The function of a bishop: Saint John Baptist de la Salle on Saint Norbert

June 6 is the memorial of Saint Norbert, Archbishop, Norbertines founder. About him Saint John Baptist de la Salle wrote:

“The eminent virtues of Saint Norbert led to his being chosen bishop in spite of his reluctance. In this position he could not tolerate vice, and he denounced it boldly in all those who were scandalously abandoning themselves to its practice. On this account some people were offended and looked for a chance to kill him. How true it is that the impious and the dissolute cannot tolerate anyone who opposes their disorderly life. Saint Norbert escaped this danger; then he fought a heretic who denied the presence of the body of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist, and he destroyed the error. Is this not the function of a bishop, to oppose vice and to maintain the faith in its vigor and strength?”

Thanks to those terrific folks, the Missionaries of the Blessed Sacrament.

Foot progress report

Okay, I know this news isn't as important as the Democratic primary elections which (finally!) seem to be ending, but what the heck...it's my foot we're talking about here.

For those of you who don't remember, I broke my foot in several places on Easter Sunday. Since then I've been, consecutively, immobile, in a cast, a bit more mobile, still in a cast, then crutches, then some wacky boot...with crutches. Bottom line: since Easter I haven't exactly been Miss Twinkle Toes and pretty much housebound except for doctors' appointments and Sunday Mass. Actually, I missed the entire Easter Season except for Pentecost Sunday when I began to attend Mass again. (Many thanks to my friend and co-worker, Alden, for bringing me the Blessed Sacrament!)

Today, X-Rays showed marked improvement and to my utter delight, my doctor took me off both the crutches and the boot, "unless needed."

What the bleep does "unless needed" mean?

I hope to find out Thursday when I see the physical therapist. In the meantime, I've been cautiously walking around in real shoes, with no crutches! Admittedly it's a tad painful and I feel a bit dizzy, but still...it's wonderful!

Step back for a couple of weeks, Father Pfleger: Cardinal George

"...I have asked Father Michael Pfleger, Pastor of St. Sabina’s Parish, to step back from his obligations there and take leave for a couple of weeks from his pastoral duties, effective today. Fr. Pfleger does not believe this to be the right step at this time. While respecting his disagreement, I have nevertheless asked him to use this opportunity to reflect on his recent statements and actions in the light of the Church’s regulations for all Catholic priests."

Please join Cardinal George and the parishioners of Saint Sabrina's prayer for Father Pfleger.

Thanks!

Father Pfleger apologizes...

...and we have to forgive him.

Chrysostom on the unborn John the Baptist

From a commentary on the Gospel for today's Feast of the Visitation:

See how new and how wonderful this mystery is. He has not yet left the womb but he speaks by leaping; he is not yet allowed to cry out but he makes himself heart by hi actions...; he has not yet seen the light but he points out the Sun; he has not yet been born and he is keen to act as Precursor. The Lord is present, so he cannot contain himself or wait for nature to run its course: he wants to break out of the prison of his mother's womb and he makes sure he witnesses to the fact that the Savior is about to come.

Saint John Chrysostom, "Sermo Apud Metaphr., Mense Julio"

Women's "ordination": it doesn't get much clearer

Cardinal O'Malley builds email list

Sects for every Catholic? Weird article on women Catholic "priests"

The whole article is rather odd, but this graph struck me as particularly peculiar:

Lauder [a guy who divorced and remarried but is looking forward to "ordination"] said the Roman Catholic Women Priests sect teaches the Roman Catholic faith, but is less judgmental and more inclusive that traditional Roman Catholic sects.

Huh? I didn't know I belonged to a sect!

Memorial Day

Fading light dims the sight
And a star gems the sky, gleaming bright
From afar drawing nigh,
Falls the night.

Day is done, gone the sun
From the hills, from the lake, from the sky
All is well, safely rest;
God is nigh.

Then goodnight, peaceful night;
Till the light of the dawn shineth bright.
God is near, do not fear,
Friend, goodnight.

(click here)

Corpus Christi: Benediction

Many parishes, after Mass on the Feast of Corpus Christi, are graced with a Eucharistic Procession, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, and Benediction. (In fact, at Saint Clement's Eucharistic Shrine here in Boston, Exposition follows Mass every Sunday.)

Here is an EWTN tape of Benediction and the exit procession at Our Lady of the Angels Monastery, with the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration.

Archbishop Chaput fills in the gap in his words used by "Roman Catholics for Obama '08"

In a thoughtful and candid First Things article, Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Denver recounts his early involvement with politics, including his work with Robert Kennedy's 1968 presidential run and his later involvement with the candidacy of Jimmy Carter.

The piece was prompted by the use of the Archbishop's published words by a group called "Roman Catholics for Obama '08." The group's website accurately quotes Chaput as follows:

So can a Catholic in good conscience vote for a pro-choice candidate? The answer is: I can’t, and I won’t. But I do know some serious Catholics— people whom I admire—who may. I think their reasoning is mistaken, but at least they sincerely struggle with the abortion issue, and it causes them real pain. And most important: They don’t keep quiet about it; they don’t give up; they keep lobbying their party and their representatives to change their pro-abortion views and protect the unborn. Catholics can vote for pro-choice candidates if they vote for them despite—not because of—their pro-choice views.

However, the Archbishop points out that sentences immediately following the above quote were omitted. They are well worth reading:

But [Catholics who support pro-choice candidates] also need a compelling proportionate reason to justify it. What is a “proportionate” reason when it comes to the abortion issue? It’s the kind of reason we will be able to explain, with a clean heart, to the victims of abortion when we meet them face to face in the next life—which we most certainly will. If we’re confident that these victims will accept our motives as something more than an alibi, then we can proceed.

Actually, Archbishop Chaput's entire column is well worth the read, for all Catholic voters, Obama supporters included.

When the Gospel reading refers to a child as an "it"...

From today's Gospel (Mark 9:30-37) according to the NAB:

Taking a child, he placed it in their midst,
and putting his arms around it, he said to them,
“Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me;
and whoever receives me,
receives not me but the One who sent me.”

Now, according to the RSV:

And He took a child, and put him in the midst of them; and taking him in His arms, He said to them: "Whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me."

This "it" thing has bugged me since I first heard it. Certainly we don't know whether the Lord took a girl or boy into his arms, but in the cause for political correctness, I'd much rather have the child assigned some gender...some humanness for Heaven's sake. Call "it" "her" if that makes everybody feel better—but "it" isn't really acceptable...is it?

Once again, this time in California, the courts decide that 2+2 equals...whatever

I'm not sure what bugs me the most about stuff like this...the blatant exploitation race ("after all, interracial marriages were once illegal") or the complete lack of kindergarten-level logic. As in:

“The right to marry,” Chief Justice George wrote, “represents the right of an individual to establish a legally recognized family with a person of one’s choice and, as such, is of fundamental significance both to society and to the individual.”

Somebody get on the phone and tell Oedipus he wasn't wrong after all.

Boston TV team report 100+ priests accused of abuse living "among us"...how come nobody else is reporting this?

Last night, WBZ TV news reported that its "I-Team:"

...has found there are at least 100 priests living in our cities and towns -- priests who the archdiocese has taken out of service because of credible allegations of sexual abuse.

Most of them never had to register as sex offenders because their cases never went to criminal court.

Anne Barrett Doyle and Ed Clohessy, who have showed up on the pages of Boston media, especially the Globe, on an extremely regular basis, are nowhere to be found in that paper nor, in fact, did I find anything about this story anywhere, except for a mention on a blog or two.

This perplexes me. If you read the story (or watch the video which is on the same page) it seems like a potentially Big Deal...up to and including Cardinal Sean O'Malley's refusal to comment (although I thought the reference to his "handlers" was a bit much).

So I'm wondering...why hasn't anybody else in the main stream media—especially here in Boston—leaped on this? I'm honestly at sea here.

A few years ago you couldn't flick on the tube, launch your browser, or pick up a newspaper or magazine—anywhere in the country or the world, for that matter—without some reference to Boston's clergy abuse scandal. Now, when it looks like there's a story again (and trust me, or rather don't trust me as a journalist because I'm not) only a lone voice in TV land is talking.

What's up?

I sincerely have no clue. But this silence (and yes, I realize it's only been a day but that hasn't stopped wire services and other outlets before) is disturbing. There are doubtless other reasons, but I can only imagine two:

1.) That there's something factually wrong with the story or
2.) It's not "news" anymore.

Any ideas?

Governor Sebelius, please cooperate in your own salvation!

Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius should stop taking Communion until she repudiates her support for the “serious moral evil” of abortion, the Catholic archbishop for northeast Kansas says.

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, also criticized the governor Friday for her recent veto of a bill imposing new restrictions on abortion providers.

Not a "problem?"

Sebelius spokeswoman Nicole Corcoran said the governor had not seen the column, [in the archdiocesan newspaper The Leaven] but said “receiving Communion has not been a problem in the past for her.”

Well, gee, the thing is, it is a problem not just for you, governor, but for all the Catholics in your state. Just because you haven't been denied the Sacrament doesn't mean it's "not a problem." In fact, this makes it more of a problem!

From Archbishop's The Leven column:

The Governor has spoken to me on more than one occasion about her obligation to uphold state and federal laws and court decisions. I have asked her to show a similar sense of obligation to honor divine law and the laws, teaching and legitimate authority within the Church.

And isn't this the crux of the matter?

I have not made lightly this request of Governor Sebelius, but only after much prayer and reflection. The spiritually lethal message, communicated by our Governor, as well as many other high profile Catholics in public life, has been in effect: “The Church’s teaching on abortion is optional!”

Please honor Archbishop Naumann's request and pray for Governor Sebelius, and that his action will help alert other Catholics to the moral gravity of participating in and/or cooperating with the performance of abortions.

Thank you, and Happy Pentecost and Happy Birthday to the Church!

Source: Prime Buzz

Cast off

Okay so they took my cast off today...good news.

Not so good is that I've got this Darth Vadar boot on again and can't walk without crutches for at least another month.

Sheesh.

Our Lady of Laus, pray for us!

And under still more folk to pray for...

Why doesn't every Catholic observe Ascension Thursday on...Ascension Thursday?

This is just plain weird to me. Yesterday I discovered that Ascension Thursday — which is always on a Thursday given that it's the fortieth day after Easter Sunday, and that's because that's how long Jesus stayed here after His Resurrection, for pete's sake — is only a Holy Day of Obligation in the dioceses of Boston, Hartford, New York, Philadelphia, and Omaha.

Everybody place else in the U.S.? It's transferred to the following Sunday.

How come?

According to this fellow (and I've no reason to doubt him):

However, because attendance at Ascension Thursday Masses had been falling for years, the bishops of the United States, in accordance with canon law, petitioned the Vatican to allow the celebration to be transferred to the following Sunday.

How weird is that?

By the way, remember to begin your Novena to the Holy Spirit!

Update #1:

Scott Richert, linked above, clarifies with regard to my use of the term "diocese:"

...Ascension is still observed on Thursday in the
ecclesiastical provinces (not dioceses) of Boston, Hartford, New York,
Philadelphia, and Omaha. Each of those provinces is made up of
multiple dioceses--for instance, the ecclesiastical province of
Philadelphia includes ALL of the dioceses in Pennsylvania.

Update #2:

Scott adds:

By the way, I've set up an e-mail reminder for all of those who would
like to pray the Novena to the Holy Ghost between now and Pentecost.
All they have to do is to sign up for the reminder, and then each day,
they will receive an e-mail with that day's prayers. When the novena is over,
the e-mails stop (unless the person signs up again).

You can sign up for the novena here.

Bishops: I know you were busy with the Papal visit and all but Communion is...serious

Following Bob Novak's Washington Post column expressing dismay at politico Rudy Giuliani receiving the Blessed Sacrament at the Papal Mass in New York, New York's Cardinal Archbishop Egan expressed similar dismay, explaining that he and Giuliani had reached and "understanding...that he was not to receive the Eucharist because of his well-known support of abortion."

"I deeply regret that Mr. Giuliani received the Eucharist during the papal visit here in New York, and I will be seeking a meeting with him to insist that he abide by our understanding."

I support and pray that the Cardinal Archbishop will be able to shepherd the Catholic ex-mayor into understanding the gravity inherent in receiving the Blessed Sacrament while not in communion with Catholic teaching, which includes — which somehow the Cardinal did not seem to address — irregular matrimonial status.

But there are further personalities involved here, aren't there?

Also receiving the Sacrament during the papal visit were Senators Kennedy, Kerry, and Dodd, along with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Novak gave Washington's Archbishop Wuerl some heat for this, since the reception occurred during the Mass in Washington. Fine. But I don't think the total responsibility belongs on Egan or Wuerl.

Have you ever heard a sermon regarding the proper disposition for receiving Holy Communion?

I haven't. (Wait...once I did. It was when Cardinal Law was still in Boston and at Sunday Mass he castigated Hillary and Bill Clinton from receiving, I believe it was, in Africa. But that was about non-Catholics and Communion, not about Catholics.)

Again. It's the job of all clergy — actually, all of us, but certainly the clergy! — to get us to Heaven.

This is not done, in my opinion, by ignoring people who bring down condemnation upon themselves by receiving the Blessed Sacrament while not properly disposed!

Can I get an amen here? For heaven's sake — literally — the pulpit folk have got to start preaching on this stuff! I know many people, Catholics included, who have no idea regarding the gravity of the Blessed Sacrament...even that little caveat in most missallettes doesn't go very far.

You go, Saint Anthony!

Hey!

I'm blogging from my own computer!

And, against all odds, ALL my data has been recovered!

It took days, but it got done...THANK you, Saint Anthony!

(sigh)

Friend Alden, meaning no disrespect to the Saint, insists that I give some credit to the Disk Warrior doo-dad. Done.

(But you and I know that SAINT ANTHONY RULES!) ;-)

No, Scott D. Pomfret...this "loony tunes Catholic whackjob" didn't rat you out

Remember this post?

Turns out the blogger got in a snit because (at first) he didn't get a ticket to the Mass celebrated by the Holy Father last Sunday...and blames me.

April 7

Loony tunes Catholic whackjob blogger-snitch picks up on my blog. She prays for me (and apparently rats me out to the Archdiocese).

Now which four items in this post are true?

1.) I may be "loony toons"
2.) I'm definitely Catholic
3.) I may be a "whackjob"
4.) I did and still pray for the guy

And the lies?

1.) That "snitch" thing. Trust me on this one Scott: had I "snitched" on you I would've let you know it.
2.) I did not "rat you out" to the Archdiocese of Boston. Hard as it is to believe, I'm not really tight with the PTB there, you follow me?

What I wrote was and remains my point...that Scott's motivations for wanting to attend the Papal Mass apparently weren't the best.

But Scott old buddy? To wah-wah-wah about the difficulty in getting your Admit One Pass after blogging about what you might or might not do at the Mass is pretty lame. And to blame others for your, uh, inconvenience is lamer still.

Hope you enjoyed yourself.

Catholics in the "real world": stupid quote o' the week goes to Forbes!

Today's Boston Globe included in its "VoxOp" (a feature that gives us snippets from blogs and web sites on various issues) the following quote from one Jon O'Brien from Forbes.com:

"Clearly, the great majority of US Catholics are thinking, believing, and acting in a different way than the hierarchy. That does not make us bad Catholics, we do take our faith seriously, but we also live in the real world."

Huh?

Could somebody send a memo to Mr. O'Brien explaining the not-too-subtle fact that, if one is a Catholic, then the "real world" is the one promised to us by Jesus Christ, founder of said Church, which, not incidentally, is an apostolic Church, which means that the hierarchy consists of successors to the Apostles whom, by the way, were hand picked by none other than Jesus Christ?

What, exactly, does Mr. O'Brien believe is the "real world?" And how the bleep does he (and his compatriots, noting that he uses the plural pronoun) figure that by "thinking, believing, and acting" in opposition (never mind "differently" — that's a soft word for "in opposition") to the hierarchy makes him and them "serious" Catholics?

They can't be serious!

Incidentally, the Globe, uh, forgot to credit pundit O'Brien with his, uh, full credentials, which Forbes.com thoughtfully provides:

Jon O'Brien is "President of Catholics for Choice."

Kelly plays Katchup...and miracles!

Hey folks!

It's been a while and I've got some really good excu -- er, reasons for my absence, but first:

Praise God!!!

You can read Michael Paulson's whole story about five abuse victims of the Boston Archdiocese meeting with the Holy Father starting here.

But the absolute best part is toward the end of the three page story:

[Abuse victim Olan] Horne asked [Father John] Connolly to hear his confession. It was the first time, Horne said, that he had been to confession in 30 years.

Can you imagine the partying going on in Heaven???

Now about me...

I'm not using my computer on accounta my hard drive crashed. Now that wouldn't be so bad except that it chose to crash at the precise time my automatic back-up maker was in use. Result? All my data -- all of it -- may be gone. We're using some sort of doo-dad called "Disk Warrior" (you Mac geeks might be familiar with it) to retrieve the stuff, but so far, nada.

Which explains why the Catholic Crossword Puzzle folks got zilch this weekend, among other things.

If the data is irretrievable (although why it should be is puzzling...I did ask for Saint Anthony's help, after all) I might ask you folks to email me, so I can get your addresses. Like I said, as of now, everything is lost. But we'll wait a bit on that.

In other news, my broken foot is still broken. Two more weeks in a cast and then some therapy is in the offing. Those of you blessed enough to receive Communion daily, please be grateful! (I know you are, actually.)

Anyway, that's the story. I plan to access this computer as often as I can...and to try not to pester Saint Anthony too much.

Thanks for reading!

Pope should discuss abuse prevention through PROGRAMS? Come on.

Disappointing quote from Cardinal O'Malley today in the Globe:

O'Malley said he would like to hear the pope "express sorrow and regret to those who have suffered and to their families," and also to hear the pope discuss the church's efforts to prevent further abuse through programs.

Programs.

How about a little something about holiness? About reverence for the Blessed Sacrament, for the liturgy, for the Church, for all of our brothers in Christ?

Here's the thing.

If we, all of us, simply follow the dictates of Christ, both scripturally and those handed down via Tradition through the Holy Catholic Church, we don't need any bleeping programs!

What we need is to listen to the Holy Father when he tells us to be holy. As Jesus tells us.

Programs. Sheesh.

I'm no doctor, but men can't get pregnant

Jeff Jacoby's column on the oohs and aahs of the lady-who-thinks-she's-a-guy Tracy LaGondino's pregnancy is worth the read.

But particularly so is this parenthetical comment:

(Why, come to think of it, do the people who insist gender is fluid and subjective so often argue the opposite when it comes to race?)

Why indeed? There's no logic in this insistence. There may be a "feel good thing goin' on thing" to it...but no logic.

And the odd headline of the week belongs to...

"Gift gags?"

I thought the Archdiocese of Washington was "anti-gag"...I mean, they pushed like heck to have that bobble-head Metro ad (which I thought was actually very good, except for the costuming of the doll) pulled.

Well, we all make mistakes. :-)

Not probably the best reason to go to a Papal Mass

What saddens me most about this poor guy is his self-description (other than that of a writer):

Scott D. Pomfret is the author of Since My Last Confession, a Gay Catholic Memoir, and a lector and eucharistic minister at the gay-friendly Saint Anthony Shrine, Boston MA.

Really sad. Don't email him. Pray for him. And pray for Saint Anthony's Shrine. And for the Franciscan friars who believe they run it.

Thank you.

Bishop Fulton Sheen...

...not only cracks me up but makes me glad to actually have a television set in my temporary "quarters."

Actually, I owe a great big Deo Gratias to EWTN. Now that's something worth watching!

Oh, well, I know I'm no doubt preaching to the choir but to tell you the truth I've never been all that big on any TV in recent years (no doubt an explanation for my tears on the aforementioned "Leave it to Beaver" episode.

But being pretty much stuck in a room where there alternative is reading or trying not to notice that (a) nature is calling again or (b) the skin inside your cast itches, the tube (and many thanks to my buddy Alden for bringing it down for me) suddenly doesn't look all that awful.

Yesterday, I watched a Bible study course on Exodus — particularly on the plagues of Egypt. Fascinating stuff! Today — after receiving the Blessed Sacrament from said good friend Alden — I was able to watch a number of Masses and Holy Hours. One Mass was great...it included, during Communion, an audio Act of Desire!

God is good.

Getting "the weepies" sheesh.

Okay, something's definitely wrong here.

Granted, I've got a broken foot.

Sure, I'm pretty much stuck in a makeshift room on the ground level (with permission to hobble out when nature calls and no permission to sneak a peak at email, etc. but I try to do it once a day anyway).

But there is simply no excuse for what I allowed to happen today:

I broke into sobs at a Leave It To Beaver episode!

Good grief.

Pray for us, Papa!

Photo courtesy pbs.org

Remembering Servant of God John Paul II on the third anniversary of his departure from this world.

Happy Easter!

Light blogging, perhaps, for a few days...unfortunately I broke my foot on Easter Sunday, sheesh.

Enjoy this glorious season!

Alleluia, Queen of Heaven!

Queen of Heaven

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.

"He descended into hell..."

A reading from an ancient homily for Holy Saturday.

The Fourteenth Station

Jesus is Laid in the Tomb

Lord Jesus,
Good Friday is the day of darkness,
the day of blind hatred,
the day when the Just One was put to death!
But Good Friday is not the final word:
the final word is Easter,
the triumph of Life,
the victory of Good over Evil.

Lord Jesus,
Holy Saturday is the day of emptiness,
the day of bewilderment and dread,
the day when everything seems over!

But Holy Saturday is not the final day,
the final day is Easter,
the Light that is kindled anew,
the Love that conquers all hatred.

Lord Jesus,
whenever we experience our own Good Friday,
and we feel the anguish of Holy Saturday,
give us Mary’s unwavering faith,
so that we can believe in the reality of Easter;
give us her clear-sighted gaze
so that we can see the brilliant dawn
that announces the final day of history:
“new heavens and a new earth”
already present in you,
Jesus, Crucified and Risen. Amen!

© Copyright 2006 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana

Gorbachev: "closet" Christian comes out!

Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet Communist leader, has acknowledged his Christian faith for the first time in a surprise visit to the tomb of St Francis of Assisi.

Story here. Or pretty much anywhere you want to google it. (Just be prepared to read, on the blogs, the usual sweating about the small stuff when the point is...well, the point is to rejoice.)

A blessed Triduum to you!

Spy Wednesday and despair...and Mary

Traditionally today, the Wednesday before Easter, is called "Spy Wednesday," recalling that today Judas Iscariot sold out his Friend...the One he truly believed was his Savior.

At the Office of Tenebrae service at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, I reflected on many things. From the opening—"God, come to my assistance!"—through the nocturns of vigils, the Lamentations, through the homily, intercessions, and the terrible, wonderful, horrifying Strepitus, I wondered at how many times I've sold out my Savior this year.

And I thought, too, about how much I had in common with the apostle Judas.

Despair is an ugly thing invented by Satan.

Last Sunday I lost my temper. I'd just confessed to exactly the same sin some two or three days earlier. While knowing that the Sacrament of Reconciliation would be offered that evening during a Holy Hour, my initial inclination was to bag it. "I'll only commit this sin again and again and again," I remember thinking.

God intervened my erroneous thinking...or maybe it was Mary.

In any case, while facing the monstrance with the tiny round wafer in which Jesus disguised Himself, I found myself moving, almost against my will at first, to the priest in the confessional. Once again, I was saved from myself.

At a Passion Play in Germany, many years ago...

Father Greg Staab, visiting priest at Saint Francis Chapel, related a story earlier today. It seems that, when the actor playing Judas was about to hang himself, a little girl cried out:

"Why doesn't he go to Mary???? He should go to Mary!!!"

Indeed.

Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ is a movie I've seen only once but most of the lines are etched in my memory. One now particularly stands out in my mind. Peter, a wreck after denying Jesus, runs to Mary and says "I've denied Him, Mother!" And that confession to the Mother of God led him to seek mercy and salvation from Him Who is Mercy.

There is still time to seek reconciliation before Easter. I beg you, if you are in need of it, to repent and confess. There is no sin—no matter what the father of lies tries to tell you—that Jesus will not forgive.

Don't take my word for it...ask His Mother, and ours.

May you be blessed abundantly this Holy Week and always.

Lord, have mercy on us.

Boston's "Saint Patrick's Day Breakfast:" maybe it's time to call for the tab and end it

On the Sunday before Saint Patrick's feast day, Boston pols get together and basically make idiots out of themselves at a publicized breakfast. I don't know why. But it's really getting old. What especially seems unnerving to me is that this year, the pols -- many of them Catholic -- didn't seem to care that their antics took place on Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion. Give it up, folks. Yes, Patrick is the patron of Boston, but this stuff has little to do with sainthood.





Photo credit: Aram Boghosian for The Boston Globe

First Mass at Qatari church

DOHA (AFP) — Thousands of Christians took part on Saturday in the first mass at Muslim Qatar's only church, opened this week despite threats from Islamists.

Vatican envoy Cardinal Ivan Dias presided over the eucharist attended by around 15,000 worshippers at Our Lady of the Rosary Roman Catholic church in Doha, thanking "God and Qatar for this great gift".

Okay, another Catholic trivia question (although I'd like to use a word other than "trivia" for this stuff)

The name: Thomas a Kempis.

His most famous book is?

Is he a canonized saint?

Obama's pastor off the campaign...gee, I wonder why?

Kidnapped Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho found dead

Governor Spitzer. Victim of "anti-abortion conspiracy." Of course. Sheesh.

(H/T to Mark Shea.)

Frankly, another trivia question

Who is the first recorded "Francis" in history?

What was his original name?

Why was his name changed to "Francis?"

Okay this is probably an easy one, but go for it.

(Got a trivia question to share? Use the "email Kelly" button on the left and I'll blog it. If references are needed, please supply them, and let me know if you want your identity revealed.)

Abortion is a deadly sin! (More at eleven.)

Drug pushers, the obscenely rich, environmental polluters and “manipulative” genetic scientists beware – you may be in danger of losing your mortal soul unless you repent.

("Mortal" soul?)

Another rather idiotic article from our good friends at the MSM—this time from the UK—is festooned with silliness like this.

Accompanied by the usual comments which are best viewed after much prayer and fasting.

Catholic Trivia Time!

Okay, here we go.

The italicized paragraph describing what happened at, let's say, a Roman Catholic church in Omaha, reveals and/or contains a number of errors. Identify them.

Following the distribution of Holy Communion at Mass last Sunday, the lay Eucharistic Minsters proceded to the sacrarium in the sacristy, into which they reverently disposed of the unused wine. Then they purified the sacred vessels. This done, they returned to their seats in the sanctuary.

Remember:

• Spelling counts!
• References aren't necessary, but they may boost your score.
• I count 5 errors. Am I right? Tell me.
• Use the comment boxes, rather than emailing me your answers.
  

Go for it!

Set your clock ahead ONE HOUR! DO IT NOW or you'll FORGET!!! NOW! DON'T WAIT!!!

This is a public service announcement from the ever-so-gentle Lady in the Pew.

Saint Joseph Novena reminder

Kristen reminds us that the Feast of Saint Joseph has been moved to March 15, because of Holy Week. See her beautiful post here. (By the way, her blog is pretty cool!)

Eucharistic Prayer: what's with omitting the intercession for clergy (and the add-ons, by the way)?

The most common, in my experience, Eucharistic Prayer used is Number 2. (My preference is the Roman Canon but my preference isn't, nor should it be, pertinent to this post, anyway.)

In most cases, it's "by the book," so to speak, but I've noticed—and have been distracted by—the ad libbing of certain celebrants, particularly in the intercessory part of the prayer.

For example:

In Eucharistic Prayer Number 2, the missal reads:

Lord, remember your Church throughout the world; make us grow in love, together with [Benedict] our Pope, [Sean] our bishop, and all the clergy.

However, about once a week I hear:

Lord, remember your Church throughout the world; make us grow in love, together with Benedict our Pope, Sean our bishop, and all your holy people.

Or some such variation.

I've got a two-fold problem with this:

1.) It's vital that we pray for the clergy! And, of course...

2.) What about us folk who aren't exactly "holy people?"

What gives with this, I wonder? And why muck around with the Eucharistic Prayer in the first place?

Welcome, Sophia Bettinelli!

Update: Here's Melanie's version, complete with photo!

Those Bloggin' Bettinellis...

...both waiting for the birth of Sophia.

Pray for them. Thanks!

Mama Bettinelli's blog:

Papa Bettinelli' blog:

Isabella and the unborn Sophia have no blogs...yet!

Planned Parenthood caught in its own racism by UCLA pro-life student group

From L.A. Catholic:

Congratulations to the UCLA pro-life student group Live Action for their latest caper. Maybe you've heard about it.

They arranged for an actor to call Planned Parenthood "development centers" in seven states and pretend to be a donor asking that his donation go specifically to aborting black babies to reduce the black population.

Sure enough, the Planned Parenthood staffers didn't bat an eye at the caller's sickening, overt racism; they were happy to process his donation. One PP staffer in Idaho even called a racist statement "understandable."

This all makes perfect sense to anyone who knows that Planned Parenthood plants most of its abortion chambers in minority neighborhoods. PP thinks the way to get rid of poverty is to get rid of poor babies. They aborted more than 264,000 babies in their most recent reported year.

L.A. Catholic links to Live Action, which in turn links to its latest video.

Pray for Monsignor Paulos Faraj Rahho...

...and for those who were killed as he was kidnapped.

Pray too, for those who murdered and kidnapped.

Story here.

Father Frank Pavone on "sitting out" the election

What’s this I hear from some people that they might “sit out” the Presidential election because they aren’t comfortable with the likely choice of candidates?

Since when are elections supposed to make us “comfortable?” Since when do we exercise that right to vote, for which people fought and died, only when it’s easy and clear-cut, and our choices are just the way we want them to be?

At Mass we pray, “I confess to Almighty God…that I have sinned…in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done, and in what I have failed to do…”

What we fail to do can make us just as guilty as what we do. A sin is a wrong choice, and to decide not to do something is just as much of a choice as to decide to do something.

A sin of omission is still a sin - and we are still responsible for the results.

Read the whole blog here...it might not make you "comfortable," but more important than that, it'll give you solid, Catholic reasons not to "sit this one out."

(H/T to Michele Peate of Unborn Word of the Day.)

Thanks, Father Dan Kennedy

Catholics and the Komen "Race for the Cure"...and Lent

First, here's a link to why the Diocese of Little Rock, Arkansas discourages Catholics from participating in the Susan G. Komen "Race for the Cure" fund raiser. In a nutshell:

The international organization raises millions annually for the detection, treatment and research of breast cancer. A portion of the money nationally is given to Planned Parenthood for breast cancer screenings. Planned Parenthood is also the largest provider of abortions in the United States.

But do read the whole thing. It'll prepare you, perhaps for the amazing amount of lion-tossing found in the com boxes of this blog:

It's Lent, of course.

Still, truth is important to me and this line from the blogger perplexes me:

In some places, not Arkansas, Planned Parenthood is an abortion provider.

Really?

Then what does this mean?

Lies. Still, it's Lent. Offer it up, I guess.

"What have you done for your marriage today?"

I heard an ad on the radio today and would've sworn it was one of those rather good commercials created by the Church of Latter Day Saints.

It wasn't. The sponsor of the ad was the Catholic Communications Campaign and gave this website.

It's actually quite good! The videos are fun, the tips are cute, and the search feature—as a test, I entered "contraception"—seems to offer no-nonsense, straight-to-the-point info.

Pray for priests...pray for MORE priests!

Back in January, Zenit ran an article stressing the need to pray for priests, especially women.

Spiritual mothers

“Regardless of age and marital status, all women can become spiritual mothers for a priest,” he explained. He [ Cardinal Hummes, prefect for the Congregation for Clergy] said the commitment implies praying “for a specific priest and thus accompanying him for life,” usually anonymously.

I think this is great. But I'm asking for more...

More priests! More good priests!

When Lent began, I started asking God for the following:

Heavenly, Most Adorable, and All Loving Father, please send more good priests to work in the vineyard of Your Son. I know you hear my prayer. I trust that you will answer it, because I ask you this favor through Jesus Christ, Who with You and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.

Since beginning this prayer, the following has happened in chronological order.

1.) A local priest died.
2.) A priest in residence at my parish...left the parish.
3.) An Archdiocesan priest left the priesthood, and today I learned that...
4.) A former rector of Saint Francis Chapel in Boston drowned in a boating accident last Saturday.

I still know that God my Father hears my prayers. I still trust that He will answer them.

I'm asking you to join me.

Thank you.

P.S. Please, too, pray for the souls of Father Jim Nibler, his brother Lawrence and their friend Curtis Heuer, and for the consolation of their families. Thanks.

And for those of you who wonder why anyone would vote for Obama...the definitive answer!

He's got the right message and the right delivery at the right time. I mean,
everytime I hear him speak, i have this guilty suspicion that i'm getting
suckered...but I just don't care.

"Yes we can't! Yes we can't! Yes we can't!

Lazarus, the rich man, and the unborn

Today's Gospel is the familiar parable of Lazarus and the rich man.

Fully expecting a homily that—and rightly so—would instruct the congregation on the necessity of noticing and feeding the hungry, I heard instead a no-holds-barred condemnation of the modern day "rich man"...those who ignore the plight of the unborn.

"Who are the Lazarus' of today? The unborn who are murdered brutally on a daily basis!" The words of the soft-spoken homilist, Father Gregory Staab, temporarily pitch-hitting at Saint Francis Chapel, ripped through the hushed worship space.

And those emulating the rich man?

Father Greg spoke of an abortion debate at Boston College he attended back maybe 15 years ago. The pro-life debater and the audience waited and waited for the pro-choice counterpart to show up. He never did.

After an hour or so, the pro-life speaker told the gathering that such was often the case.

When it came to slogans and signs and rhetoric, you could always count on a pro-choicer to be visible and loud. But call for a logical analysis of the issue and the pro-choice advocate tends to eschew the opportunity.

And this was over a decade ago.

Today, as Father Greg pointed out, it is scientifically impossible to deny that abortion snuffs out a human life. Which is why we don't hear these days much about "abortion rights" but more stuff like keeping abortion "safe" and "rare" and, of course...legal.

Upon reflection, I am thinking that the modern day "rich man" is not so much limited to the dedicated pro-choicer...but also includes those of us, including myself, who, while in complete comprehension of the atrocity which is abortion, have grown weary of the fight.

This weariness must not be allowed to overtake us. Because if it does, Satan will laugh, Jesus will cry, and we will ultimately end up not in the bosom of Christ but in the eternal death of Hell.

Tonight's lunar eclipse...

This isn't my picture...I was too enthralled to hold my camera steady.

Lord, how great Thou art!

Photo courtesy Mirror.co.uk

On the other hand, speaking of Obama the man...

I don't think slack need be cut for the Senator who just won Wisconsin. In listening to his speech in Texas, it is clear to me that this guy shouldn't have been elected dog catcher.

"At no time has change been more necessary in the United States."

No kidding? You mean that we need change in this country now, more than, say, when blacks were slaves?

That we need more change now, than when women were denied the right to vote?

"Every American child needs to be nurtured," I just heard the Senator say. Do tell. How about a "change" in a country that allows untold numbers of children to be brutally murdered every day?

Senator?

Pray for this fellow. But cut him no slack.

(Give his wife break, though.)

Michelle Obama and cutting slack time

Look, there are so many reasons not to vote for Obama but his wife's inane (and in my mind, unthinking) comment— "...for the first time in my adult life I am really proud of my country...—simply isn't one of them.

Yes, it was a stupid thing to say.

(And yes, one might find many stupid things people have said...explore this blog, for example.)

But cut the lady some slack on this one. Please.

Just don't vote for her husband.

James Carroll nails it in his first paragraph...

As the priest began his sermon, he had trouble with the sound system, and muttered, "There's something wrong with this microphone." To which the congregation automatically replied, "And also with you."

Exactly! The banal, rote, and incidentally redundant and absurdly inelegant response requires no thought, no prayer, no...holiness.

Unfortunately Carroll loses it in the second.

That joke, told to me by a priest, takes off from the ritual exchange between priest and Mass-goers: "The Lord be with you," answered by "And also with you." It assumes a certain level of communication between clergy and congregation - the use of a common language.

It assumes nothing of the kind. It assumes, rather, a robotic response that has nothing to do with prayer, or even common courtesy.

The column is, unsurprisingly, still another dreary rant against the Magisterium...this time another hack job at the Tridentine Mass. The errors in the column are startling, even to me.

For example:

But the Latin Mass published by the Vatican last year resuscitated the conversion insult, praying on Good Friday that God "lift the veil" from "Jewish blindness."

Uh...correct me if I'm wrong but no Mass is celebrated on Good Friday.

The second most important change to take place in the Catholic Church in my lifetime was the substitution of vernacular tongues for Latin in the Mass. When it is the whole people saying, "And also with you," instead of a solitary altar boy reciting "Et cum spiritu tuo," nothing less than the democratic principle is being affirmed.

Mr. Carroll's chauvinism is showing. He is assuming that the English "translation" of the Mass is the one-and-only.

Not true, Mr. Carroll. If you'd ever, for example, participated in a Spanish language Mass, you would discover that the congregation responds to the celebrant in the very same way you deplore: And with your spirit.

The "Jewish insult" thing is, perhaps, something to be taken up in another post. (But frankly I'm tired of the whining.)

I love people. I'm bound to, as commanded by my Heavenly Father and His Son. Therefore it is only natural to give my hearty "Amen" to this prayer:

"Almighty and eternal God, long ago You gave your promise to Abraham and his posterity. Listen to Your Church as we pray that the people you first made your own may arrive at the fullness of redemption. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen."

Or however the Holy Father wants to put it.

You know, I'm sorry if people are "insulted" by prayers on their behalf, but there's more important things to worry about...salvation for all comes immediately to mind.

Peter Phillips can't be king, on accounta he's marrying a Catholic

When the Princess Royal's son, Peter Phillips, marries his Canadian fiancee, Autumn Kelly, at St George's chapel in Windsor in May, he will give up any hope of being crowned king of England...

Peter Phillips is Princess Anne's son. (They live in England.)

Her Majesty's eldest grandson, who is 11th in line to the throne, has been forced to make the decision because Autumn was baptised a Catholic. It is a provision of the 1701 Act of Settlement, which enshrined the Protestant ascendancy, that monarchs and their heirs are forbidden to become or even marry Catholics.

In cases like these—you know, abdicating rights to thrones and all that—I always choose to look at the bright side. Like, you gotta know that the wedding will be a blast!

Father Edward McDonough, R.I.P.

Father Edward McDonough, CSSR, died. Perhaps appropriately, he died on the 150th anniversary of Our Lady's first appearance at Lourdes. I know him. In many ways, he was an instrument God used to change my life.

Requiescat in pace, dearest man. See here and here and please pray for his soul. Thank you.

Hope for Judeo-Christian unity?

The Archdiocese of Boston and the Anti-Defamation League are partnering to teach Jews about Christianity. According to The Boston Globe's Michael Paulson:

...interest in Christianity among Jewish educators has been growing in part for one simple reason: the high rate of interfaith marriages. Many Jewish educators now teach children who have a Christian parent or grandparents.

I'd like to think it's more than that.

The world's largest faith is often mentioned in Jewish schools largely in negative contexts - the Crusades and the Holocaust. But the advocates of the New Directions program are arguing that Jewish teachers should be able to answer questions about Christianity accurately and respectfully both for moral reasons - because it's the right thing to do - and practical ones - because many children in Jewish schools have Christian relatives, and most live in predominantly Christian communities.

I'd like to think "because it's the right thing to do" trumps the "practical" considerations. Or that maybe the "practical" considerations are God's tool in bringing this effort about.

The story is both hopeful and frustrating to me. Mostly hopeful, thank God.

"What has struck me, and I include myself in this, is how little Jews know about Christianity," said Diane Rosenbaum, the senior associate director of the Anti-Defamation League's New England region. "As Jewish educators, it is important to know about other traditions so you can teach about them with the same respect you want Judaism taught with."

Amen.

The blithe comment about "the Crusades and the Holocaust" is disturbing, of course. But perhaps this effort will enable a deeper understanding of the misunderstandings so entrenched in these events.

Catholic educator Celia Sirois co-runs the program with her Jewish counterpart, Naomi Towvin. The story notes that Sirois spent 45 minutes answering a question about The Trinity.

Don't even try, Celia! :-)

Pray that this effort bears much fruit.

And may the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob bless us all abundantly during this holy season, and always.

Mary: isn't it about time to recognize Her for Who She is?

No, my Protestant friends. I am not suggesting in the least that the Mother of God is a "goddess."

And yet I agree wholeheartedly with the cardinals who are pleading with our Holy Father to recognize Mary as "the Spiritual Mother of All Humanity, the co-redemptrix with Jesus the redeemer, mediatrix of all graces with Jesus the one mediator, and advocate with Jesus Christ on behalf of the human race."

I agree and pray that our Vicar of Christ makes this truth known and believed for only one reason: it's the truth!

150th anniversary of Our Lady of Lourdes

"While I extend my cordial greetings to all sick people and to all those who take care of them in various ways, I invite the diocesan and parish communities to celebrate the next World Day of the Sick by appreciating to the full the happy coinciding of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady at Lourdes with the International Eucharistic Congress. May it be an occasion to emphasise the importance of the Holy Mass, of the Adoration of the Eucharist and of the cult of the Eucharist, so that chapels in our health-care centres become a beating heart in which Jesus offers himself unceasingly to the Father for the life of humanity! The distribution of the Eucharist to the sick as well, done with decorum and in a spirit of prayer, is true comfort for those who suffer, afflicted by all forms of infirmity."

Pope Benedict XVI, Message for World Day of the Sick 2008

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us!

Yeah but see, Ray...she's pro abortion. Doesn't that make a difference?

I'm sorry, but I just don't understand "loyalty" as defined by Ray Flynn.

“Sure, I’ll tell you who I voted for,” Ray said. “Hillary Clinton. I could give you plenty of reasons why, too, but the first one is the most important: Her husband gave me a job. And a pretty good one.

“Look, I happen to come from the old school,” he said proudly, “and that happens to be a place where loyalty means everything."

Yeah, but...loyalty to whom, Ray?

And for those of you who think this doesn't really matter, it being after all, a primary, not a "real" election:

If, in the end, loyalty is not enough to propel his candidate to the Democratic nomination, Flynn said he would have no trouble supporting Barack Obama. “We’ve got to get back to old-fashioned politics,” Flynn said, “when people tried to get past their differences and work with each other. It’s time. The country can’t take anymore of what’s been happening these past eight years. Democrats are in a good place this year. The country needs someone who’ll listen to their heart and trust their feelings and value old-school things like loyalty.”

Loyalty. The unborn might want a bit of that too, Ray.

Sometimes I just don't get politics.

Even if I were a Democrat, I can't imagine voting for someone so blatantly pro-abortion. I'd change to independent status, I guess. In any case, were I one of the most visible pro-life, pro-family personalities in the Bay State, I can't imagine bragging, for bleep's sake, about supporting anybody who so obviously is fighting on the other side.

“Look, I wish with all my heart she was pro-life,” he said, “but back when I worked for her husband, she was well aware of why my opinions were on the pro-life/ pro-choice debate and both of them respected that."

What feasts we make of crumbs.

Source: The Boston Herald

On Satan and Christ's victory by Father Cantalamessa

From Father Raniero Cantalamessa's First Sunday of Lent commentary:

Demons, Satanism and other related phenomena are quite topical today, and they disturb a great part of our society.

Our technological and industrialized world is filled with magicians, wizards, occultism, spiritualism, fortune tellers, spell trafficking, amulets, as well as very real Satanic sects. Chased away from the door, the devil has come in through the window. Chased away by the faith, he has returned by way of superstition.

"Do demons really exist?"

Many intellectuals do not believe in demons in the first sense. But it must be noted that many great writers, such as Goethe and Dostoyevsky, took Satan's existence very seriously. Baudelaire, who was certainly no angel, said that "the demon's greatest trick is to make people believe that he does not exist."

Brilliant! Both in the demon's strategy and in Baudelaire's recognition of it.

Yet the most important thing that the Christian faith has to tell us is not that demons exist, but that Christ has defeated them...Satan, said an ancient Father of the Church, after Christ's coming, is like a dog chained up in the barnyard: He can bark and lunge as much as he wants, but if we don't go near him, he cannot harm us.

The key, of course, is to stay away from Satan, and close to Christ.

Here's the whole sermon.

Lenten thoughts by Cody

Cody at "Taking Back Vatican II" has a good post on Lent, along with some great ideas on penance during this holy season.

The purpose of Lent, however, is to bring us back to Christ. The word actually comes from the Anglo-Saxon word "lente" meaning "springtime". We are to have a new springtime (=rebirth) to Christ. An American Protestant might wonder why Catholics never have revivals. Well, we actually have two every year. They are known as the penitential seasons of Lent and Advent. Let's make this year a true revival of both our own spiritual life and of the universal Church!

Read the post here.

About Ash Wednesday...think before you come

From the novel "The Rabbi" by Noah Gordan:

[Lemme set it up. The young rabbi is happy because his temple is filled with his congregation on the high holidays. In the neighborhood, an elderly Catholic priest is a bit worried about the new building his congregation is constructing.]

The high holidays came and the temple overflowed with people who remembered suddenly that they were Jews and that it was time to fill up with enough repentance to last another year. The sight of the crowded scanctuary excited him and filled him with new hope and firm resolve that he would not fail to win them over in the end.

He determined to make another try while the Yom Kippur sermon was fresh in their minds. One of his former professors, Dr. Hugo Nachamann, was spending some time at the Los Angeles branch of the rabbinical institute. Dr. Nachmann was an expert on the period the the Dead Sea Scrolls. Michael invited him to San Francisco to lecture at the temple.

Eighteen people attended the lecture. Michael recognized fewer than half of them as temple members. Two of them turned out to be science reporters there to interview Dr. Naqchmann on archeological aspects of the discovery of the scrolls.

Dr. Nachmann made things easy for the Kinds. "This isn't at all unusual, as you know," he said. "People are simply not interested in lecturers on certain nights. Now, if you had offered them a dinner dance...!

The next morning, leaning on the fence overlooking the half completed church, Michael found himself telling Father Campanelli about it. "I keep failing," he said. "Nothing I do will get them inside the temple."

The priest fingered the mark on his face. "On many a morning I give thanks for the Days of Obligation," he said quietly.

Sigh. Ash Wednesday isn't a "Day of Obligation."

Yet, for as long as I can remember, it's a day that fills every church and chapel I can recall. Why? I don't know.

Here's the thing.

If you come to church this Wednesday, hurray! I'm glad!

Just don't be a stranger, okay?

Congratulations to those New York Giants.

It was a great game. Both teams played well. The Giants played better.

It takes a nun, I guess: why the Equinox "Fitness" ad is really stupid

A couple of days ago I lost it while blogging my outrage of Equinox "Fitness" club's ad featuring heavily made up "nuns" and a buffed up naked male body. I ended up deleting the blog.

Sister Julie of A Nun's Life helped me see where I made my mistake. While spending my time plotzing about the disrespect shown to the "poor nuns" I missed the crucial point.

The ad is absurd. The ad agency did a disservice to their client and the advertiser, a disservice to itself.

But Sister Julie puts it far better:

...I want to say that this ad has nothing to do with appreciating the human body or the human person. While I agree wholeheartedly with the Paulist Sisters who are taking the high road, I’ve got to take one little detour off that road to say that the ad is just bad. Bad taste. Bad spirit. Even bad advertising. ”Work out at our gym so you can get a killer body which will attract nuns.” Is that really the message you want to send, Equinox?

The money spent in a stupid ad by Equinox? Thousands.

Sister Julie's commentary? Priceless.

Read the whole thing here.

"Finding Faithful Spouses for Our Children"

From Catholic Exchange, my friend Leila Miller writes about a project dear to her heart — and that of her cohort, Lisa Graas.

Their kids and their concern over their vocation of marriage.

The idea for this apostolate is simple, and it grew naturally over some time. A few years ago, I started to notice an epidemic of unhappy marriages and the ripple effect that spread a couple's misery to children, extended family, and even friends. It then occurred to me that many parents are working hard to ensure their children's academic and career success, but few are sweating and sacrificing to ensure that their children are marriageable. This is a grave cultural mistake. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that the single biggest factor in one's happiness is the state of one's marriage. And a happy marriage cannot be realized unless a parent teaches a child, by word and example, how to be a good husband or wife. We expect our children to find a spouse of worthy character, but do we make sure that our own children are themselves a "catch"?

Self-described "frustrated yenta" Leila and our mutual friend Lisa tackle this question via the Internet...in a unique site called "Catholic Moms Matchmaking."

Read the article here.