You've Got To go Along To Get Along

Sometimes, that's sound advice, depending on your station in life.  I know at least one priest who is a fine priest, one of the best I've ever met, who said that had to be a motto in the Seminary for Orthodox Seminarians if they wanted to make it to graduation.  (Although, I believe that was the same tactic used by Modernists before the 60s!)

But often, it's the most profoundly immoral thing you can say!

Going along to get along means that you will inevitably cooperate, even if only by omission, with evil.  going along to get along is how we got the Congress we have now--a group of cowardly people who would rather go along than run the risk of losing their office.

the 20th century was marked by a plethora of murderous regimes.  Each of them depended upon the bulk of the people going along with what was going down, until they were so ensnarled that they couldn't do anything else.  Can you imagine Germany if in 1933, people had taken to the streets to protest the first wave of politicl arrests? Can you imagine Russia if people had refused to do Stalins dirty work in collectivization and the Ukrainian famine?

How about the rise of the Modernists in the Church in the years since 1960?  What would have happened if people had simply refused to go along?  (My parish is an example of this--in a time when the Church in Louisville is shrinking in influence and numbers, replenishing itself through immigration, we are growing at a rate of about one family a week!  And lots of families with lots of kids!)

When you go along to get along, you need to be careful that you are not going along the road to perdition--it's all to likely.

Happy Friday! Now, Do Some Penance!

Since it's Friday, I thought I'd just share a thought on the practice of penance.  It's required of all  Catholics that they do some penance on Friday.  Right now someone is reading this and thinking "No,it isn't.  they did away with that".

*BUZZ!* Catechises  Failure--Reload, Reboot Retry.

The precepts of the church include this:  To keep Fridays as a day of special penance.

What was changed in the US was the classification of all Fridays as days of Abstinence.  You can eat meat on Friday.  But, we are to keep Friday as a special day of penance, by substituting another act of penance, or a special act of charity on Fridays.

So, if you are motivated by the Gospel injunctions to care for the poor, you might instead wash dishes at soup kitchen on Fridays.  If you are creative you might  put a penny in your shoe for the day.  If you are unimaginative, not really motivated to come up with something new, and uninterested in say, the discipline, the cilice or kneeling on pencils for one decade of the rosary, you might just not eat meat.

Most of the folks reading this know this, and understand it, and comply with it, I think.

But what about those of us who are still mired in their sins--hmmmm, let me rephrase that, because that will probably include all of us!  How about this--what about those of us who are just undergoing a conversion or reversion process?  Perhaps they are even secular persons, who see in the practices of virtue and penance a way out of an untenable life style.  What could they possibly do?  (And I include in this Catholics--practicing Catholics--who are struggling with personal sin, like for instance, me.)

Well--if you were struggling with one of the seven deadly sins you might do something like this:

Lust--fast from Porn on Friday.  Just one day without immersing yourself into the industry of Lust and masturbation, not participating in the sexual exploitation of people for monetary gain. Just one day, not giving in to tis sin.

Sloth--If you are suffering from acedia, say one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and One Glory Be.  If on the other hand you spend your time in front of the TV, go mow the lawn.  Just for one day, do your duty and don't worry about it.

Envy--Clean out your closet, look at all your stuff.  You don't need more.  Look at the co-worker who got a raise, think about all they have done.  Just for Friday, don't worry about what others have.

Gluttony--Just have a light lunch, and skip the brewskis

Pride--Gee remember that thing you did that didn't work out, or those people you dissed?  Today, try to do it better, because you know you aren't perfect, so admit it.  And, BTW--don't think you're such anasty sinner that you can't repent, and you won't get grace, because compared to the Lord, you just aren't a big deal.  Just for today, see yourself as something other than larger than life.  Don't beat your own drum--just don't mention your accomplishments today

Greed--how about not buying that thing you want today?  Just for Friday, don't aquire something that you don't need, and maybe give a buck to a begger.

Wrath--OK, just this Friday, make an act of will, that you will not cultivate anger against others, even those you have a right to be angry with.  Just smile and let something go.  even if you can only do it once.

Remember, 'penance" is related to the word "repent".  Repent means to turn away from your sins, and any start is a good start.  Repentance is the first and only essential of penance.

Anyway, I've been thinking too much again.

a trip Down memory Lane--Hi-Freakin-Larious!

Thanks to my buddy SubVet, I go something to pass on to ya! It's about as funny as it gets, and does bring back memories.

http://agangershome.blogspot.com/2010/07/class-trip-memories.html

Oh--I better warn you--he's a retired Senior Chief petty Officer,  They are not noted for drawing room language, or humor.

Would you just go ahead and vote in the d***** poll!

Please.

Actually,Events Lead Me to Believe That the Sex Scandals Are Not Over

I'm a fan of Michael Voris.  If you think that makes some sort of unthinking traddy fundamentalist, that's your prerogative.  But I appreciate his willingness to call a spade a spade, his knowledge of the Faith and of the outlines of Canon Law, and his willingness to follow up and actually investigate things before he start speaking about them.

So I've been paying attention to his coverage of the parish of St. Francis Xavier, in new York City.  He has been blowing the whistle on this hotbed of theological dissent, heresy and sodomitic mendacity.

First he blew the whistle on their plans to march in a gay pride parade as a parish, and the Archbishop of New Yorks "request" for them not to march under a Parish banner.  Then he pointed out that contrary to Chancery statements, the Archbishop had in fact been introduced to the Parish Gay Mens Group and Lesbian Womens group.  At a Liturgy--actually during the holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  It's worth noting that these two groups are not affiliated with courage or any similar outreach or ministry, and are in fact listed by the Parish a "social groups".  Like the Boy Scouts or the American heritage Girls (neither of which the Parish has.)

He has gone on to quote statements given by the Chancery that display the same sort of tapdance and refusal to confront the unpleasant that characterized the cover up of homosexual predators taking advantage of adolescent boys.

It's not really a coincidence.  The statistical picture of the abuse scandal is clear--over 80% of the victims were adolescent boys--and the constant refrain of pedophilia simply covers up for the fact that it was gay ephebophilia.  the operative word here is Gay.  The lavender mafia is still there, and still functioning to block the housecleaning so desperately needed by the Church.  And it will continue until priests find the moral courage to quit covering for it, even if only by silence! (It's interesting that priest have spoken about the St. Francis Xavier situation, but will not do so except anonymously.  they would not be anonymous if they didn't fear for their careers.  That's where moral courage comes in.  It's also where moral corruption comes in.)

Until something is done about this, the problem will be recurring.

Why on Earth...

..did this happen?

The sisters of the Benedictine Abbaye de Notre-Dame de l'Annonciation recently won a contract with the same label as Elton John and the Rolling Stones to put out a CD of their Gregorian Chant.  they beat out 70 other religious houses and orders to get it.

So why on earth was their website inundated with death threats?  Because they can sing?

Senseless.

NEA--ODF

The National Educators Association is obviously ODF*.  They actually want to get teachers to celebrate OCT1, as the Day that Mao Tse Tung declared the Peoples republic of China in Tienanmen Square.

Think about this.  The Peoples Republic of China has had more people killed by its own government that any other nation.  Put another way, Mao's policies and successors policies, killed so many people that they make Hitlers third Reich look like pikers at mass murder.

and as for the NEAs support of "multiculturalism", The PRC has spent the last fifty or so years trying to extinguish the cultural and ethnic identity of the Tibetan people.

Since most American teachers are affiliated with the NEA, is it any wonder I do not hold that profession in particularly high regard?

*ODF= Out 'dere flappin'

Jacob Lew

Mr. Lew has been nominated to the OMB by President Obama.  The OMB has done an excellent job for a long time, of tracking money, blowing the whistle on waste, and computing the actual cost of government programs and proposals.

Mr. Lew also seems to have done a wonderful job.  After all, before he left employment at CitiGroup, he was given a 900K bonus.  After the company received a huge taxpayer financed bailout.  And about two Weeks before he went to work for the State Department.  the State Department has been stonewalling inquiries.

Change you can believe in?  Well, OK, I do believe that this is change.  Change for the worse.  And the OMB has embarrassed the administration several times simply by releasing figure that show that either the Administration doesn't know what it's doing or is being deliberately misleading.

Change it Back!

If Democrats Are the party of Inclusion...

...and are against ethnic and religious discrimination, why dis the Democratic candidate for Congress in New York City publish a list of contributors to his GOP challenger, Mike Grimm, pointing out that many of his contributors were Jewish and accusing him of taking "Jewish Money'?

It seems to me to be an appeal to anti-Semitic elements.

More and more, I think that the Democratic party is somehow deranged.

Yes,I Am Angry and Worried

Well, the Fox News affiliate in Phoenix Arizona broadcast, in real time, scenes from the "protest" at the county jail, concerning the Arizona immigration enforcement law.

What struck me was not only the high level of civil disobedience--interfering with the operations of law enforcement by a sort of human blockade--but two flags conspicuously displayed and waved.

One was the national flag of Mexico.  If they liked Mexico so much, and being Mexican was so important to them, why did they leave?  They could perhaps have done something like this in Mexico, and won political and economic change in their homeland.  Instead, they chose to come here, and seem intent on re-creating all the problems they left to get away from.

The other flag was worse.  It was the Cuban Flag, emblazoned with the likeness of Che Guevara.  that is a problem for me.  It means that these people idolize a man who personally murdered prisoners after the revolution.  he didn't have the excuse of combat stress or expediency.  Instead, he murdered the inmates of a prison, just to do it.  Moreover, the display of his visage is in itself a revolutionary statement, calling for and supporting a Marxist class war.

Yeah, I kinda POed.  And I'm worried--is this whats coming down the pike next?  If so it will make the Al Queda and the twin towers look like High School Football.

What is it about Erie?

OK, we have Joan Chittister, from Erie.  we have Donald Trautman, from Erie.  we have the Erie Benedictines, from Erie.

Now we find that Episcopal "Bishop" Donald Davis (married for 55 years, with kids), who "ordained" the first "woman priest" in TEC, abused four girls of around the age of ten, and has at least five more allegations still being investigated.

What is it in Erie that leads to the disintegration of Ecclesial Bodies and the apostasy of those in positions of oversight?

A Really Sad and Bleak Quote...

...that non the less comes to my mind often.

"We are the missing link between apes and humans."

I wish I knew who said it, and I wish the news and history that I read didn't support it.

Franciscanism Revisited

People who have been reading my scribblings for a while know that I feel an extreme disappointment in the Order of Friars Minor.  There is something deeply wrong with the Minorites, in all three branches.

The Franciscan way of life and devotion has long been regarded as one of the simplest forms of religious life.  but this is a deceptive simplicity.  I believe that Franciscan Religious Life is perhaps the most complex of the major rules.  this is reflected in the fissaparous character to fransicanism.  the Franciscan Orders have been marked, from their earliest history by various movements within it, movements that have lead to the state we see today, with the Order of Friars Minor having three independent branches, with three different charisms.

The Friars who style themselves simply the Order of Friars Minor are actually the newest branch of this order--they were formed by papal decree, uniting hundreds of tiny reform groups, some with less than a dozen members into one order, as the differences between them were--ahem--minor. this occurred in the 1890s.  They comprise the largest branch of the Order.  The Friars who are styled Order of Friars Minor, Capuchin, date from the 1520s, as a reform of the "Observants"--who later became so splintered that they were united by papal Decree.  The Friars of the Order of Friars Minor, Conventual, are the lineal descendants of the original Order of Friars Minor.

These three groups have more or less embraced relativism and modernism in the 20th century.  Yet that doesn't mean that Franciscanism is dead, or dying.  Because members of two of these groups have formed new movements that are in essence reforms.  The Franciscan  Friars of the Renewal are well known, and were founded as an explicit reform of the Capuchins.  Their growth has been rapid, and their apostolate has been dynamic.  Most Magisterial and Liturgically oriented Catholics know of them.

But there is another group coming out of the Order of Friars Minor, Conventual who deserve some recognition, and discussion.  They are the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate.  These guys are impressive, and their Charism has resulted not only in their growth, but in the foundation and rapid growth of an order of cloistered nuns, and order of "third order" sisters oriented toward apostolic life, and a tertiary order that shows impressive growth as well.

These friars were erected as a religious order of diocesan right in 1990 by Pope John Paul II.  They started with 30 friars, who came from the Conventuals.  Now they have over 200 friars.  That means a growth of around 800% in twenty years.  they even have a foundation of Friars in Indiana, in Monroe county, along with some sisters and an active Tertiary chapter.

Their life emphasizes some parts of the Franciscan, and specifically conventual Franciscan life that seem to be falling by the wayside.  They stress penance, contemplation, silence and humble work.  They embrace poverty in an interesting manner--not only do they live on alms, but anything extra that comes in beyond the immediate needs of the friars or expenses of the local apostolate they are engaged in is distributed to the poor, forthwith.  They profess a strong adherence to the magisterial Teachings of the Church, and a great respect for the Liturgy and the Sacraments.

I think that given the demographics of vocation, and the fact that the Holy See has already recommended, twice, that the Capuchin re-embrace the Friars of the Renewal, and implement some of their reforms, that in a generation or so, these guys will be known as the norm of the Franciscan life, not the "ancient orders" that are rotting away.

Fire at Notre Dame

The famous Lourdes Grotto at the University of Notre Dame caught fire Monday evening.

The cause of the fire was as yet undetermined.

It's a sad commentary on the state of our nation, and an even sadder commentary on the state of my mentality, that my first  thought was vandalism.  The Grotto is a focus of traditional Catholic devotions and pro life sentiment at Notre Dame.  I thought that perhaps someone torched it for that reason.

But a more likely and far less inflammatory (sorry, couldn't resist!) explanation is that the large number of vigil lamps lit by pilgrims and devotees started the fire.  This is even more believable in the light that it has happened before, in 1985.

And while I am saddened by the damage to a traditional shrine devoted to our Lady of Lourdes--the first Marian devotion I was introduced to when I became Catholic in 1975--a part of me is impressed by the fact that enough people at Notre Dame venerate her their that their candles can become a hazard.  It's a fact that many of us "hermeneutic of continuity" catholics see Notre Dame as a center of dissent and contumacy, but we tend to over look that there is a strong and vibrant faith on the campus.  One that is resurgent, even in the face of faculty and staff opposition to the basic mission of the University.

We should be thinking about this.

Time for the Happy Dance!

Happy dance, happy, dance
I'm doin' the happy dance
wigglin', jigglim'
thumpin' jumpin'
I'm doin' the happy Dance!


Well, it's now official, the Anglican Catholic Church of Canada has held it's official vote, and has authorized their head honcho, Peter Wilinson, to erect the necessary canonical structures to meet the requirements of the Vatican's offer in "Communities of Anglicans" (I can't spell the Latin!) for union with the Catholic church!.

The vote went like this:

House of clergy:  Unanimous!

House of Laity:  25 in Favor.  2 Opposed. 3 Abstentions.

The vote was taken in the presence of Abp. John Hepworth, the Primate of the Traditional Anglican communion.

Me and the HufPo

I try to read opinions and idea I disagree with.  I think it's important for several reasons.  One of them is to prevent myself from becoming prey to propaganda--if I only read those with whom I agree, I will eventually stop using the faculties of critical thought and just accept what ever I read from my "approved sources".  another is that I have to live and function in America, and that means I have to at least know what others who are of a different political persuasion are thinking and saying.

So I read on progressive sites, I read America and the National Catholic Reporter, so on and so forth.  Once, I even went to and perused StormFront--a site so evil and poisonous that I needed three beers when I was done!

So from time to time I read The Huffington Post.  I have to say this, the essays and articles I read there are not nearly as ODF* as the comments.  Sometimes, they even say things worth hearing (the articles--not the comments).

And example of this would be a little throw away piece--I love throw away pieces!--about pet photos.  actually pet photos that shouldn't have been.  One of the ones they had up as something that shouldn't have been was a picture of a Man, a Woman, and their Dog.  Man was dressed more or less as St. Joseph, Woman was dressed more or less as Our Lady, and the dog was being held like...well you get the picture.  HufPo had the sense to see that this wasn't a good thing.

And example of the comments would be those following a piece on a Florida Teacher who sent naked pics of herself to a 15 year old boy, and solicited him with graphic descriptions of what she wanted to do with him, and kissed him a few times at school. Here's the comment that caught my eye: "Maybe her husband spends his time swilling beer at the local tavern. Just sayin (sic)".  After all, it can't be predatory ephebophilia if it's a woman, can it?

Interestingly enough, in an article about the Obama Administrations "mortgage bailout", the comments are very heavily of the opinion that Obama is a failure, that the administration isn't transparent, and that we shouldn't have elected a politician whose main asset was celebrity.

So go read something on the other side of the political spectrum from yourself, and don't read it with an eye towards seeing how evil the folks over there are.  Instead, see what they seem to be thinking.  It will make you better at reading the political situation.  And, it just might let you see something else:  the other guys are just as alienated from the American governing class as you are.

I Know I Gripe About the Intolerance and Hypocrisy of the Left

And I know that it sound pretty bad.  But I do hold the opinion that the progressive wing of American Society is more intolerant than the social conservatives.  It's just that taking the time to document and explain it is wearisome, and the times I've done it, the progressives said I was being intolerant, or that the things I was noting shouldn't be tolerated.  (You know, like freely expressing religious beliefs and stuff... .)

So here's a link to Michelle Malkins latest listing and publishing of the racist, sexist and actually dumb hate mail she gets.

http://michellemalkin.com/2010/07/08/youve-got-hate-mail-liberal-racism-gone-wild/

Give it a look--it's eye opening, if you haven't been paying attention.  ( I have, and I remember people calling for things like murder, violence, and concentration camps for pro lifers.)

And I still am having problems with the links.

Well, Right Now I have the Luxury

today is a day when I have the luxury of spending a lot of time on the 'net.  That's not been the case for over a year now.

So I went over the list of followers I have gained.

I want to thank all of you for reading what I put here.  I also want to apologize for not being able to read your blogs often enough.

But I went to each of them today.

Thank you.

About John Kerry

Mr. Kerry has chosen to keep his Yacht in Rhode Island.  It's becoming some sort controversy, some sort of "smoking gun" about taxes and his wealth.

I have something to say now:  STFU!

Mr. Kerry has not violated any laws.  Moreover, as his vessel displaces more than 5 tonnes (note how that's spelled--it's not a mistake and it has some legal implications) it is the sort of vessel that is not registered with the state.  Rather it is documented  in the same manner as a US merchant ship.  He, as the owner, has the right to berth this vessel--to declare it's home port--any where in the US he pleases.  Period.

Now as to his berthing it in R.I, well sure, and he doesn't have to pay 500K in state taxes, and avoids a 70K annual excise tax?  Well, if I had a choice like that, I would have chosen not to have it's home port in Massachusetts myself.  So, I think would any one reading this.

So ditch the double standard.

As far as the fact that he had the boat built in New Zealand?  Well--how about that's a place where you can still get boats like this built the way you want them, without sometimes waiting for years.  Not to mention, that they often times do a much better job than US yards, and that industry lobbying on standards--especially of marine grade lumber products and certain adhesives--so low that many people who build their own refuse to use them.

I cannot find any fault in this matter with Mr. Kerry.  However, I can find fault with conservative and Republican sources and commentators who wish to hold him to a standard they would never attempt to meet themselves, i the hope of gaining a spurious political advantage.

Let's restrict ourselves to worrying about policies and actions that actually matter, and not lower ourselves to the level of whining and finger pointing we profess to hate when it's directed at conservatives and Republicans
.
This is as bogus as many of the complaints and niggles directed at Sarah Palin.  And don't say something so juvenile as "they started it, so it's fair".  I want to be better than that, and I want American political discourse to be better than that.

Trying Out the New Windows

OK--so I'm not at my usual digs, and I'm not using the computer system I usually do.  It's giving me the opportunity to try out the new Widows 7 system.

Well, the learning curve isn't too steep--a plus when you are as much a techno-peasant as I am--and it seems to work much better!  And it's much smoother!

I guess it's living up to the hype, so far as I can tell.  Not that I'm a knowledgeable or demanding user.

Just thought you'd like to know.

Once Again, I Risk Alienating My Friends and Readers

I saw this video, and although I am much less than willing to endorse music videos, this one pretty much expressed how I feel about our rulers, Democrat or Republican.  I hope people will click and view and hear it.  it's not too long.

http://pblosser.blogspot.com/2010/07/in-your-face-pelosi.html

Liz, if you read this, please give it a look and listen.  And for everyone else, well, it's not even the kind of music i listen to!  I'm much more into Steeleye Span, various traditional celtica types, etc.  O yeah, classical and medieval music as well.

Oh--I'm having problems with links, so if it doesn't work, try typing it in.

My Kind of Therapist

If you want to see what I think would be a great improvement in the practice of therapy and counseling in the US, is suggest you follow this link and view the video, it's very, very short, and expresses what I have long thought would be a more productive and effective approach to the therapeutic process.

http://orthometer.blogspot.com/2010/06/new-favorite/commercial.html .