Mind Blown: If you watch only one thing this week-watch this.

do you know where you are going?

Hosannah in the Highest and Peace on Earth to People of Good Will.

Post by Catholic News Service.

Merry Christmas all!

Post by Catholic News Service.

Christmas Eve

While last minute present wrapping tune into this:

Love keeps you safe

RANDOM ACTS OF CULTURE

turn up the sound and start dancing

Moving

cyber Monday shopping? Can I interest you in a Rose?

on the drag scene at the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade

No, Just No. Not there, not in the military, just No.
Glorification of perversity is not the same thing as a parody.  and I don't care if Michele is a he/she.

ADVENT

SEASON OF MIRACLES

Why We Celebrate

THANKSGIVING.

  George Washington's THANKSGIVING DAY PROCLAMATION

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3rd day of October, A.D. 1789.

Give Thanks

To The Lord

   For He is GOOD, and his MERCY endures Forever.

happy birthday

oldest living Hollocaust survivor turns 110 today- God Bless Her.

Post by The Christmas Candle.

Must See TV

Judge Garzon (around 10:00)

Rest in Peace

And Help Us All

    As the nation commemorates the fifty years since the passing of John F. Kennedy as the first Catholic President of the US, a few thoughts come to mind as Clinton and Obama go to Arlington to pay respects.  There are a hundred or so Kennedy relatives, nieces, nephews, cousins, second cousins, who will commemorate in their own ways, and roll their eyes at other's efforts who feign a familiarity with the Camelot couple. The family knew him. We can only marvel at a distance. Some like myself were only born the year he was elected and so we lived our whole lives with the mythology and memories of others recounting.

  There are things that impress us. I am struck by in particular The Flame at Arlington which is eternally lit. The Flame-as if to say, you can kill the man but the light will always carry on. The causes that JKF seems to stand for never die but shout from his grave all the louder. Justice, Equality,  Fairness, Opportunity, the very bedrock of the American experiment found their expression in this President. He was smart, easy on the eyes, Harvard educated, and a decorated real war hero. All those things come to mind- but at the time of his death, what strikes me particularly are a few things aside from the obvious pain of his wife: the eternal flame, may his memory never cease, and the red shoes John Jr. and Caroline wore as they stood by their mother in front of Saint Matthews Cathedral in Washington, DC watching their father in a box be loaded onto a hearse. Red is the color of martyrs. JFK was a martyr. The motivation for his killing came from a purely evil place even if we do not know for certain the magnitude of circumstances surrounding his killer or killers. One thing we do know, it was pure evil.

   So it was fitting for his children to wear the red shoes of Martyrdom in honor of their father.
And like all Martyrs, people who died directly or indirectly for standing tall and firm for what they believed in, and got shot down in the process, there is a very special place in heaven for him. So he is still with us but from a place with a better view.

John F. Kennedy, pray for us all.
http://vincentisms.blogspot.com/2011/04/john-f-kennedys-presidential-style.html

Stop and Frisk- the law in New York

Which is Deliberate Legalized Harassment and Assault by the State

Warning: Seriously Foul language- on the part of the police:

Takes a Big Man

To Check Himself.

  Apology accepted Martin Bashir, who retracts as follows:

But if I could add something to the public record it would be this: That I deeply regret what I said, and that I have learned a sober lesson in these last few days. THAT THE POLITICS OF VITRIOL AND DESTRUCTION IS A MISERABLE PLACE TO BE AND A MISERABLE PERSON TO BECOME.

Petit Announce

The Catholic Church of Saint Paul the Apostle in New York City has been selected as the church to host the annual Christmas in New York CBS special.
It will air Christmas Eve- and you can watch it while last minute present wrapping.
They pre-record it on Friday, December 6. It features celebrities and The Muppets (which is from my perspective the main attraction:-)

They want to pack the house for the show- it will feature a lessons and carrolls sort of genre so if you have a particularly good Christmas Carroll singing voice please come. Check out the website for Saint Paul the Apostle in New York (its a historical beautiful church right off Columbus Circle) for more details.

They have incredible acoustics. Its a singers heaven in there.

Les Jumeaux

Holy Water

LOURDES Should be understood as that place in a bedrock grotto where the Blessed Mother wanted to demonstrate the existence of a Mikveh. or instruct the creation of one in an ideal spot. It was widely rumored she visited southern France while on earth. One of her instructions to Bernadette was -start digging- Here a real Jerusalem Mikveh from the 2nd Temple period illustrates:

So Open Minded

Your Brains Fell Out.

   That was my mother's cautioning- tolerance to a point of lacking completely moral discernment. You are so open minded your brains fall out. Usually I rebuffed her cautioning - like when it was applied to my dating a dark skinned guy because i dismissed it as racist generational nonsense.
   Recently in other contexts I have revisited the phrase from my very wise mother.
I viewed a youtube video anyone can google on 'animism' in which it was disclosed that there is now a society of people who are so attracted to inatimate objects that they want to have sexual experiences with them. Not Kidding. Close your eyes kids.
There are people so fond of the Eiffel Tower, or the Statute of Liberty or a ferris wheel that they want to 'marry' these objects in the romantic sense. I thought- OK, there we go- clearly a line has been crossed somewhere into mental ill-health and someone needs to call the exorcist when an attractive young woman wants to french kiss the Eiffel Tower. Embroider it on pillows, fine, emboss it on notecards, also fine, but get naked with it and conduct a commitment ceremony? If  you are not at this point yelling -are you nuts! there is something wrong with you. Because we appreciate that a line has been crossed from fondness or admiration (granted the Eiffel Tower is largely Phallic) into pure wierdness beyond the realm. We want to give that person a warm bath and a glass of wine to rethink their attraction and if that doesn't work- where's the lithium!
    There are people who love forrests- feel so 'connected' to nature that they want to 'connect' with nature and get naked with trees. Tree- hugger has new meaning when the knot in a tree becomes a substitute for something a woman has. Most of society would agree that is too wierd for words and the behavior deviant- off the hook-- call the guys with the white jacket and long sleeves. A line has been crossed from fondness for forrests to being 'one' with nature that is a little too close for comfort.  Not many people have a problem with noting that there is in fact a line and it has in fact been crossed.

   For the last several thousand years we have had a line, in which fondness and admiration, respect and even love goes but not further, and that is in the romantic realm of sexual expression between adults. The line has been gender. Love, admire, be fond of someone of your same gender, but don't cross over into the sexual romantic realm. That was considered the norm, as much as people felt attracted to same gender people and until about ten years ago the people who did cross over were loved but pitied, because they could not control or contain themselves from the crossing over this line.

  People who know and follow scripture understand that about two thousand years ago, it was prophesied that there would be what Robin Thicke calls 'Blurred Lines' and men would want to have sex with men and women with women. Lines would be crossed and the people who held to the line were castigated as 'traditionalists', 'moralists', 'prudes' or just meanspirited. Some in fact are. Some wear it as a badge of courage like a red martyrs cape.

    In the last ten years social and public policy has changed to change the line. The people who don't want it changed are biblically literate people who know that two thousand years ago a prophetic writing
codified in the New Testament told us that this would happen in the 'end times.' ---with a vengeance.
And that appears to be exactly what is happening.

    This isn't a comparison to the Santorumesque slippery slope of- now are we going to make bestiality legal?  Its just a comment that the people who are trying to advise people that the line is moving are right, and it was predicted to move, and the question should be- is that something we view as positive or not as a country routed in Judeo-Christian values.  It isn't to say people crossing the line aren't nice wonderful, talented people who contribute to others lives meaningfully, it is to say however that a line has been crossed. And it bears attention.

     

why?

Oh My God

The Bishops Burden.

And a Call For Prayer .

    The Bishops meet today and start with a prayer at the beautiful classic historic first cathedral in the US, the Baltimore Cathedral. I recall fondly a pilgrimmage i took to see it.

     They need wisdom and strength to combat the forces that would corrupt them which are heavy. They need to follow Jesus not the RNC leaders, not the business communities wealthiest contributors, not the nation's leading ideological right wingnuttery gallery. They need the Holy Spirit.

On the issue of this contraception fight against HHS on 'religious freedom' grounds- the issues are not simplistically the feminazis versus the holy women of God, and people shouting 'you don't speak for me'
don't speak for me either, nor lots of women. Women's voices, even catholic ones are not  monolithic. All women don't have to follow other women's life choices. A woman with several kids who has a career and a husband who supports it and doesn't want any more children does not have to have any, and does not have to sacrifice her marriage for an ideological insistence by bishops.

    The NY times has an interesting piece on the Gilardi case. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/02/us/court-rules-contraception-mandate-infringes-on-religious-freedom.html?_r=0

CLICK: HERE TO SEE THE ISSUES AT STAKE

     The issue of whether corporations as opposed to individuals possessing a first amendment right for Freedom of Religion is not a trivial one without consequence.
The Roberts court has once already upheld Obamacare by calling a tax penalty the same as a tax and valid under the taxing power given to Congress. Congress may clearly pass health related laws. Congress believes by passage of this law that contraception is vital to the mental or psychological well being of women (does psychologically a lot less damage than abortions that result when one does not use contraception). Clearly condoms prevent AIDS, it is folly to suggest that people who don't use them
have less risk of disease than people who do.

     Congres is allowed to make health laws that affect all businesses. Does a corporation have a 'Freedom of Religion' right- under the US Constitution even when it is non-profit corporation, incorporated under corporate laws as a non profit? One could argue that if it is tax exempt then the taxing power doesn't apply so all these should be exempted as well.  But would that rationale hold when Congress wanted to make non profits accountable to OSHA health laws? Could a non profit
not be held accountable for making people sit in asbestos laden toxic air and drink toxic water and coffee at work because it is against someone's religion to have to clean air vents? Could any Congressional health mandate get trumped by a religious objection because the founding people have religious beliefs against it? Suppose Congress said no smoking inside buildings- but the peyote smokers
insisted they had to inside structures as a matter of their belief? Congress can't outlaw smoking inside enclosures?
     The Supreme Court should take all the cases up which address whether corporations have a Freedom of Religion right or not. They also should address whether individual business owners can opt out of some of them on conscience grounds when Congress at large says it is a public health concern. That's why we have a Congress in part- to investigate all angles, hold hearings and determine by a majority of opinion what is considered the best course for the country in the best interest of the country as a whole.
We don't allow any individual to say he doesn't want to provide workplace safety on religious grounds, or not put in a health accommodation like a ramp for the disabled, or not provide non-FDA approved foods in the cafeteria, like expired meats or dairy products. Laws are for everybody or they don't work. They become optional suggestions instead.

Happy Veterans Day

It does not say anywhere in scripture that God hates Gays. It does say however God hates Hypocrites- find it. I dare you.

The singing friar.

I saw him tonight at the church of Saint Paul the Apostle in NYC. AMAZING doesn't do him justice.
He did the best version of Panis Angelicus i have heard anywhere on any medium. If you are in DC when he comes to the Franciscan Monestary of the Holy Land you have to hear/see him sing.
Just breathtakingly beautiful and moving.

must see tv-are really interested in healing?

Cancer the Forbidden Cures - Full Documentary

http://www.youtube.com/v/BTGye7kA6rM?version=3&autohide=1&showinfo=1&attribution_tag=lKaljqTLPsFUo3DxHoi7Xg&autoplay=1&autohide=1&feature=share

Contraception and the Bishops Conference

The Audacity of Duplicity.

     The Wuerlwind: 43 lawsuits. Thats lots of litigation for a body that is supposed to represent the Prince of Peace.
The Archdiocese of Washington prided itself on picking a fight with the President over not wanting to provide contraceptive coverage in para-church organizations run by religious organizations as non profit corporations on 'freedom of religion' grounds. No, that mis-states the issue- the fight is over whether they have to make it available through a third party insurance coverage. They are not being asked to dispense it through soda vending machines. They are asked to make it available on policies they offer that is paid for by insurance companies essentially. If no one wants it, no one has to pay for it. If all the people the church hires follow church teachings then no one will order it, no one will pay for it.

     This fight has embarassingly gone from the sublime to the ridiculous to the fairly unconscionable.
I think the faithful are entitled to an accounting of what was spent and to whom on this fight. Many including myself believe it was widely misdirected resources to pad the pockets of the republican elite who support this particular Cardinal who turned a Religious Freedom Rally with perfect timing into a
Romney Rally in all but name. To even suggest that got one run off of pilgrimmages.

   First, the issue of contraception in the abstract is clear in terms of the church teaching (from all men) - its out of the question unless, as Benedict clarified about five years ago when the issue of AIDS in Africa surfaced over his trip, you are trying to prevent death by using a condom. Then it is the lesser of evils. Otherwise its just intrinsically evil, say all men.

  Anything in the abstract that contravenes or contracepts life is definitionally anti life and thus not of the giver of life, goes the argument. Its the mentality that also rebukes gay lifestyles because they don't naturally procreate (never mind that they save lives that are already here time and time again)-

    When one looks at the reality of the fact that contraception saves not having to have an abortion, the arguments get less theologically clear because clearly using contraception when you don't want to be pregnant precludes you from having to abort when you are generally speaking as a rule. It doesn't take a woman to figure that out. Sure there are accidents and slip ups and failures of method, but that is the general idea.

   Other harms of contraception are physical-because any sort of foreign substance one regularly takes to alter a natural cycle is bound to have other bad physiological repercussions- and the pill has been blamed on everything from breast and uterine cancer increases to infertility. There have even been massive lawsuits about it and better public education about it would be wise. Choices must be informed or they are not choices. Fair is Fair.
From a women's health perspective the pill is not something you should eat with your morning cereal for kicks. They cause physiological changes, some irreparable. If the pill in various formulas is intrinsically unsafe for womens health it should be banned quicker than transfats- but that is not the issue at hand. The feared health consequences of it is why I, for one, was not on it- the second reason was I never needed to be because I generally by default follow church teaching on sexuality.  The church believes no one should ever need to be - because sex is for procreation and married people should be open to as many children as God wants to bless them with. Unmarried people, like me, shouldn't need it because they shouldn't be having sex to begin with.

   The issue is whether it is Religious Freedom constitutionally to deprive people of something determined to be a medical or psychological necessity by some people and is not an easy slam dunk issue.
Women psychologically believe it is their responsibility to assist in providing for the household and thus have jobs outside a household which they believe precludes their having children.   These are social pressures, they are pressures born of women's desire to be relevant in the world, and also to use their minds to the fullest capacities that God Gave them as a form of worshipping God with all their minds, hearts, souls, etc. Women have talents, brains, genius even and they have a right to express them in the world.  From a practical perspective being open to as many children as God wants to give one means being available to raise them, or having the resources to hire people to help. Some married women, a large number of them, even Catholic women, use birth control. If every family in a parish does not have ten kids and the couple married in their twenties or early thirties chances are someone is on birth control. If you took a poll in any parish I would guess at least half the married women would raise their hands.

  The old Catholic model was that men were entitled to have mistresses because their fertile wives were not on any birth control and they couldn't afford more kids, so they had sex elsewhere- there was a winking duplicity about this- and good catholic women were supposed to just suck it up and tolerate that their husbands had affairs. It destroyed good marriages from a woman's perspective- and killed love under clouds of adultery.  Look at the great catholic political heros- I don't need to name them. Its scandal their infidelities were and are so tolerated.

     Back to the US Constitution where Congress shall make no law abridging the Freedom of Religion or the Free Exercise thereof. The question is - can a non profit corporation attached to a church, run by religious people, but not a church per se, claim to have 'Religious Freedom'- In this century , in particular the Roberts Court, we have seen the Supreme Court define a corporation as a 'person' -some think rather absurdly in other contexts and it has been widely lampooned for it. It has freedom of Speech apparently. It has widespread implications for election finance even-

  But can and does it, as a legal fiction have freedom of religion ever? It goes to the fundamental structure and purpose of a corporation. Individuals wishing to insulate themselves from liability when they form corporations look at various structures to do that, and  raise money in stock issuance. Lawyers tell them the best way they can put their idea and production into the market in a manner that protects them as a sword and shield personally from any downside or risk of failure. So they create an entity that is not them- cannot be taxed personally to them, cannot be traceable to them in a corporate limited liability context. A board is required to have a corporation. Corporations have shareholders often that have powers to vote out directors, founders even. The corporate entity on purpose is not supposed to be merely a veiled individual. Piercing the Corporate veil is what happens when someone sues a corporation that pleads poverty or tries to make itself judgment proof so the litigant can get money from the individual who set up the sham corporation to try to hide their assets. But we are not talking about sham corporations when we talk about parachurch organizations. We are not supposed to be talking about an individual or even a group that sets up a non profit to run an ecclesiastically motivated organization. There is supposed to be accountability to a Board, they are supposed to have voting control over directors.

     Corporations of course do not have souls, do not procreate children, do not have emotional bonds like marriages, and do not go to heaven or hell, although bankruptcy court might feel like it. Corporations don't cry, don't send their kids to school with a lunchbox and a handwritten napkin note, don't wipe tears from kids booboos and don't bake christmas cookies. People Do.

   What is the social benefit of creating such a legal fiction then in the context of Religious Freedom.
That is the constitutional question likely to go to the Supreme Court when the Hobby Lobby case gets there. Hobby Lobby is a craft-toy store run by a deeply christian family who don't want to provide contraceptive coverage for employees. It is not a para church organization- and has a better argument than a para church organization because employment labor laws exempt religious non profits from discriminating in hiring people who don't subscribe to their beliefs- so technically parachurch orgs can get away with not hiring people who would use contraception in the first place. They could even put it on a hire application questionaire and couldn't be sued for it. So there is no reason to think it would cost anyone a penny to merely in the abstract provide it for parachurch outfits if no one orders or uses it.

     The Supreme Court needs to seriously think about what the social benefits at large are to giving all corporations all the rights of individuals when the purpose of establishing corporations is to insulate the individual from personal liabilities and create a distinctly non-personal entity.

  Before I even knew it was catholic teaching, before I was even catholic technically, I followed that great catholic teaching of my presbyterian mother under the chapter of the book titled "Why Buy the Cow if The Milk Is Free." So I am not ranting from any desire to see contraception cheaper than it already is. I am ranting because I have an obligation as an attorney, and every attorney does, to defend and uphold the Constitution. When it is undermined or watered down it becomes not a cohesive social instrument that allows us to call ourselves Americans but something that perverts justice.

   I worked in Wuerl's Cathedral for years as an unpaid volunteer joyfully. I also volunteered in assisting particularly their homeless ministries or social justice ministries or fundraising in several other parishes in Washington DC including Saint Stephens, Holy Trinity, and Saint Louis de France- for all total over a decade.  I know that most of the workers at these churches are volunteers, not paid any benefits. The people actually hired by the churches or parachurch organizations have to follow church teachings on sexuality and contraception (and marriage, and gay non-rights, etc.) So no one has ever shown one case of any person who is complaining that they are going to be given the choice of getting contraception on any policy offered by the church. Who is complaining? Who has standing to complain? That is why I believe there should be a full accounting regarding all this litigation. Who is getting paid, why, and shouldn't those resources be better spent on things like developing affordable non-exploitative housing for people in one of the toughest residential rental markets in the country in homeless ministries? Or feeding programs, or after school programs for kids to learn other skills in the inner city, or sports programs or almost anything else.

    I do believe it completely appropriate for the church to have church teaching about women taught by women who believe in it at churches, and I am all for empowering women attorneys to do it- like Helen Alvare who will be speaking at Our Lady of Lourdes to the Ladies of Lourdes. That is perfectly appropriate, and she has views on where she wants the Constitution to turn. But the Supreme Court has to look at the wider implications of what will happen if the corporate veil is pierced for every civil right and liberty granted to individuals when the point of establishing a real corporation, even non profit ones, is to exempt it from individualism.

   

   

   

 



   

 

   

   

   


 

It may seem to you
to go without saying
but it bears repeating
all the same
when you seek first glory and fame
you take the Lords name in vain.

Now it may appear
that your zeal is real
while your positions intemperate
with shouting extremes
get you attention and esteem
while lacking in love
the most basic sincerity
while ginning up polarity
that makes you so mean.

From where does it say
condemnation is a virtue
or judgment a blessing
or cursing won't hurt you
you curse those who love you
and wonder why they oppose you

The Lords embrace is such a grace
so penetrating your insolent face
He even gives you space to
not reciprocate.

whatever religion you are-this is important history-

Love this man.

The Amazing Rabbis Singing Simon and Garfunkel!

CLICK below
http://www.youtube.com/v/YwWFA04sqEo?version=3&autohide=1&autohide=1&showinfo=1&feature=share&autoplay=1&attribution_tag=6huS1XRb5cPihLFI8dpaNA

If you are in NYC on Sunday

FEAST OF SECULAR FRANCISCAN PATRONS

  Elizabeth of Hungary and Saint Louis of France (one of a handful of Saint Monarchs), both Third Order /Secular Franciscans  will be honored at the church of Saint Francis of Assisi in New York City just down the street from Penn Station on 31st St. this Sunday at the  11:00 am Mass.
   The Franciscan order is particularly well known for its care of the poor.  Reception to follow in the Claire Room.

Note to Doug Maynard, head Lawyer for the New York City Police Department.

Stop the Program anyway- the quota system has to go.

Le fossé qui se creuse entre riches et pauvres... by KTOTV

This is the new head of the French Bishops Conference. It is much more important
to worry about issues of poverty than gayness (as was the obsession of the previous
head of the Bishops Conference) because poverty can mean the difference between
life and death, gayness means the difference between good or bad interior decoration.

You Are A Star

http://www.youtube.com/v/9D05ej8u-gU?version=3&autohide=1&autohide=1&showinfo=1&autoplay=1&feature=share&attribution_tag=1XDW9yYlec0S75IP_7Hq3g

La prochaine exposition photo à l'Hôtel de Ville

http://www.youtube.com/v/QKK_8lkbD6E?version=3&autohide=1&feature=share&autoplay=1&autohide=1&attribution_tag=tS3tSKqTEb4BSlrYzZqsJA&showinfo=1

Love must exist outside time
because your voice sings in the same rhyme
Somehow it all just finds me
these imprints in my memory
of how your voice led me
and try as i will to forget
it comes back in a flash
and that must be what Merlot is for
or a fine Chateauneuf du Pape
so I forget how much I was drawn
though a ship through a storm
to your side. Like butter finds scones
or jelly finds toast, like
angels carry prayers and
hands find hosts.
I was assigned and when I run
and hide, like Jonah swallowed
by the whale, the tale is full
of bad stomach acid and ale.

I once kissed the Blarney Stone
and must have swallowed a lepruchaun
because i caught the rhyming syndrome
like turretts of great irish bards
I think in verse
and while its terse
it makes a point
even if out of joint
i throw a few noses
in space. Grace or a curse
I don't know what's worse,
that thoughts come in iambic
slop or not having a thought at all.
Perhaps its lineage or legacy
from great writers in geneology
or perhaps ancient DNA,
from shores of emerald sheep huts
covered in moss. It comes
with the freckles and carrot ruddy hair
my apologies to faint and faire,
I tried to subdue it, but it keeps coming out
even when i shut my mouth
my fingers dance like marionettes
in siloettes in a french country fair.
Oh dear.

home improvements

All the Professionals agreed
the eyebrows needed trimming
the bikini needed waxed
the legs, oh darling, scratchy
and the keratin comes last
the hair needed straightening
the color can't be grey
the tummy could use a tuck
the nails- completely frayed
the pedicure comes with a rub
of reflexology honey of course,
and if we have time
lets exfoliate and hydrate
and facials are half off till eight.
Lets see, without the tip
that will be five-hundred thirty six
cash only dear, theres the ATM.
God might have made you perfect
but he made us to improve it better
said the sign above the cash register.

Time stood still
when i saw you again
five years still the same
I am still standing in the rain
if you wondered.
You are bubbled absent
trouble not immune to fame.
How does all that adulation
fare upon your greying frame?
Are you eating well enough
I want to feed you pasta
and grain wholewheat
the occasional sweet
and perhaps some pino griggio.
Lovely to see you
i think i will believe now
that angels do visit you
especially one called Gabriel.

Your lullabye
stuck in my eye
and i can't get it out.
I shook my head
by the side of my bed
i'm ready to twist and shout

The Hypocrites Food Stamp Oath.

There is an Icon in my pantry-

 a Jesus hanging on my wall-
my candles sport madonnas -
and my rosary will fall-
out the zipper of my purse-
from medjugordje, and what's worse-
there's a font of holy water-
from Lourdes in a perfume bottle-
and Le Mont Saint Michel-
scrolls around boxed cookies from Charles de Galle
duty free. present to me.
There's a pillow stuffed lavender with John Paul II smelling
nicely my room, four bibles in four languages
adorn the coffee tables
There's a benedict metal under the cross
labelled sacred
There's even a prayer in my head
a song dallying round
and that beggar on the street
must be on too many drugs to eat.

Monestary--

 I took a stroll with my smartphone
 that turned dumb on me
as I clicked gleefully images of a monestary
 in a gallery stuck in T-Moble servers
or possibly the NSA
who now knows I quite adore Roses
of every hue and mosaics galore of things called
'Visitation' and blue Madonnas, 'Annunciation'
and gladiolas
yes, I prefer sitting with statues perched on grottos
 than hustle bustling stations of rushing commuters
in drag called business casual attire
 or congressionals calling out 'liar'
 to Secretaries of HHS and what a mess
 they proclaim. The President lied
 and the tsunamic tide
of upset has hit the power circuitry 
in unambigiously mean vitriol .
I prefer a stroll
through rose-land peach and red,
pink and orange and did I mention
Saint Anthony standing without ceremony
holding Jesus in the middle of the Road.

I was yours before time before the rhyme sublime subdued a mind racing through graces and delusions. I was yours through moutains and hills and far away stills of images and moving panoramas in vistas of pilgrimmages on knees climbing holy stairs. I was yours there too. Right behind you counting the holy climb and still am yours though behind a curtain or prisonish grate like a saint I was yours then and now again awaiting some heaven sent deliverance some sign from the sky that i won't die before the goodness of the Lord quietly replies--yes. Its your time.

Groove In G | Playing For Change

http://www.youtube.com/v/6LQhamwJcVY?version=3&autohide=1&autohide=1&feature=share&autoplay=1&attribution_tag=b_hRMLu4tML5K74qfvV5TQ&showinfo=1

God Is

Love.
A Family.
A Holy Family.

Repeat after me. God is a Holy Family.

The Origin of Halloween

http://www.youtube.com/v/iWys4k4Eca4?version=3&autohide=1&autoplay=1&autohide=1&feature=share&showinfo=1&attribution_tag=KH3uhPpu3n9DapVH3h47bQ

if God is real
he hears my prayers
as old as they may be
and stored unspoken years
abated, silenced by the sea

if God is real
he knows my cry
in vapid desolation. And never
did i waiver in my dedication

If God is real he knows
i'm true and have been all the while
 For mystery and mercy over misery
i exist still quite undeservedly
I am here for you unreservedly
and that may be the only reason
still I am in earthly form.

What will it take for you to shake
the thorns that imprison your soul
and steal all joy from the purpose
of your toil.

My wait is long my song
unsung, I cannot hold much longer
the grasp on this rope has burned
my hands and my hope needs yet a tinder.

You are the poetry of my voice,
the reason i can sing. To which naked
emperor must I plead do not take my
sunshine away.

http://www.godvine.com/Bible-and-Sand-fb-gv-4151.html

6,000 lbs of food on 1/10th acre - Urban Farm - Urban Homestead - Growin...

Don't Worry | Playing For Change | Song Around the World

Anonymous - Obamas oath to defend the US constitution

This made a valid point until it said "we are legion" "we do not forgive"--then it just was creepy. really creepy.

Gov. Gary Johnson slams NSA spying

Stop Watching Us: The Video

Long Live Pope Francis

 "Prophecy makes noise, uproar, some say ‘a mess.’ But in reality, the charism of religious people is like yeast: prophecy announces the spirit of the Gospel.”  Pope Francis.



In todays episode of "Unless you are living under a Rock" you know about the AMERICA article. THE AMERICA ARTICLE. The one where Pope Francis gave long interviews to Jesuits who wrote all about him in a long article. Not a spontaneous fly by the seat of your flying. If you don't know about it just google Pope Francis America Magazine. America Magazine is the pre-eminent national Jesuit publication in America. Hence, the title.

     Commentators far more learned than I in things ecclesiastical are breaking it down. My synopsis is this: Pope to Conservative Wing-Nut subsidiary division: Get A Life Already.

     This is a kinder, gentler, Pope. One who calls himself a 'sinner' -not as Fr. James Martin, S.J. points out in a self laudatory manner like "sinner redeemed" or "beloved sinner"- but in a more self depricating way where he is convicted of his humanity. Like all of us. Sinners. Skanky even.

     The headlines grabbed the political hot buttons. They read like "Get Over Yourselves" on the gay marriage and abortion shame politics. They read like - "you guys are obsessed" with things that are demeaning and diminishing the mission of the Holy Spirit.  Catechism is useless if not first predicated on the message of God's saving Love first. Otherwise it degenerates into a petty legalism that is more off-putting than inviting. Sometimes it runs riot over Love.

    The obsession has a pay-off or no one would do it. And the pay off is huge. Republican shame politics that drives some of the corruption of the gospel message is hard to miss in Washington where no one seems to make anything but issues. If you can generate a meme where we are the good guys and they are the bad guys you can use it to fundraise. Piles and piles of money are raised in fact on self-congratulatory dinners where people back slap at hundreds a plate on how they are the good guys fighting the corrupted evil guys who think 'marriage matters' for everyone.

  The word "traditional' tends to be a rallying point for more lobbying money. Traditional families, traditional morality, traditional male-female, traditional everything. Send in that Fiddler on the Roof guy. Yes, tradition is good. Some of them- slavery was a tradition and it was not so good. Women traditionally had no right to vote until 1920 in America. Hence, everything 'traditional" isn't intrinsically good unless it was a good tradition. I digress.

     Other words are lobbying rallying fundraising catchers like "catholic vote." Because unless you vote like us catholics think you should you can't call yourself catholic. Only we are catholics. You are catholic lite, or cafeteria catholics or , my favorite, just maybe Presbyterian.

     So the question remains, because the demonizing of the other side in polarizing politics is so prevalent and so keyed into the egos of needy young "what else am i supposed to do with my theology masters degree) people in Washington, will the Pope's comments make a difference. Will his plea to get some 'balance' back and stop 'obsessing' have any resonance. When he says STOP obsessing on gay people or what they want to do (some 2-5 percent of any given population) will people actually Get A Life and stop slandering gay people and those who think they are really wonderful nice humans?

   Will people start to think of jobs plans, ways to incentivize green technology developments, or how to harnass solar power for cars top the agenda over slandering people and ruining their social lives? Will people care more about decent affordable housing and exploitative housing practices? Or the other issues that plaque the despirately poor like shortages of good jobs at living wages, or child care costs for working single mothers?  or the fact that it costs the price of a small car to get dental work for people over 50 who have normal people over 50 dental issues?

     What energy and funds have been spent on bullying, ostracizing and demonizing gay people and anyone who said 'leave them alone'  that could have been productively spent on things that affect everyone?  Where does it say in Matthew 25, those who like gay people and want to treat them like humans go to my left to the netherworld??  There is not one mention of gay people in Matthew 25. When the Pope says get a balance, it is his nice way of saying- How Does This Love Your Neighbor?

   That should be the hallmark of every act, policy, lobby campaign, and budget inquiry in any Archdiocese- How Does This Love Our Neighbors.

    That's the only law you have to be worried about.

 

 http://edition.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/world/2013/09/19/pope-father-martin-amanpour.cnn.html

   

 

   

In Memoriam

To the Fine Jesuit who wrote this. Rest in Peace.

Its timely, insightful and urgently needed reflection now.

http://www.americamagazine.org/issue/533/article/little-gray-cells
http://www.americamagazine.org/issue/533/article/little-gray-cells


      Jesus never asked anyone of the thousands on the hill what their political views were on any subject before  feeding them. Neither did he ask anyone their political views before healing them. He did not impose a canon law litmus test as a pre-requisite to attending any event or listening to him. He did not anywhere anytime kick anyone out of a gathering for harboring views discordant with his, to the contrary he sat and ate with Pharisees, Scribes, and top biblical scholars of his day who thought he was off his gord.

   The brain dead mediocrity of theological thought that merely parrots doctrine as a form of spiritualism goes nowhere but to oppression and Jesus came to free from oppression. All kinds of oppression. Even the oppressions of petty dogmatisms.

   Someone with a little catechismal stamp  of approval is no closer to God for memorizing anything than the person who devotes their life to good deeds. Perhaps this is why the Pope is rattling so many conservative catholic feathers when he suggests that even people with lack of 'formation' on dogmatic issues are going to get to heaven if they seek God with pure hearts.

    The conservative catholic world likes conformity without critical reasoning in part because it is easier to not think for yourself. It is easier to be spoon-fed what others want you to think and feel without exploring what you actually do from the base of your own intellect.

   The tradition of non-critical catholic thinking came about because societies were organized around a language that not everyone spoke- ancient latin. In the dark and middle ages most people could not read in any tongue in Europe much less latin, so the official scholars had to tell you what scripture said.

  The invention of the Guttenberg Press made translations of a bible into every common language possible and people started reading and reasoning for themselves what Jesus actually said, as opposed to what a priest said he said.  It didn't take long thereafter before people figured out that some of what the priests or bishops said Jesus said or wanted was a bit off the rails. Take 'indulgences' for example for buttressing and beefing up  the building fund of the new Vatican building to pay people like MIchelangelo and Rafael from the coffers of starving German peasants parishes. Now it is accepted that
extorting people with the threat of hell lest they buy indulgences is not exactly proper. The pay to play game doesn't exactly work for buying your way into heaven- see, e.g. that widow's mite.

    The commandment to Love God with all your MIND as well as everything else suggests that he wants everyone to use it to the fullest of its capacity. The fact that Jesus came that we all should have Life abundantly and in fact this was the point of his mission (I came that you all would have life and have it abundantly) suggests that any soul crushing dogma that demoralizes, diminishes, denegrates, or desponds life into despair is decidedly NOT Jesus.

   Its time for the church to stop persecuting itself in the name of misguided 'discipline'. An open heart requires an open mind.  I recommend a committee immediately to restudy and reexaming all canon laws  that is not composed exclusively of Dominicans but has a fair balance of Jesuits and scripture scholars from all traditions in it. The Inquisition is Over.

Many  Thanks to Fr. James Martin , SJ. for forwarding the above article.
 

Perhaps

Its About Oil and Gas Again??

   Why is Kerry saying other arab oil sheiks will pay us to take out Assad?
click here for-its all about oil deals again theory.

and what could these two be talking about??

click for sort of strange bed-fellows.

Pope Francis' homily during peace vigil: War is a defeat for humankind

Pope Francis' homily during peace vigil: War is a defeat for humankind

Pope Francis: rebuild peace and harmony with encounter, not conflict

Why It is Insanity

To Strike Syria


    First, the Hezbollah and terrorists are on both sides -rebels and Syrian authorities. Do you possibly think by taking out Assad you diminish cooperation with Iran one iota? Secondly, its their civil war-
What if France, Germany, England and Russia came to the aid in the South in our Civil War when Abraham Lincoln's troops were destroying and devastating those nice people in Savannah and Atlanta?

   It is irresponsible to not wait for the inspection report to see who actually caused and used the chemical weapons. It 'defies reason' that Assad would use them gratuitously in a region where he already had control.

Assad has protected the Christian communities giving minority rights better than anyone has been able to do in Egypt for example.   Every Christian in the country should stand with the Christians of the ancient homeland of the Christians who are loudly shouting at Obama to back off and mind his own business.

   There is no guarantee whatsoever, not even a likely chance that taking out Assad is going to diminish the strength of either Iranian influence in the region or Hezbollah's actions which easily base out of Lebanon.

   Just not strategically smart on any level- and the costs will be astronomical. We cannot afford them. We have neglected what has to be done in this country to get it back on its feet.

If Obama defies what the House tells him to do he should be impeached for not protecting the country's interests but squandering resources on another folly of a disastrous foreign policy miscalculation.

Melkite leader says attacks on Syria would worsen situation :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

Melkite leader says attacks on Syria would worsen situation :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

Pope's vigil for Syrian peace expected to be biggest in decades :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

Pope's vigil for Syrian peace expected to be biggest in decades :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

Do you want to talk Brutality.

Here is a Jeopardy question: Which Dictator used armaments to kill, not just main ALL the children under the age of 2 in an entire city.
    Just outright targeted children and slaughtered ALL of them under the age of about 2. Not chemical weapons, just mass murdering fatal stabbings and sword decapitations.
HEROD.
That was the kind of mass assassin murdering dictator KING HEROD was.

Jesus lived in the brutality of the Roman Empire- at a time where Herod was decapitating children,
Just because he was trying to find Jesus who threatened his power.
The Roman Empire was a brutal murderous invasive force. People were decapitated- John the Baptist was decapitated.


Jesus knew all this, saw all this and yet---Jesus notwithstanding was firmly insistent on non-violence as a response to Brutality. It is a RADICAL REVOLUTIONARY call to NON violence.

Even when they were coming for him he instructed them not to slice the ears off the approaching guards.

Jesus is a healer creator. You cannot heal what you destroy. You cannot ignore the Pope's call to all Christians in the name of Jesus of Nazareth to pray for Peace.

The Dedication of the Franciscan Monastery in Washington, DC

WHY OBAMAs CALL TO ARMS MUST FAIL

   Because he has not demonstrated proof that would hold up to the slightest test of any court of law that Assad used Chemical weapons. Certainly someone did, but it 'DEFIES LOGIC' in the words of a senior NATO officer that Assad would use them on an area over which he has strong control.

Samantha Powers speaking at the Center for American Progress to lay out the case for Obama was sappy, non-sequitorious, made no link to proof that Assad caused the chemical attack and should put on a jacket like a grown up. It isn't that hot in the Air Conditioned Center for American Progress. This isn't Progress- its the same militaristic nonsense.


Clearly, the Administration has been harping to take out Assad since at least Kerry took office and before. But using military might now is an admission that diplomacy has thus far failed and the Administration must reach out to a broader coalition of peacemaking.

Clearly this is deja vu all over again.

And this time, we aren't biting.

Tomorrow is a Prayer, Fasting Vigil for EVERY CATHOLIC as required by the Pope to pray for Peace and STOP A US INVASION.

THAT MEANS YOU JOHN PODESTA.

Vatican Diplomats Called to Rome

Drew Christianson's Washington Post Article yesterday:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/on-faith/wp/2013/09/04/on-syria-the-limits-of-reason-demand-a-day-of-prayer/

MARY of NAZARETH Film Trailer

http://www.news.va/fr/news/le-superieur-des-jesuites-critique-les-etats-unis

Full Statement of the US Conference of Bishops Against Use of Force in Syria.

September 4, 2013 President Barack Obama The White House Washington, DC 20270 Mr. President: As our nation contemplates military action in Syria, we want to assure you and your Administration of our prayers. We know that the situation in Syria is complex and appreciate the patience and restraint that your Administration has exercised to date. We affirm your decision to invite public dialogue and Congressional review of any possible military action, and want to contribute to that discussion from our perspective as Catholic pastors and teachers. We join you in your absolute condemnation of the use of chemical weapons in Syria. These indiscriminate weapons have no place in the arsenals of the family of nations. With you we mourn for the lives lost and grieve with the families of the deceased. At the same time, we remain profoundly concerned for the more than 100,000 Syrians who have lost their lives, the more than 2 million who have fled the country as refugees, and the more than 4 million within Syria who have been driven from their homes by the violence. Our focus is on the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Syria and on saving lives by ending the conflict, not fueling it. We have heard the urgent calls of the Successor of Saint Peter, Pope Francis, and our suffering brother bishops of the venerable and ancient Christian communities of the Middle East. As one, they beg the international community not to resort to military intervention in Syria. They have made it clear that a military attack will be counterproductive, will exacerbate an already deadly situation, and will have unintended negative consequences. Their concerns find a strong resonance in American public opinion that questions the wisdom of intervention and in the lack of international consensus. We make our own the appeal of Pope Francis: “I exhort the international community to make every effort to promote clear proposals for peace in that country without further delay, a peace based on dialogue and negotiation, for the good of the entire Syrian people. May no effort be spared in guaranteeing humanitarian assistance to those wounded by this terrible conflict, in particular those forced to flee and the many refugees in nearby countries.” The longstanding position of our Conference of Bishops is that the Syrian people urgently need a political solution. We ask the United States to work urgently and tirelessly with other governments to obtain a ceasefire, initiate serious negotiations, provide impartial humanitarian assistance, and encourage efforts to build an inclusive society in Syria that protects the rights of all its citizens, including Christians and other minorities. Please be assured of our prayers as your Administration faces the complex challenges and humanitarian catastrophe that have engulfed Syria. Sincerely yours, Timothy Cardinal Dolan Archbishop of New York President, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Most Reverend Richard E. Pates Bishop of Des Moines Chair, Committee on International Justice and Peace

Maroon 5 - Love Somebody

Who Let the Dogs

Of War Out. The Pope calls for Prayer, Fasting and an urge to Peace. NO to more war. reports abound that-All evidence of the syrian chemical attack points to it being manufactured in the US, fed to the rebels through Iraq. It looks to the rest of the world like a false flag set up to incite humanitarian justification to attack Assad's regime. It is a response to insecurity felt at Israel's border. Our intervention will not assist the cause of peace or Israeli security and will invoke a widespread massive global Muslim retaliation and confrontation. Congress is urged to vote AGAINST any US intervention in Syria.

Watch Sister Joan Chittister on PBS. See more from Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly.

Love & Carrots

Rare Genius

At the Catholic Information Center in Washington, DC last night a stone's throw from the White House, a  piece of Irish Genius unassumedly came to talk about art. But he wasn't just touting the brilliantly inspired bronze Saint Joseph statue that is just behind him that he created for the Center, he wanted to talk about how art inspires evangelism. Catholic heritage is rich in art and culture because it uses art to inspire and teach  and elevate spiritually.  In the early days of the church when large populations were illiterate obvioulsy the visual arts expressed biblical stories on walls of churches for educational purposes. But even in the internet age, art has a powerful place in Evangelism. He particularly wanted to talk about how the study of the body enlightens and provides insight into what has been called 

"The Theology of the Body"- Art as an Evangelism tool is something perhaps under-appreciated. Originally from Dublin,  He started an art school in Florence, Italy . His vision is for there to be a Vatican Academy of Art where talent from every Archdiocese in the world can send gifted people to train and study both theology and art as a reflection of it. White washed tombs full of dead men's bones and Ezekiel's Valley of Dry Bones are given sinews, muscles and the Spirit moves them into personalities in much the same way that the life of the church can be re-invigorated, re-vivified by art's expression in sculpture and painting. He created the statute of Joseph holding the baby Jesus behind him here as a response to the fact that society with its out of control sexual devolution has become in large parts fatherless. Children suffer where there are absent or unavailable fathers. When one goes into the Catholic Information Center chapel, right on 15th street and looks at that statue one is impressed with how important it is to pray for men so they have the strength, ability and vision to become good fathers. That is how one piece of art can mobilize people- Art is powerful. He once saw kids in Rome defacing with spray paint a beautiful statue in Rome and decided to enroll them in his school so they would appreciate their own cultural heritage. He mentors italian kids and teaches them sculpture so they don't become spray painting street ruffians. His vision is that every Archdiocese in the World should send artistically talented kids to Rome to fine tune their craft. Imagine if the spray painting gang kids in LA could get scholarships to study art in Rome. What would that do to elevate culture everywhere? To learn more contact and get to know the folks at the Catholic Information Center. They host the most amazing talks and presentations. You may not agree with everything, but something will inspire you. I don't agree with a rant against Feminism, because Feminism is a pro-life movement when it enables women whose men have failed or left them to live productive lives. But I am deeply inspired by this guys vision to make art study something appreciated far more than it is currently. In an age of MTV Miley Cyrus passing for artistic entertainment isn't it about time we got a grip? I  hope that Pope Francis realizes that one way to dignify people in poverty and struggle is to provide art education and that the best and most promising should be sent to a Vatican Academy of Art to develop their craft in the service of the new Evangelism. 

First Latin American saint honored worldwide for piety and devotion to God and poor

First Latin American saint honored worldwide for piety and devotion to God and poor

Pope thanks Argentine painter for self-portraits

Pope thanks Argentine painter for self-portraits

Love this guy

Reflections of a Wandering Lawyer

Last night I walked into a church basement in DC- the kind of grim decor-bare cinderblock basement sectioned off into rooms with used scratched wooden furnishings. There were metal bookshelves full of wall to wall paperbacks with a primative indexing and alphabetized system for finding categories and genres and titles. In a makeshift filing cabinet of stacked drawers were supplies like reams and reams of tape, rubber bands and scissors. I met the head of the operation; a middle aged woman in a wheel chair who thrust a small box that looked like a radio under my mouth when i introduced myself. 'Hi, I'm Cynthia" I said. "Can you please repeat that, and excuse my microphone, I am deaf and this magnifies what you say because I'm not that good at reading lips' "Hi, I'm Cynthia." She went on to explain the drill. We get letters from prisoners across the country requesting books. We read them, answer them with our stationary, telling them we either found their book or could suggest another of a similar genre and enclose as many as the prison allows. Some have a 2 book maximum. You have to check the specifications book for what prisons allow. Some require a receipt on our letterhead, i'll explain that later." She went on to detail how the books are wrapped. 'We cut the corner of the prisoner return address off and tape it to the box" I observed a guy fastidiously cutting brown paper Trader Joes grocery bags from a stack in the corner into wrapping squares flipped inside out. "We have to tape all the corners" explaining that the post office just tosses things in trucks and it is necessary therefore to plaster the box of books in tape. She stamps them 'Media Mail." She asks if any of my lawyer friends might like to donate postage. Its their only expense- everything else is donate she explains. In one night a few hundred packages went out across the country. One volunteer explained "I did two and a half years in Texas and I didn't ever get anything. My family was in Korea so i didn't get anything-that's why I do this." Just a little Angel Dust one evening in Washington, DC in a place you might not expect it. It's called Books to Prisons (google it)- anyone incarcerated can request a book and a staff of people half in yoga pants and work out gear will try to find it for them.

To send them stamps or books (paperbacks only) please find address HERE http://dcbookstoprisoners.org

Happy Assumption Day

Assume This

Cells transmigrate from a Fetus to a Mother

     during Pregnancy.

It fortifies immunities of the mother. It exists in the mother for decades and potentially life. Cells then HERE http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2633676/

multiply. Read about it

Now imagine the child has some DNA from a father who is God and immortal.
Now imagine the cells of the God-child migrating to the mother. And now imagine them multiplying throughout the life of the mother.

Assume that, and you can believe an Assumption. THE Assumption of the Blessed Mother into heaven who is nowhere buried on earth because she was Assumed into Heaven fully with all her cells.

August 15. THE ASSUMPTION OF HISTORY

"Angels and Saints at Ephesus" by The Benedictines of Mary

What's Better than a Cuppa?

A cuppa with mint and chocolate. By the MYSTIC MONKS 

   Those cute monks who make coffee in the mountains of Wyoming now have added a specialty to their collection- MINT CHOCOLATE COFFEE.   Real fresh mint, with real chocolate added to their beans.

  You can order it HERE-------http://www.mysticmonkcoffee.com/store/chocolate-mint-ground-regular-p2231.php

   How can I turn that into ice cream:-)

(their ad is off to the right of this blog)

Peace

Please

     Today John Kerry and Melissa Rogers (Chair of Obama's White House Faith Based Initiative Office) boldly and brilliantly  announced a new US State Department initiative in which the Department will consciously engage faith communities of all kinds throughout the world headed by Casey- (hope to learn more about him later).

   Drawing upon the rich resources that already exist at State which they hope to magnify the office will consolidate and intensify efforts to meaningfully engage peacemaking communities and those wishing to partnership in global efforts to advance the common good by drawing on the better nature of our angels. Kerry noted that extremists who lack depth in their religious tradition have hijacked the tenets of their faith to promote an impure version of their religion in promoting violence.  This office seeks to work with the peace-builders, those who understand the global mission of redeeming not destroying God's creation by engaging civil societies, religious institutions, and leaders globally. Absolutely brilliant.

   They also noted that this will all be done quite constitutionally- it doesn't run afoul of any church-state
separation issues. It is an acknowledgment of sorts that elements of religious and/or ideological extremists hijacking religions pose real security threats that must be intelligently dealt if we are responsible in advancing the common good and protecting those that do good.

   This is a huge new light of hope as it recognizes that religion is only the problem when it is bastardized and hijacked , not when it is marshalled for the immense good it seeks to do by the incredibly dedicated good people seeking to do good.

  Bravo bravissimo all the folks at State who are doing this so nobly, courageously and creatively.

John Kerry, quoting the book of Mark noted that the greatest of all are the servants of all, and he here proves himself quite 'great.'

 

Cure

For the Common Corruption.

     I keep getting articles by people seeking to change my mind on the mandatory celibacy doctrine of the catholic church. Sorry, mind not changed.
First, lots of these articles, even by priests totally misrepresent and misunderstand church history.

There were predominantly married priests even in the Roman church for the first 1,000 years of the church. This followed the express biblical admonition that a Bishop must be husband of one wife not many polygamously and not none. One wife with his household in order. Direct quote-find it.

Then in the First Lateran Council marriage of priests was officially banned. Prior there were attempts to restrict conjugal relations for those with certain altar duties at certain times but there never was a marriage ban prior. Men rotated so one priest would do these duties once every two weeks because the communities had many more priests proportionate to the numbers in the communities than there are now because the priests came from normal families, had normal families with wives and children. Those doing certain altar duties during times refraining from conjugal relations was no different than the Jewish prohibition on having sex for a week after a woman had her period and only after the cleansing of the Mikveh baths. Jews regulated sexual activity (not just for priests- for everyone). They never outlawed married life or conjugality all together. Regulating it had benefits of making more fruitful when it happened. The baths of Lourdes, one surmises has to do with the blessed mother wishing to give catholics the Mikveh experience for purifying healing cleansing.

     The Byzantine, Orthodox, Maronite, Anglican, Episcopalian and early church for the first 1,000 years had and have married priests as a rule not the exception. Some have monks, who do not marry but live in same sex communities, but all had or have married priests. The first three are much closer to the original church in practices and geography.

Many early Popes naturally were married including Saint Peter.

It took about 450 years before the Protestant 'revolution' split the entire Christian world in half and one of the first things they did was abolish the mandatory celibacy rules. Now more than one half of the Christian world has optional married priesthood and the romans the only ones who do not.

There are even in the Roman rite certain head scratching inconsistencies such as the fact that anglican or episcopalian priests with families who wish to be catholics can do so without divorcing their wives. So in fact for converts there is a roman married priesthood.

So you know it has nothing to do with the holiness factor or those men would not be permitted to be roman priests.

When Martin Luther, an Augustinian Monk, very austere, walked bareful from Germany to Rome on pilgrimmage to find Rome a clerical cesspool of pedofila orgyfestivals where little naked boys were jumping out of large cakes he started questioning the mandatory celibacy and the farcical holiness ruse under which clerics were hiding.

Today the church has paid over 2 billion US dollars (and still counting) on deviant sexual scandals victimizing people they were charged to protect and care for.

The mandatory celibacy invites more deviancies because no one has room to sexually or emotionally mature. It has emotionally stunted the priesthood.

Women are half the body of Christ. Women's emotional lives are barely understood by the higher ossified octogenerian priesthood who generally fears and loathes them unless they write large checks. Some of this comes from basic gay mysogeny against women. Some comes from plain ignorance. Some comes from bad imaginary theological interpretations of Mary the Hollogram. Women's emotional well being is completely ignored and even mocked by this mandatory forced celibacy rule where no women genuinely in love with a priest (and visa versa) will ever have any of her needs met that a normal married life provides. She won't have children, she won't have help in any living expenses, she won't be valued in many societies or incorporated in many societies but will be marginalized as crazy, whoreish or both. This is more than insulting, it is evil. It is actually the stated practice to do this to women in order to protect the priesthood and everyone is encouraged to do it. Truly evil.

The motivation for the mandatory celibacy arose from the fact that primogeniture laws and inheritance laws in the western world gave property by law to the oldest male so this rule tandomed an effort to consolidate property rights in the name of the Holy Roman Empire (the Vatican City state did not exist until the 20th century) and subvert nation state's property rights laws. It had its benefits. It is doubtful some of the great gothic cathedrals of western europe could ever have been built if the property rights were not thusly settled.

The mandatory celibacy laws of the Roman church should be changed to allow for married priests. The church would be healthier, financially and emotionally. It wouldn't have to pay off prostitutes, altar boys or confidential settlement in the BILLIONS. Every catholic should be disgusted and outraged at the intellectual dishonesty surrounding this issue. It is time for a real change.







   

La Tierra Del Olvido | Playing For Change

Can we win the War on Drugs with Music? All over Colombia- the sound of music.

Whom Shall I Fear

The Lord is my Rock and My Salvation, Whom Shall I Fear.

Who Am I To Judge

Who Are You To Judge

  If you missed it the huge news was that the Pope has said, look, you are not the judge. If the Pope isn't the Judge, implicitly you aren't either.

  It was a bit of a gut punch to those self righteous anti-gay marriage people who condemn loudly and viciously people they disagreed with as heretics.

   It was also a complete foil to any alleged 'gay lobby' within the vatican because the pope just slipped the rug from out under any alleged gay lobby. If he doesn't think its so aweful being gay then no one can bribe him to be quiet about it. He isn't going to kick you out. Come out, come out wherever you are- God still loves you.

   You can't extort someone over a secret if its not a secret any more. "They are our brothers" he said. Sure, we have gays in the clergy. As if anyone didn't know. Who else is more likely to be attracted to a lifestyle in which you are required to live in community with all men?

   It was also a bit of a relief to those of us who knew from a legal perspective the arguments forwarded by those fighting gay marriage in various lobbying and court battles was a huge waste of money, not because there wasn't an argument but because the way it was being lodged was moronic, hateful and full of the same old spit and vinegar that the religious right is famous for, directed by the most spitting vinegarish anti-lovely bunch you never want to meet. Everyone should ask for their money back.

    It was a huge sigh of relief for those who have gay friends- who were treated with the same level of ignorance by those who called people championing civil rights in ages past as 'N-lovers.' Mere association with gay friends got you slurred and slandered like you 'must be' gay too. Get thee to confession immediately.

     DO NOT JUDGE LEST YOU BE JUDGED.

And shall we start on all your sins? Peddling slander and gossip lately? That is one that gets explicit mention of what locks you out of the kingdom of God. It causes a murder of sorts on a soul because it seeks to destroy a reputation and a livelihood. Slander and its twin sister Gossip is the devil in prada- it comes disguised as well meaning nice church ladies who have no other avenue for power than posturing in petty vindictiveness in church circles seeking to advance politically by maligning others and relishing in every attempt to put down someone. Gossip, much? You are a murderer then- out to kill a reputation and a livelihood. There will be gay people in  heaven before you ever get there.

   DO NOT JUDGE LEST YOU BE JUDGED.

The measure you mete out will be the measure you get. You act haughtily and imperiously and condemingly what do you think Jesus is going to do to you? You want power? You want to be the bmoc-big man on campus? you want to show the world you can control people with acts of cruelty and 'discipline'- guess what Jesus is going to do to you. You want to condemn people by trashing their reputations, trashing their livelihoods, trashing their ability to engage the world meaningfully because of the slander and gossip you peddle as truth- guess what Jesus is going to do to you.

Time to take an accounting of your methods.  Now go wash your heart out with soap and water.

DO NOT JUDGE. Man looks on the outward appearance and God looks on the heart.

   

 

Sandals & Fiddlebacks - Franciscan Traditional Latin Mass

MORE ON OTT CREEPY MEN WITHOUT RESPECT FOR WOMEN-Eighth Woman Accuses Filner

Weiner's Whining

And Still Does Not Get It.

   Weiner's sad press conference was more telling about his disrespect for women than the actual sexting.

   He apologized to any women (plural) whom he may have 'embarassed' by sexting them.

He apparently has no conscious awareness of how doing that demeans and insults them- who in the world would invite sexually graphically texts, emails or photos from someone unless they thought they were in a real relationship with them. Whores are the only people who do that. So Weiner basically thinks the women he texted whores, because he has no apparent desire to be separated from his wife and engage these people in anything like an honorable relationship of any kind. Here, look at my junk- don't you just love it- he astoundingly narcisistically farts to the indiscriminate world. Like any young woman wants to see his junk flashed on their phones.

  It is about a pathetic lack of respect for women- it is about people who think that they can just get off on insulting people and its not an  insult because the package is so desirable (in wierd weiner world).

Weiner is a symbol of more than a guy with a neurotic compulsion to act like a whore- it demonstrates fundamental disrespect for young women who are not interested in adultery and have it foisted upon them by dick waiving morons.

Weiner is not fit to run for Dog-Ass-Wiper. And his Limbaugh trash mouth communication director- don't get me started.

A Saint to whom Pope Francis has a Devotion --Therese de Lisieux from "Who Cares About The Saints?" with Fr. James Mar...

Happy Saint Ignatius Feast Day to All--St. Ignatius from "Who Cares About The Saints?" with Fr. James Martin, S.J.

In Today's Episode of

Shiksas are not for Sexting Practice:

CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO OF WANKER WEINER APOLOGIES AND HE DID NOT HAVE SEX WITH THAT WOMAN-http://www.nytimes.com/video/2013/07/23/nyregion/100000002353193/weiner-timeline-of-apologies.html

Rio

World YOUTH DAY http://radionotredame.net/2013/vie-de-leglise/jmj-rio-lhomelie-du-pape-francois-pour-la-messe-de-cloture/

One of the Really Good Guys

Really Really Good Guys

     The Jesuits are the heart and soul of pretty much everything. If you don't believe me, pick up the Jesuit Guide to Almost Everything by Father James Martin, SJ.

    After the rant below on the historic situation, the new Jesuit pope gives us all hope. I should have exempted them expressly from the rant but it goes without saying. I have yet to meet a crazy, unbalanced or maso Jesuit anywhere in the world.

Another really really really good guy, a Jesuit of course, who served the Holy Trinity community in DC for a few years is Father Greg. He's a --needs no last name-- kinda guy (and its difficult to remember, Schenden) so just call him Father Greg- and quick because he is on his way this week to the Philippines. Answering the Pope's missionary zeal he will be serving the Philippines and Holy Trinity will miss him.

   I am excited because he is going to be writing a blog of his journey which will be I am sure very inspirational and I will link it here eventually.   http://aschooloftheheart.blogspot.com   (he is using blogspot like me- very user friendly :-)
click:
   Fr. Greg's Blog.

I will miss his extreme and undeserved kindness and enthusiasm very much.  Lets all pray for him, and he promises to pray for us. (also, we promise to keep Flannery the golden shepherd-er, Retreiver, freudian slip) well fed and happy for as long as we are in this hood :-)

He will be taking final vows after a lifetime of Jesuit training and wants his mother from Detroit to come visit Manilla for the event, so contributions toward that can be sent in care of Holy Trinity, DC.



 

Priests giving up women and marriage to them for the sake of the Kingdom is like representatives of the American Dairy Association giving up ice cream driving around in a tub of 'I can't believe its not butter.' If you are going to represent, REPRESENT.' Women are part of the message, not 'distractions' to be sidelined, not 'temptations' to be stamped out. The lack of their central appreciation has fed the horrendously piss poor treatment the church has historically given women.  God is Love. How do you Love? Who do you Love?

Pope Francis greets a group of indigenous people

the best part is at the end.

Pope Francis in action

Pope Francis on Women

Without women, noted Pope Francis 

“the Church risks becoming sterile”

   (in a celibate priesthood what was his first clue?)

Watch Papal Trip to Brazil on PBS. See more from Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly.