Thursday, April 22, 2010

"Heaven Day" activities: and your ideas are...?

If you read my last post, then you know that every day is "Heaven Day." Welcome to the celebration!

Now, unlike the good "Earth Day" folk, our charge is not to "save" our Home. Indeed, Heaven needs no help from us—on the contrary, as the popular expression goes, "may Heaven help us!"

Still, there is work—activities—to be done.

Let's start with The Population.

Our job—and a joyous task it is!—is to get as many people into Heaven as possible. Starting with ourselves, naturally. So. From this day on, let's do what we can to make sure we arrive at our Heavenly Home.

Then, there are our brothers and sisters in the Lord.

Know someone who hell-bent on avoiding Heaven? Ours is not to question why...ours is to change his or her path. Pray. It works. Our father in faith, Abraham, proved this to us a zillion years ago. So did Moses. So did all the patriarchs. Times change, but prayer doesn't. It works. And it's often fun. Moreover, it's a marvelous opportunity to communicate with God so for Heaven's sake, pray!

The saints are, of course, warmly invited to participate.

And no doubt already are! This "cloud of witnesses"—the Church Triumphant—are cheering us on. Ask them for help. Saints are our friends and want nothing more than to be united with us.

And how 'bout the Church Suffering?

Here we have a tit-for-tat situation...but one filled with Love. Although the souls in Purgatory can't help themselves, they can certainly help us. And we can help them! In our Morning Offerings, for example, why can't we offer our prayers, works, and sufferings of the day to benefit these souls? Surely, they will—and do!—pray for us.

What are you doing to celebrate "Heaven Day?"

Share your ideas. Be bold and revel in them. Remember: this is the day the Lord has made! Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Happy Heaven Day...may you enjoy this day every day of your life!

Make every day "Heaven Day"


Throughout it's 40-year history, there's been a great deal of finger-pointing by the proponents of "Earth Day." Some points are legitimate; much is not (the myth of the so-called "population explosion" comes immediately to mind).

But the truth is, all the blame-gaming in the world cannot cover up the essential truth: we are in exile in this "vale of tears" because of sin. God made the Earth and saw that it was good—He does not deal in evil. But then, through our own choice, we turned our backs on the Author of Life and will continue to do so, thereby not just despoiling the world but our eternal souls!

Unless
we follow Saint Paul's admonition:
If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.
For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.

Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is idolatry.
Colossians 3:14
So plant a tree, if you want to. Recycle your soda bottles. Whatever. But remember, no matter what you do, this place we live in has an expiration date that will not be extended. Heaven, on the other hand, lasts forever. Make every day "Heaven Day."

(H/T: Father Dennis Brown, O.M.V.)

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Why don't they just call the show "American Moloch?"

Tonight's "American Idol" show is supposed to raise money for pro-abortion organizations.

[American] Idol star Simon Cowell is the chief executive officer of International Save the Children, an organization that has a working relationship with what it calls “prominent international organizations.” Several of these groups are actively pro-abortion, including Better World Fund, Center for Reproductive Rights, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Population Action International, and the U.S. Committee for UNICEF.

According to Save the Children, ”family planning” has been a “critical component” of its work for nearly 20 years. The group quoted a UNICEF document which stated that “family planning could bring more benefits to more people at less cost than any other single technology now available to the human race.” Save the Children noted that the report identified “access to family planning” as a “key factor contributing to maternal and child survival and well-being.”

The show is, in my opinion, not that great. Now I know why.

Congrats to Catholic TV!

Catholic Press and News Archive

"America's Catholic Network" wins Gabriel Award

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Happy Anniversary, sweetheart!


One year ago today, I became Mrs. Kenneth Alden Thatcher. Praise God!

First Commnion and Mother's Day time: cool Catholic gifts from cool Catholic vendors

First Communion season is nearing, as is Mother's Day! Here are two sources, run by friends, to consider for your gift considerations. (Please note that I receive no compensation for publishing these links nor from any subsequent sales.)

Handcrafted Rosaries of all types (plus an altogether cool family gift site!) By Elizabeth Clare.

Books by Amy Welborn Dubruiel and the late, great, Michael Dubriel. For children, for adults, for teens—there's something here for everybody in the family.

Happy shopping!

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Does the New York Times still think it's the New York Times? I think not.

Unlike the Roman papacy, in certain circles the New York Times still enjoys the presumption of authority. So when the front page carries a story headlined "Vatican Declined to Defrock U.S. Priest Who Abused Deaf Boys," people notice.

Written by Laurie Goodstein and published March 25, the thrust is twofold. First, that the Rev. Lawrence Murphy, a priest who abused children at St. John's School for the Deaf in Milwaukee from the 1950s to the 1970s, went unpunished. Father Murphy, she wrote categorically, "was never tried or disciplined by the church's own justice system."

This all feeds the kicker: "the effort to dismiss Father Murphy came to a sudden halt after the priest appealed to Cardinal Ratzinger for leniency." In other words, Murphy got off scot-free, and the cardinal looked the other way.

Ms. Goodstein cites internal church documents, which the Times posted online. The documents were provided by Jeff Anderson and Mike Finnegan. They are described as "lawyers for five men who have brought four lawsuits against the Archdiocese of Milwaukee."

What she did not tell readers is that Mr. Anderson isn't just any old lawyer. When it comes to suing the church, he is America's leading plaintiffs attorney. Back in 2002, he told the Associated Press that he'd won more than $60 million in settlements from the church, and he once boasted to a Twin Cities weekly that he's "suing the s--t out of them everywhere." Nor did the Times report another salient fact about Mr. Anderson: He's now trying to sue the Vatican in U.S. federal court.

Follow the money.

Saturday, April 03, 2010

Regina Caeli, Laetare, Alleluia!

V. Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia.
R. For He whom you did merit to bear, alleluia.
V. Has risen, as he said, alleluia.
R. Pray for us to God, alleluia.
V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.
R. For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia.

Let us pray. O God, who gave joy to the world through the resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, grant we beseech Thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may obtain the joys of everlasting life. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

(Latin)

Regina caeli

V. Regina caeli, laetare, alleluia.
R. Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia.
V. Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia.
R. Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.

V. Gaude et laetare, Virgo Maria, alleluia.
R. Quia surrexit Dominus vere, alleluia.

Oremus. Deus, qui per resurrectionem Filii tui, Domini nostri Iesu Christi, mundum laetificare dignatus es: praesta, quaesumus; ut per eius Genetricem Virginem Mariam, perpetuae capiamus gaudia vitae. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

Thursday, April 01, 2010

The Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem

A blessed Triduum to you!

(Click on full screen for full effect...this is an amazing tour.)

h/t: Father Dennis Brown, OMV