Thanks, Chuck. May the Lord welcome you into his arms.

Chuck Colson. Requiescat in pace.

"One of the most wonderful things about being a Christian is that I don't ever get up in the morning and wonder if what I do matters. I live every day to the fullest because I can and I know no matter what I do today, I'm going to do something to advance the Kingdom of God."

Thank you, Charles Colson.

Vermont's "Death with Dignity" Bill: the epitome of cowardliness

Montpelier, VT. In an act even Dorothy's friend, the Cowardly Lion, would've been ashamed of, the Vermont Senate Health and Welfare Committee gave its stamp of approval to a bill which will allow them  and others to, among other things, be the proud witnesses—sole witnesses, incidentally—of, say, a dying guy with a few bucks to bequeath to said witness(s).

How did they do this? Why, for heaven's sake, it was easy...for cowards.

"The physician-assisted suicide bill was inserted into (what else?) a bill that regulates tanning beds.

With no discussion and no testimony, the Senate Health and Welfare Committee voted 3-2 in favor of adding the death with dignity amendment to the tanning bed bill and then voted 3-2 to approve the overall tanning bed bill.

A battle will surely ensue in the Senate — which is closely divided on death with dignity — over whether the physician-assisted suicide amendment is “germane” to the tanning bed legislation.

But Sen. Hinda Miller, a Chittenden County Democrat who sponsored the amendment, argued it is germane because both bills are related to cancer. The tanning bed bill is designed to prevent it, and physician-assisted suicide would be used by people dying from it, Miller said."

Nope, I'm not making this up. Bleeping cowards.

He has risen!

Christus resurrexit! Resurrexit vere!


A blessed Easter Season to you! And remember: every day this week is Easter Sunday.


He has risen!

Priesthood Vocations: My God of Surprises

Today, among other things (they're called "sins") I confided to my confessor that I was a tad annoyed at the fact that, despite my every-day-insistent-persistent prayers to God our Father -- in His Son's Name, yet! -- for more vocations to the Church, my prayers seemed to be going unanswered. In fact, since the shortage of priests has become more acute than ever (in Boston, of all places, where there was once, not long ago,  the city was the place of choice for the newly ordained), I couldn't figure out why God was ignoring my requests.

My confessor looked at me and asked: "Why do you think God's not answering your prayers?"

Almost sputtering -- okay, I pretty much did sputter -- I gave him my list:

1) The fact that the Confession lines were enormous and only one priest was available to hear us

2) Just yesterday, on Palm Sunday, I had to scrounge up lay folks to help distribute the Blessed Sacrament since Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion were scarce and the place was packed

3) The hospital (not to mention any names but it's initials are "MGH") where I bring the Sacrament to patients a few times a week just cancelled its daily Masses

4) Parishes are closing

5) It's rare to hear a priest preaching about sin, and...

There he stopped me and repeated the question:

"Why do you think God's not answering your prayers?"

I simply blinked. Perhaps the priest, I thought smugly, was overtired. Which seemed to prove my point. But before I could summon up the energy to repeat my complaints, he pretty much told me to shut up and listen. (Not in so many words, but you know how it is.)

"Kelly," he said, "we're sending our newly ordained to other countries. God willing, they will be blessed with the grace to return to this city, this country, one day, and be missionaries to us. God heard and hears your prayers."

Gee. It never occurred to me to specifically ask God to send more harvesters to Boston. And now that it has occurred to me, I don't plan to specify.

The United States of America is a mission country. Years ago, probably before I was even born, this country sent missionaries to Africa, Asia, and all over the world.

Now? We're the ones who need the missionaries.

But first, we need to ask, repeatedly and persistently, God for more vocations to the priesthood.

And let Him decide where to send them.

May the Master of the Harvest continue to bless you.