Pro-lifers: N.Y. abortion bill could one day make being pro-life 'a crime'

Gag.      This bill actually calls abortion a human right.  Really?  What right does the baby have?   Click to read.  The Reproductive Health Act, or RHA, is known as S. 240 in the state Senate and A. 21 in the state Assembly.

Pro-lifers: N.Y. abortion bill could one day make being pro-life 'a crime':

What's right with the Church?

One, holy, apostolic, and catholic, for one.



What's right with the Church?: Read the article from the Pilot, the newspaper for the Archdiocese of Boston.







Father Jack performing a baptism.

Reading to Children

It's a wonder that my children grew up to be happy, productive, and good people.  I don't remember censoring reading and screen time when my children were growing up.  I paid attention to crude language and inappropriate sex, but that's it.  But with my grandchildren, I am aware of the behavior of the main characters.

When my oldest grandchild was in first grade, she got into trouble doing some mischief.  She got the idea from Junie B. Jones.  When I heard what she had done, I remembered that that was what we had listened to on the audiobook.  We listened as I drove her to school.  We laughed and thought it was funny.  There really wasn't time to discuss the book.  We just listened.

Ever since, I've been careful about what we listen to,
or read, together.  I was just about to start the Harry Potter series when I heard someone say that the children in the series aren't good role models.  They don't obey authority.  They are constantly circumventing the rules.

I know.  I drive myself crazy.  The thing is: critique takes time, critical reading necessitates time, love and reading take forever.  So I guess my choice of reading material depends on how much time I have.

Actual Grace

Strange how yesterday I posted about Cardinal Francois-Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan's political beatitudes and this morning I was reading Magnificat and today's meditation was by Cardinal Francis-Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan.  BTW, he is now Venerable.

What impressed me in his meditation was what he said about misery.  Remember he was 13 years a prisoner in Vietnam, 9 in solitary.

Jesus comes to meet human misery.  Saving us, he made his Gospel and his grace the renewing principle of the world and, above all, of humanity in all areas of existence: private and public, cultural and social, political and economic...

I think of my "cloistered brothers."  The world may scoff that they found God in prison, but they were too busy to give Him a thought before their incarceration.  

Beatitudes of the Politician

The pope's New Year's message on peace recalls Cardinal Francois-Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan's proposal called the "Beatitudes of the Politician."

Blessed be the politician with a lofty sense and deep understanding of his role.

Blessed be the politician who personally exemplifies credibility.

Blessed be the politician who works for the common good and not his/her own interest.

Blessed be the politician who remains consistent.

Blessed be the politician who works for unity.

Blessed be the politician who works to accomplish radical change.

Blessed be the politician who is capable of listening.

Blessed be the politician who is without fear.

One thing is certain: good politics is at the service of peace.  Cardinal Nguyen Van Thuan should know.  He spent 14 years in prison, 9 of them in solitary confinement and he committed no crime.  Politics, pure and simple.

Truce of God

Truce of God was a term invented in the eleventh century due to the violence of the times.  Churches and monasteries were often in the path of marauding armies but were considered places of refuge for the people.  The peasants and travelers were often the victims simply because they were there.  So the pope declared peace on Sundays.  No fighting allowed on the Lord's Day.  This was known as the Truce of God.

I learned this in my freshman history class from Sister Isabella.  I have remembered it all my long life because God has mercy on such sinners as me.  He granted me His Truce of God.

Here's the scene.  It's a test.  Being the insecure, ambitious student that I was, I wanted to do well on the test.  I had finished the test and was reviewing my answers.  It was a "fill in the blank" test.  I wasn't sure of the answer to "_____ is the day the nobles put down their arms to honor the Lord."  I had answered "Peace of God."  I knew it wasn't correct but I couldn't think of the term.  So I looked around at my surrounding classmates' answers.  Mary-gael, sitting sideways in front of me in such a manner that I could easily read her answers, had "Truce of Jesus."  That's it!

I did have a conscience, however.  I didn't put exactly what Mary-gael answered.  I figured if I got half the answer, Sister would call it correct or at the least give me half credit.  Better than no credit, right?  So I wrote, "Truce of Christ."

Exactly at that moment Sister Isabella sternly said, "Faith, bring your paper up here."

Red face from being caught at cheating, I sheepishly gave her my paper.

I was humiliated.

Fast forward a few days later and Sister Isabella tells the class that she has finished correcting our tests but she caught someone cheating...she proceeded to lecture the class on intellectual honesty, etc., none of which I heard because my heart was pounding too loudly in my ears.  And!  She named me!!!  Faith and Mary-gael have the same wrong answer, "Truce of  Jesus," and she caught Faith looking at Mary-gael's paper.

But our good God is merciful.  He knew my fragile personality, emotions and motives.  I was inspired to speak up.  I raised my hand and defended myself: "But we don't Sister.  I didn't put 'Truce of Jesus.' "
Pay attention: Sister looked at my paper; then she looked at Mary-gael's.  AND THEN SHE APOLOGIZED TO ME IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE CLASS.

And at that moment, I knew there was a God and that He knew me, loved me, and had saved me.



Sister Isabella of Jesus is on Father's left.

Moveable Feasts

A Moveable Feast.  Wasn't that a novel by Ernest Hemmingway?  Somebody? 

Anyway, on the Epiphany of the Lord, there is an ancient practice of the Church announcing from the ambo the moveable feast of the current year according to this formula:

Know, Dear Brethren, that, as we have rejoiced at the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, so by leave of God's mercy we announce to you also the joy of his Resurrection, who is our Savior.

On the 6th day of March will fall Ash Wednesday, and the beginning of the fast of the most sacred Lenten season.

On the 21st day of April you will celebrate with joy Easter Day, the Paschal feast of our Lord Jesus Christ.

On the 30th day of May (or the 2nd day of June [variable]) will be the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ.

On the 9th day of June, the feast of Pentecost.

On the 23rd day of June, the feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.

On the 1st day of December, the First Sunday of the Advent of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom is honor and glory forever and ever.               

Amen.