Whatcha Eatin'? Nut 'n Honey!

I was following a discussion over at Ad Limina Apostolorum concerning liturgical abuse, particularly with regard to the ingredients in the bread used in the mass. I remember going through this issue when I ran across this recipe for Eucharistic bread used at a parish with which I was familiar:

3 1/4 c whole wheat flour
1 1/4 c white flour
2 Tbls. oil
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 warm water
1/2 c honey
1/4 tsp baking powder

Start with flour, baking powder all mixed into one mound. Make a hole in the center of the mound, Mix honey with warm water, cut in oil, add to flour. (The dough will be sticky) Pinch off quantity of dough that you can easily work with, sprinkle with flour then roll to desired thickness. Push up edges with finger tips and roll smooth so that edges do not taper off (otherwise they will turn crispy).

Baking time and temperature depend on the size and thickness of the bread. For bread 1/4 inch thick try 325 for 10 minutes. Remove and brush with oil or margarine. Return to oven for a few minutes - Watch Carefully! - At the first sign of brown on top take out! Put on wire rack. When cool, test that it is not hard, especially at edges. Put in ziplock bag.

As you can see, 1/2 cup of honey is mixed in. Since I had questions about this recipe, I contacted the Archdiocesan Office for Worship to see what they thought. They agreed with my concerns and said that though some people use honey mainly as a way to keep the dough from getting dry and to ensure texture, it was illicit and should not be done. They indicated that one of the main reasons why this should not be done was because validity was questionable depending on the quantity added. They pointed me to a section of the Pastoral Companion to the Code of Canon Law:

The Code indicates that for validity the bread must be made substantially of wheat flour. If there are any additives in it they cannot be such that the bread would no longer be considered wheat bread according to the common estimation... The judgment concerning the validity of the substance to be used as Eucharistic Bread must be based on the bread's contents, not its appearance. Thus, knowing the composition of the bread, if the common estimation of persons would judge that it is wheat bread [it] would be valid matter even if there are other additives. However, it is illicit to use any additives at all to the wheat and flour.

This seems to be saying that the addition of extra elements, while certainly illicit, may not necessarily constitute invalid matter if the result is still considered to be wheat bread according to the common estimation. A little vague! I know from experience that those who received this particular bread with honey certainly judged the bread to be just that. This seems to agree with Redemptionis Sacramentum, paragraph 48:

It follows therefore that bread... mixed with another substance different from wheat to such an extent that it would not commonly be considered wheat bread, does not constitute valid matter...

I could imagine that if the recipe had called for four cups of honey and the common estimation was that they were receiving "consecrated" honey cakes instead of wheat bread, then the sacrament would most certainly not be valid. I suppose there is no real fine line and the best advice is simply Don't go there! If you have talented bakers and bake your own bread, use licit ingredients. The Office for Worship recommends its own recipes for those who wish to bake using licit ingredients. Oh, and don't drop your crumbs all over the floor.

Classical trivia...

Impress your friends at parties with the best music trivia ever!

Some of my favorites:

MOZART, FRANZ XAVER WOLFGANG
How far can a name get you? Pretty far - if it's the right name.

- The youngest surviving child of Wolfgang and Constanze Mozart, young Franz was barely five months old when his famous father died.
- The boy showed an early proclivity for music and there were no shortage of teachers in Vienna willing to give young Mozart lessons. Included amongst the eager teachers were supposed Mozart rival Antonio Salieri.
- In 1841, fifty years after his dad's death, he was named Kapellmeister of the Mozarteum in Salzburg

NIETZSCHE, FRIEDRICH
Yes, this is THE Nietzsche of philosophy fame. He made some musical ripples, as well.

- He was one of the first established supporters of the new music direction started by Richard Wagner.
- A dozen years later, Nietzsche's thinking had changed and he turned against Wagner and supported Bizet.
- Aside from turning heads with his philosophical writing and music criticism, Nietzsche tried his hand at composing - resulting in a few choral works, songs and some piano pieces, none of which have become staples in popular repertoire.

PACHELBEL, JOHANN
Some might think he's just a one-hit wonder.

- Did you know that a Burger King commercial of the 1970's used Pachelbel's Canon? It's true. The music behind "Hold the pickle, hold the lettuce. Special orders don't upset us" is a direct lift from this famous work.

VAUGHAN WILLIAMS, RALPH
Alert! This Englishman's first name is pronouned "RAYF" (just like the actor Ralph Fiennes).

- He was an avid collector of English folk songs and belonged to the Folk Song Society.

Off you go!

Justified by Grace...

Ephesians 2:8-10

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so no one may boast. For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them.

We are born again in Christ Jesus in the baptism of water and the spirit to live in the good works God has prepared for us. It is God's freely given grace that enables us to respond to this call, not anything of ourselves. By living in his grace in the service of our God, we become participants in God's own divine life. Thus are we made holy by this same grace to eternal life.

Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1996

Our justification comes from the grace of God. Grace is favor, the free and undeserved help that God gives us to respond to his call to become children of God, adoptive sons, partakers of the divine nature and of eternal life.

Blessed be God forever.

The Examined Truth

Proverbs 18:17

The man who pleads his case first seems to be in the right; then his opponent comes and puts him to the test.

C'mon, Ron

I caught the end of Larry King Live last night only to hear Ron Reagan Jr., son of the late President, mock those who oppose embryonic stem-cell research (scroll down) as being anti-intellectual. Who's really not thinking here, Ron?

REAGAN: Doctors and researchers, as I said, can't believe we're still having this discussion. This is like not believing Darwinian evolution, or something, which many people in this administration also don't believe in. You know, just by the by. It is so profoundly anti-intellectual and inhumane. I mean, we are talking about cells, undifferentiated cells, in petri dish. No fingers, no toes, no brain, no spinal cord, no feelings, no pain, no nothing. These are just cells. And we're talking about the potential to save real, living human beings. Children with diabetes, for instance.

I'm not convinced Ron understands the debate. Our beef is not with stem-cells per se, as we who have studied this issue do recognize their potential benefit, particularly that of adult (non-embryonic) stem-cells. And, we're not arguing that stem-cells are human beings. We're saying that the embryos that are destroyed to harvest the stem-cells are real, living human beings. And more to that point, who says human life has to have recognizable fingers or toes to be human life? Some Americans don't have these. And at this stage of development, not having fully formed or even differentiated spinal and brain features does not mean that the embryo will not ever develop these things, as though it were dead. No, it will develop these things and grow to be just like Ron. It won't develop into a fish, or a rhino, or a bear. A human being can only develop into a more fully developed human being. There is a marvelous intelligence intrinsic to the developing human embryo, and that intelligence is life.

As a people who believe that life begins at conception, our position is intellectually coherent and consistent, and is a whole different beast than Darwinian evolution, which, though I do not reject it wholesale, has its own flaws that any scientist worth his microscope should be honest about. Framing the debate as though those who oppose embryonic stem-cell research are opposed to eliminating disease is, in my opinion, intellectually dishonest.

REAGAN: ... The list of things that could be helped by this just goes on and on. And that we are playing politics with this, I'll say it again, is shameful.

I'm not ashamed to demand that my tax money not be used to fund such research. That's my right as an American citizen, Ron.

What disturbs me about the political climate in this country today is the attitude that I can't be an American citizen and at the same time make ethical voting decisions based upon a conscience that is informed by my religious beliefs. People have told me that doing so is a violation of the separation of church and state. Our founding fathers would be spinning in their graves if they heard this ridiculous rhetoric. What's the point of having beliefs about anything, then? That is what I find shameful.

Cor Jesu Sanctissimum

Heart of Jesus, in whom are all treasures of wisdom and knowledge... Have mercy on us.

Cor Iesu Sanctissimum, large, quaesumus, effunde tuas benedictiones super sanctam Ecclesiam, super Summum Pontificem, et super omnem clerum; da iustis perseverantiam, converte peccatores, illumina infideles, benedic nostros propinquos, amicos et benefactores, assiste moribundis, libera animas in purgatorio degentes, et super omnium corda dulce imperium tui amoris extende. Amen.

Today is the feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. This feast day is very new to me. I know friends who actually grew up fearing the image of the burning heart -- The Flaming Chest of Jesus, they called it. But the more I grow spiritually, the more I comprehend the depth of this devotion. I am beginning to learn more about Margaret Mary Alacoque and her confessor, Claude de la Colombière. The Heart of Christ means an abyss of mercy and compassion to those who desire it. The Heart of Christ means a universe of wisdom and knowledge to those who seek it. The Heart of Christ is truly Most Sacred.

Ack...

26 years old today...

Lexicon Recentis Latinitatis

Excerpts of the Lexicon Recentis Latinitatis, Rome's new dictionary of Latin neologisms corresponding to modern words and expressions, are available online, though in Italian. Thanks to Emily. Many of the Italian words are borrowed from English, and others are easily recognizable:

baby-sitter: infantária
basket-ball: follis canistrique ludus
cow boy: armentárius
discoteca: taberna discothecária
magnetofono: máchina echóica
night-club: taberna nocturna

Fabulous! In related news, check out some chapters from Dag Norberg's A Practical Handbook of Medieval Latin, also available online.

An insult is destroyed by a blessing

1 Peter 3:8-12

Finally, all of you, be of one mind, sympathetic, loving toward one another, compassionate, humble. Do not return evil for evil, or insult for insult; but, on the contrary, a blessing, because to this you were called, that you might inherit a blessing. For: "Whoever would love life and see good days must keep the tongue from evil and the lips from speaking deceit, must turn from evil and do good, seek peace and follow after it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears turned to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against evildoers."

Sounds like good advice from our beloved St. Peter. When you are insulted, do the radical thing. Return it not with another insult, but with a blessing instead. In this way, you sow peace where there is discord, good where there is evil.

Two Great Figures in World History

The fall of Communism was inextricably linked to these two great men,
one of whom has passed on.

Amen. Thanks, Brian.

What sticks out to me most is Reagan's character. It was said of Reagan that when working in the Oval Office, he would never remove his suit-coat out of respect for the women with whom he worked.

Kyrie Eleison

Is this really something to smile about? Is it me or does the guy on the far left of the picture in the back seem a little unsure? We must pray.

Like a Natural Woman

I saw this on A Thing Worth Doing and found it very interesting: Like a Natural Woman. A woman who had previously disagreed with the Church's teaching on artificial contraception found herself drawn to the Natural Family Planning methods for health reasons. After she and her husband began to see the benefits of NFP on her body as well as their relationship, she began to wonder if the Church had been right.

But the turning point came for me as I watched, month after month, as my temperature rose and fell and my hormones marched in perfect harmony. I had no idea I was so beautiful. I found myself near tears one day looking at my chart and thinking, "Truly, I am fearfully and wonderfully made." My fertility is not a disease to be treated. It is a wonderful gift. I am a wonderful gift.

I have been fortunate to know couples who have gone through similar realizations, even with irregular cycles. It's typically prompted by education about the birth control pill's effects and the discovery that there are other couples out there who feel similarly. Still, I wonder if the Church could do a better job at engaging this issue. In the face of so much misinformation, I want to be educated. When I was a student at the university, our priests never really addressed the issue publicly -- that is until a handful of us students asked for more information. Our pastor finally invited an Engaged Encounter couple from Santa Monica to come and speak to the parish about NFP. Thanks be to God.

The teaching of the Church on the regulation of birth, which promulgates the divine law, will easily appear to many to be difficult or even impossible of actuation. And indeed, like all great beneficent realities, it demands serious engagement and much effort, individual, family and social effort. More than that, it would not be practicable without the help of God, who upholds and strengthens the good will of men.

Pope Paul VI, Humanae Vitae, paragraph 20

In related news, Siml Systems has produced a PDA application for charting with the natural family planning Billings Ovulation Method. Apparently the company supports desktop operating systems Windows 98, NT, ME, 2000, and XP, and handheld Palm OS 3, 4, and 5 for the ARM processor. No WinCE or Symbian yet.

So that's what a landslide is...

I was only six years old in 1984; I had no idea just how much of a landslide Reagan's 1984 re-election win was:Reagan: 525 electoral votes, Mondale: 13 electoral votes. Reagan's 1980 win against Jimmy Carter got him 489 electoral votes vs. Carter's 49 electoral votes.

Come, Holy Spirit

The aide of the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles and empowered them to do their work.

Loquebantur variis linguis Apostoli, Alleluia.
Magnalia Dei, Alleluia.
Repleti sunt omnes Spiritu sancto et ceperunt loqui
Magnalia Dei, Alleluia.
Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto, Alleluia.

The Apostles spoke with many tongues, Alleluia,
of the wonderful works of God, Alleluia.
They were filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak
of the wonderful works of God, Alleluia.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, Alleluia.

Let the witness of the apostles remind us that the Holy Spirit also enlivens us and empowers us to do our work. It is something easily neglected.

Let Latin Live

Rogue Classicism links to an interesting article in the International Herald Tribune about Fr. Reginald Foster. Fr. Foster is the pope's latinist in Rome, and he is quite an eccentric fellow, which is good for Latin scholarbabies -- you know who you are. You can hear him just about every week on Vatican Radio's brief but entertaining radio show, The Latin Lover. Fr. Foster is rightly concerned about the declining study of Latin not only in the world but also, and particularly, in the Church. A good study of the classical languages gives you the ability as well as the thirst to guzzle the sweet richness of the Church's ecclesiastical tradition.

St. Andrew's in Pasadena

Last July, I blogged about a visit to St. Andrew's Catholic Church in Pasadena. Earlier this month, The Tidings featured a pretty good feature article about the history of the parish church.

This remarkable building is modeled after the Basilica of St. Sabina in Rome, one of the earliest Christian styles of architecture. St. Sabina's was dedicated in 432 and St. Andrew's follows the plan, design and general proportions of the original. The interior of the church is noted for the richness of its decorations, the use of unusual marble throughout and the paintings of the Stations of the Cross above the side columns. The first Mass was celebrated in the new church May 27, 1928 at which Bishop John Cantwell said this is "the pride of the diocese and a worthy replica of the ancient church on the banks of the Tiber."

St. Andrew's is one of many overlooked gems in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Things too wonderful for me...

Job 38:1-5, 42:1-6

Then the LORD addressed Job out of the storm and said: Who is this that obscures divine plans with words of ignorance? Where were you when I founded the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its size; do you know? Who stretched out the measuring line for it?

Then Job answered the LORD and said: I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be hindered. I have dealt with great things that I do not understand; things too wonderful for me, which I cannot know. I had heard of you by word of mouth, but now my eye has seen you. Therefore I disown what I have said, and repent in dust and ashes.

If I am afflicted, let me still not be fooled by pride.

A Wedding, Rocky, Neumann, Drexel, and the Amish

So I promised to blog about the trip. Collectively, it went well. Santa Barbara to Philadelphia to Indiana and back. Friday, I left Santa Barbara for Philadelphia with an hour layover in Denver so that I could be in Philly with enough time to take the train into downtown and be at the wedding rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner, followed by some fun time. On the way to Denver, the pilot reported that we were to make a precautionary landing in Grand Junction. Uh oh. The pilot significantly reduced altitude, and as we approached the runway, we were surprised to find airport emergency vehicles waiting for us. After having sat on the runway for about 20 minutes, we were allowed to exit. Turns out the pilot's left windshield had cracked into a million pieces, without breaking. No visibility. Thanks be to God we landed! However, instead of getting into Philly at 4pm, I made it just after 11pm, missing everything. Oh well.

After I had some sleep, I felt pretty refreshed. On Saturday, we visited the Philadelphia Museum of Art, including the infamous Rocky Steps, and on Sunday my friend, a friend whom I have known since 4th grade, got married. The wedding was very nice, and the reception featured a live band that was surprisingly pretty good. The wedding took place at the beautiful Church of St. John the Evangelist -- the very place where in 1860 St. John Neumann was consecrated bishop of Philadelphia, later going on to become the first American bishop to be canonized a saint -- also the very parish church where St. Katharine Drexel discerned her religious vocation. The History of Catholic Philadelphia was dripping all over this place.

Early Monday morning, I was back on the train for the airport, and after a trip that was blessedly free of delays, I arrived at my grandmother's house in the small Mayberry-esque town of Mitchell, Indiana -- home of the late astronaut pioneer Virgil "Gus" Grissom. The town is situated near a handful of Amish and Mennonite settlements, and so naturally I took advantage of my time there to venture deep into Amish country in search of some fresh strawberries. I found some at the home of one Amish family, and upon learning that I was from California, Anne, the Amish woman from whom I purchased the berries, promptly inquired, So your berries have probably come in already! Sure they have - in fact, they're in season at Albertson's all year long! (I didn't actually say that)

It's good to be home

After a fulfilling run from the Pacific to the Atlantic and back again, I have to say, it's good to be home. I will talk more about the trip soon! Now, it's back to work.

Releases, Weddings, and Life

Whew. I just finished another product release at work. Friday, I leave for a friend's wedding in Philadelphia, and then on to Indiana for the rest of next week. Hopefully I'll have some adventures in Amish country while I'm there. The Amish can cook like nobody's business. Pray for me! Pray also for all married couples and for those discerning married life.

We like to talk about the crisis in vocations to the priesthood and religious life, but I choose not to forget the crisis in vocations to true married life, which is also a complete embrace of the fullness of life and love, particularly when it yields fruit. But that isn't something that our culture likes, in an age of shot-gun weddings, increasing divorce rates, declining birth rates, and abortion. Have you ever noticed how the television ads for the Ortho Tri-Cyclen birth control pill are identical in style to the television ads for Valtrex treatment for genital herpes? Apparently it's good marketing to appeal to potential customers by treating children as just another sexually transmitted disease that will prevent you from living a life full of joy and promise.

The Servant of God Archbishop Fulton Sheen once said something very wise about children and married life, and I'll never forget it for as long as I live:

How dull life would be if a musician were always picking up a violin and a bow, but never producing a melody; or a sculptor were always picking up a chisel, applying it to marble, but never creating a statue; or a poet were putting pen to paper, but never wrote a thoughtful line. Would not the farmer go mad if, each spring after he had planted the seed, he immediately dug it up, went on repeating the silly process, and never waited for fruits and harvests? What would happen to the mind and heart of a woman who, just as soon as the buds began to appear in her garden, cut each of them off, so that she never fondled a rose. Love, by its very nature, wants to bear some fruit; thus is saves itself from a duality that is death... Love is then discovered to be, not like the serpent that crawls on the same level, but rather like a bird that has an ascension of love and begins to taste its sweetest moments in the higher summits of flight.

Pray for us, Uncle Fultie.

The Space Elevator

Saw this over at Dappled Things. The Space Elevator. Sounds incredible, but fascinating. Check out this animation (WMV) with sound to understand what this is. If it were feasible, it would open the doors of possibilities because it would eliminate one of the most expensive components to every space lauch - fuel. Obviously, though, I'm quite skeptical...

The Thirty-Three Heads of Voltaire

I have never made but one prayer to God, a very short one: 'O Lord, make my enemies ridiculous.' And God granted it.      -François-Marie Arouet de Voltaire

As a student of philosophy and a lover of French history, I appreciate much of Voltaire's work, though he certainly isn't my buddy. While he apparently believed in a God, he had an easy habit of mocking religious faith, or rather what he perceived as distracting superstition. But his satire was witty, and his points, though sometimes misguided, were usually well delivered. If you've ever read any of his work, including Candide, you should also be aware of The Thirty-Three Heads, which are caricatures of Voltaire in his declining years:

The heads derive from caricatures produced by Jean Huber (1721 - 1786). For a time Huber lived within Voltaire's household, giving him the opportunity to portray Voltaire in very informal situations: without his wig, in a night cap and without his teeth.

Some believe that it was at this time that Voltaire was at his best.

Belgian Catholic Travelogue

At BustedHalo.com, my friend Jessica writes from Brussels, A Grad Student's Spiritual Adventure in Brussels:

... my Catholic adventure in Brussels has been both a challenge and a blessing. It has allowed me to grow and to explore the different facets of Catholicism in this city. I am able to witness the interaction of cultures and socio-economic groups -- from professionals to recent immigrants from all over the world -- and experience how the fusing of these practices is creating a new experience of Roman Catholicism in the world.

Grace and Peace to you, Jessica.

Go NouvelObs!

I just ran across something interesting. The quaint and holy village of Santa Maria, California, previously my home for nine years, gets a mention in Le Nouvel Observateur. Given that nobody en France would have known about Santa Maria otherwise, all I have to say is, thanks, Jacko! Jacko frequently made covert trips to Santa Maria for toys at Toys 'R Us as well as the local mall. The town just can't handle all of the fans who come out for his court dates.

Comme en janvier, la petite ville de Santa Maria a été mise en état de siège avec des renforts policiers. Quelque 1.500 fans comptent y soutenir leur idole.

Last time, most of the Jackson family showed up. Neverland isn't too far from where I am right now.

English Missal Draft

I know - this is being posted on just about every other Catholic blog, but since I have been blogging on this topic, I thought I should also post it here (if anything else, for my archives).

A draft translation of the new Mass in English

It is currently pending approval by the bishops of the English speaking world. The draft looks to be about what I expected, based largely on John Allen's excellent reporting. There's still room for good debate, but all things considered, I hope to see many of these changes soon. Will it be an opportunity for liturgical catechesis? I sure hope so.

Mysteria Luminosa Sacratissimi Rosarii

There is a great deal of depth in praying the rosary in Latin, the lingua ecclesiae. For a while now, I have been looking for a more comprehensive guide to the different mysteries of the rosary in Latin; I haven't found too much, so I decided to put something together myself. I started by putting together this little page outlining each of the Luminous Mysteries in Latin:

Lucis Mysteria

The Scripture text is taken from the Nova Vulgata, and the brief meditations are taken from the Latin text of the Holy Father's apostolic letter, Rosarium Virginis Mariae. Eventually, I'd like to do something similar for the Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious mysteries. All in good time!

Conscience: Man's Most Secret Core

Most Rev. Charles Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., Archbishop of Denver, on:
What Vatican II did, and didn't, teach about conscience.

In its Declaration on Religious Liberty (Dignitatis Humanae), the council went on to say that, "It is through his conscience that man sees and recognizes the demands of the divine law. He is bound to follow this conscience faithfully in all his activity, so that he may come to God, who is his last end. Therefore he must not be forced to act contrary to his conscience. Nor must he be prevented from acting according to his conscience, especially in religious matters...

(I)n forming their consciences, the faithful must pay careful attention to the sacred and certain teaching of the Church. For the Catholic Church is, by the will of Christ, the teacher of truth. It is her duty to proclaim and teach with authority the truth which is Christ and, at the same time, to declare and confirm by her authority the principles of the moral order which spring from human nature."

if we're serious in our Catholic faith, we also need to acknowledge that conscience does not "invent" truth. Rather, conscience must seek truth out, and conform itself to the truth once discovered — no matter how inconvenient. Conscience is never just a matter of personal opinion or private preference. It never exists in a vacuum of individual sovereignty.

Thank you, Archbishop!

Evidence

I was fascinated as I read the minutes of the local chapter of Voice of the Faithful's recent meeting, particularly this question noted at the end of a lecture given by Fr. Thomas Rausch, S.J.:

Someone suggested that new priests from the seminary seem to be very clerical and conservative in their view of the Church. It was suggested that some sent to Santa Barbara were actually members of Opus Dei. Fr. Rausch suggested we consider the world of chaos in which these new seminarians were raised and thinks that might be crucial in their predisposition towards order. He said he was not aware of seminarians being members of Opus Dei.

Do I smell a conspiracy plot here in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles? It wouldn't be the first one I've heard. However, of all the conspiracy theories I've heard about the goings-on in this Archdiocese, this one is the first more liberal one I've heard explicitly. The sad (or happy?) truth is that such a conspiracy might not be much of a bad thing, given what I now know about the true nature of Opus Dei and the universal call to holiness, accentuated even further in the Second Vatican Council's own dogmatic constitution, Lumen Gentium, which Voice of the Faithful likes to quote. Oh, the humanity!

Pro-life Feminists Speak Up!

Feminists For Life President, Serrin Foster, offers these remarks regarding this weekend's death march in Washington:

Women continue to die from legal and lethal abortion, just as they did before Roe vs. Wade. In 2003, California teen Holly Patterson, age 18, died after taking RU-486. Who will mourn her on Sunday? This march won't bring her back. Women are also rendered infertile and risk future miscarriages. A Montana woman, Lorraine Thul, had a hysterectomy after her uterus was nicked during an abortion in 2002. How will this march help Lorraine? Twenty-nine of 38 worldwide epidemiological studies show increased risk of breast cancer after an abortion, including 13 of 15 studies on American women. Will march organizers continue to deny medical research?

Another march co-sponsor, Planned Parenthood President Gloria Feldt, has said, "Roe v. Wade enabled women to participate in the social, financial and political life of this country." Abortion does not "enable" women. Women need housing, child care, health care that includes maternity benefits, maternity leave, the ability to telecommute, a living wage and a supportive family for themselves and their children. A woman needs and deserves support — both emotional and financial — from the father of the child. The lack of support and resources is what concerns women the most. Addressing these unmet needs must become our priority — not abortion.

I heard Serrin Foster give a very rousing lecture at the university when I was a student. She is always careful to raise some very challenging points that modern feminism avoids like the plague. The truth is that modern feminism is not feminism in truest sense. Foster goes on to suggest that the generational tide is beginning to sway:

63 percent of people aged 18 to 24 are pro-life, making them the most pro-life generation since those now aged 70 and over. It is instructional for those under age 31 to learn that attorney Sarah Weddington argued Roe on the basis that a woman could not complete her education if she were pregnant. Why not? Women are not suddenly stupid because they are pregnant or parenting. Education is essential to combat the feminization of poverty.

Millions of people marched on Washington last January bearing witness to life. We must continue to fight for human rights and for true respect for the dignity of women and children.

John Kerry: Man, Myth, Politician

I haven't used this blog too much to draw out my political opinions. Of course, at times they intersect significantly with my living out of the Catholic Faith in this country, so I am obliged to speak up now and then. I'm a registered Republican, though in more than a few areas, I consider myself to be more moderate politically. I'm largely a student when it comes to politics, and so I'm willing to listen to debates and differing opinions on particular policies and issues. But I vote very strongly according to my conscience, which is informed by the teachings of the Church, the authority to which I am obedient. In 2000 AD, I voted for George W. Bush, and while I have not been a fan of how the situation has been handled in Iraq, nor have I been a fan of other policies of the Bush Administration, nothing sickens me more, at this point, than the thought of a Kerry Administration in the White House.

At one point in my life as a Catholic, I pondered the day when there would be a Catholic in the White House who truly understood the struggle of American Catholics, someone who was willing to truly speak up for real human dignity, one who wouldn't be afraid to stand up for something greater than himself. Well, here we have a Catholic who is selling me and other Catholic citizens over to the wolves. He's telling me that my beliefs don't matter; He's saying that they're convenient for photo ops, but in the end, all that matters is winning an election. He's saying that my conscience, informed by the teaching of the Church, is arbitrary and unimportant to American politics. He's even gone so far as to suggest that voting according to my conscience is a dangerous breach of the highly misconceived separation of Church and State. He says these things and acts this way and expects us to brush if off as being business as usual? What would the early martyrs have thought about such an attitude?

Bush is truly not my ideal candidate. He's a politician, for sure. He has, however, had the guts to severly risk his own reputation to stand up to some very powerful people in this country, and as Kerry proudly picks up endorsements from Planned Parenthood after having stood before and received Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, only to then vow to turn back the clock on all of the important abortion reforms we've made in this country over the last few years, I can only imagine what the angels above must be thinking. But they would also be praying for him as well as for President Bush, and as I, myself, am a sinner, I will also pray for John Kerry, but I can't see myself voting for anyone other than George W. Bush this Fall.

St. Thomas More, please pray for all leaders of nations!

Shakespearean Insulter

Certainly there must be a need for Shakespeare's genius!

You scullion! You rampallian! You fustilarian! I'll tickle your catastrophe!
Taken from: Henry IV, part 2

[You] speak an infinite deal of nothing.
Taken from: The Merchant of Venice

Try out the Shakespearean Insulter! :)

Fruitful Exercise

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 23.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence in your journal along with these instructions.

From Kernighan and Ritchie's The C Programming Language, Second Edition:

By definition, chars are just small integers, so char variables and constants are identical to ints in arithmetic expressions.

Great wisdom always gives me pause. From the man behind the curtain; Compile this:

main(k){float i,j,r,x,y=-16;while(puts(""),y++<15)for(x
=0;x++<84;putchar(" .:-;!/>)|&IH%*#"[k&15]))for(i=k=r=0;
j=r*r-i*i-2+x/25,i=2*r*i+y/10,j*j+i*i<11&&k++<111;r=j);}

You'll get a glimpse from on high at the infinity of the universe.

Christ is Risen! Alleluia!

Seven years ago tonight, I was baptized, confirmed, and I received my first holy communion -- all in one amazing night. Today I continue, with the merciful help of God's grace, to try to live out that commission of Christ with all who live in Him. Pray that I may continue to live out the Gospel in my daily life; pray that I may never shy away from going out into the world to preach the Good News! Christ has redeemed us and delivered us from everlasting death! Christ has restored life and goes before us ever more! As long as we choose the path of faith, instead of the path of fear, what is there to be afraid of?

Tonight we celebrated the Easter Vigil with the Jesuits over at Our Lady of Sorrows in downtown Santa Barbara. It was done well and beautifully. The homily addressed the importance of maturing in the faith, of not being stagnant or too comfortable, but always being willing to step out in faith knowing that truly no risk is too great with the light of Christ ever before us!

This is truly God's own day!

Hic est dies verus Dei, sancto serenus lumine,
quo diluit sanguis sacer probrosa mundi crimina.

Fidem refundit perditis caecosque visu illuminat;
quem non gravi solvit metu latronis absolutio?

Opus stupent et angeli poenam videntes corporis
Christoque adhaerentem reum vitam beatam carpere.

Mysterium mirabile ut abluat mundi luem,
peccata tollat omnium carnis vitia mundans caro.

Quid hoc potest sublimius, ut culpa quaerat gratiam,
metumque solvit caritas, reddatque mors vitam novam?

Esto perenne mentibus paschale, Iesu, gaudium,
ut nos renatos gratiae tuis triumphis aggrega.

Iesu, tibi sit gloria quo morte victa praenites,
cum Patre et almo Spiritu in sempiterna saecula.

Amen.

Next Sunday is Quasimodo Sunday! From the words of the Latin introit:

Quasi modo geniti infantes, rationabile, sine dolo lac concupiscite ut in eo crescatis in salutem si gustastis quoniam dulcis Dominus.

As newborn babes, desire the rational milk without guile, that thereby you may grow unto salvation: If so be you have tasted that the Lord is sweet.

Beautiful. I wish you all a blessed Easter season!

The Requiem and Palm Sunday

Last night, we went to hear the Santa Barbara Symphony's concert of Gabriel Fauré's Requiem. I've listened to this Requiem more than a hundred times, but nothing, I mean nothing, beats hearing it performed in person, particularly hearing the Pie Jesu sung in person with so much emotion and intensity that anyone who has ever mourned for the dead would understand.

But now it is Palm Sunday; A blessed Holy Week to you!

Celsae salutis gaudia
mundus fidelis iubilet:
Iesus, redemptor omnium,
mortis peremit principem.

Palmae et olivae surculos
coetus viando deferens,
"Hosanna David Filio"
claris frequentat vocibus.

Nos ergo summo principi
curramus omnes obviam;
melos canentes gloriae,
palmas geramus gaudii.

Cursusque nostros lubricos
donis beatis sublevet,
grates ut omni tempore
ipso feramus debitas.

Deo Patri sit gloria
eiusque soli Filio
cum Spiritu Paraclito,
in sempiterna saecula.
Amen.

Grace and Peace to you all this week.

Where is your heart?

Matthew 6:19-21:

Nolite thesaurizare vobis thesauros in terra, ubi aerugo et tinea demolitur, et ubi fures effodiunt et furantur; thesaurizate autem vobis thesauros in caelo, ubi neque aerugo neque tinea demolitur, et ubi fures non effodiunt nec furantur; ubi enim est thesaurus tuus, ibi erit et cor tuum.

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.

Lately, I have been reflecting on just how distracted with earthly possessions I have become since I finished school and started a full-time career. When I was in school, I was content with seemingly little, but now, I have a lot more possessions than I used to. I buy things and use them only a few times; I buy books that may go years before finally being read; I invest and save money for various future investments and security. Some things are necessary, of course, but I pamper myself with conveniences. But even as I do these things, I should be more concerned with how I invest my time, my daily thoughts, and my service toward the Kingdom of God. That is where my heart should be. For the eternal reward that I hope for is not of this world.