Thunder Thoughts

Confession: A Sacrament of Healing

2011-03-04T16:54:00.000-08:00

I became a full fledged member of the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil in 2007. Since I had already been baptized when I was younger, all I needed to do was make a profession of faith and receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. Before I was confirmed by the bishop, and since I had been baptized, I had to go to Confession and confess all known mortal sins I had committed. In this entry, I hope to answer three questions non-Catholics might have about this important sacrament: why is Confession necessary, what is Confession, and on what authority was this sacrament established?

First, why do we need Confession? In order to fully understand this sacrament, a basic understanding of the Catholic teaching of original sin is necessary. When Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, sin and death entered this world. Since then, humans have been suffering from the effects of original AND actual sin. Original sin is what stained our souls and separated us from God. Actual sins are the actions we commit, or refuse to commit, that violate God's laws and commands. According to the teachings of the Church, there have been only two who have not suffered the effects of original sin. First, and most obviously, our Lord, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The other was his mother, Mary, whom we believe was preserved from the effects of sin by God in order to prepare for her role in the Incarnation of Christ.

When Catholics begin receiving the sacraments, the first sacrament is baptism. It washes away the stain of original sin, symbolizing our entry into the Church and beginnings as Christians. Even though it washes away the original sin, we are still prone to actual sin. That is where the Sacrament comes in. It allows us to repent of any sins that we may have made, and helps reestablish our relationship with our Lord.

Second, what is Confession? What exactly goes on in the confessional? In order to make a good and proper confession, we need to examine our consciences and see where we have failed to follow Christ. There are a few ways in which we can sin, with each category overlapping the other in places. First, there are sins of commission and sins of omissions. Sins of commission are sins we actually commit that violate God's laws and commands. Sins of omission are actions we are commanded to do, but don't do. These two categories can fall under two other categories: mortal and venial sins.

Mortal sins are the most serious type of sins. In order for a sin to be mortal, three conditions must be met. First, the sin must be grave matter. Second, we must know it's grave matter. Finally, we must commit that sin with full intention of the will. If any of these conditions are not met, then the sin is venial. When we go to Confession, we are obligated to confess all known mortal sins (key word being known), and we are strongly encouraged to confess venial sins. If we fail to knowingly confess our mortal sins, then a mockery of the sacrament is made. Confession, which is considered a Sacrament of Healing, is like going to the doctor. Failing to tell the doctor of all your symptoms will not help the doctor make a proper diagnosis or suggest a proper course of treatment. Likewise, failing to confess all known mortal sins doesn't allow the priest to give us helpful advice and a suitable penance.

The procedure for Confession goes as follows: the penitent enters the confessional, confesses sins, receives advice (depending on the priest) and a penance. A penance is the equivalent of a spiritual prescription, designed to help repair our relationship with God. Then, the pentitent gives an Act of Contrition (this is very important), and then receives absolution. As mentioned above, making a good confession depends on confessing all known mortal sins. Another way to make a good confession is to have firm purpose of amendment. Basically, we must firmly resolve not to commit that sin again. As humans, we will stumble and fall, but we must resolve not to intentionally commit that sin again. Otherwise, it makes a mockery of the sacrament.

Finally, on what authority was his sacrament established? By Jesus himself. In the Old Testament, there is a foreshadowing of the sacrament when King David confessed the sins of adultery and murder to Nathan, the prophet. In John 20: 22-23, Jesus himself grants the apostles the authority to forgive sins. Whatever sins are forgiven, they will be forgiven; what sins are retained, they're retained. To this day, only a priest who has the proper permission can hear confessions and offer absolution. When a priest hears confession. he acts "in persona Christi." Because of the seriousness of the sacrament, because of the necessity for the penitent to be able to confess his sins, the priest cannot reveal what he learned in the confessional. This is known as the Seal of the Confessional, and is known as the Priest-Penitent Privilege, one of the few privileges restricting or banning testimony in a court of law.

Hopefully, this will answer any questions some might have regarding this important sacrament of the Catholic Church.

Freedom vs License

2011-02-25T15:26:00.000-08:00

We hear a couple of words that are thrown around lightly, but do people really understand what those words mean? When the United States entered World War I, Woodrow Wilson had the goal of making the world safe for democracy. Yet, 20 years after World War I ended, not only were most of the European nations under the control of dictatorships, but an even more destructive war had begun. When the decision was made to enter Iraq, George W. Bush talked about bringing democracy to the people of Iraq. Iraq, while not Iran, has yet to stand on its own two feet, so we don't know if democracy will hold in that country. Also, there have been widespread revolts and protests in the Middle East against dictators or other forms of authoritarian governments. It remains to be seen if democracy will take hold in any of those countries.

But the words I would like to address are: freedom, and rights. We keep hearing them as buzzwords, instead of taking the time to think about their proper context. What does freedom mean? What are our rights? People believe freedom gives us the "right" to do whatever we want as long as it's not criminal. But, in my opinion, the word they should be using is: license. What is the difference between freedom and license? Freedom is the ability for us to do what we should; license is the ability to do what we want. But there's more to license than that definition. By the very examples of marriage licenses, driver licenses, it has the connotation of an authority approving certain actions.

What certain groups are trying to push (like abortion on demand and gay marriage) doesn't have anything to do with freedom, but license. They want approval of those actions. Freedom, on the other hand, is the ability to do things we need to do and what we ought to do. In my opinion, there is no freedom or right to engage in pornography, but today's society gives it license, approval. Real freedom comes not through what the government decides, but comes through our Lord, Jesus Christ. His death on the cross and resurrection gave us true freedom: freedom from sin, and the right to worship him in spirit and in truth.

Next time you hear the word freedom, ask yourself this question: is the word freedom being connected to activities we want to do, or that we need to do?

Hiatus

2011-02-25T15:15:00.000-08:00

It has been a long time since my last post. I will try and post more often, depending on what I have to talk about.

Communion in the hand

2010-03-17T19:01:00.000-07:00

I realize that there currently is an indult that permits communion in the hand, but maybe it is time that is revoked. At Mass this past Sunday, the priest had to stop someone from walking away with the host. Now, granted it is possible that the person in question just forgot to consume it once the host was placed in the hand, but this is the biggest danger that exists with communion in the hand...the possibility of desecration of the Eucharist.

As Catholics, we believe the Eucharist is the Body and Blood of our Lord, and thus should be retreated with utmost respect. Communion on the tongue would go a long way in restoring that respect, although there are other ways that should be implemented to finish restoring that respect. But that's for another time.

A Call for Holiness, A Call to Everyone

2010-01-31T10:53:00.000-08:00

This weekend, I attended a discernment retreat for the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee. It was held at the St. John Neumann Center located near Blessed Sacrament Parish here in Tallahassee, Florida. While my main purpose was to take an important step in my discernment process, the one thing I took away from the retreat was this: holiness. We are all called to holiness, rather or not we are single, married, in the priesthood, or in religious life.

What became clear to me is that my discernment must not take priority over the call to holiness. As Pope John Paul II said (quoted in the book The Meaning of Vocation: In the Words of John Paul II), "Christian holiness does not mean being sinless, but rather it means struggling to not give in and always getting up after every fall." Any vocation is connected with the call to holiness, rather the vocation be to the priesthood, to the religious life, to the married life, or as a single lay person. We are all called to holiness; we are all called to live a life that is pleasing to God.

The first event of the retreat was Evening Prayer and Mass. For those who do not know, Evening Prayer and Morning Prayer are based on the Liturgy of the Hours. All clergy are obligated to pray the Liturgy of the Hours. Evening and Morning Prayer include the reading of two selections of Psalms, singing a hymn, and a reading from another book of the Bible. Fr. William Ganci was the celebrant for the Mass and the title of his homily was "God calls weak, sinful men to proclaim the Gospel." The best example (and the one example used in Old Testament readings at Mass) was David. Samuel the prophet expected to anoint Jesse's oldest son as the new king of Israel. Instead, God chose David, the youngest of Jesse's sons. Later we see with David, that even though he was chosen by God to be king, he was still sinful (as we are all). And keep in mind that Jesus's first apostles were not the educated or upper elite of Israeli society, but fishermen and tax collectors. Only Paul was considered the upper elite, and he wasn't called until Jesus'd death, resurrection, and ascension into Heaven.

Next in the retreat was a talk given by Msgr. Crawford, the Director of Seminarians. He talked about the present challenges seminarians and clergy face in today's age, and also addressed the importance of hearing the call. The next morning we had Morning Prayer & Mass, with Bishop Ricard as the celebrant. He also gave a talk with the title "Vocation as Total Commitment to Christ." This talk was followed up by Fr. Nicholas Schumm's talk about "The Process and Reply to a Vocation." He included his own discernment in his talk.

We then had a time for recreation, rest, and more prayer. Since I forgot to pack clothes appropriate for recreation, I watched the others played basketball, and got a chance to talk with a few of the seminarians. In the late afternoon, the next talk was presented by a seminarian about "God calling in Earliest Youth." We followed that up with Evening Prayer, and an event called Lord's Day. I don't know a lot about it (still don't for that matter), but from what I gleaned, it was based on an earlier Jewish custom where we broke bread, had some cheese, and a sip of wine. Two seminarians also talked about the importance of fraternity and friendship in Christ. Then we had dinner and chatted for the rest of the evening until it was time for bed.

This morning was the final day of the retreat. We began the day with Morning Prayer, breakfast, and another talk. This talk was given by Fr. Chris Winkeljohn and he emphasized three things: 1. The joy of being generous, 2. Perserverance and fidelity, and 3. The example of Mary. Regarding the first point, he emphasized the need to make known our discernment and not keep it bottled up. Second, he emphasized the importance of keeping up with the discernment and not putting it on the back burner. Finally, he spoke of Mary's willingness to say yes to being the Mother of Our Lord in a time and culture where pregnancy outside of wedlock could've gotten her in serious trouble with the rest of society. I took from this last example how important it is to continue our discernment no matter what trials and tribulations we may face on the way.

We concluded the retreat this morning with Mass celebrated by Msgr. Tugwell, the Director of Vocations. His homily focused on the need to not be afraid with respect to our discernment. Whether or not I end up in the priesthood, I have learned important lessons from this retreat that will serve me well later on in life. Pray for me as I continue my discernment, and pray for the seminarians as they continue their discernment, and pray for the three deacons I met who will be ordained to the priesthood later this year. But most importantly, pray that we all answer the call to holiness, which is a call for everyone.

Anger and other issues

2010-01-18T06:23:00.001-08:00

One of the areas I struggle with in my life is anger. It is something I need to get a better control over, especially since I find myself getting angry over the smallest, most trivial things. To that end, I'm going to start limiting the amount of time I spend on the computer (I spend way too much time as it is), especially reading political related news. I don't know if I will quit going online totally, but I am definitely going to work on drastically reducing the time I spend on here.

If I am successful, I hope to not only get a better control of my temper, but it may also help with another problem I'm struggling with. Since my job is not a 9-5 type of job, Monday-Thursday, I'll have to find other things to keep me busy. I know a few things which I need to do that will help in that area.

With the Lord's help, I hope to start having a more calm persona once again.

Obama faith council debates religious icons

2010-01-14T08:01:00.000-08:00

Obama Faith Council debates religious icons

During the Presidential Election of 2008, there was a great debate regarding Obama and McCain. Some claimed there wasn't any difference between McCain and Obama. Actually, there is a great difference. First, their respective stance on abortion. While McCain may not have been effective in ending or restricting abortion, Obama actually does all he can to push abortion on the U.S. I'm actually surprised he hasn't tried to make it mandatory ala China.

But this is a 2nd major difference. Does anybody believe John McCain would've considered this? I doubt it. But it shows the flaw of the federal funding of anything. By accepting federal funds, it opens the door to the government telling an organization what they can or cannot do. And for the most part, the government "requests" tend to be reasonable. But for every few reasonable conditions, there are some unreasonable conditions mixed in. We are now seeing the consequence of Bush's federal funding of religious charities. Sure, there were others who opposed the federal funding, but not for this reason I suspect.

Advice to churches and other religious institution: do not accept federal funding. It's better that one has to rely on the private donations of people and be able to fulfill its mission, than to receive federal funding and be restricted on what it can do.

Haiti

2010-01-13T13:07:00.001-08:00

Prayers going out for the nation of Haiti as it recovers from a devastating earthquake.

V for Victory!: The Crucifix versus the Swastika

2010-01-06T11:19:00.000-08:00

V for Victory!: The Crucifix versus the Swastika

There has been great controversy regarding Pope Pius XII and his involvement in World War II. This, along with information about other Catholic martyrs during the war, should help put to rest the myth that the Church was allied with Hitler and the Nazis.

Unfortunately, while it should put that myth to rest, it won't. There are those that are determined to slander the name of Pope Pius XII and other wartime Catholics in order to advance their political (or religious) agenda.

Me and college athletics

2009-12-27T18:03:00.000-08:00

But I need to get this off my chest.

This situation disturbs me, and unfortunately, it's not the first time. Let's begin with Billy Donovan.

When he announced he was going to coach the Magic, I was saddened. What Gator wasn't? And I was initially elated by his return, before I realized the full impact. He broke his word with the Magic, and I am convinced this is affecting us to this day. How much? I don't know.

And now Coach Meyer. One the one hand, he never broke his word with anyone by actually leaving for another job. But on the other hand, the situation was made to think his health was in serious jeopardy. Granted, the media has a tendency to exaggerate things (putting it mildly). But I honestly hope that he tends to his health and is not just a ploy to get leverage over Foley (as some have insinuated).

I may not be a graduate of UF, but I am concerned with UF's integrity. I am somewhat angered that the head coaches of the Gators' two biggest sports programs have damaged the integrity to some degree. As such, it is not in my best interest to continue supporting the programs while they are associated in any form with the university.

I may get blasted. I may get called a traitor by some (who shall remain nameless), but maybe it's for the best. This maybe the wake up call I need to focus on more important things than investing emotion into a football or basketball game. When the time comes for actual coaching changes, I hope that the Gators hire men who will believe that their word is their bond.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T02:52:00.003-08:00

I hope you all have a wonderful, safe, and Merry Christmas as we celebrate the Nativity of Our Lord.

Urgent prayer request

2009-12-23T16:05:00.000-08:00

Last evening, Bishop John Ricard suffered a stroke and is currently in the hospital in Pensacola. Please pray for a full recovery.

Unbelievable

2009-12-14T06:05:00.000-08:00

If true, this judge should be removed for lack of common sense and lack of adherence to the Constitution. A judge has reportedly issued a restraining order against a father, prohibiting him from taking his child to church. Found this out at Creative Minority Report, which has more information.

Truly unbelievable.

Dad Barred from Taking Child to Church?

Student Group case before Supreme Court

2009-12-09T08:30:00.000-08:00

In a case that has implications for religious freedom, freedom of association vs non-discrimination, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case of a student group who was denied official recognition at a college. The college said that the group's refusal to allow homosexuals to vote or become officers constituted discrimination, even though anybody could attend meetings of the group.

Student Group case before Supreme Court

Given that two Federal Courts of Appeals have issued conflicting opinions involving the same student group, the Supreme Court will issue a decision one way or the other. Not surprisingly, the Court of Appeals that upheld the college's decision is none other than the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. There isn't a liberal cause it hasn't upheld as constitutional or a conservative cause that it has struck down.

The Episcopal Church strikes again

2009-12-08T07:37:00.000-08:00

As if the election of Bishop Gene Robinson, the first openly homosexual bishop, wasn't controversial enough, this happens:

Lesbian bishop elected

I cannot understand why any church, Protestant, Catholic or Orthodox would elect someone whose lifestyle is against what Christian doctrine teaches. It's one thing to sin and then try to live a life pleasing to God, it's another thing to openly live a life that is disobedient.

The main thing I have to say this is: electing a homosexual to a leadership position in a church is like electing a white supremacist to a leadership position in the NAACP. It does not make sense.

Notre Dame

2009-12-06T03:44:00.000-08:00

I like to tease my mom sometimes about Notre Dame's football team. However, given Notre Dame's stance towards the Catholic Church at times, I cannot in good conscience support the university and therefore the football team. Ironic that they would go against Church teaching, given that it's allegedly a Catholic university. But they continue to employ one of the biggest dissidents, and unfortunately, this dissident is a priest. He is Fr. McBrien.

However, in the past year, events at Notre Dame have made even the employment of Fr. McBrien a smaller issue. When President Obama spoke at the graduation and received an honorary degree, a group of 88 people, including a priest, were arrested for trespassing. While legally Notre Dame has the right to pursue charges, do they have the moral right or legal necessity to do that? In my opinion, no. However, they could've easily told the state of Indiana to drop the charges and let things die quietly.

Instead, the Notre Dame 88, as they are called, are still facing charges. Two things about this disturb me greatly. First, that Notre Dame refuses to drop the charges. Technically, it is really the state or a judge who dismisses the charges, but let's not pretend that the university doesn't have the influence to get the charges dismissed. If they wanted to make a point about making sure there were no undue security risks to the President, they could've dropped the charges awhile ago, or they could've also arrested the pro-Obama protesters (whom weren't arrested, by the way). It is bad enough that secular leaders have shown disdain for the Catholic Church, but even worse when a supposedly Catholic university is willing to clamp down on faithful Catholics. The second thing that disturbs me is the judge. Judge Manier is the wife of a retired pro-abortion Notre Dame professor. That alone should cause her to be disqualified from hearing the case, although she has agreed to let the appeals court decide the issue.

In today's age, the Church needs unity, not division. Yet it's almost impossible to achieve unity when members persecute other, more faithful members of the Church. As long as Notre Dame continues on its present course, I cannot in good conscience support Notre Dame.

The Mass

2009-12-05T19:57:00.001-08:00

First, let me start off by saying this: I am not among the group that think the Ordinary Form of the Mass is invalid or illicit. While some Masses have the potential for being illicit, just because it's not the Latin Mass (known as the Extraordinary Form of the Mass) doesn't make it automatically invalid. Not every Mass needs to be in Latin, have incense, or Gregorian Chant. But it does require reverence and not to be confused with entertainment.

The biggest problem I have encountered (until very recently) are the choice in hymns. As some have pointed out on various message boards, the songs we sing at Mass either are banal, or may not completely reflect orthodox Catholic doctrine. Some are just plain silly; for example, "Sing A New Church." My reaction is this: Is the Catholic Church not good enough? Didn't we go through that with the Reformation? Give me the hymn, "The Church's One Foundation" any day.

But a couple of weeks ago, I encountered something that would make the problem of some hymn selections seem minor in comparison. We had a guest priest who celebrated Mass at every Sunday Mass, including the 6 PM Mass which I attended. While the homily was good, the rest of the Mass left much to be desired. The main problem was that he would play around with the words outside of the Consecration. For example, normally the celebrant would say, "The Lord be with you," and the response would be "And also with you" (faulty English translation, but that's for another time). Instead, he would say, "The Lord is with you," and we would give the customary response, and he would say, "Your welcome." Sorry, Fr., but the Mass isn't meant to be entertainment, and you're not the star.

Fortunately, he didn't play around with the Consecration, but attending that particular Mass left me at unease. Our priests and our bishops have great responsibilities as shepherds for their flocks. The Lord trusted St. Peter to "feed his sheep." With a great mission, comes great responsibility.

Yet another hiatus

2009-12-03T20:01:00.001-08:00

Can't believe it's been so long since I've last posted. I'll try not to go so long without posting again.

Father's Day

2009-06-21T04:29:00.001-07:00

Happy Father's Day to my dad, and to all the other fathers. :)

RCIA Inquiry

2009-06-16T17:19:00.000-07:00

Since I was confirmed at the Easter Vigil in 2007, I've been on the RCIA team at my parish. This July, I'll be taking a more active role. I'll be in charge of the Inquiry phase of RCIA, including coordinating registration of those interested, and teaching the Inquiry sessions.

Please keep me in your prayers as I take on this new responsibility.

George Tiller

2009-06-01T09:21:00.000-07:00

Dr. George Tiller, a "doctor" infamously involved in abortion, was shot and killed yesterday while at his church in Kansas.

As evil as his actions were, there is no justification for his murder. The police apparently have apprehended the suspect, and I hope, if he's the culprit, he's convicted and sent away for the rest of his life for his crime.

This murder will only be counter-productive to the pro-life movement. First, it's sending a message that "pro-life" people don't care about people once they're out of the womb. Second, it sends a message that all, or a majority of anti-abortion activists are willing to take murder in their own hands.

Please pray that the pro-life movement does not suffer too much of a setback from this, and that the killer repents of the murder.

In the strange and weird department...

2009-05-29T07:31:00.000-07:00

Kicking & Screaming: Journo Dragged from near Air Force One

On the one hand, she wanted to stand up for traditional marriage (which is redundant since homosexual unions aren't marriages).

On the other hand...well...I'll just leave it at that.

California strikes again

2009-05-29T07:23:00.000-07:00

Couple ordered to stop holding Bible Study at home

People have scoffed saying that there is no persecution of Christians in this country. They claimed that trying to remove public displays of 10 Commandments and Nativity scenes aren't persecution. Maybe, maybe not, but anybody cannot deny that this would qualify, as well as Connecticut's attempt to seize control of the Catholic Church.

Home

2009-05-26T05:02:00.001-07:00

My parents and I returned home from Iowa last night. We flew to Iowa to attend my cousin's wedding. I'll post more about the trip later today or tomorrow.

Columbian Government Fines Catholic Hospital for Refusing to Perform Abortions

2009-05-14T09:22:00.001-07:00

Catholic hospital fined

How long until this becomes commonplace in the U.S.?

Former rector passes away

2009-05-13T18:48:00.000-07:00

Msgr. William Kerr, former rector of the Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More (where I'm a parishioner), passed away today. On May 3, he had a stroke after giving his homily and had been in critical condition since then. He was rector from 1971 until 1984. He was currently the director of Florida State University Claude Pepper Center.

Please keep the parish in your thoughts and prayers.

Star Trek review

2009-05-12T08:03:00.000-07:00

Saw it this past weekend, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. There are only a couple of things I didn't really like, but weren't major problems.

Delay

2009-04-25T12:08:00.001-07:00

I apologize for the delay in any updates. I'll try and post more often whenever I feel the need to post. :)

Red Mass

2009-03-12T07:24:00.000-07:00

Last night was the Red Mass at the Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More. It was concelebrated by all the bishops of Florida, with Bishop Dewane, the bishop of Venice, giving the homily. His homily centered on the importance of upholding the Moral law, even if it comes into conflict with secular law. This homily came at an important time when it seems that the secular world is increasing its attack on the Church, especially with the proposed unconstitutional bill in Connecticut.

Regarding criticism of Pope Benedict

2009-02-23T14:24:00.000-08:00

Regarding the lifting of the excommunications, the attacks against the Holy Father have been very vicious. If it Bishop Williamson had not had that interview with those imprudent remarks (imprudent to put it charitably), then the critics would've found another excuse.

For those who criticize the Holy Father regarding the lifting of the excommunications, let me ask this question: would you dare to criticize our Lord when he forgave St. Peter for his denial of Jesus? Isn't forgiveness supposed to be part of our faith, or are we supposed to eternally act like the big brother of the parable of the Prodigal Son?

Once again, would you criticize our Lord for his forgiving St. Peter after the thrice denial?

Just food for thought.

Germany and the U.K.

2009-02-16T20:33:00.000-08:00

Two places where the Reformation hit the hardest: Martin Luther and his 95 Theses, and then King Henry VIII.

We might be seeing a repeat of this soon, in the cradles of Protestantism:

First, there was some reaction by some German clergy, including bishops, to Bishop Williamson's statements and the lifting of the excommunications. Understandable, but they can't set themselves up to be like the brother of the Prodigal Son.

But the reaction to the lifting of the excommunications is tame compared to what the Austrian bishops are up to now. Pope Benedict XVI tried to appoint a new auxiliary bishop of Linz (think of the European version of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Rochester, you get the drift; Lincoln and St. Louis it ain't), and there was a virulent reaction by the Austrian bishops.

Austrian bishops threatening revolt

(Linked from Creative Minority Report)

And in the U.K., Archbishop Burke was denied permission by the Cardinal Archbishop to say the Latin Mass at the cathedral. While minor compared to the situation in Austria, it is disturbing that there are those who profess to be in union with the Pope, still defy the Pope when he allowed greater celebration of the Extraordinary Form of the Mass.

Please continue to pray for Pope Benedict XVI as he is facing challenges at this point in his papacy.

The SSPX and Bishop Williamson

2009-02-02T05:12:00.000-08:00

A furor has been created with the lifting of the excommunications of the four bishops consecrated in 1988. While the official anger is targeted at the bishops of the SSPX themselves, there is no doubt that the true anger is at Bishop Williamson's remarks regarding the Holocaust.

First, I found his remarks to be, at best, imprudent. Two reasons why they were imprudent: 1) he gave his interview, I believe, in a country that frowns upon Holocaust denial 2) his remarks, without any evidence, tried to put a hole in a historically proven event.

While I find his opinions regarding the Holocaust and 9/11 distasteful, remember that he wasn't excommunicated because of radical political or historical views; he was excommunicated because he was part of illicit episcopal ordinations back in 1988. Likewise, the lifting of the excommunications have nothing to do with his personal views either.

There are those attacking Pope Benedict XVI for lifting the excommunications. I find these attacks ironic. On the one hand, they tend to criticize the SSPX for holding to pre-Vatican II practices regarding the Mass and the Sacraments, implying that the SSPX think they know better than the Pope. On the other hand, by villifying the Holy Father, these same critics think THEY know better than the Pope.

This is not a time for smug condescension or arrogant outrage, but a time for reconciliation. The critics of the Pope and the SSPX need to stop acting the like the big brother of the Prodigal Son and start acting more like the father.

Parody alert!

2009-01-31T09:30:00.000-08:00

Everybody probably knows the song "Gather Us In."

But here's an excellent parody of the song, which I found at Catholic Answers Forum. I don't know if the poster who posted it made it up themselves, or if someone else did, but it is funny!

Gather Us In

Here in this place, a bad song is starting,
Now will the altar turn into a stage.
All that is holy is slowly departing,
Making a way for the coming New Age.

Gather us in, for we are like captives.
Skipping the Mass, that would be wrong.
But Lord hear our plea, regarding M. Haugen:
Give him the courage to put down that bong.

Dear Father Smith make a beeline procession,
Run if you have to, make it real terse.
If you can start this Mass very quickly,
Maybe we'll only have to sing one verse.

Here's the link to the thread: Gather Us In parody

National Catholic Reporter...

2009-01-25T07:44:00.000-08:00

should be renamed National Catholic Distorter, given their slant on Catholic news and comments by readers.

Their slogan should read: We distort, you decide.

As impossible as it may sound...

2009-01-25T07:01:00.000-08:00

I think I have found a "hymn" that may be worse than "Sing a New Church."

It's called "Song of the Body of Christ," and the title is the only part of the song that mentions Jesus in any form. From no direct mentions of God in the lyrics to downgrading the Eucharist from a sacrifice to a "meal," this is probably the worst song ever to be in the pages of a Catholic hymn.

The President talked about change in his campaign. How about change from the unsingable, near heretical songs in the hymnals to something more suitable and something that reflects Catholic teachings? That would be change to believe in.

3 days

2009-01-17T07:41:00.000-08:00

Three days until President Barack Obama is inaugurated as our next President.

Now, what I'm about to say may seem unpopular, but I think it's necessary. As Americans and Catholics, it is our duty to support our new President by showing respect for the office. That's not to say we can't disagree or oppose what he stands for. For example, I find his positions on abortion and taxes to be abhorrent. But on January 20, he will be my President and the President for all Americans.

Some may say, "liberals didn't give Bush a chance, so it's payback time." But is that really the attitude Jesus would have us show? Eye for eye, tooth for tooth? In Romans, St. Paul tells us to submit to government authority (Romans 13:1) and that unless laws are instituted that prohibits the exercise of our faith and the following of God's laws, we are to, within the best of our abilities, obey them. Obviously, we cannot support abortion, but laws that do not conflict with God's commands are to be obeyed.

I will continue to express opposition to abortion and any law that may be passed under Obama (as well as future Presidents) that conflict with the faith, but I will also show respect for our new President. Let us also pray for him, that he may make the right choices as our President.

Florida Gators-2008 National Champions

2009-01-08T21:27:00.001-08:00

Can't go wrong with a Catholic name like Urban. :)

Tonight

2009-01-08T16:02:00.000-08:00

Depending on what happens tonight, I'll either be extremely happy tomorrow or somewhat depressed.

I know, I'm being mysteriously cryptic on purpose. :)

California court rules on Episcopal parish dispute

2009-01-05T14:11:00.000-08:00

California court sides with Episcopals over property

This conflicts with an earlier Virginia court ruling which sided with the parishes in that case.

A couple of observations:

1) The court seems to be getting involved with Episcopalian church law and trying to apply secular law to it. Hopefully, this isn't an omen regarding any future lawsuits involving gay marriage or "women ordination." Then again, this is California we're talking about.

2) Goes to show what happens when any members of the church depart from doctrine and dogma. In this country, at least right now, we don't have to worry about being hauled off to jail for following Christ or going to Mass. So, a second and more insidious tactic is being used against Christianity in this country: heresy, apostasy. Yes, that's what the ordination of openly unrepentant homosexuals involves: heresy and apostasy.

Granted, we're all sinners, and that's why there's the Sacrament of Confession. But this goes beyond that: the Episcopalian bishop in question has no intentions of repenting of his sinful lifestyle. It's one thing to try to turn away from sin, and fail, and quite another to refuse to turn away.

Speaking of extraordinary

2009-01-05T07:46:00.000-08:00

I am often amazed at how the word "extraordinary" can be applied in different ways.

Two examples: Extraordinary Form of the Mass, and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion.

On the one hand, at least in my diocese, the Extraordinary Form of the Mass is truly extraordinary given that it is only regularly celebrated at one parish, and in the future, maybe two.

On the other hand, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are a commonplace. There is a reason why they have the title Extraordinary...meaning they should only be used in certain circumstances (like not enough priests and deacons to distribute communion).

When I visited Washington D.C. this past summer, I went to Mass at a parish in Woodbridge. Assuming that was how they did things regularly regarding communion, then that was the best way. When it came time to distribute communion, they still had some Extraordinary Ministers, but they also had the other priests and the deacon help out.

Still, interesting to see the different ways in which the word "extraordinary" is applied.

Extraordinary Form of the Mass

2009-01-05T07:42:00.000-08:00

I have heard through the grapevine (okay, not a literal grapevine or the song ;) ), that starting this Spring, we'll be having more regular celebrations of the Extraordinary Form of the Mass.

Support your local usher

2009-01-02T22:44:00.001-08:00

For those that do not know, I work at a movie theater, and most of the time I am scheduled as an usher.

I would like to take the time to post a few ways you can support your local usher:

1) When arriving at a theater early, please allow the ushers the opportunity to clean the theater. You don't want to sit in a messy theater...at least I assume you don't. The world won't end if you can't sit down as soon as the end credits of the previous movie finish.

2) Parents...I know kids will be kids, but please try to prevent them from dumping an entire bag of popcorn on the floor. Not only is it messy to clean up, but that's money down the drain for you.

3) Every little bit helps. As you leave the theater, please take the time to pick up any trash and take it to the nearest trash can. The less trash we have to pick up, the faster we can clean the theater, and the happier you will be.

4) If you notice a problem with a movie, or a member of the audience, let an usher know A.S.A.P. We can't get the problem fixed if we don't know about it. The sooner we know about the problem , the sooner we can correct it, and the happier you will be.

5) For R-rated movies, we do check ID and if the person doesn't look like they're ready for Senior Prom, we don't let them in without being accompanied by a person who is of age. If you are of age and look young enough, have your ID ready. Saves you time, saves us time, and makes both of us happy.

Just a few things in mind the next time you watch a movie at a theater. Some ushers or theater staff may seem rude, but most want to make sure you have a good time, and keeping some of these tips in mind will help you have a good time

2009

2009-01-01T06:15:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! May everyone have a great and happy new year.

Common sense ruling

2008-12-30T16:27:00.000-08:00

Egypt's Coptic pope bans phone confessions

I don't see how this could even be necessary. Granted, I don't know a lot about the Coptic Church, but I would think Confession would need to be private, whether in a Catholic, Orthodox, or even Coptic church.

N.J. rules against church regarding civil unions

2008-12-30T05:46:00.000-08:00

Ft. Sumter or Pearl Harbor? Regardless, the opening salvo has been fired regarding churches being required to host "civil unions" for gay and lesbian couples.

N.J. rules against church

One of the arguments gay rights supporters have made is that gay marriage won't impact most of the population. This clearly puts a hole in their argument; it is an assault on the First Amendment, the free exercise of religion.

Pray that a court will overturn this ruling. The good news is that it wasn't actually a court that made this ruling, but still a bad ruling.

Christmas

2008-12-24T22:52:00.000-08:00

I would like to wish everybody a Merry Christmas. For those traveling, I hope you have a safe and great trip.

And yet another post this morning

2008-12-19T04:57:00.000-08:00

I sure have been talkative this morning, haven't I? :)

Well, I won't be around for the next couple of days. I have to work this morning until 4, then my family and I will travel to visit relatives today and tomorrow, and then I work an opening shift on Sunday.

If anybody else is going somewhere for Christmas, have a safe trip.

Rearranging my blog a bit

2008-12-19T04:32:00.001-08:00

Decided to alter the format a bit, put it in black, and moved the list of blogs I frequent from the bottom of the page.

Christmas Carols

2008-12-19T04:23:00.000-08:00

With less than a week to go until Christmas, we'll see, or rather hear more Christmas songs over the radio.

But at Mass, there is a problem I have noticed and it only pertains to one song: "Hark the Herald Angels Sing." In either the third verse, the lyrics read: "born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth." However, in the "hymnal" (to use the word lightly), the words have been changed to read: "born to raise us from the earth, born to give us second birth." If it helps, the music book is published by OCP (says a lot right there).

Why the need to alter good hymns to include a PC agenda? Is there nothing that won't be changed to suit PC agendas?

"More women leades needed in Vatican says Cherie Blair"

2008-12-16T08:46:00.000-08:00

More women leaders needed at the Vatican, says Cherie Blair

There are many things wrong in her claims, too many to list here.

She claims she follows church teachings, yet has no problem supporting contraception, despite the Church's teachings on birth control.

She also tries to justify her urging for more women leaders at the Vatican by saying there are more women in Parliament. So what? The Catholic Church and the British Parliament aren't the same.

She also claims that many positions at the Vatican don't require priestly ordinations. Even if she was correct, that would still be problematic as it would energize those pushing for women ordination, which isn't possible.

Discerning a vocation

2008-12-13T14:06:00.000-08:00

Question for any readers who are priests and/or religious: when and how did you first start discerning a vocation to the priesthood and/or religious life?

Putting Christ back in Christmas

2008-12-13T09:34:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately, this country has been in a constant state of putting material things first, especially when it's time for Christmas. This attitude was never made plainer or more fatally obvious than when the Wal-Mart employee was trampled to death all because people could not exercise some patience. It was like the movie "Jingle All the Way" (starring Arnold S., and Sinbad), but far deadlier.

We need to turn away from our focus of buying and receiving of material goods and focus more on our Lord's birth, without which his death and resurrection would not have been possible.

May everybody have a good final couple of weeks of Advent and a Merry Christmas.

Sorry for the delay

2008-12-05T10:53:00.001-08:00

I just noticed that it has almost been six months since my last post. I'll try to update more often.

Back from D.C.

2008-07-01T14:19:00.000-07:00

I'm back!

I had a great time in Washington D.C. I'll post some pictures later this week.

The trip didn't start off so well. The cats would not cooperate into getting into the one carrier we have (my dad can show some scratch marks to prove it). When we get one cat in and try getting the second cat in, the first one would escape. We'd try getting the second cat in and then the first one, the second one would escape. We ended up taking two trips to the vets and picked up a second carrier before getting the cats.

In D.C., we visited the National Archives, the National Zoo, the Library of Congress, the National Cathedral and the Basilica Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. On Sunday, we went to the new Air and Space Museum located near Dulles Airport.

I think I got spoiled by the church I went to Mass this past Sunday. It was as traditional a Mass as one can get without it being a Latin Mass. The altar boys wore cassocks with suplices; the celebrant prayed the Eucharistic Prayer I; we sang the Sanctus and the Agnus Dei (sp?) in Latin; at Communion, two other priests and a deacon came to help distribute communion and the three altar boys used patens (sp?) as well.

Latin Mass

2008-06-08T13:17:00.000-07:00

I just got back from the Mass. Here are my impressions:

1). Kneeling, kneeling, and when you get tired of kneeling, some more kneeling. There's a lot more kneeling in the Extraordinary Form than in the Ordinary Form. Since I wasn't used to that much kneeling, my knees began to get a little sore.

2) It was a Low Mass, so there was no music. No Haugen or Haas. ;)

3) I liked the reverence. The priest and the altar servers were very reverent. The altar servers had more to do in this Mass than they usually have to do in the Ordinary Form.

4) I was actually able to follow what was going on. I had a 1962 Missal with me, so I was able to follow on. The only thing was that it didn't indicate when to stand, sit, or kneel like the missalettes the others who attended this Mass had.

5) There were more people there than I expected. This is a good sign for future celebrations of the Mass in the Extraordinary Form.

Overall, I enjoyed it. I would like to attend a High Mass or a Solemn High Mass if given the opportunity.

Why, why, why???

2008-06-02T08:04:00.000-07:00

This Saturday the co-cathedral will be host to an ordination as Bishop Ricard ordains a new priest. I had requested a closing shift at work so I could attend.

But of course, the managers at work just had to schedule a 2-2.5 hour meeting that morning, which means I won't be able to attend the ordination. Grrr...

Well, at least I should be able to attend the Latin Mass we're having the following day. Assuming, that my request for a closing shift that day is granted...

Will of the people, indeed

2008-05-15T17:38:00.000-07:00

California's top court legalizes gay marriage.

First, let me say this. I do not and cannot condone any violence against gays and lesbians just because they're gays and lesbians. People have the right to live without fear of being subject to violence regardless of race, religion, gender, etc.

That being said, this is a blow to the natural family. A family consists of a husband and a wife, with (hopefully) at least one child. Whether some marriages end in divorce or annullment is irrelevant to the issue at hand. Not all marriages last, unfortunately, and not all families are perfect. But a marriage between a husband and wife is how God intended it.

It's one thing for non-Christians to support gay and lesbian unions (although not all do). However, Christians, Protestant, Catholic or Orthodox, cannot and should not support these unions. They run contrary to what God intended. That's not to say we can't treat gays and lesbians with respect and kindness. We can love the sinner but hate the sin.

Another thing is how easily a simple majority of justices (or one judge) can undo the will of the people. I'm not merely talking about this issue but any other issue. The rationale is that judicial review is to protect the rights of the minorities. While that is important, the minority cannot be allowed to dictate to the majority. That's a dictatorship, or oligarchy, not democratic. We have seen throughout history where this logic about protecting the minority was contradictory. Does anybody think that the Dred Scot or Plessy decisions were made to protect the minority? No. They continued slavery or legalized segregation. So, such court decisions can easily hurt the minority that judicial review is claimed to protect.

Keep this country in prayer.

New deacon

2008-05-14T16:50:00.001-07:00

Starting this summer, the deacon at my parish should have some help. Three new transitional deacons were ordained last month, and one of them, at least what I heard, will be assigned to my parish. Good thing since the other parishes in Tallahassee all have two deacons.

Grrrrrrr

2008-05-10T22:27:00.000-07:00

Maybe I should just stop trying to host a blog at all.

First, today, I was blocked from this blog (and other blogger.com/blogspot blogs) because allegedly there was an automated searcher bot from my computer or network. Access was restored shortly afterwards.

I decided to start another blog somewhere else as backup. I had three to four posts there, and guess what? When I got home from work, I can't login, saying I don't have sufficient authorization to access it and it says that my blog doesn't exist.

Is keeping a blog worth it?

Opinions, please.

Christian leaders questioning Senate investigation

2008-05-10T13:08:00.000-07:00

Christian leaders questioning Senate investigation.

Now, on the one hand, I don’t like the Prosperity Gospel. It is a heresy and should be condemned.

That being said, I don’t think it’s the Senate’s business to investigate those who hold to this. It sets a very dangerous precedence in this country.

St. Augustine

2008-04-16T19:32:00.000-07:00

I went over to St. Augustine today. One of the places I visited was the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine. It is a beautiful church! There's still part of the high altar, there's the communion rail. The cathedra is placed to the side of the sanctuary, not behind the altar (like at my parish). To the left and right of the sanctuary are two chapels. The baptistry was to the left as I entered the church through the main entrance.

Now, while the Extraordinary Form of the Mass isn't celebrated, it has almost the perfect arrangement to be celebrated there.

While I was there, I bought a book about Augustin Verot, the first bishop of St. Augustine. It should be an interesting reading.

Tallahassee Tridentine Latin Mass

2008-04-07T10:54:00.000-07:00

A Tridentine Latin Mass is tentatively scheduled for June 8 at 2:00 P.M. It's going to be a Low Mass.

Unfortunately, right now it's only going to be a one time thing, but it's a start. :)

Church bulletin bloopers

2008-04-04T11:02:00.000-07:00

Some of these are old, but all are pretty funny. Enjoy :)

The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.
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The sermon this morning "Jesus Walks on Water." The sermon tonight "Searching for Jesus."
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Our youth basketball team is back in action Wednesday at 8 PM in the recreation hall. Come out and watch us kill Christ the King.
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Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.
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The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been canceled due to a conflict.
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Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community. Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say "Hell" to someone who doesn't care much about you.
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Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help.
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Miss Charlene Mason sang "I will not pass this way again," giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.
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For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
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Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.
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The Rector will preach his farewell message after which the choir will sing "Break Forth Into Joy."
---------------------------------------------------------
Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
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A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.
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At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be "What Is Hell?" Come early and listen to our choir practice.
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Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
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Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
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Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.
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The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.
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Potluck supper Sunday at 500 PM - prayer and medication to follow.
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The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.
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This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.
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Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10 AM. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B. S. Is done.
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The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.
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Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM.
Please use the back door.
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The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 PM. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.
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Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.
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The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new tithing campaign slogan Last Sunday "I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours

Spiritual Adoption Program

2008-03-29T11:00:00.000-07:00

I've decided to participate in the Spiritual Adoption Program.

Spiritual Adoption Program

Our priests, bishops and young men currently in seminary deserve a lot of prayer and support.

Patience at the end of Mass

2008-03-24T04:45:00.000-07:00

For the closing song yesterday at Mass, we sang "Jesus Christ is Risen Today."

I normally don't leave until we're finished singing, and most people at Mass wait as well. Yesterday, I was seated at the edge of the pew, normally where I sit. There was one guy seated between me and a couple. We were on the last verse, when he began to push his way out. Not wanting a confrontation, I stepped out into the aisle to let him pass.

But why can't people learn to be patient. We were on the last verse! Couldn't he have waited a few more seconds?

Continued criticism of Good Friday Prayer

2008-03-21T17:37:00.000-07:00

Continued criticism of Good Friday Prayer.

Let me begin with this: I am not anti-Semitic. I have nothing against the Jewish people.

But what I cannot understand is that some Jewish leaders continue to protest the prayer calling for the conversion of the Jewish people. We're supposed to pray for the conversion of people, whether they be Jew or Gentile, American or European, etc.

I pray that those protesting the prayer will come to understand it not as an attack on them, but rather something good.

One year

2008-03-21T17:13:00.001-07:00

One year ago, I officially joined the Catholic Church. Ok, ok, not one calendar year since Easter is earlier this year, but you get my point. ;)

It's hard to believe that at the last Easter Vigil, I was getting confirmed by the bishop. What a wonderful feeling to be Catholic!

:)

My first post.

2008-03-21T16:57:00.000-07:00

This is my first post on this new blog. I'll be mostly talking about serious issues, mostly religious.