Demons

DEMONS

It is not enough said her dad to

Win the sports tournament

Take first place in the speech contest

You must become

The boy I wanted

It is not enough said her mother to

Graduate with honors

You must visit your dying grandmother

And fulfill the dreams I had for myself

It is not enough said her husband to

Give up your identity

You must be the managing director

Of my domain

It is not enough said her child

That you make cookies for school functions

And be a soccer mom

You must give up your life

And tend to mine

It is not enough said her minister

That you give your life to Jesus

You must teach Sunday School classes

Serve on all the committees

And organize the food bank

It is not enough “they” said

It is not enough

You are not enough

We need more of you

She became very very tired

As the demons in her head

Continued to claim her life

And dry rot her soul

One day

While sitting under a tree

These words were whispered

In her being

It is all a lie

She stood up

And began twirling around and around

While demons left

And angels sang

She kept on dancing

And

As her soul was restored

She claimed her life

                                                                                © Esther Armstrong

Excuse me. Who's the Bigot?

When I was on vacation last month, there was a hotel for same sex couples, only.  At the time, I just thought that was ironic.  However, after watching this Belgium Bishop get "pied," I'm giving the gay agenda more thought.  Why are those who perceive themselves as discriminated against, so intolerant of other's views?  It seems that the very first thing some of  those in minority do, once they are recognized, is proclaim intolerance of others.

I don't think it's ironic anymore.  It's sad.

Seriously, what do you expect a Catholic bishop to preach?  Think about it.

USCCB Butt of April Fool Joke

It all started on Twitter.  @VitaCatholic sent a tweet  that was suppose to be irony.  It didn't work and was thought to be a criticism of the USCCB (United States Council of Catholic Bishops.)  Then @VitaCatholic sent out a tweet requesting for Rules for Catholic Tweeters.  Then @sullijo tweeted in response with the crack, "Never send out a tweet without the expressed approval of the USCCB;"   and added the hashtag, "#CatholicRulesforTwitter."

...a meme was born.

Fellow Catholic tweeters started submitting their own #CatholicRulesForTwitter and retweeting those they found amusing. Over 400 tweets and retweets with #CatholicRulesForTwitter were shared within 24 hours. Others took notice and pretty soon there were #AnglicanRulesForTwitter and #LutheranRulesForTwitter. An online store was even set up to sell #CatholicRulesForTwitter merchandise, with all proceeds benefiting Catholic Relief Services (@CatholicRelief).


Never let it be said that Catholics don't have a sense of humor.  Ask Thomas Aquinas.  The USCCB eventually caught on and learned three lessons that they want to share:


(1)  The USCCB can laugh at itself.
(2)  Never underestimate the power of the internet to spread the word. If a small group can get a few humorous tweets to go viral, think about the difference large, concentrated online efforts could have in terms of evangelization.
(3) This joke-turned-Twitter-meme-turned-fundraising-effort serve as a reminder for all Catholics to do what Pope Benedict requested in his 2011 Word Communications Day message, which is “to make good use of their presence in the digital world.”

Related articles

• Catholic Rules for Twitter (usccbmedia.blogspot.com)

Third Translation of the Roman Missal

All the reasons why we have the New Translation of the Roman Missal. 

Bitter Laments

Image via Wikipedia

I came across an ancient Lenten devotion that will make Protestants squirm.  It's very symbolic, and sensual, and ceremonial.  It's called the Bitter Laments. J. C. Sikorski's blog Sacra Cracovia+ describes it well.

Of course, another Lenten devotion worthy of mention, and unique to Krakow, is the Lenten devotion of the Archbrotherhood of the Passion of the Lord. This organization of laymen dates back to the sixteenth century, when the archbrotherhood was founded by one of the bishops of Krakow. Their solemn service is a reminder of man’s mortality and depraved state without Christ, and a very striking reminder to repent. The service takes place in the Chapel of the Passion, which is the chapel of the archbrotherhood that is now administered by the Franciscans. It is attached to the side of the basilica of St. Francis. Entering into the chapel from the rear, the members of the archbrotherhood, donning black, hooded cloaks, process in, chanting, “Memento homo mori,” or “remember death, oh man.” Now, when I say “black hooded cloaks,” I mean KKK style, complete with long, pointed hoods with slits for the eyes. The symbolism, of course, is that these are the clothes that executioners wore, clearly evident by the fact that the members of the archbrotherhood process in carrying stakes. Two of the stakes are crowned with human skulls, and the rest resemble the instruments of Christ’s passion, such as the spear with the sponge soaked in hyssop.

The members of the archbrotherhood chant this phrase repeatedly, and then alternate with the priest, who kneels at the altar, in front of the Blessed Sacrament, and prays in reparation for all of the sins of mankind, for the sins of the country, and for all of the individual sins for which Christ chose to suffer and die. In the middle of the chapel, lies a huge crucifix, before which members of the archbrotherhood prostrate themselves completely, lying on the floor in the shape of a cross. This, of course, visibly expresses the depraved state of man, and the power of redemption—that God the Father, in His great love for mankind, chose not to condemn men, and allow them to justly suffer what they deserve, but rather, that He chose to “send His only begotten Son,” who endured the pain and suffering of all of the individual sins of all people throughout all of the ages.

At the end of the devotions in the side chapel, the black-hooded men lead the faithful in a Eucharistic procession. The presiding priest carries the monstrance under a canopy, through the main basilica and into the Franciscan monastery courtyard. There, young boys and girls join the procession, carrying banners depicting various saints, as well as images of Mary. The procession sets out through the courtyard, where one is surrounded by huge portraits of medieval (and modern) bishops of Krakow, which gradually fade as the incense from the thurible fills the dark hallways. Then, Franciscan friars begin the solemn singing, in Latin, of the traditional Marian sequence, the Stabat Mater. Processing in this fashion, the few hundred people enter into the basilica, and the procession ends at the high altar of St. Francis, in the front of the basilica. The members of the archbrotherhood process out, and the priest concludes with benediction and reposition.

In the earlier years of its four centuries of history, the Archbrotherhood carried out anothe custom on the Third Sunday of Lent.  After obtaining clemency or pardon for some of the prisoners in Krakow, the Archbrotherhood would at the Third Sunday of Lent announce the prisoners' names following Mass in a chapel above the prison.  The freed prisoners would afterward join the Archbrotherhood's robed brothers in a street procession to a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows.  Here the prisoners prostrated themselves and begged forgiveness for their sins as everyone prayed for them.  The rite concluded with the induction of the freed prisoners into the lay fraternity.

Isn't this Lent?  Freeing of our souls coincided with the freeing of the prisoners.  I love that symbolism.

The Master Comes Calling

Mr. Roman Gorski, OP (VP Region 1) Fr. Bruno Cadore, OP, Miss Marianne Jablonski, OP (Pres. Prov. St. Joseph)

The Master General of the Dominican Order came to visit my Chapter today.  We were thrilled and excited.  Do you realize he is the 86th Master since St. Dominic?

He is French, Fr. Bruno Cadore.  Our Spiritual Director, Fr. Nic was the Mass celebrant with Fr. Bruno concelebrating.  Because of the language difference, Fr. Nic was the main celebrant.  But I suspect Fr. Bruno had no trouble understanding.

He gave the homily and we were told that he had been practicing for awhile.  Today is the Fourth Sunday of Lent and the Gospel was about Jesus healing the blind man.  Father Bruno said the blind man was born blind and couldn't see until he found Jesus.  This is just like us sinners.  We sin because we don't know Jesus, hence we are like the blind man.  But once we find Jesus, our blindness is healed.  We are free from sin.

After Mass, something bizarre happened.  Usually we ask visiting friars, how we laity can preach.  But before we had the chance, Fr. Bruno asked us, "How do you preach?"  Surprisingly, we answered: we minister at Mass, some draw, some write, some pray the Rosary, as always, we hope, by our example.  And what Fr. Bruno asked of us, was to pray.  Pray for our Order.

We are efficacious prayer warriors.  

Related articles

• 4th Sunday in Lent + Year A '11 (deaconsteve.wordpress.com)

New Legislation

In Florida, an atheist created a case against the upcoming Easter and Passover holy days.  His attorney filed a discrimination case against Christians, Jews, and observances of their holy days.

The argument was that it was unfair that atheists had no such recognized days.  The case went as far as the appeal court.  After listening to the passionate presentation by the atheist's lawyer, the judge banged  his gavel to get everyone's attention.  He had made a decision.

The lawyer for the atheist asked to speak.  Permission was granted.  The lawyer reiterated that the Christians have Christmas, Easter, and other days.  The Jews, have Passover, Yom Kippur, and Hanukkah.  The Muslims, also, have Ramadan, yet my client, and all other atheists, have no such holidays.

The judge leaned forward in his chair saying, "But you do.  Your client, counsel, is woefully ignorant."  The lawyer objected, "Your Honor, we are unaware of any special observance or holiday for atheists."

The judge said, "The calendar says April 1st is April Fools Day.  Psalm 41:1 states, 'The fool says in his heart, there is no God.'  Thus, it is the opinion of this court, that if your client says there is no God, then he is a fool.  Therefore, April 1st is his day."