Saturday, October 31, 2009

For those who generally make it to Mass on time...

...please turn your clocks back one hour -- might as well do it now -- and enjoy an extra hour o' sleep tonight.

For those who generally saunter in just after the Offertory? Kindly ignore this post.

This has been a pubic service announcement from the Lady in the Pew. I'm Kelly Thatcher and I approve o' this message.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Have you contacted your congressman yet?

Great post, and an informative one, from Unborn Word of the Day.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Attention St. Jude fans: he doesn't need a "magician's assistant"

It happened again this evening. As I was leaving Saint Clement's Shrine after a visit with Jesus, I spotted a stack of xeroxed sheets labeled "Miraculous Prayer to Saint Jude." Sighing, I glanced at them and, sure enough, there was a lovely prayer to the Saint of Hopeless and Desperate Cases...and a not so lovely instruction:

"Make 90 copies of this prayer and distribute 10 each to 9 different churches immediately...you will surely get your wish, guaranteed!"

Or some such drivel.

As usual, I tossed them in the trash. Where such garbage belongs.

I happen to consider Saint Jude a very good friend.

And as such, it pains me to see him used as a baal.

It is a good thing to ask for this good saint's intercession, particularly in situations which seem hopeless.

It is a bad thing to think that he's a magician.

It's a terrible thing to think that one can manipulate what is, after all, God's domain.

If you are facing what appears to be a hopeless or desperate situation, three things:

1) You're not, really. You're just facing a situation that you, personally, can't see how to handle.

2) This is a good reason to ask Saint Jude to intercede on your behalf. Let him do it. Don't muck it up by adding your own brand o' witchcraft to the mix.

3) Remember that you're asking the good saint to pray for you! You're not asking him to wave a magic wand (he doesn't own one) and you're not helping matters by spreading idolatry around.

Okay? Thank you. When I approach Saint Jude, I often ask him to pray for folks who misuse his love this way.

Because sometimes it seems like a hopeless cause.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Maybe Barack doesn't totally own the MSM after all?

Short, but incredibly sweet article.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Meet my cool new friend Lera

I met Lera for the first time today, along with her daughter and husband, and feel like I've known her my whole life.

Do, please, visit her wonderful website, check out her blog, and join this remarkable woman in her faith-filled battle. And for you Archbishop Fulton Sheen fans, there's a special place just for you!

Celebrating Fatima -- enjoy!

Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us!

Thursday, October 08, 2009

God! Save the Queen, and England!

When Pope Benedict visits this country next year, he is expected to stay at Buckingham Palace as a guest of the Queen. The warmth of her welcome will come as no surprise to the Pontiff, if senior sources at the Vatican are to be believed.

Read the linked story, and pray!

Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Father Damien of Molokai to be canonized this Sunday!

Image courtesy Hawaii Magazine

Father Damien, pray for us!

Monday, October 05, 2009

Supreme Court refuses message to choose life for Illinois folk

The U.S. Supreme Court Monday refused to review a lower-court ruling that said Illinois did not have to issue "choose life" license plates.

The rejection came without comment.

Well, I can understand that. I mean, no matter the comment, it would sound stupid.

Here's the plate, which, as you can see, is incredibly threatening. Sheesh. (Image courtesy Jill Stanek's blog.)



Saturday, October 03, 2009

The Word of God on marriage, children

From Sunday's First Reading:

When he brought her to the man, the man said:
"This one, at last, is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
this one shall be called 'woman, '
for out of 'her man’ this one has been taken."
That is why a man leaves his father and mother
and clings to his wife,
and the two of them become one flesh.


From the Responsorial Psalm:

Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
your children like olive plants.

From the Gospel:

"Let the children come to me;
do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to
such as these.
Amen, I say to you,
whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child
will not enter it."
Then he embraced them and blessed them,
placing his hands on them.

A blessed Respect Life Sunday to you!

Thursday, October 01, 2009

Could somebody clue in Father Richard McBrien on Adoration of the Eucharist?

Once again (70 x 7?) it's time to pray for priests. Once again, it's time to pray for Father Richard McBrien. And, if I might say so (and I hate to do it), once again, it's time for priests—good, orthodox priests—to face the fact that some o' their brother priests aren't exactly following Catholic teaching and, maybe...even say something about it?

Notwithstanding Pope Benedict XVI's personal endorsement of eucharistic adoration and the sporadic restoration of the practice in the archdiocese of Boston and elsewhere, it is difficult to speak favorably about the devotion today.

Now that most Catholics are literate and even well-educated, the Mass is in the language of the people (i.e, the vernacular), and its rituals are relatively easy to understand and follow, there is little or no need for extraneous eucharistic devotions. The Mass itself provides all that a Catholic needs sacramentally and spiritually.

Eucharistic adoration, perpetual or not, is a doctrinal, theological, and spiritual step backward, not forward.

Source: what else?

"Glorious Guardian Angel" by Saint Therese of Lisieux

Glorious Guardian of my soul,
You who shine in God's beautiful Heaven
As a sweet and pure flame
Near the Eternal's throne,
You come down to earth for me,
And enlightening me with your splendor,
Fair Angel, you become my Brother,
My Friend, my Consoler!...
For you the Kingdom and the Glory,
The Riches of the King of kings.
For me the ciborium's humble Host.
For me the Cross's treasure.
With the Cross, with the Host,
With your celestial aid,
In peace I await the other life,
The joys that will last forever.

Thanks to our friends at Missionaries of the Blessed Sacrament.