2/24/2007

Links

I'm in the process of rebuilding my links that I lost when I had an "accident" while editing my blog. Here is a short explanation of each of the links:

1. Google; if you don't know what this is, you shouldn't be on the internet.
2. Catholic Exchange: a site that has news, articles, faith formation and such.
3. Mark Shea: An author who writes lots of short essays, full length books,
and runs a blog called Catholic and Enjoying it. He is an adult convert
from an Evangelical background.
4. Communio: A trade magazine for theologians. The who's who of theology
write for this including former Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (Benedict XVI),
Hans Urs Von Balthazar, Hildebrand ... you get the drift.
5. EWTN: The largest Christian broadcasting entity in the world with 24/7
TV and radio.
6. National Fellowship of Catholic Men: site with things of interest
regarding living a faith filled life for men.
7. Our Lady Star of the Sea, Bremerton: My Church's website
8. Catholic Answers: Catholic apologetics site. Their radio program which
is broadcast on EWTN radio was instrumental in helping me to
understand the truths of the Catholic faith.
9. Coming Home Network: a site with lots of essays written by converts
where they describe their journeys from other Christian traditions, non
Christian religions, and even athiests. They also have a radio program on
EWTN called "The Journey Home". The site is run by a convert who used
to be a pastor in a Presbyterian church.
10. Official Vatican Website: lots of stuff at this English language site. You
can even read through everything that every Pope from the last couple of
hundred years has written.


More links to follow as I rebuild my list.

Pyro

Lenten Reflection

So... I'm part of a group that is keeping a 40 day vigil during Lent on the sidewalk at a Planned Parenthood site. The vigil hours are from 8:00 AM till 8:00 PM. We had the typical responses from passing motorists which consist of; 5 honks and thumbs up for every 1 honk and middle finger/cursing. We even had a guy come up and give us all coffee and hot chocolate. My hour just happened to end at the same time that the Parish about 3 blocks away began Confessions. There was a nice handout that the priest gave that I will share with you here on my blog. Not sure where the reflection comes from, so I just want to give credit to whoever the unnamed source was.

Whatever Lenten practices we undertake, it is important to remember their purpose. Lenten practices are not about losing weight or finaly stopping smoking, but they are about deepening our baptismal identity as children of God and members of the Body of Christ. "If you are [children] of God"... this is the identity conferred upon us at baptism. This is the identity out of which we enter into our own Lenten desert. This is the identity out of which we face our own worst temptations. By rmaining faithful to who we are -- God's children, members of the Body of Christ -- we can resist temptations and grow in our relationships with God, self, and others.
Traditionally, Christian penance has always included three prongs: fasting, prayer, and almsgiving (charity). This suggests to us that penance isn't a matter of "giving up" something, nor is it a single act -- even if performed faithfully over a long period like forty days. Christian penance has as it's purpose genuine conversion of life, so that at the end of Lent when we renew our baptismal promises we are able to do so with full throat, well aware of our own wonderful identity as sons and daughters of God. The new life we celebrate at Easter cannot happen without our dying to ourselves, without our going to Jerusalem with Jesus and willingly embracing whatever death is in store for us. For that is the road to new life. That is the road we travel during Lent.

Have a blessed Lent

Pyro

2/23/2007

Out of Hibernation

Well, It's been quite some time since I consistently posted in my blog. I will be trying to get back in the habit of posting something every day. It takes a certain time commitment to keep a blog current and I stopped making the time to blog. Well, with Lent upon us I suddenly have some time back in my schedule and along with other things I'll be using some of it to blog more frequently.

I learned yesterday of a disturbing event in Sante Fe, New Mexico. Basically, it seems that an individual (or individuals) hid alarm clock/CD players in the Church which activated about halfway through the service on Ash Wednesday (a special Holy Day). The CD's played recordings of people cursing, swearing, and making sexually explicit sounds.

In my search for news stories or commentary regarding this incident I have been extremely underwhelmed. The perpetrators are referred to as "pranksters" and every story I could find had only bare bones facts. None of the in depth reporting or digging for information, as in the Anna Nichole Smith train wreck. If Her story had been treated the same way, this is all we would have seen; "Anna Nichole Smith died today after being transported by paramedics to an area hospital. Cause of death unknown. Anna Nichole is survived by her daughter and mother." I believe the cause of this indifference is a deep seated, somewhat unconscious prejudice/bigotry towards Christianity in general and the Catholic Church in particular by the main stream media (MSM).

Here are my questions:

1. If an ACLU, NAACP, GLBTA, or (insert organization that traditionally supports liberal politics) meeting was interrupted/disrupted in such an offensive manner what would the press coverage have been?

2. Interfering/obstructing a group from peaceably assembling is a civil rights violation isn't it(1st amendment)?

3. Denying a group from the free excercise of their religion violates their civil rights doesn't it (1st amendment)?

4. Is singling out a group based on their religion (this event occured at the Cathedral Church which is essentially the headquarters for Catholics in the region) and assaulting them or violating their civil rights considered a hate crime?

I won't hold my breath waiting for the ACLU to express their outrage over this incident.


Pyro