Category: Catholic stuff

Caritas · Catholic stuff

Inauguration Day Mass Intentions Update

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The goal is all 50 states — If you live in one of the states below without a mass or know someone who does would you please consider sponsoring a mass?  If you leave a comment with your I will send you the information to have your mass intention liste.

Advent greetings to each of you to as we round the corner to Christmas,

Just wanted to give everyone a quick update. Feel free to share this with others.

You folks are awesome! Through your efforts, we have added twenty Masses in eleven states this past week, bringing our total to 19 states and 48 Masses. Please check the roster to see if you know anyone in the states that aren’t covered.

Thanks to each of you who have reserved a Mass for the intention of our new president. Can you imagine the effect this will have? Please check below to be sure your Mass is entered and entered correctly. I apologize for any omissions or errors.

If you were planning on having a Mass offered for this intention and haven’t yet done so, it would be good to do it soon as parish schedules are filling up for January. Even if your local parish is already offering a Mass for our new president, I encourage you to contact a different parish, a monastery or a priests’ retirement center. Catholic colleges are another a great option. Since our parish was already covered, I sent my request to a semi-retired priest who serves at a convent. He was glad to do it.

Little funny: One priest mentioned that elected officials seldom keep their campaign promises so we can be hopeful!

May God’s richest Christmas blessings be upon you and your families, and may He hear our prayers for the sake of the unborn and the most vulnerable among us in the new year.

48 Masses in 19 States and Washington DC

Alabama (AL)

Alaska (AK)

Arizona (AZ)

Arkansas (AR)

California (CA)
Santa Paula, CA: TAC (St. Thomas Aquinas College), Fr. Rafftery

Colorado (CO)

Connecticut (CT)

Delaware (DE)

Florida (FL)
St Petersburg, FL: St. Raphael’s
Sebastian, FL: St. Sebastian’s  (Jan. 23)

Georgia (GA)
Canton, GA: Our Lady of Lasalette’s

Hawaii (HI)
Honolulu, HI: Father Damien’s on Aliamanu Military Reservation

Idaho (ID)

Illinois (IL)
Westmont, IL: Holy Trinity

Indiana (IN)

Iowa (IA)
Iowa City, IA: St. Mary’s

Kansas (KS)
Dodge City, KS: Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Garden City, KS: St. Dominic’s

Kentucky (KY)

Louisiana (LA)

Maine (ME)

Maryland (MD)

Massachusetts (MA)

Michigan (MI)
Livonia, MI: St. Michael’s,


Minnesota (MN)
Crookston, MN: Diocese of Crookston Chancery,
Crookston, MN:  Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception,Hillsboro, OR: St. Matthew’s
Joseph, OR: St. Katherine’s
La Grande, OR: Our Lady of the Valley
Portland, OR: Holy Rosary
Sherwood, OR: St. Francis’

Mississippi (MS)

Missouri (MO)

Montana (MT)

Nebraska (NE)

Nevada (NV)

New Hampshire (NH)

New Jersey (NJ)

New Mexico (NM)

New York (NY)

North Carolina (NC)

North Dakota (ND)
Belfield/South Heart, ND: St. Mary’s/St. Bernards, Fr. Lucht
Bismarck, ND: Fr. Richter
Bismarck, ND: Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, (both 6:45 and 8 AM)
Bowman, ND: St. Charles, Fr. Mormon
Dickinson, ND: Queen of Peace, Fr. Zwack
Dickinson, ND: St. Patrick’s, Fr. Kreitinger
Glenburn, ND: St. Philomena’s, Fr. Gardner
Hebron, ND: St. Ann’s
Linton, ND, St. Anthony’s, Fr. Benz
Mantador, ND: Sts. Peter and Paul, Fr. Anderl
Valley City, ND: Maryvale-Sisters of the Presentation Convent, Fr. Seeberger
Valley City, ND: St. Catherine’s
New England, ND, St. Mary’s, Fr. Basil
Williston, ND: St. Joseph’s, Fr. Schafer

Ohio (OH)
Dayton, OH

Oklahoma (OK)

Oregon (OR)
Beaverton, OR: St. John Vianney Retirement Center

Pennsylvania (PA)
Mars, PA: St. Kilian’s


Rhode Island (RI)
North Kingstown, RI: St. Frances de Sales’
South Carolina (SC)
Rock Hill, SC:  St. Anne’s

South Dakota (SD)
Aberdeen, SD (2 Masses)
Redfield, SN: Sacred Heart
Sioux Falls, SD: Holy Spirit Parish 

Tennessee (TN)

Texas (TX)
Rio Grande City at the Benedictine Monastery of the Good Shepherd

Utah (UT)

Vermont (VT)

Virginia (VA)

Washington (WA)
Camas, WA: St. Thomas Aquinas’
Seattle, WA: Sacred Heart,
Vancouver, WA: Holy Redeemer

West Virginia (WV)

Wisconsin (WI)

Wyoming (WY)
Evanston, Wy: St. Mary Magdalen’s

Washington D.C.
Basilica of the Immaculate Conception  (Not guaranteed on 1/20/09)

Missionaries of Charity, Fr. Wayne Sattler

This grassroots Inauguration Day Mass Intention project is being promoted . . .
on AM 1370 in Grand Forks.
in Fargo Diocese paper, New Earth, December issue
by Human Life PAC of WA State
by USCCB Respect Life Committee
by Lighthouse Catholic Media
by History Links—Integrated Learning for Catholic Families

 

 

Here is the original request:

If you are like me, you have felt somewhat concerned about the results of the election and the future of our country. I am sharing an idea with a few close friends in the hope that others will join me in doing one little thing that could help to change the course of history.

WHO: A few faithful Catholic lay people and priests. (Anyone can do this: stay-at-home moms, singles, retired people, students–anyone–and we can have a huge impact on our country’s future.)

WHAT: Have a Mass said on Inauguration Day for our new President. It can be said for his conversion or, “That our new president will work to protect the dignity of each human life.” Consider that St. Leonard of Port Maurice said that one Mass offered before death may be more profitable than many after it, and St. Anslem affirmed this.

WHEN: Tuesday January 20, 2009 Inauguration Day

WHERE: Throughout our country in as many Catholic churches as possible.

WHY: Because offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for an intention is very powerful. Please see my story below.

HOW: Simply call your local parish and ask to reserve January 20th for your intention. Then send a check for $10 to the priest for your Mass intention. (More details below.) Next please choose three friends (or more) to pass this email on to.

But now, let me share the story behind this inspiration.

A young friend of ours owns a barbershop. One day a gentleman came in, interested in renting space from her, but he said that, as a Jew, he was offended by the crucifix that she had hanging there. They got into a long discussion/debate and when they parted she said, “You pray for me and I will pray for you.” Later she shared this story with her family and her younger, teen-age sister decided to have a Mass offered for the intention of this man’s conversion. Six months later the shop-owner was entering the cathedral and a gentleman who was leaving the church said, “Do you remember me? I had wanted to rent space from you. I am becoming a Catholic.”

This story of one simple act inspired me and helped me to realize the profound impact of a Mass offered for the conversion of heart.

Thanks for considering my request and may God bless America!

Your Sister in Christ,

B—

MORE DETAILS:

RESERVING A MASS INTENTION: We will have to move quickly because the dates in many parishes are already filling up. If January 20 is already taken at your local parish, you may choose another date or contact a nearby parish. Also consider having Masses offered at local hospitals, nursing homes, monasteries, etc. Consider retired priests who may be offering private Masses. There is no limit to how many Masses you can have offered on any given day. You may also have the Mass offered for a “Special Intention” if you prefer.

SENDING THE EMAIL TO OTHERS: Please copy the information I am sending you, but if possible, add a personal introduction for each person you send it to so this is a personal invitation from one pro-life Catholic to another. My hope is that each person will send this on to at least three other people.

You can also feel free to ask local priests if they would be willing to waive the stipend and offer the Mass for this intention. There are many priests that I think would be willing to do this. Once it is on the parish calendar, please add it to our “Ongoing Roster” below.

I would like to try to keep track of how many Masses are offered and where. I will send out periodic updates. I would like to see at least one Mass offered for this intention in each state (or many more!). So, if you can think of people outside your local area that might like to do this, please send this on to them.

Catholic stuff · Fun · Simple Woman's Daybook

The Simple Woman’s Daybook – December 15, 2008

darcee1 Comment

 
The Simple Woman’s Daybook
is hosted by Peggy at the Simple Woman.
Thank you Peggy.

FOR TODAY : December 15, 2008
We have snow!  We don’t get snow often, but today there is snow on the ground, Ashley is home from school and Kyle is home from work.  Love snow days.

Outside my Window –  There is a blanket of white loveliness.  The sun is shining which makes it all the more beautiful, but dooms the snow.  

I am thinking –   About orthodoxy.  I ran across a random comment this morning about judging what is or isn’t orthodox enough.  I suppose this is one of those items where there is a great deal of contention and personal judgement and more than a little judgmental-ism involved.

From the learning rooms – Today is going to have be a rather light day because of how odd it is to have daddy and Ashley home.  The butterflies are starting to come out of their cocoons.  The ants are slowly dieing off.  I have no idea how long the ants should be living, consequentially I have no idea if there is something we are doing wrong.  Research is needed.

I am thankful for-  Snow days (you saw that coming didn’t you).

From the kitchen – We need to brave the weather for bread and milk.

I am wearing – Black pants and a white top..

I am reading – The Five Love Languages. 

I am hoping –  The the roads are clear past our neighborhood, they should be.

I am creating –  I am working on some odds and ends this week.

I am hearing –  The radio.  Christmas songs are playing.

Around the house – The children are being really excited and a little hard to settle into doing what they supposed to do.

One of my favorite things – My slippers, warm toes are nice.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week – Not sure, there is a lot of work I need to get done and I am not any more focused than the children are.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you – 

Snow day fun

 

Blogs I Know · Catholic stuff · My world

The love that lasts

darcee4 Comments

Years ago I sat in my grandparent’s kitchen, my grandmother was washing dishes when my grandfather came into the room.  He walked up behind her and gave her a hug “My little bride” he said lovingly, with a big grin on his face.  I knew then and there that was what I wanted – a love that would last. 

My grandparents didn’t have a perfect life, they had sickness and health, good times and very, very bad times.  They had seen war, grief, betrayal, hope, love and everything in between.  But they had each other for better or worse and they made it through.  For over 50 years they lived together.  It wouldn’t be more than a year after that little scene in the kitchen that my grandfather would pass away and my own marriage imploded and ended in divorce.  That was almost 15 years ago.  Today  I am happily married to a great guy who loves me and who I love very much.  We have been married for almost eight years.  I can’t help but wish that my grandfather had lived to see it.

There was more to my grandparent’s relationship than just a warm romance.  There was a deep commitment.  The summer before my grandfather died he and I sat in his truck while he messed with the something while listening to the radio.  There were a good number of people visiting and my grandmother has never been known as one who manages stress very well.  “You are hiding” I accused him when I managed to slip away from the house to go find some place quiet. 

“Yeah, but you know, that woman has given me a lot of fine years.”  Grandpa and my conversations were most commonly like that.  One of us would say almost nothing and the other would comment as though a whole paragraph had been spoken.   Yes, he was hiding because grandma would start picking up little things to be upset over and she would find a laundry list of things that he had to do right away if she could see what he wasn’t doing.  And it bothered him, and he hated to see it and it had been getting worse with time.  Dementia  was slowly setting in and brought out most fervently during stress.  And he was worried about her and he was a man with a great deal of honor and deep sense of duty.  He had made a vow for better or worse, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t escape to the truck for a little while now and again. 

Love like that isn’t the fruit of some chemical attraction.  It isn’t based on the other person being “the one” or “right for me” or “making me happy.”  Love that lasts that long even through bad times is something that requires commitment and work and at many times a sense of selflessness.  I was reading earlier today this homily From Deacon Greg over at the Anchoress.

I appreciate the take they both have about the importance of love, perseverance and constancy.  Our devotion to love.  I have read a good deal this year on life being looked at from a “utilitarian” view and how dehumanising and therefore dangerous it is.

There was a time in my life where I viewed life’s value as having a great deal to do with one’s intellectual capabilities.  This changed as I aged and most profoundly changed as I came to terms with my own daughter’s disability.  It becomes almost a cautionary tale.  Any of us at any moment could fall victim to an accident or illness and be the one without the ability to contribute to society in a utilitarian sense.

Autism · Catholic stuff · My world

An update for Carol Race

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The charges for violating the restraining order have been dropped against Carol Race. You can read the news article here.

I spoke to Carol last week and told her that I would publish a link to her latest endeavour. There is a petition on the website “Project: Adam’s Pew” I have read it and I am still considering it. In reality I think I need more feedback from those beyond myself. The petition is asking for the Bishops to consider forming a task force to look into how their former recommendations are being carried out. Which I can’t imagine being a harmful thing.

At the point where we are looking to send a petition off to the Bishops to address the “issue” of inclusion of people with disabilites into the communal celebration of the mass the story stops being about Adam or Rachel or any other particular child or adult and becomes about the best practices for all involved. To decide what is best we need to look at the needs of the community, the needs of individuals within the community, and the teachings of the Church.

Catholic Basics · Catholic stuff

Catholic Basics – Knowing God.

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For Francis (St Francis of Assisi) religion was not a thing like a theory but a thing like a love affair.
– G.K. Chesterton


Moretto Brescia – The Holy Family

Love God, know God, obey God, serve God and one another.    This is the sum of Christian theology.   It seems most common that those coming into the faith rarely do so because they were first intellectually convinced.  It is most commonly that they had some experience that led them to love God and then they found themselves desiring to know God.  Something draws the soul to God and the the relationship must be built from there.

Our relationship with God is in many ways like any other relationship.  It takes time, effort and understanding  to develop the deep and satisfying relationship with God that we desire.  There will be times, as there are in any relationship, where you are more or less on autopilot.  And there may even be times where you are separated from God or where communication is difficult but the relationship goes on and reunion is perfect and beautiful.  

Here are a few of the ways in which we met God allow us to more fully know Him.

Nature, Art, Music and Beauty  The beauty of the creator is reflected in creation.  Music and Art that stirs the soul and lifts our thoughts to God.  God whispers His love to us in the beauty of every face around us.  Each little flower, each blade of grass act in a symphony of life that hums constantly with the joy of being.   If we take the time to savor life we see God in the world around us.

Prayer There are so many kinds of prayer.  Each person has their own favored ways of praying.  Communal prayer, meditative prayer, Rosaries, Chaplets, Psalms the list could go on and on and I would undoubtedly  miss something.  Speak to God and spend some prayer time listening. 

Scriptures The scriptures are God’s gift to us in them we learn about God’s teaching and commandments, His nature and His earthly life.  We see the example of those who served God before us.  I always find it rather funny when someone has the impression that Catholics do not use the Bible.  We do, every single mass has multiple readings from scripture.   We use Scripture to learn about and to draw closer to God.

Catechism Whenever there is a question about what the Church teaches I go to the catechism.  Our Catechism is a rich resource containing the wisdom and teachings of 2000 years distilled into a rather manageable text.  By learning the catechism we learn about God, his lover for us and the commandments He would have us live.

The Sacraments Any of the sacraments bring us closer to God.  Our Baptism, the Holy Eucharist, Confession – they all draw us closer to God and allow us to know him more fully.  There is such love an peace contained in the Eucharist.  The reception of the Eucharist, Eucharistic adoration and confession bring us close to God in very special ways.  They heal us from our self-inflicted wounds and allow us to glimpse the reality that love is sacrifice.

Writings of the Saints and others  Reading the writings of Christians who have come before us and reading about their lives bring us closer to God in a special way.  Sort of like family get togethers where we all share stories about our love ones.  We learn more about God by learning how others have experienced His love.

The Lives of Others  We all shine like the sun to God.  By recognising the beauty and humanity in the lives of others we learn a great deal about the nature of God and what it means to be Christian.  We are not supposed to start out perfect, we are perfected in Christ. 

Our Service to Others “It is in giving that we receive”.  When we act on Christ’s behalf for others we see Christ more clearly and allow His glory to shine through us into the lives of others.

Catholic stuff · My world · rants

Working With Blinders On

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40 years and a couple weeks since Humanae Vitae was written and so much of society, secular and not, just seems to not “get it”.  One of the “better” pieces is here – at least John L. Allen isn’t actively condemning the church, but the comments that follow it are close to rabid.  If you do a Google search on the news for “Humanae Vitae” you will find a slew of folks opining about how out of step, out of touch or just down right evil Rome is to hang on to this out modded teaching.  Yes, the blinders are firmly on.    What they miss is how much of the heart of the Catholic Church, the young families and the college aged Catholics are pretty firmly behind the Church on this.   The assumption seems to be if you don’t buy into the cultural norm of what sex is and means then you must be nuts (or brain washed, or have a really awful sex life).    But I do not see that as the case.

From where I sit there isn’t a lot to be said FOR the pill.  So you can have sex anytime you want.  But do you want to?  Sure you can put off child bearing or artificially space your children, but is that really a good thing?   If marriages were stronger, children were happier, rape was less frequent,  motherhood was respected, young women were judged on their minds and character instead of their beauty I might think that the “pro-birth-control” people at least had a point.  But this isn’t the case.  All of these things have become worse since the pill was introduced not better.   The media doesn’t even seem to think about this all as related and society doesn’t seem to question the conventional “wisdom” at all, they tighten up the blinders and tut tut the Pope and talk about the backward Catholics that follow the teachings of Rome as being out of step with reality.    Personally I sort of like being counter cultural.

Catholic stuff · rants

Brilliant.

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Rachel Evans and Amber Pike are giddy as little school girls because they get to tell Catholic pilgrims about ABC.  Because all those Catholics traveling to Sydney must be unaware of the existence of condoms and really need these two to provide them with education about it while they pose for pictures.  Is it so easy to grow up and be completely unaware of these things?  Do these ladies assume that Catholics by and large are an ignorant bunch who miss a lot of stuff in society, despite having the ability to book plane travel and manage to get themselves all the way to Australia, the pilgrims have somehow failed to notice the nearly ubiquitous use of artificial birth control?  Surely no one would actually make the conscious decision to follow Catholic teaching when there is the wonderful  pro-birth-control folks out there teaching the new Gospel, saying:  (to the Pope) “get real and allow people to discover their sexuality and practise with condoms”  and contriving new “commandments”.  Good thing such do-gooders as Ms Evans and Ms Pike exist to annoy people with their sanctimonious little selves.  

You can read more about this story here.

Blogs I Know · Catholic stuff · My world · rants

What a weird, sad, little person.

darcee3 Comments

OK, I have a question for you: what might an associate professor at the University of Minnesota and a depressed and slightly delusional, 15 year old girl, who fancies herself a witch, have in common?  They BOTH want to desecrate the Eucharist… only the professor doesn’t have the balls to get the Host himself and instead asks his blog readers to do that part for him.   I know I am rather late to this story, but I just have to say something.  Paul Myers, it is too bad he can’t see what he is doing.  His illogical bigotryis showing and it is quite sad.  He could disagree that the Host is sacred, he could even say that from the top of the bell tower if he liked, or publish it on his blog.  But when he does something he knows will be inflammatory and offensive to a great number of people he is showing his disdain for the feelings and humanity of those people.  He is saying that he doesn’t just disagree with them but he has no respect for them or their beliefs and opinions.  That steps across the line from discourse and disagreement into bigotry.  

St Tarcisius

 

It is obvious that the genius professor hasn’t a clue about how people of faith think (and yes we can and do think).  You will not show the world how the Eucharist is nothing but a cracker no matter what you do to it.   Drop it in the Cuisinart, tack it to your cork board, burn it, crumble it… do what you will.  Christ and his followers have endured physical torment and even death for that little cracker.  St Tarcisius, at twelve, died rather than let his friends have the Eucharist and he is one of many and just a boy at that.  You aren’t exactly going to prove that it has no power by showing to the world the power it has by creating a furor over whatever it is you plan to do.  Talk about cutting your nose off to spite your face.

Catholic stuff · My world

What is Catholic life like?

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This question interests me in that it is so very difficult to answer.  Being Catholic can mean living in any country, any culture and anywhere in the world.  The answer could take a lifetime to explain and your personal answer would still be unique.  So I think I might start answering it one aspect at a time.  Today’s answer: Living a Catholic life means following the precepts of the Church.

The precepts of the Church: 
While the Church doesn’t lay down a firm “one-size-fits-all” mentality for being Catholic but the catechism has distill the most important elements into a short list called the Precepts of the Church:

1. You shall attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor.
2. You shall confess your sins at least once a year.
3. You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season.
4. You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church.
5. You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church.

Now of course this isn’t an all encompassing list of what Catholic should do.  It is just the short list, the absolute minimum that one should doing.