outube.com/v/5YXVMCHG-Nk&hl=en_US&fs=1&">
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
"Stop acting like such a Princess"
"I can't help it."
http://homepage.eircom.net/%257Eosrai/kilkenny_castle.htm
OH MAN
What Does The Lord Require Of You
To do Justice,
To Love Mercy,
and to Walk Humbly with your God.
The Prophet Micah.
To do Justice,
To Love Mercy,
and to Walk Humbly with your God.
The Prophet Micah.
A Very Big Deal: US Will "Observe" The ICC
Observer Status at the International Criminal Court.
Thank you to the kind soul who sent me this link. We are making progress. Why wouldn't we want to observe what goes on at the ICC?
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2009/nov/131982.htm
Thank you to the kind soul who sent me this link. We are making progress. Why wouldn't we want to observe what goes on at the ICC?
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2009/nov/131982.htm
What Are You Up To This Friday Night?
After the Holy Trinity Flower Show, you have two choices: here at the Shrine (below pic) or Saint Matthews for their liturgical musical fete and reception. Which one are you going to (they are both at 7:30pm)? 
America The Beautiful
DO SOMETHING SATURDAY IN SANTA MONICA
GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS REPORTED IN WASHINGTON POST
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/globalfoodcrisis/
Monday, November 16, 2009
Walk- Because You Can
DC Homeless Men and Women helped by the Fannie Mae Walkathon.
This Saturday. Sign Up and Walk.
http://www.helpthehomelessdc.org/site/PageServer?pagename=09_
GIVE HOMES TO ABORTION-VULNERABLE WOMEN
ON NOVEMBER 21ST: Every year over 8,000 MD and DC
women will choose abortion because they face homelessness.
Help Gabriel Network serve more moms and babies
by being part of Fannie Mae’s Help the Homeless Walkathon
on November 21, 2009 on the National Mall in Washington,
DC. Registration begins at 7:00 AM and the walkathon
starts at 9:00 AM. Gabriel Network staff and volunteers
will be holding a Gabriel network banner under the
letter “G” sign so come and walk with us! Go to
www.helpthehomelessdc.org to register—Gabriel network’s
beneficiary code is MD010 (listed under Gabriel Project,
Inc.) For more information call 1-800-264-3565 ext. 301.
Hope to see you there!
Coincidentally, also on Nov.21:
THE PRESENTATION OF MARY is a
pious tradition that held that as a child
Mary was presented and educated near
the Temple in Jerusalem. Mary was
conceived immaculately and was
predestined by God to be the mother of His
Son. Mary, honored by God, is honored
and called blessed by us on this day.
O, Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have
recourse to thee.
This Saturday. Sign Up and Walk.
http://www.helpthehomelessdc.org/site/PageServer?pagename=09_
GIVE HOMES TO ABORTION-VULNERABLE WOMEN
ON NOVEMBER 21ST: Every year over 8,000 MD and DC
women will choose abortion because they face homelessness.
Help Gabriel Network serve more moms and babies
by being part of Fannie Mae’s Help the Homeless Walkathon
on November 21, 2009 on the National Mall in Washington,
DC. Registration begins at 7:00 AM and the walkathon
starts at 9:00 AM. Gabriel Network staff and volunteers
will be holding a Gabriel network banner under the
letter “G” sign so come and walk with us! Go to
www.helpthehomelessdc.org to register—Gabriel network’s
beneficiary code is MD010 (listed under Gabriel Project,
Inc.) For more information call 1-800-264-3565 ext. 301.
Hope to see you there!
Coincidentally, also on Nov.21:
THE PRESENTATION OF MARY is a
pious tradition that held that as a child
Mary was presented and educated near
the Temple in Jerusalem. Mary was
conceived immaculately and was
predestined by God to be the mother of His
Son. Mary, honored by God, is honored
and called blessed by us on this day.
O, Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have
recourse to thee.
Shining a Light on it means Someone Paid The Electric Bill
This morning around 80 homeless people went to the basement of Saint Matthews Cathedral for a breakfast that included quiche, fresh fruit, muffins, scones, donuts, roasted or cheesy potatoes, eggs, kielbasa sausage, assorted fresh vegetables,and other goodies. They came back for seconds. They packed lunch bags and stuffed bags of grapes in their coat pockets. After they ate they helped themselves to what they needed for the week in the way of clothes, warm coats, and new clean underwear and socks. They do it every Monday. Some of them ventured upstairs to sit quietly and pray. Father Evelio, who is from El Salvador and the Social Justice Minister Theresa read scripture and gave a mini homily as people intently listened with chairs around circles. They didn't have to hear a sermon to eat, they ate first, and a few left right after. Most people stayed to get free clothes and pack a "to go" bag.
A few people sitting in the circle two and three chairs thick lining the large conference room offered their comments on the scripture readings. They were paying attention. Some wanted to chime in with their thoughts. Some fell asleep after they ate. Father Evelio didn't shut anyone up, no matter how "off" the rant was- everybody felt listened to and, most significantly, respected. One regular is a guy who speaks Spanish as his first language you would see selling flowers on 17th and I (Eye) streets. He dresses in a tailored tweed blazer and is exceptionally polite. Others are equally gracious. "I feel respected and it gives me hope" was the comment of one guest as relayed by a regular server volunteer.
None of the food comes from the Gates Foundation. None of the volunteers are paid to show up and serve up the food or sort the clothes and package the toiletries for a few hours on Monday. It's all GIFT.
Saint Matthews, like a lot of Churches in this economic climate is in serious financial need.
You Can Help.
Because it preaches the Gospel in the morning to the homeless it likely doesn't qualify for some of the same types of funds that Miriam's Kitchen for example gets because it is not "faith neutral" and non proselytic-people come for the grub and the Gospel. The people who come to Saint Matthews come to be fed material and spiritual food- they come to hear the Gospel and love Father Evelio who preaches in both Spanish and English.
Saint Matthews is the Cathedral in the middle of the District. It is not the huge Shrine up by Catholic U- it is the downtown Cathedral that is an actual very active parish, that meets the needs of many people, that packs services of people hungry for the Word of God and the Eucharist, and that provides the most beautiful venue for spiritually uplifting music and reflections. If you have not stopped in yet, please do yourself a favor and visit one of the most beautiful mosaics in the world in the Saint Anthony chapel-which depicts the town of Assisi with Saint Francis on the walls.
You can find the Saint Matthews link to the right of this blog- check out their bulletin of activities. On Nov. 20th at 7:30 pm they are featuring a beautiful musical presentation and reception (all public invited) Please put the Cathedral on your Christmas list this year. It would be a much grimmer darker place in Washington without Saint Matthews Cathedral. You can help keep the lights on and 80-100 people fed, clothed and learning from Father Evelio every Monday.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
How Cruel and Unusual is Death?
Why does the State have Authority to Kill Civilian Citizens?
Two things happened this week that may have caught your attention. Virginia killed off that DC Sniper who terrorized citizens of Virginia, Md and the District by literally taking potshots from his car at random people just pumping gas or being in the wrong place. Secondly, Ohio tried to lethally inject someone but after multiple attempts at jabbing to unsuccessfully find his vein had to reprieve and try later- at which point Ohio determined that they would not go for the three shot "cocktail" but use one "more humane" shot to knock someone off. This is reported on page A10 of today's NYT.
No hue and cry except from a few veiled weeping spiritual widows of Muhammad the Sniper was heard castigating the injustices of the death penalty--- because a large number of people think if anyone deserved it-this guy did.
But that goes to the heart of the question- does anyone deserve it- and if anyone does, does the State have the right to inflict it. Do they have jurisdiction to take a life, even a really bad one?
The 8th Amendment to the US Constitution prohibits government from inflicting "cruel or unusual punishment." Gone are the racks, the thumb screws, the stockades, public floggings, etc. But not gone are jabbing with needles for lethal injections that kill off a prisoner, electrocution while strapped to a frying chair and in some cases, even facing a firing squad.
Is Death more or less "cruel" than thumb screws? Is death more or less "cruel" than public flogging? Is it more or less "unusual" to strap someone with thick leather straps to a frying chair and shoot electric charges through them until their hair singes and their nerves fry-to death.
This question is long settled for the bulk of the rest of the civilized world.
How civilized are we really?
I submit that a discussion over whether a three cocktail series of injections to first paralyze someone before killing them or just one that is used for euthanizing animals to death is more "humane" is such an oxymoronic question that it ranks among the most absurd ever debated in public policy.
Two things happened this week that may have caught your attention. Virginia killed off that DC Sniper who terrorized citizens of Virginia, Md and the District by literally taking potshots from his car at random people just pumping gas or being in the wrong place. Secondly, Ohio tried to lethally inject someone but after multiple attempts at jabbing to unsuccessfully find his vein had to reprieve and try later- at which point Ohio determined that they would not go for the three shot "cocktail" but use one "more humane" shot to knock someone off. This is reported on page A10 of today's NYT.
No hue and cry except from a few veiled weeping spiritual widows of Muhammad the Sniper was heard castigating the injustices of the death penalty--- because a large number of people think if anyone deserved it-this guy did.
But that goes to the heart of the question- does anyone deserve it- and if anyone does, does the State have the right to inflict it. Do they have jurisdiction to take a life, even a really bad one?
The 8th Amendment to the US Constitution prohibits government from inflicting "cruel or unusual punishment." Gone are the racks, the thumb screws, the stockades, public floggings, etc. But not gone are jabbing with needles for lethal injections that kill off a prisoner, electrocution while strapped to a frying chair and in some cases, even facing a firing squad.
Is Death more or less "cruel" than thumb screws? Is death more or less "cruel" than public flogging? Is it more or less "unusual" to strap someone with thick leather straps to a frying chair and shoot electric charges through them until their hair singes and their nerves fry-to death.
This question is long settled for the bulk of the rest of the civilized world.
How civilized are we really?
I submit that a discussion over whether a three cocktail series of injections to first paralyze someone before killing them or just one that is used for euthanizing animals to death is more "humane" is such an oxymoronic question that it ranks among the most absurd ever debated in public policy.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Equal Time, Fair is Fair
I Take Archbishop Dolan's Point
Perverts come in every religion and the small segment of Catholic deviant clergy is no greater than any other religion or the population at large- they are just a better target because of the views on mandatory celibacy and the fact that they don't respect that women should be given equal time at the homiletics, I would argue. The mighty have longer to fall so crash louder.
Take for example this insane character from the evangelical protestant mold recently sentenced to do the rest of his time somewhere extremely unpleasant:
http://news.aol.com/article/evangelist-tony-alamo-sentenced-to-175/766790
You will NEVER see any Catholic Priest spouting whacked delusional theological justifications for their perversion like this guy- when they do wrong they know it generally. And don't get me started on the child brides of Jeffs and those characters in Utah.
So cut the catholic clergy a wee bit of a break.
They still are not off the hook however with those priests who father children and dump their lovers for the altar- Jesus hung out with Mary Magdalene even after they crucified him and shut him in a tomb. Don't you think he knew who exactly was waiting for him all night?
Perverts come in every religion and the small segment of Catholic deviant clergy is no greater than any other religion or the population at large- they are just a better target because of the views on mandatory celibacy and the fact that they don't respect that women should be given equal time at the homiletics, I would argue. The mighty have longer to fall so crash louder.
Take for example this insane character from the evangelical protestant mold recently sentenced to do the rest of his time somewhere extremely unpleasant:
http://news.aol.com/article/evangelist-tony-alamo-sentenced-to-175/766790
You will NEVER see any Catholic Priest spouting whacked delusional theological justifications for their perversion like this guy- when they do wrong they know it generally. And don't get me started on the child brides of Jeffs and those characters in Utah.
So cut the catholic clergy a wee bit of a break.
They still are not off the hook however with those priests who father children and dump their lovers for the altar- Jesus hung out with Mary Magdalene even after they crucified him and shut him in a tomb. Don't you think he knew who exactly was waiting for him all night?
Foot In Mouth Award Goes To.......
THE RNC FOR HAVING ABORTION COVERAGE IN THE RNC HEALTH INSURANCE
....ah...ooops?
http://www.sphere.com/2009/11/13/the-point-rnc-will-drop-abortion-coverage/
....ah...ooops?
http://www.sphere.com/2009/11/13/the-point-rnc-will-drop-abortion-coverage/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)