An answer to those leftists who claim Ryan is a Randist...

Ryan Shrugged

link is on name of author

and Father Z has some comments related to this link

http://wdtprs.com/blog/2012/08/rep-paul-ryan-and-ayn-rand/#comment-359054

APRIL 26, 2012 4:00 A.M. Representative Paul Ryan debunks an “urban legend.” By Robert Costa

'You know you’ve arrived in politics when you have an urban legend about you, and this one is mine,” chuckles Representative Paul Ryan, the Budget Committee chairman, as we discuss his purported obsession with author and philosopher Ayn Rand.

Paul Krugman, the New York Times columnist, recently called Ryan “an Ayn Rand devotee” who wants to “slash benefits for the poor.” New York magazine once alleged that Ryan “requires staffers to read Atlas Shrugged,” Rand’s gospel of capitalism. President Obama has blasted the Ryan budget as Republican “social Darwinism.”

These Rand-related slams, Ryan says, are inaccurate and part of an effort on the left to paint him as a cold-hearted Objectivist. Ryan’s actual philosophy, as reported by my colleague, Brian Bolduc, couldn’t be further from the caricature. As a practicing Roman Catholic, Ryan says, his faith and moral values shape his politics as much as his belief in freedom and capitalism does.

“I, like millions of young people in America, read Rand’s novels when I was young. I enjoyed them,” Ryan says. “They spurred an interest in economics, in the Chicago School and Milton Friedman,” a subject he eventually studied as an undergraduate at Miami University in Ohio. “But it’s a big stretch to suggest that a person is therefore an Objectivist.”

“I reject her philosophy,” Ryan says firmly. “It’s an atheist philosophy. It reduces human interactions down to mere contracts and it is antithetical to my worldview. If somebody is going to try to paste a person’s view on epistemology to me, then give me Thomas Aquinas,” who believed that man needs divine help in the pursuit of knowledge. “Don’t give me Ayn Rand,” he says.

Ryan enjoys bantering about dusty novels, but it’s not really his bailiwick. Philosophy, he tells me, is critical, but politics is about more than armchair musing. “This gets to the Jack Kemp in me, for the lack of a better phrase,” he says — crafting public policy from broad ideas. “How do you produce prosperity and upward mobility?” he asks. “How do you attack the root causes of poverty instead of simply treating its symptoms? And how do you avoid a crisis that is going to hurt the vulnerable the most — a debt crisis — from ever happening?”

Church-Going Chicago Style

A woman in Chicago had her purse stolen when going up for Communion. Now, for over twenty years, I have taken my purse up when I receive in rural as we.ll as urban areas.

Chicago has one of the highest crime rates of all cities in America. I have even heard good priests remind women to take their purses, or handbags, as these are called in England, with them.

The thief was driving a car. Not really poor. Some of us are too poor to own a car. She may have been drunk, according to witnesses. But, we must not pretend or be naive, or give a thief a chance.

It takes seven seconds to snatch a handbag and leave.

Take your bags with you, ladies and especially your laptops. Maybe it is because I lived in Europe so many years ago that I got in the habit of doing this.

We need to stop being naive, whether in suburbia or the county.

Take your belongings with you to the front of Church. Now, the woman was new to America and as an American, I apologize for her rude awakening to Chicago-style living.

We do not belong to ourselves--thoughts on the Feast of the Assumption

Laurence Whistler Window, St. Nicholas, Moreton, Dorset

I have been ill with a virus. This is very inconvenient for me, as I have work to do. I do not like being ill. I hate it. To be ill, however reminds me of two things I want to share with you on this Feast of the Assumption.

The first thought begins with a verse from 1 Corinthians:

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 6:19-20

Glorifying God in my body does not mean merely staying away from sins of the flesh, although that is important. That is the beginning step. As my body does not belong to me, this bold statement from the Holy Spirit shows me that I belong to God in my flesh.

If He allows illness, we must accept it. Sometimes this is easier when big illnesses hit us. For example, I am a cancer survivor. Before I heard the bad news in 2009, I prayed. I prayed afterwards. I grieved at the loss of parts of my body which God had created. But, I knew, in my heart, that this was God's Will for me to endure all of this. I had complications and missed work. I was fired for having cancer and being ill, which is legal in some states. It was like being on a long retreat. God was there in the loss and in the suffering.

Before two operations, I looked in the mirror and said goodbye to those important parts of my body I was losing on this earth. To dust and shadow, these are gone. I am not the same physically or mentally. But, these losses are gifts, as I slowly approach the great loss of my body in death. I consider the steps a blessing. I know how to give up the flesh and live more in the spirit.

My body does not belong to me. God owns me. He can do whatever He Wills. I was bought, not like a slave out of the slave markets of Rome, or Bristol, but out of deadly sin which would have sent me to hell. But, the slave price was the Passion and Death of a God, the Son of God, Who as the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity suffered for me. His Father allowed this in order to free me, and to free you.

My body, now incomplete, is glorified in Christ only partly now on earth, but in Heaven, I hope to see the glorification of this body, through Christ, again. As St. Paul states, we do not know exactly what we will be like, but the Church teaches we shall have, at the end of time, our bodies restored to us. This is one of the messages of today's feast. Our Lady went before us and her purity demanded that her body did not see corruption. We shall follow her at some time, as we allow God to make us pure, slowly but surely.

The smaller illnesses, like flu or a broken toe are in some ways harder to deal with, which is why God sends these to me, to learn patience. Irritating interruptions of our way of life mean we have to adjust to remembering Who is in control and what it is He wants. Patience, love, contentment in small things...

We do not own ourselves. The second point is that we shall be like God, as we were intended to be. We were made in the Image and Likeness of God and as St. Bernard of Clairvaux wrote, "We have kept the Image but lost the Likeness." Body and soul are somehow reflecting God.

Those of us who sometimes see our bodies as "getting in the way", especially as we grow a little older, know deep down inside that we are moving towards death. But, this is not scary and there is a wonderful movement of the soul towards God as the body loses its, my, power and potency. A woman who was beautiful in her youth see this daily, as beauty fades. But, with God, this foreshadows a new interior life, one of interior beauty, the life of the virtues.

But, today's Feast of the Assumption points us to the real end of all things.

And remember, the Assumption is connected with the Immaculate Conception and the Annunciation. Mary was the first person to experience the Indwelling of the Trinity, which we all have.

Mary is our Queen, as the prayers state today, she reigns in Heaven. She reigns over us.

She is the only Queen to whom we can honestly say, "Long live the Queen". She lives now, showing us the Way, the Truth and the Life.

I write this for all my baby-boomers friends whom I love so much. May we approach the next life realizing that  we glorify God in our bodies and souls here and beyond.

Happy Feast of the Assumption.

The Labor Day Statement from the USCCB

The USCCB's statement on economics this holiday includes some ideas not seen before in documents. In Placing Work and Workers at the Center of Economic Life, there is a criticism of unions I have not seen coming from the American bishops before this document. This is a fair statement. Unions have not only been partisan, but leaning towards Marxism, using Marxist language and symbolism and blatantly socialist, which should concern the Church in America.

Unions and other worker associations have a unique and essential responsibility in this needed economic renewal. Our Church has long taught that unions are "an indispensable element of social life, especially in modern industrialized societies" (Laborem Exercens, no. 20) and are examples of the traditional Catholic principles of solidarity and subsidiarity in action. At their best, unions demonstrate solidarity by bringing workers together to speak and act collectively to protect their rights and pursue the common good. Unions are a sign of subsidiarity by forming associations of workers to have a voice, articulate their needs, and bargain and negotiate with the large economic institutions and structures of government.

Like other institutions, including religious, business and civic groups, unions sometimes fall short of this promise and responsibility. Some union actions can contribute to excessive polarization and intense partisanship, can pursue positions that conflict with the common good, or can focus on just narrow self-interests. When labor institutions fall short, it does not negate Catholic teaching in support of unions and the protection of working people, but calls out for a renewed focus and candid dialogue on how to best defend workers. Indeed, economic renewal that places working people and their families at the center of economic life cannot take place without effective unions. This renewal requires business, religious, labor, and civic organizations to work together to help working people defend their dignity, claim their rights, and have a voice in the workplace and broader economy.

The bishops seem to be working on a longer document. Let us hope it is much better than the paper from the Vatican which created the debacle surrounding the unapproved economic paper released last autumn. I suggest the bishops read some of the books on Father Z's reading list....

Two Cute

Cold birds

Jumping bird

Webcam bird

Happy Feast of the Assumption

I love the icon symbolism of Christ holding the precious, Immaculate Soul of His Mother in the Dormition of Mary icons.

Wednesday as "cute day" two

The Divisions in the Church; the blind establishment vs. the prophets

Thousands of pro-life Catholics are following the scandal of the Obama invitation to the Al Smith Dinner. We are waiting for a comment from Cardinal Dolan, which has not happened, explaining this scandal, which is the same as the Notre Shame scandal. How can he explain an invitation? Many people have signed a petition to dis-invite POTUS to this fund-raiser for the Diocese of New York. As long as these types of public acceptance of the leader of the culture of death occur, Catholics will be confused and scandalized.

I have lost respect for some of the Catholic commentators who are supporting this bad and growing example of compromise in the elite group of those who do not represent me nor many good Catholics in America. I praise those commentators who have stood up against this invitation, and blatantly naive stand. And, as noted on this blog, the Democratic Party Platform now includes the support for civil unions. This is not rocket science....this dinner is playing into the hands of the pharisees.

May I add that I just found out today that the famous young priest, whose First Mass was a Tridentine Mass in the Archdiocese of New York, the photos of which went over the Net, was personally "reprimanded" after the fact by the same Church leader? The priest corrected did not tell me, but someone "close to the ground", as it were...What is going on? I do not understand either the invitation or the lack of support for the TLM by a so-called "conservative" bishop. One priest was ordained this year in that diocese and the establishment should be thrilled--instead, there is inside manipulation against the trend of young men who love the TLM. From Hamlet:

Horatio:
He waxes desperate with imagination.

Marcellus:
Let's follow. 'Tis not fit thus to obey him.

Horatio:
Have after. To what issue will this come?

Marcellus:
Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.

Horatio:
Heaven will direct it.

Marcellus:
Nay, let's follow him

The Strategy of Sport--Games for the Mind

My son was trying to explain to me how complicated rugby really is, as I said it just looked like very strong men pushing each other around in the mud and passing a weird football sideways. Now, son proclaims that the rules are difficult, and that those big muddy guys have to think strategically. Wow!

Now, I love cricket and am probably one of  a handful of American women who actually understand and can spot an LBW. Cricket and baseball appeal to me partly because of the statistics and the strategy. There is nothing more relaxing on a rainy afternoon at Lord's when one can sit with friends and discuss the really excellent off-spin bowlers of the past 40 years and how they have changed the game. Here is Peter Such on the subject:

When setting out to bowl off spin the first thing any bowler needs to consider is the outcome, what are you trying to achieve. 

In my mind the desired outcome was always the perfect off spin delivery.

What does the perfect off spin delivery look like? For me it has to do several things, drift away from the right handed batsman, drop in the air and spin back to hit the top of the off stump. This is not going to happen every time, but if you set out with this goal in mind you will have a far greater chance of success.

Having outlined the goal thought then needs to go into producing a consistently repeating action, one that maximises spin on the ball and gives the control required for success.

Saqlain Mushtaq

Never loose sight of the fact that you are a spin bowler not a slow bowler. You are trying to spin the ball; it just happens that your pace is slower than most other bowler’s. As a spin bowler, it is an insult to be referred to as a slow bowler. 

Spinning The Ball Hard

My first piece of advice to any spin bowler is to spin the ball as hard as possible at all times. By spinning the ball as hard as possible, it achieves the following results

Causes the ball to bite and spin off the pitch.

Gets the ball to drop in the air almost like top spin if you get your fingers over the top of the ball

Gets the ball to drift away in its flight path if you come round the side of the ball.

Now to rugby. I have seen two rugby games in person in my life and on both days the weather was atrocious. I have vague memories of drinking something warm out of a flask and having stadium blankets tucked about me and my friend.

I cannot remember noticing strategy, but here you are for some tips in case you end up watching a game. This is Tom Billups.

For example, a team receives a restart on their right hand touchline. Their strategy is to consolidate that kick, form a ruck, and execute a box kick with designated kick chasers. The best teams in the world all employ this as part of their patterns of play. In this example, there is a dozen generalized and position specific techniques that must be performed well for the tactic (box kicking the ball down field) to be successful. Although being successful at the technique level will not automatically assure the tactics will always prevail, it does provide the side with a fighting chance to achieve success in the team’s pattern of play.

When rugby is at its best, all fifteen players have a clear understanding of their team’s strategy, the tactics used to accomplish the strategy, and the techniques needed to fill the tactics. Players are encouraged to make their “in-the-moment decisions” with this overall pattern of play in mind.

When a team uses a pattern of play, with tactics and sound technique, it reminds me of one of my favorite rugby sayings: “Fifteen as One.”  

Spain vs. Rumania

I think I may have to learn some rugby rules...it sounds, happily, as complicated as cricket.

St. Maximilian Kolbe, Patron Saint of Political Prisoners

In the NO, the saint of the day is the famous St. Maxmilian Kolbe. More than his heroic death of dying for a man with a family at Auschwitz, to me, is his entire life spent in spreading the Gospel through his movement of the Army of Mary the Immaculate, called the Militia Immaculata, which he organized to fight Masonry. He had two doctorates, one is philosophy and one in theology.

 During his time as a student, he witnessed vehement demonstrations against Popes St. Pius X and Benedict XV in Rome during an anniversary celebration by the Freemasons. According to St. Maximilian,

They placed the black standard of the "Giordano Brunisti" under the windows of the Vatican. On this standard the archangel, St. Michael, was depicted lying under the feet of the triumphant Lucifer. At the same time, countless pamphlets were distributed to the people in which the Holy Father was attacked shamefully.

He made up a prayer to add to the prayer of the Miraculous Medal.

Oh Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee. And for all those who do not have recourse to thee; especially the Masons and all those recommended to thee.

And, he was one of the first saints to realize the importance of media in spreading the Word of God.  Here is a link for more information from which the quotations have been taken. I suggest bloggers pray to him for protection and inspiration. 

May all who have family members or friends caught in Masonry ask for his intercession to break away from that anti-Catholic movement.

A Psalm for all my friends who need prayers...

Noli aemulari. An exhortation to despise this world; and the short prosperity of the wicked; and to trust in Providence.

[1] A psalm for David himself. Be not emulous of evildoers; nor envy them that work iniquity. [2] For they shall shortly wither away as grass, and as the green herbs shall quickly fall. [3] Trust in the Lord, and do good, and dwell in the land, and thou shalt be fed with its riches. [4] Delight in the Lord, and he will give thee the requests of thy heart. [5] Commit thy way to the Lord, and trust in him, and he will do it.

[6] And he will bring forth thy justice as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. [7] Be subject to the Lord and pray to him Envy not the man who prospereth in his way; the man who doth unjust things. [8] Cease from anger, and leave rage; have no emulation to do evil. [9] For the evildoers shall be cut off: but they that wait upon the Lord shall inherit the land. [10] For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: and thou shalt seek his place, and shalt not find it.

[11] But the meek shall inherit the land, and shall delight in abundance of peace. [12] The sinner shall watch the just man: and shall gnash upon him with his teeth. [13] But the Lord shall laugh at him: for he foreseeth that his day shall come. [14] The wicked have drawn out the sword: they have bent their bow. To cast down the poor and needy, to kill the upright of heart. [15] Let their sword enter into their own hearts, and let their bow be broken.

[16] Better is a little to the just, than the great riches of the wicked. [17] For the arms of the wicked shall be broken in pieces; but the Lord strengtheneth the just. [18] The Lord knoweth the days of undefiled; and their inheritance shall be for ever. [19] They shall not be confounded in the evil time; and in the days of famine they shall be filled: [20] Because the wicked shall perish. And the enemies of the Lord, presently after they shall be honoured and exalted, shall come to nothing and vanish like smoke.

[21] The sinner shall borrow, and not pay again; but the just sheweth mercy and shall give. [22] For such as bless him shall inherit the land: but such as curse him shall perish. [23] With the Lord shall the steps of a man be directed, and he shall like well his way. [24] When he shall fall he shall not be bruised, for the Lord putteth his hand under him. [25] I have been young, and now am old; and I have not seen the just forsaken, nor his seed seeking bread.

[26] He sheweth mercy, and lendeth all the day long; and his seed shall be in blessing. [27] Decline from evil and do good, and dwell for ever and ever. [28] For the Lord loveth judgment, and will not forsake his saints: they shall be preserved for ever. The unjust shall be punished, and the seed of the wicked shall perish. [29] But the just shall inherit the land, and shall dwell therein for evermore. [30] The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom: and his tongue shall speak judgment.

[31] The law of his God is in his heart, and his steps shall not be supplanted. [32] The wicked watcheth the just man, and seeketh to put him to death, [33] But the Lord will not leave in his hands; nor condemn him when he shall be judged. [34] Expect the Lord and keep his way: and he will exalt thee to inherit the land: when the sinners shall perish thou shalt see. [35] I have seen the wicked highly exalted, and lifted up like the cedars of Libanus.

[36] And I passed by, and lo, he was not: and I sought him and his place was not found. [37] Keep innocence, and behold justice: for there are remnants for the peaceable man. [38] But the unjust shall be destroyed together: the remnants of the wicked shall perish. [39] But the salvation of the just is from the Lord, and he is their protector in the time of trouble. [40] And the Lord will help them and deliver them: and he will rescue them from the wicked, and save them, because they have hoped in him.

On sincerity...and you will not believe the connections

Oh no, I cannot believe I heard someone say this in 2012. A "nice" person, who is a solid heretic, was described as being "sincere". Sincerity covers, for some, a multitude of sins.

Sincerity should mean that one merely expresses their own feelings and thoughts about something outwardly. However, what the cult of sincerity does not take into consideration is that those thoughts and feelings can be totally ludicrous, or worse, evil.

Satan is very sincere about his "non servum". How did we get to this adoration of the sincere person, the one who may be open, seemingly trustworthy and absolutely wrong?

The word came up in a discussion about someone who is a fundamentalist Islamist. He is sincere, apparently, in his beliefs that it is fine to kill for the sake of his god.  He is sincere if he thinks all Western women are "sluts" and can be treated as such, simply because these women are from the West. He is sincere in his desire to wipe Israel off the face of the earth. To the Muslim, religion is sincerity, which is actually stated in the hadith.

They were not commanded but that they should worship Allah sincerely and worship none but Him, and that they should perform prayer and pay Zakâh. That is the right religion.

[Sûrah Al-Bayyinah 98:5]

The Muslim must be sincere to religion, the book, the prophet, Allah, the teachers and other Muslims. That is written. Notice who is left out of this list.

Amazing. How did we get to this point? Another young person in his twenties told me that he liked this young woman because she was sincere. I asked what he meant by that. Apparently, she can show her feelings easily and openly. There is more to life than emotions and reactions to emotions.

Sadly, sincerity, which I thought had passed out of our culture with earnestness around 1899, is back "in " again as a virtue, which it is not. With earnestness, the Victorians love sincerity, as a left over from the Romantic era of poetry and art.

Aristotle meant something different in his definition. I have not read Nicomachean Ethics for about 5 years, but I need to get back to the fantastic book. Sincerity to the Greeks meant something similar to a state of thinking of one's self in balance, as in a measured objectivity of one's own character.

The word does not mean that anymore. May I quote Oscar Wilde on this subject: "A little sincerity is a dangerous thing and a great deal of it is absolutely fatal."

In Japanese, a member of my family tells me, makoto, or sincerity, is valued as being natural in one's behavior, and being one's self. This is tricky. As we are to put on the Mind of Christ, we are to be more and more like Him and less and less our selves, in that we die to our selves and are made a new creation in Christ.

In anime, Sailor Jupiter is Sincerity because of the kanji. Now, I am not a girl with long legs in short skirts fan, but I know some highly intelligent beings who love Sailor Moon and Sailor Jupiter. I shall stick to The Cat Returns, which is not sincere, just cute, or kawaii.

Christians do not list sincerity as a virtue. We speak of truth or veracity and simplicity, but not sincerity. As we believe that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, all truth is to be found in Him and in His Church.

Go ahead and be sincere, but it will not lead you necessarily to eternal life.

Confusions on Love and Parenting

Many Americans have heard the phrase "tough love". Some people think it only has to do with working with at risk students, or something psychologists do.

Tough love should happen in families on a regular basis. The culture is forming our children, not the parents, and if parents do not take a strong stand against the culture, the souls of their children are at stake.

Who is to blame when children fall away? This is a hard question. If parents can put their hands on their hearts and say they educated their children in Catholic teaching, including the Ten Commandments, and if they lived the Faith in the home, then they have done their duty. But, as long as the child is at home and getting money from the parents, certain things can be demanded, as parents.

First, a parent has a right to say to an adult son or daughter living at home that they must attend Mass with the family. As long as one is in the home, one is a family member and not merely a "roomer".

Second, the Ten Commandments as the rule of the family must be followed by adult children living at home. This is simple to enforce. If an adult son or daughter insist on sinning consistently, mortally, they have chosen to not be in obedience to the parents in the parents' home. This could include joining in daily family prayer when time permits, and eating together.

Three, parents are refusing to be parents. They tolerate serious evils, such as homosexual behavior and addictions to pornography. A parent is not a victim to the adult child's decision.

Tough love sees the long picture, that of the immortal soul reaching heaven. If a parent does not cooperate with grace and the commandments of God in the raising of children, it is the parents' fault and God will judge accordingly. If an adult child is benefiting from life in the home, they must follow the religion of the house. If not, a parent has a right and duty to ask them to leave.

This is real love. Anything less is sentimentality and cooperating with serious sin. Parents, if you supporting an adult son or daughter, you have a right and duty to ask for obedience to God and yourselves, as that person is still "under" you and dependent on you.  Parents in the sacrament of Matrimony are given grace to raise their children.

Christ was obedient to Joseph and Mary until He left home. He has shown us the way.

Average Posting Day

Thanks to Wiki

My usual number of posts is six for one day, with variations of seven to ten or so, on a special day. I hope all who follow this blog know how to use the tags at the bottom of the posts to find more of the same topic and also the search button on the side.

Novena to St. Gianna Beretta Molla

Those who have been following this blog know that I follow Maltese Catholic life. The Archbishop there published a beautiful paper on life which is on this blog below. The search bar and tags can help those looking for articles.

IVF is not part of the teaching of the Church for many reasons. But, for those desiring children, remember we have a great saint in heaven. Many parents in the States have babies names after St. Gianna Beretta Molla. Here is her novena and click on the title for a good website on her life. Also, if you are a reader and have a witness to her intercession, please make a comment. Please join me in praying for all those Catholic women who want children and have not conceived.

Novena to St. Gianna

God, our Father, Thou hast granted to Thy Church the gift of St. Gianna Beretta Molla. In her youth she lovingly sought Thee and drew other young people to Thee, involving them in the care of the sick and the elderly. We thank Thee for the gift of this young woman so deeply committed to Thee. Through her example, give us the grace to dedicate our lives to Thy service, for the joy of our brothers and sisters. Glory be... Jesus, Redeemer of humanity, Thou called St. Gianna to become a doctor, a role she lived as a mission to comfort bodies and souls. She saw Thee in the sick, needy and weak. We thank Thee because, through this servant, Thou revealed Thyself to us as "One who serves" and alleviates the sufferings of all men and women. As we treasure her example, may we become generous Christians at the service of our brothers and sisters, especially those with whom Thou deign to share Your Cross. Glory be... God, Sanctifying Spirit, Thou who love the Church as Thy bride, Thou poured into the heart of St. Gianna a share of Thy love so that she could give it to her family, cooperate with Thee in the wonderful plan of creation, and give life to new children who could know and love Thee. We thank Thee for this model wife and for her encouraging example. Grant us serene and Christian mothers who are committed to transforming our families into cenacles of faith, love, generosity, and service. Glory be... O God, Creator and Lover of the human family, Thou remained with St. Gianna when she painfully had to choose between her life and the life of the child she had awaited for so long. Trusting Thee alone and aware of Thy commandment to respect human life, St. Gianna found the courage to do her duty as a mother and to say "yes" to her baby's life, thus generously giving her own. Through the intercession of Mary, Mother of Jesus, and after the example of St. Gianna, inspire all mothers to welcome with love the seeds of a new life. Help us respect the gift of human life. Grant us the grace to find inspiration in St. Gianna, a model spouse and mother who, after the example of Christ, gave up her life for the life of others. Hail Mary... With ecclesiastical approval Angelo Mascheroni Auxiliary Bishop of Milan

On thought on yesterday's second reading

In this first line of the reading at the NO yesterday, from Ephesians 4:30, St. Paul writes, "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God who has marked you with his seal for you to be set free when the day comes." In Great Britain, sadly, the Jerusalem Bible translation is still being used as the approved version. This is not good, as this translation is not as accurate as the RSV, for example.

However, until we get excellent bishops, this will not change.

Going back to the topic, St. Paul shows us that he is addressing those Christians who are confirmed. This point must be seen as significant. The confirmed are the more mature Christians who have repented, become members of the Church and received the other Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism and Holy Eucharist. Look at how specific St. Paul is about who he addresses.

Those Catholics with the seal of the Holy Spirit, which comes with Confirmation, are asked by Paul not to grieve the Spirit. This means that we all must cooperate with grace.

Grieving the Spirit involves ignoring the life of the virtues and choosing the easy, but deadly way to sin and corruption.

The second part of the verse notes that those who are sealed in the sacrament will be set free "when the day comes". This is an eschatological reference to the Coming of Christ, when He separates the goats from the sheep, to use the Biblical phrase.

Be prepared, pray, reflect, act.

and, just in case you have not been paying attention to Egypt

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/158831#.UCgZiZ1lQcs

Catholics, please pay attention. Pray for Coptic Christians.

Democratic Party Platform Now Includes Gay "Marriage" Support

An American cannot be a Catholic and vote Democrat. Since the late 1990s, the party platform has officially supported contraception and abortion. That should have been enough for most Catholics, but now the party has officially added gay civil marriage to the platform. Here is the news.

Enough is enough. No picture for this post.

Read on Ryan

http://news.yahoo.com/understanding-paul-ryan-medicare-reform-plan-three-minutes-144610365.html

Illogical Catholics

When I was in high school, in my freshman year, age 14, we all had to take Logic. Some of us went on to take debate. These courses were part of classical, Western education. I won such contests of rational discourse as I had learned the fallacies and avoiding these were the keys to success. One put one's arguments forward rationally and succinctly.

There are now two generations of people who do not know how to argue. We, in America and in England, have lost the skills of rational discourse and debate.

The way of thinking rationally is human but also a learned skill. Several things have impeded the ability of people to argue.

One, subjectivism. This is actually or could be an illness of the mind: that is, to take everything personally and to attack on the personal level, leading to ad hominem fallacies. One cannot win a real debate in this manner.

Two, relativism. Unless people can agree on common definitions and common truths, there can be no meeting of the minds for an argument. This leads to individualism and fallacies of non sequitur and the argument from fallacy. This can also lead to the fallacy of compromise which always cannot be a real alternative.

Three, lack of a moral framework, no teaching of the Ten Commandments or recognition of natural law, which means that arguments cannot even begin, as there is no common ground for an outcome.

Notice, dear readers, how many of the Modernist Heresies are actually based on faulty logic.

I do not know if we can turn the tide of this lack of thinking, which is a sign of barbarism. What takes the place of rational discourse is superstition and magical thinking.