

I know I've posted this one before, but I'm going to again. Just because it's my all time favorite! And not because the "young child" is named Margaret! Not just because, anyway ... Incidentally, "unleaving" means "losing leaves." Like in autumn. Yeah, the first couple times I read it, I took a while to figure that out, genius that I am ;)

Spring and Fall

to a young child

MÁRGARÉT, áre you gríeving
Over Goldengrove unleaving?
Leáves, líke the things of man, you
With your fresh thoughts care for, can you?
Áh! ás the heart grows older
It will come to such sights colder
By and by, nor spare a sigh
Though worlds of wanwood leafmeal lie;
And yet you wíll weep and know why.
Now no matter, child, the name:
Sórrow’s spríngs áre the same.
Nor mouth had, no nor mind, expressed
What heart heard of, ghost guessed:
It ís the blight man was born for,
It is Margaret you mourn for.

Another favorite from high school days ... one of my high school English teachers liked Hopkins, too. Lucky me!

Pied Beauty

Glory be to God for dappled things—
For skies of couple-colour as a brinded cow;
For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim;
Fresh-firecoal chestnut-falls; finches’ wings;
Landscape plotted and pieced—fold, fallow, and plough;
And áll trádes, their gear and tackle and trim.

All things counter, original, spare, strange;
Whatever is fickle, freckled (who knows how?)
With swift, slow; sweet, sour; adazzle, dim;
He fathers-forth whose beauty is past change:
Praise him.

Last one, I promise. A nice short one! How's this for a motto?

Summa

The best ideal is the true
And other truth is none.
All glory be ascribèd to
The holy Three in One.

From Bartleby.

Oh weather

How I love Ohio weather. There is nothing like a nice sudden temperature swing to ... Take your breath away. Literally. A full blast of arctic air, when one has grown used to (admittedly unseasonable) shorts-and-tee-shirts warmth, is more than enough to stop one's respiration. Or at least that's how it felt! Cunning, cunning thou art, O Mid-Western Weather Pattern! She lures you into mild atmospheric comfort, and then, while you are enjoying her temperate wiles, creeps up behind you and snaps your gullible neck like so. Okay, I'm through with the bitter, sarcastic creepiness ... For the moment only! Witch Girl returns tomorrow! Same Bat time, same Bat channel! ... Just kidding :)

Lately I have been swinging back and forth in terms of what I want. Or what I believe I want. I hate when I do that. Like most people, I prefer emotional equilibrium to that sort of wildness. I know, intellectually, that if I don't spend my time pondering it, I won't be afflicted with such anxiety. But then I lie there day-dreaming anyway! And for no good reason! With none that I can see, anyway. Ah well. Le coeur a ses raisons que la raison ne connaît point.

What's in a name?

Nothing much, probably. Or maybe quite a lot! Jews traditionally pick family names, or names that begin with the same letter as a family name; Catholics usually pick the name of a Saint for either first or middle names, and then at Baptism, the Saint becomes the child's patron. Other people just pick what sounds good to them, which can result in some real humdingers - although in recent years there has been a move toward more "traditional" names (some people would say stodgy. Not me, though!).

Here are some, ahem, pertinent names:

Lyndsey: This girl's name is an alternate spelling of Lyndsay, which is a girl's and boy's name used in English and Scots Gaelic. Its source is an Old English expression meaning "Lincoln's marsh." There are fourteen other forms of the name, including Lendsi, Lendsy, Lensey, Lindsee, Lindze, Linsday, Linsey, Linsy, Linze, Linzee, Linzi, Linzy, Lynnsey, and Lynsey. The name Lyndsey ranked 1513th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Lauren: This girl's and boy's name is used in English. Its source is Laura, an English name meaning "The laurel shrub." Film director Howard Hawks popularized this form of the name by suggesting it as a stage name for the actress born Betty Jean Perske, thereafter known to the world as Lauren Bacall. The name Lauren ranked 162nd in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census. The name also ranked 15th for females born in the United States in 1994.

Leslie: This girl's and boy's name is used in English. Its source is leas cuillinn, a Gaelic phrase meaning "Holly garden." This was the surname of a Scottish noble family closely associated with the royal house of Stewart. It was popularized as a first name by Hungarian-born English actor Leslie Howard (1890-1943). As Ashley Wilkes in the 1939 film version of Gone With the Wind, Howard succeeded in popularizing both his personal name and his character's name. The name Leslie ranked 143rd in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census. In recent years both Ashley and Leslie, though still used for boys, have been more commonly given to girls.

Jennifer: This girl's name is used in German and English. Its source is Gwenhwyfar, a Welsh name meaning "Pure and yielding, whitewave." In British legend, Gwenhwyfar (the Welsh source of this name) was identified with King Arthur's tragic queen. Caught as she was between her devotion to her husband and her illicit love for the saintly Sir Lancelot, her predicament is succinctly expressed in the meaning of her name. The name Jennifer ranked sixth in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census. The name also ranked 14th for females born in the United States in 1994.

Shannon: This girl's and boy's name is used in English. Its source is a Gaelic expression meaning "Old one." This Irish river name and surname is especially popular in the U.S. Its meaning might refer to an ancient Celtic diety identified with the river. Scholars speculate that Shannon may owe its American popularity to its similarity to Sharon, or to its rhyming reference to the more traditional Irish name Erin. The name Shannon ranked 123rd in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Katherine: This girl's name is used in English, Norwegian, Swedish and Danish. Its source is Aikaterine, a Greek name meaning "Pure." This meaning assumes the source name was derived from the Greek term katharos. However, it may have evolved from Hecate, the name of the Greek goddess of magic. Another possible source is katatein“, the Greek word for torture.
All three meanings might have been associated with St. Aikaterine (Katherine) of Alexandria, who was born a pagan but died as a Christian martyr. The name Katherine ranked 61st in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census. The name also ranked 35th for females born in the United States in 1994.

Carli: This girl's name is used in English. It is an alternate spelling of Carly, which is used in English. Its source is ceorl, an Ancient Germanic word meaning "Freeholder." Of all the feminine forms of Carl (and its equivalent Charles), the oldest is probably Carolina, which developed in Latin as a feminine form of Carolinus, itself an elaboration of Carolus.
Carolus Magnus was the Latin name of the first Holy Roman Emperor, a Germanic leader known in the English-speaking world as Charlemagne (French for ''Charles the Great''). He was crowned emperor in 800 A.D., after uniting much of central Europe and building a relatively stable society out of the chaos that followed the fall of Rome. Charlemagne's widespread fame gave rise to many forms of his name in many languages. Each male form suggested a female equivalent, which in turn changed and developed, so that we see Carolina changed to Caroline, shortened to Carol, and so on. The name Carli ranked 3278th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Elizabeth: This girl's name is used in English, French, Finnish, Scandinavian and Swedish. Its source is Elisheva, a Hebrew name meaning "God's promise." However, not all experts agree. Other suggested meanings still relate to the fulfillment of a promise. They include "consecrated by an oath to God" 'God's satisfaction'' and ''God's perfection.'' Until the 16th-century reign of England's Queen Elizabeth I, this name was most commonly spelled with an ''s'' in the middle. Such was the popularity of Good Queen Bess that her spelling has reigned supreme ever since. Speaking of Bess, this name is the Mother of All Nicknames, Spellings and Alternate Forms. We've counted close to 70 so far, and we are still looking! The name Elizabeth ranked fifth in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census. The name also ranked eighth for females born in the United States in 1994.

Margaret: This girl's name is used in English and Scots Gaelic. Its source is margaron, a Greek word meaning "Pearl." This name came into use among English speakers by way of Latin (as Margarita) and Old French (as Marguerite). It has been closely identified with Scotland, to the point that one commentator has pronounced it ''the national Scottish female name.''
However, in the late 20th century it has been most prominently borne by Englishwoman Margaret Thatcher, the United Kingdom's first female Prime Minister. The name Margaret ranked ninth in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

All from Babynamer.com

Eh

Nervousness mounting; I have to call the rectory tomorrow, first thing, to see what's up with Confirmation. Gulp. Another week has passed and I am not really started on either my research project or my news story. Ah.

It has been very warm and very wet in Athens this week; terrible flooding, and today was actually balmy. In Ohio. In January. Looking at the forecast, I can see that the temperature is going to plummet later this week. Brrrr.

I got a package from Mother that included about twenty pairs of socks, a nail clipper and an eye-brow plucker, a pair of slippers, a bag of chocolate chips, and A BOX OF PEANUT BUTTER RITZ! I'm in heaven. LOL, that's heaven, not Heaven, which is reserved for seeing Jesus face-to-face. I like eating snack food, but I can't say it extends to ecstasy :)

Saint of the Week

St. Hilary of Poitiers




"Athanasius of the West"

Died, A.D. 368

Invoked Against Snakes

FEAST DAY: January 12



"They didn't know who they were." This is how Hilary summed up the problem with the Arian heretics of the fourth century.

Hilary, on the other hand, knew very well who he was -- a child of a loving God who had inherited eternal life through belief in the Son of God. He hadn't been raised as a Christian but he had felt a wonder at the gift of life and a desire to find out the meaning of that gift. He first discarded the approach of many people who around him, who believed the purpose of life was only to satisfy desires. He knew he wasn't a beast grazing in a pasture. The philosophers agreed with him. Human beings should rise above desires and live a life of virtue, they said. But Hilary could see in his own heart that humans were meant for even more than living a good life.

If he didn't lead a virtuous life, he would suffer from guilt and be unhappy. His soul seemed to cry out that wasn't enough to justify the enormous gift of life. So Hilary went looking for the giftgiver. He was told many things about the divine -- many that we still hear today: that there were many Gods, that God didn't exist but all creation was the result of random acts of nature, that God existed but didn't really care for his creation, that God was in creatures or images. One look in his own soul told him these images of the divine were wrong. God had to be one because no creation could be as great as God. God had to be concerned with God's creation -- otherwise why create it?

At that point, Hilary tells us, he "chanced upon" the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures. When he read the verse where God tells Moses "I AM WHO I AM" (Exodus 3:14), Hilary said, "I was frankly amazed at such a clear definition of God, which expressed the incomprehensible knowledge of the divine nature in words most suited to human intelligence."

... But still he was troubled. He knew the giftgiver now, but what was he, the recipient of the gift? Was he just created for the moment to disappear at death? It only made sense to him that God's purpose in creation should be "that what did not exist began to exist, not that what had begun to exist would cease to exist." Then he found the Gospels and read John's words including "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God..." (John 1:1-2). From John he learned of the Son of God and how Jesus had been sent to bring eternal life to those who believed. Finally his soul was at rest. "No longer did it look upon the life of this body as troublesome or wearisome, but believed it to be what the alphabet is to children... namely, as the patient endurance of the present trials of life in order to gain a blissful eternity." He had found who he was in discovering God and God's Son Jesus Christ.

... The Arians did not believe in the divinity of Christ and the Arians had a lot of power including the support of the emperor Constantius. This resulted in many persecutions. When Hilary refused to support their condemnation of Saint Athanasius he was exiled from Poitiers to the East in 356. The Arians couldn't have had a worse plan -- for themselves.

Hilary really had known very little of the whole Arian controversy before he was banished ... But being exiled from his home and his duties gave him plenty of time to study and write. He learned everything he could about what the Arians said and what the orthodox Christians answered and then he began to write ... The writings of his that still exist include On the Trinity, a commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, and a commentary on the Psalms ...

... In the East he had also heard the hymns used by Arians and orthodox Christians as propaganda. These hymns were not based on Scripture as Western hymns but full of beliefs about God. Back at home, Hilary started writing hymns of propaganda himself to spread the faith. His hymns are the first in the West with a known writer.

Some of use may wonder at all the trouble over what may seem only words to us now. But Hilary wasn't not fighting a war of words, but a battle for the eternal life of the souls who might hear the Arians and stop believing in the Son of God, their hope of salvation.

The death of Constantius in 361 ended the persecution of the orthodox Christians. Hilary died in 367 or 368 and was proclaimed a doctor of the Church in 1851.


From Catholic Online.

Hudson Chicas

My sister got the pictures from our little get-together over Christmas break developed.



From left to right: Kat, Katie, Yours Truly, Carli, and Shannon (Betsy was behind the camera, but you can see a pretty picture of her if you go here to her blog).

We are standing in front of a bunch of buildings in the "new" downtown Hudson. It looks kinda non-descript, but really they (the mysterious "they" who are always in charge of these things) did not mess much with the "little village charm" of the place. Thank goodness.

I miss y'all! (Ugh, I really do not photograph well, do I?)

Angry Alien Store!!

Apparently, there is a store where you can buy 30 Seconds Bunnies Theatre Stuff!!

Ha ha, soooo goooood (click, fellow addicts, click!).

Communal Penance Services

Leslie, you've created a monster! I keep hearing different things about the Communal Penance Service type things. I got a bit obsessed and I had to go look it up online. For a few hours. What do you mean, flimsy excuse for procrastination? Econ 104 homework? I don't know whaaaaat you're talking about, Conscience ::: looks guilty ::: If Pinocchio's "Conscience" was Jiminy Cricket, mine takes the form of an Avenging Box of Grab n' Go Chicken.

Anyway, from what I found I think your new priest was right about the general absolution not being allowed :( But I wouldn't worry about it since it's obviously not your fault and you were just doing what you were told. Anyway, it's not so bad, 'cuz communal penance services are still allowed, so long as the people individually confess to a priest during them.

Below is what I found here. There is also some information from the Q&A section of EWTN here and here.


COMMUNAL CELEBRATION

... 81. Preparation for the Sacrament of Confession and united thanksgiving to God for the forgiveness received can also take place in fellowship with other Catholics during a communal celebration.

... 6. During the communal celebration, the penitents are still required to undergo a private confession on a one-to-one basis with a priest at which time he receives individual absolution.
"Individual, integral confession and absolution remains the only ordinary way for the faithful to reconcile themselves with God and the Church." (C.C.C. # 1484)

COMMUNAL CONFESSION WHEN IN DANGER OF DEATH

... 84. In exceptional cases of grave necessity, the diocesan bishop being the judge of whether or not the conditions for general absolution do apply, may permit a communal celebration of reconciliation with general confession and general absolution.

85. Examples of grave necessity are:
-There is approaching danger of death, such as during war time, without sufficient time for the priest(s) to hear individual confessions.
-The number of penitents is so great that there are not enough priests to hear the individual confessions of each penitent in a reasonable time, this being of no fault to the penitents who would be denied sacramental grace or Holy Communion for a long time.

86. For the general absolution to be valid in this case, the faithful must sincerely have the intention of confessing their sins on an individual basis in the time required.

87. The following conditions do not constitute a grave necessity that would justify general absolution:
-A large gathering of the faithful on a major feast.
-A large gathering of the faithful on a pilgrimage.
-The excuse that the Sunday Mass celebrant is not a resident priest of the parish when the means are available for the faithful to receive the Sacrament of Confession at another Diocesan Church which is only minutes away from the attending Church.

88. For a general absolution to be valid, the faithful must have exhausted all means available to their disposal. If receiving the Sacrament of Confession requires contacting the Parish secretary to request for an arrangement for the penitent to meet with a priest in private, then such must be done. (C.C.C. 1483)

Alma Redemptoris Mater

Remember how I said that Herman the Cripple also wrote Alma Redemptoris Mater? Here's the text:




Loving mother of the Redeemer,
that passage to heaven,
gate of the morning, and star of the sea,
help your fallen people
as they try to rise up again,
you who bore to the wonderment of nature,
your holy Creator,
Virgin before and after,
who received from Gabriel that joyful greeting,
have mercy on us sinners.

And in some places, the election goes on ...

The national election went off without any major glitches, but not so in the Washington gubernatorial race.

After a recount showed that Democrat Christine Gregoire won by 129 votes, Republican Dino Rossi is challenging the election, claiming fraud, and demanding a revote. There does seem to be some fraud in this case.

But don't like when Democrats do this. And I'm no fan of Republicans doing it, either.

Read about it.

Wonderful Chant

Beautiful Music!!
The reason I love Gregorian Chant is that just by listening you can feel how ancient it is, and how many generations have lived their lives singing it and knowing the melodies. Pleeeaaase listen to the Salve Regina. It'll only take a minute or so, and it's so beautiful.

Click to hear the Salve Regina

The Salve Regina chant was written by Herman the Cripple (11th century), who suffered from cerebral palsy and spina bifida. His parents were unable to care for the badly crippled boy and left him at a local Benedictine Abbey at the age of seven. Herman proved to be a genius in astronomy, math, history and theology. He eventually went blind and had to give up his writing. Besides the immortal Salve Regina, he also wrote the text to Alma Redemptoris Mater.

Here's the text of the Salve Regina:

Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae;
vita, dulcedo et spes nostra, salve.
Ad te clamamus, exsules filii Hevae.
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
in hac lacrimarum valle.
Eia ergo, advocata nostra,
illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte.
Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,
nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.
O clemens, o pia, o dulcis Virgo Maria.

Translation:

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy,
hail, our life, our sweetness, and our hope.
To thee do we cry, the banished children of Eve;
to thee we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn, then, most gracious advocate,
Thine eyes of mercy toward us;
And after this our exile
show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus:
O clement, O loving, O sweet virgin Mary.

Saint of the Week

St. Raymond of Peñafort
Feast Day: January 7

1175-1275

Patron of Canon Lawyers

Like his contemporary, Saint Thomas Aquinas, Raymond was of noble descent; his was the illustrious family of Penafort, related to the kings of Aragon. He was born at Villafranca, near Barcelona, Spain, in 1175. As a boy he was a bright and able student; at twenty he was already a professor of philosophy. He taught in Barcelona for fifteen years, then went to Bologna, Italy, to study for his doctorate in civil and canon law. He received the degree in 1216, and three years later returned to Spain.

On Good Friday of the year 1222, Raymond entered the Dominican Order in Barcelona. As a novice he exhibited the same humility and spirit of mortification that in later life won him the respect and love of his king and the pope. It was during his novitiate that he prepared a collection of "cases of conscience" for the guidance of confessors and moralists. This work, entitled The Summa of Penitential Cases, was the first guide of this kind to be compiled.

Aside from his scholarly pursuits, Raymond preached with untiring zeal to the Jews and Moors (Arab invaders of Spain). He also acted as spiritual director for King James of Aragon and Saint Peter Nolasco, whom he aided in founding the Order of Our Lady of Mercy (Mercedarians) for the ransom of captives from the Moors.

King James valued Raymond so highly that on several occasions he sent him on missions to the Holy See. At one time, however, he stoutly resisted Raymond's admonitions regarding chastity, and a miracle was required before the monarch consented to reform his life. This miracle took place during a visit to Majorca on which Raymond had accompanied the king in the hope of strengthening Christianity there. They had been on the island only a short time when Raymond discovered that the king was involved in a sinful love affair with a woman of the court. The king refused to listen to Raymond's protests, and when Raymond threatened to leave the island, the king threatened with death anyone who would give him passage.

Thereupon, or so it is said, Raymond spread his cloak on the water, set up his staff as a mast, and, having rigged up a corner of the cloak as a sail, boarded this miraculous "boat," setting his course for Barcelona. He arrived there the same day, having covered 140 miles in about six hours. A great crowd assembled at the waterfront witnessed the end of this marvelous voyage, which inspired numerous conversions. Raymond's work in Spain was interrupted in 1230, when he was summoned to Rome by Pope Gregory IX, appointed to the papal court, and made papal confessor. He was then charged with the task of rearranging and codifying the canon laws of the Church. His success in this vast editorial job is astonishing, since he had to rewrite and condense decrees that had been accumulating for centuries. Completed in 1234., the work remained the most authoritative compilation within the body of canon law until 1917, when a new code was published. Gregory sought to reward Raymond by appointing him archbishop of Tarragona, but the saint declined the honor and returned to Spain.

In 1238 Raymond was elected general of the Dominican Order. This honor, too, was unsought and undesired, but he humbly obeyed the decision of his brothers, ruled them for two years, then resigned because of ill health. Although he was now an elderly man, Raymond had no intention of retiring. He was still vitally concerned with converting the Jews and the Moors, and so he contributed the alms he received from bishops and princes to schools where missionaries could be taught the Hebrew and Arabic languages. He also asked Saint Thomas Aquinas to write a book exposing the errors of the Mohammedan rationalists. Thomas complied by composing the Summa contra gentiles, one of his most famous works.

Raymond died on January 6, the Feast of the Epiphany, in 1275, the hundredth year of his life. He was canonized in 1601 by Pope Clement VIII.

Got it here.

Much better

Well, I just read the post below, and it seems I was on the brink of a nervous breakdown or similiar. Never fear, I am feeling much better now. I do not know if this is because I am feeling more confident or because I have managed to exile the source of my disturbance from my immediate thoughts. Eh, either way ...

Oh, it hurts

My News Writing class met for the first time today. Oh, weep. For the final exam, I have to actually write a story and go out and report on it. You know, gather sources, and background information ... blah blah BLAHHHHH!! I hate talking to people I don't know. And demanding interviews from them. And I have no ideas for stories. For goodness sake! I guess that's what journalists really do all day ... ugh. I knew I shoulda majored in English or Political Science.

I just wish I wasn't so painfully shy! This, on top of handling Confirmation and working on that 12 page research paper, is really going to take it out of me. Macroeconomics seems pretty easy so far (I wonder how long that will last). Why, why did I sign up for this horrible schedule? Siiiiigh.

News Writing is a required course, however, so there's no escape. Ah, ah.

On a happy note, Leslie gave out her presents tonight. She gave me a little photoholder (with photo of His Holiness in it!) and a candle (ooo, illegal! contraband! Scream the Lincoln RAs) and a "Grow A Nerd." Don't ask, it's very clever though.

I am sure everything will be all right. I hope, I hope, I hope.

PETA madness

Via A Saintly Salmagundi:

The "cow pope" wants you to be a vegetarian! Because it's merciful! And the Christian thing to do! It's not like there is anything about sacrificing lambs and calves in the Bible or anything! You horrible, horrible meat-eaters. ::: Sarcasm, in case you couldn't tell :::

How would you address him? Your Moo-ness? Hard to imagine a cow chanting the Divine Office or the canon at Mass. Just doesn't fit, eh.

Seriously, it is just offensive, and rather anti-Catholic. It is definitely what one would expect from PETA, that unhappy organization. I believe a little while ago they had a billboard of the Virgin Mary cradling a dead cow or something in a similar vein. Ick.

My brother says that PETA really stands for People Eating Tasty Animals. And I saw a bumper sticker once that read "For every steak you don't eat, vegetarian, I'm going to eat three." Don't get me wrong, I understand why some people might not want to eat meat - although personally I could never give up ham and beef.

Mark this down as a nasty bit of silliness. But somehow-amusing-at-the-same-time. I will put it in my file ...

Click to see the webpage. Unbelieeeeevable.

I hate anything that might be considered work

Ugh. I went to three of my four classes today (Newswriting meets tomorrow) and I am dead tired. My Soc and Econ classes aren't that bad, really. I have to write a 12 page research paper for my history class, though (with footnotes!) and I am just not feeling up to it. Maybe I will after I get "back into the swing" of things. LOL, I will probably not EVER feel up to research papers, but at least I hope I can work myself up to putting on a good show.

I still have to buy some books. Argh. Money go down the hooooooole.

I have to say merci for all the nice presents I got yesterday - a beautiful cross, a Nuns Having Fun Calandar - he he he! - and ... mmmmmmmm ... cheesecake. It is almost all gone. Yum. All gone.

Home Sweet OU

Soooo, I'm back in OU. It's nice to have a computer to myself again, he he!

But now I have to unpack. And buy books tomorrow. And go to class. And actually get up in the morning. Sigh :)

Happy New Year!

Pope prays for tsunami victims, world peace: Pontiff delivers traditonal New Year's Day

I have to go back to OU tomorrow. Still not all packed. Argh.