Dilbert!

Understanding Verner's Law

Prof. Richard Nokes of Troy University takes us on an odyssey that is Verner's Law, revealing, of course, that language change is more regular than chaotic. Prof. Nokes links to three simple videos that explain it for us:

Part 1:


Part 2:


Part 3:

A 269 tie - Electoral College Doomsday?

Or so reports Joseph Curl of the Washington Times.

President Obama, with Vice President Palin? President Biden? President Pelosi? Call them the "Doomsday" scenarios -- On Nov. 5, the presidential election winds up in a electoral-college tie, 269-269, the Democrat-controlled House picks Sen. Barack Obama as president, but the Senate, with former Democrat Joe Lieberman voting with Republicans, deadlocks at 50-50, so Vice President Dick Cheney steps in to break the tie to make Republican Sarah Palin his successor.

It seems like every election season, someone brings up all the wild scenarios. Even though the results are sure to be close this time, chances are they won't be too extraordinarily surprising.

Hurricane Ike: Physical vs. Moral Evil

From my pastor in this week's parish bulletin:

The last week has been a vivid reminder of the fragility of human life and of our dependence upon the human technology that has made our lives easier and richer. As hurricane Ike plowed through our area, most of us lost power, the ability to communicate through telephone and internet, and wreaked havoc on our property and lives. At the same time, we are conscious of the fact that so many people have suffered far worse than we, losing their homes, livelihoods, and even their lives. We should be grateful that we were spared the brunt of the storm, and we do well to continue to pray for those who still have many months of hardship ahead of them.

We wonder about suffering because we know that God provides for us. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus encourages us to trust in the providential care of God: "Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?'... Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well" (Mt. 6:31-33).

Our trust in God, however, does not allay the tension that evil introduces into our understanding of the divine. Catholic theology understands evil in two ways. There is physical evil and there is moral evil. Physical evil refers to the incompleteness of the physical world. In this sense, evil is regarded as a privation or imperfection. The world that God created is not perfect in the sense of being complete.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains this imperfection by saying, "with infinite wisdom and goodness God freely willed to create a world 'in a state of journeying' toward its ultimate perfection. In God's plan this process of becoming involves the appearance of certain beings and the disappearance of others, the existence of the more perfect alongside the less perfect, [and] both constructive and destructive forces of nature. With physical good there exists also physical evil as long as creation has not reached perfection" (CCC, no. 310).

In addition to physical evil, there is also moral evil. This category is usually what we refer to when we speak about evil. Moral evil is rooted in the decisions made by free creatures, angels and men.

As creatures made in the image and likeness of God, we have been endowed with an intellect and a will. The intellect is one's capacity to know the good. The will is one's capacity to choose the good. Of course, the opposite is also possible. One can pursue and embrace what is evil.

If the created world is "in a state of journeying," so is the human race. This is expressed in the Catechism: "Angels and men, as intelligent and free creatures, have to journey toward their ultimate destinies by their free choice and preferential love. They can therefore go astray. Indeed, they have sinned. Thus has moral evil, incommensurably more harmful than physical evil, entered the world. God is in no way, directly or indirectly, the cause of moral evil (emphasis added). He permits it, however, because he respects the freedom of his creatures and, mysteriously, knows how to derive good from it" (CCC, no. 311).

Could God have created a world without the possibility of moral evil? Yes, but it would be a creation without angels or humanity. Without free will, man would be nothing more than an animal, or worse, like a robot or machine. Without free will, we would also be incapable of good, and would act purely on instinct, as the lower creatures do.

How should we respond to the existence of evil in the world? St. Paul has a remedy. In the Letter to the Romans, the Apostle encourages us: "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (Rom 12:21). The existence of evil in the physical world and in the human heart forces us to consider that we cannot be morally neutral. The antidote to evil is our resolve to become saints and to increase the weight of good in the world.

The Purity of God's Word

From the Holy Father's message at Vespers to young seminarians and religious at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris (Friday, Sept. 12th, 2008):

In a particular way, men and women religious and all consecrated persons draw life from the Wisdom of God expressed in his word. The profession of the evangelical counsels has configured you, dear consecrated persons, to Christ, who for our sakes became poor, obedient and chaste. Your only treasure – which, to tell the truth, will alone survive the passage of time and the curtain of death – is the word of the Lord. It is he who said: “Heaven and earth will pass away; my words will not pass away” (Mt 24:35). Your obedience is, etymologically, a “hearing”, for the word obey comes from the Latin obaudire, meaning to turn one’s ear to someone or something. In obeying, you turn your soul towards the one who is the Way, and the Truth and the Life (cf. Jn 14:6), and who says to you, as Saint Benedict taught his monks: “Hear, my child, the teaching of the Master, and hearken to it with all your heart” (Prologue to the Rule of Saint Benedict). Finally, let yourselves be purified daily by him who said: “Every branch that bears fruit my Father prunes, to make it bear more fruit” (Jn 15:2). The purity of God’s word is the model for your own chastity, ensuring its spiritual fruitfulness.

Lehman's Non-Electric Catalog

Lehman's is known for its non-electric items, both vintage as well as modern. In light of recent events, their catalog might be a good thing to own if you are looking to get through a power outage, camping trip, or anything else. Coffee maker, goat cart, grass scythe, hoof trimmer, man-powered lawn mower. It's all there. Their catalog even has a special chapter, "How to Live without Electricity - And Like It."

Irish Dominicans



The Dominican History blog presents the reception of the Dominican habit in Limerick, Ireland, 2008.

Civil War Schooner uncovered by Hurricane Ike?

The AP reports:

When the waves from Hurricane Ike receded, they left behind a mystery: a ragged shipwreck that archeologists say could be a two-masted Civil War schooner that ran aground in 1862 or another ship from 70 years later.

The wreck, about 6 miles from Fort Morgan, had been partially uncovered when Hurricane Camille cleared away sand in 1969.

Researchers at the time identified it as the Monticello, a battleship that partially burned when it crashed trying to get past the U.S. Navy and into Mobile Bay during the Civil War.

After examining photos of the wreck post-Ike, Museum of Mobile marine archaeologist Shea McLean agreed that it is probably the Monticello, which ran aground in 1862 after sailing from Havana, Cuba, according to Navy records.

Our Lady and the Jewish Author

So the pope was recently in Lourdes, France, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Marian apparitions at Lourdes and the message delivered through St. Bernadette Soubirous. I thought I would recall the "personal preface" to the best-selling historical novel, The Song of Bernadette, written by Jewish author Franz Werfel:

In the last days of June 1940, in flight from our mortal enemies after the collapse of France, we reached the city of Lourdes. The two of us, my wife and I, had hoped to be able to elude them in time to cross the Spanish frontier to Portugal. But since the consuls unanimously refused the requisite visas, we had no alternative but to flee back with great difficulty to the interior of France on the very night on which the National Socialist troops occupied the border town of Hendaye. The Pyrenean départements had turned into a phantasmagoria -- a very camp of chaos. The millions of this strange migration of peoples wandered about on the roads and obstructed the towns and villages: Frenchmen, Belgians, Dutchmen, Poles, Czechs, Austrians, exiled Germans, and, mingled with these, soldiers of the defeated armies. There was barely food enough to still the extreme pangs of hunger. There was no shelter to be had at all. Anyone who had obtained possession of an upholstered chair for his night's rest was an object of envy. In endless lines stood the cars of the fugitives, piled mountain-high with household gear, with mattresses and beds; there was no gasoline to be had. In Pau a family settled there told us that Lourdes was the one place where, if luck were kind, one might still find a roof. Since the famous city was but thirty kilometres distant, we were advised to make the attempt and knock at its gates. We followed this advice and were sheltered at last.

It was in this manner that Providence brought me to Lourdes, of the miraculous history of which I had hitherto had but the most superficial knowledge. We hid for several weeks in the Pyrenean city. It was a time of great dread. The British radio announced that I had been murdered by the National Socialists. Nor did I doubt that such would be my fate were I to fall into the hands of the enemy. An article of the Armistice provided that France turn over certain civilians to the National Socialists. Who could these civilians be but those who had fought the modern pestilence in the days of its modest beginnings? In my friends' eyes I read the same conviction, although their words sought to calm me. A few of the initiated pretended to know the number of those who were to be turned over and the very order of their documented names. At such moments the boundary between rumour and fact is obliterated. The most sublime stubborn reports predicted again and again the conqueror's occupation of the Pyrenees on the following day. Each morning when I woke up it was in ignorance as to whether I was still a free man or a prisoner condemned to death.

It was, I repeat, a time of great dread. But it was also a time of great significance for me, for I became acquainted with the wondrous history of the girl Bernadette Soubirous and also with the wondrous facts concerning the healings of Lourdes. One day in my great distress I made a vow. I vowed that if I escaped from this desperate situation and reached the saving shores of America, I would put off all other tasks and sing, as best I could, the song of Bernadette.

This book is the fulfilment of my vow...

I have dared to sing the song of Bernadette, although I am not a Catholic but a Jew; and I drew courage from this undertaking from a far older and far more unconscious vow of mine. Even in the days when I wrote my first verses I vowed that I would evermore and everywhere in all I wrote magnify the divine mystery and the holiness of man -- careless of a period which has turned away with scorn and rage and indifference from these ultimate values of our mortal lot.

Franz Werfel, Los Angeles, May 1941

Anne Rice: Called Out of Darkness

Anne Rice discusses her recently written memoirs, particularly pointing out the elements of her childhood that not only influenced her writing, but also aided her in her return home:

Baptism's Indelible Mark

We profess that baptism permanently configures one to Christ and to His priesthood. CCC 1272:

Incorporated into Christ by Baptism, the person baptized is configured to Christ. Baptism seals the Christian with the indelible spiritual mark (character) of his belonging to Christ. No sin can erase this mark, even if sin prevents Baptism from bearing the fruits of salvation. Given once for all, Baptism cannot be repeated.

The indelible seal is also spoken of with respect to confirmation, which is intrinsically linked to baptism, and Holy Orders, which configures one to the priesthood of Christ in a particular way. CCC 1121:

The three sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders confer, in addition to grace, a sacramental character or "seal" by which the Christian shares in Christ's priesthood and is made a member of the Church according to different states and functions. This configuration to Christ and to the Church, brought about by the Spirit, is indelible, it remains for ever in the Christian as a positive disposition for grace, a promise and guarantee of divine protection, and as a vocation to divine worship and to the service of the Church. Therefore these sacraments can never be repeated.

Does this indelible mark overrule the will or necessarily eliminate one's proclivity toward sin? No.

Cardinal DiNardo on Hurricane Ike

From the Archdiocesan website:

Last weekend Southeast Texas experienced a very strong storm. Hurricane Ike has affected us all and has caused massive damage to our coastal communities, especially to the city of Galveston and the Bolivar peninsula. Many people have lost everything; many others have been seriously affected. The lack of power and fuel has been of real concern. These realities are very hard on families, some who have evacuated others who remain here and are pressed for food and water.

We put our trust in the Lord and make significant efforts to help one another. Our Catholic Charities and Societies of St. Vincent de Paul were already operating on the Sunday after the storm in various ways. We cooperate with the civil authorities. In all things patience is the operative virtue. Our hearts go out to all the people in Galveston and to the severe disruption this storm has caused. Our prayers and our support will be with all the faithful in Galveston and Bolivar.

As far as the celebration of weekend Masses, the decision to open a given parish is that of the Pastor after he has reviewed the damage and the ease of access to the buildings. Where the celebration of Mass cannot happen the faithful are excused from their Sunday obligation...

My conviction and hope are that our Catholic community will rise to the occasion with genuine care for the other. Volunteers are needed throughout the area; Catholic Charities is particularly in need of volunteers. Be attentive to neighbors, especially the elderly. Share your goods. Let us be an example of good witness under the fire of some adversity.

Also, an interview with the Sioux City Journal:

HOUSTON — Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo said people are in high spirits while dealing with the loss of power and other devastation Hurricane Ike has dealt to the gulf region.

DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, who was the former bishop of the Diocese of Sioux City for five years, said even though the hurricane is a category two, the destruction has taken its toll on the people of Houston and Galveston.

“This was a hurricane, category two,” DiNardo said. “But, it was so big and when you have a big thing like that I don’t care what category it is. It’s rough and the winds were pretty consistent. If you have eight to 10 hours in Galveston of 105 mile per hour winds that’s heavy stuff.”

He said shock is the best way to describe people’s reaction in Galveston and residents in Houston are used to bad weather but this situation is trying their patience.

More from the archdiocese on what we can do to help. And did I mention giving blood?

Of course, things like this are easy to overlook if you're determined to overlook them.

In case you haven't figured out...

The Internet has now been restored in my neck of the woods... but it's relatively minor compared to the thousands who are still without power, including families just north of us across the Brazos River.

The gates of hell shall not prevail...

Jeff Culbreath posts this recent video showing a group of young adult Catholics in Argentina praying the rosary and defending their Cathedral from a rabid gathering of folks from the pro-abortion Encuentro Nacional de Mujeres in Neuquén.

Strange Maps

Matthew over at Holy Whapping pointed out one of the best blogs ever: The Strange Maps blog.

The world as seen from Paris:


Country Music's Favorite States:



Poor Florida :(

The Catholic Computer Scientist

Computer Scientist Dr. Thursday says it better than I can, and from a Chestertonian point of view:

You, courageous reader, must often wonder why a computer scientist deals with Chesterton, DNA, fiction, astronomy, Catholicism, Latin and Greek, children's stories, and all the other odd things I mention from time to time. Speaking strictly from the professional, rather than from the personal, view, it is simple to explain. Computer science might be (in a broad sense) called "applied mathematics", or perhaps the Engineering branch of the Mathematical Science... it is applied, you see, to anything and everything which may need or benefit from its assistance. Clearly I do not use software to make my coffee, or my brownies, or to select the colours for my artwork, or to assist me when I go to Holy Mass, or to write poetry. But computing is a Chestertonian discipline, indeed a catholic discipline, unlike most other branches of engineering. It has come to serve, and so it has the Chestertonian perspective of things. (Of course it is possible I am merely trying to explain how my Catholicism has "leavened" my profession, but such things are beyond analysis.)

This is why I love the Catholic faith :) The computer scientist in me flavors everything I do; even so, my Catholic Christianity makes me a better computer scientist.

Help for Hurricane Ike Aftermath

There are plenty of organizations that are doing great things to help in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike. The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston points out some things folks can do to donate to recovery efforts. You can also give blood.

I work with folks who still don't have power or water. Some areas won't get power restored for weeks.

Why did Ike get so large?



Dr. Jeff Masters analyzes this question.

Hurricane Ike grew unusually large, eventually filling up the entire Gulf of Mexico and becoming larger than Katrina. How did it get so big? Well, one theory is that the storm's passage over Cuba helped it to grow in size. During the day and half the eye of Ike traversed Cuba, the thunderstorm activity near the center was suppressed by land. However, a large portion of the storm was over the exceptionally warm waters of the Loop Current on either side of Cuba. Since the storm couldn't put any energy into intensifying and maintaining its core, the energy pulled out of the Loop Current went into expanding and intensifying the outer portions of the storm that were over water. When Ike finally emerged into the Gulf of Mexico, its scale had been reset to this new larger size, and the storm was able to maintain the new scale. A similar transition to a new larger scale also occurred to Hurricanes Katrina and Andrew after they passed over South Florida.

Aftermath: Hurricane Ike

We survived the hurricane with relatively little damage; our yard was littered with broken tree limbs, leaves, and moss. No damage to our house that we can tell. We lost power by 10pm Friday night, and it was restored to us by 3pm on Saturday. We were incredibly fortunate, as many thousands around the Houston area are still without power and will be even for the next couple of weeks. Lots of downed trees around our neighborhood. By 4am Saturday morning, the wind seemed to be at its highest intensity around our house. The radio confirmed at that time that the eye was passing over downtown Houston, 30 minutes northeast of us.

The Irresponsible Media

Here in the Houston area, there has been a very careful evacuation plan for those who are most vulnerable to Hurricane Ike and, in particular, those who are directly exposed to the massive storm surge that is expected. Houston is the 4th largest city in the nation, and nobody certainly wants a repeat of the disaster that resulted from the panicked evacuation during Hurricane Rita in 2005.

This afternoon, I saw some goon on CNN exhorting all of the 5-6 million residents in the Houston metro area to evacuate. "If my family were in Houston, I'd get them out now!" he said, in a panicked tone. This is the type of over media hype we don't need. The local government is carrying out a measured plan of evacuation to ensure that those who are most vulnerable are able to leave in as orderly a fashion as possible. Residents need to heed what their local government and county tells them to do, not some goon on CNN who thinks he knows the local situation.

If any of my readers are curious as to what's going on, I would encourage you to keep tabs online at a place like Weather Underground rather than CNN or FoxNews who love the sensational news a major storm always brings.

Remembering September 11th, 2001

O God of love, compassion, and healing,
look on us, people of many different faiths and traditions,
who gather today at this site,
the scene of incredible violence and pain.

We ask you in your goodness
to give eternal light and peace
to all who died here --
the heroic first-responders:
our fire fighters, police officers,
emergency service workers, and Port Authority personnel,
along with all the innocent men and women
who were victims of this tragedy
simply because their work or service
brought them here on September 11, 2001.

We ask you, in your compassion
to bring healing to those
who, because of their presence here that day,
suffer from injuries and illness.

Heal, too, the pain of still-grieving families
and all who lost loved ones in this tragedy.
Give them strength to continue their lives with courage and hope.

We are mindful as well
of those who suffered death, injury, and loss
on the same day at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
Our hearts are one with theirs
as our prayer embraces their pain and suffering.

God of peace, bring your peace to our violent world:
peace in the hearts of all men and women
and peace among the nations of the earth.

Turn to your way of love
those whose hearts and minds
are consumed with hatred.

God of understanding,
overwhelmed by the magnitude of this tragedy,
we seek your light and guidance
as we confront such terrible events.

Grant that those whose lives were spared
may live so that the lives lost here
may not have been lost in vain.

Comfort and console us,
strengthen us in hope,
and give us the wisdom and courage
to work tirelessly for a world
where true peace and love reign
among nations and in the hearts of all.

The prayer of Pope Benedict XVI during his recent visit to the site of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.

Hurricane Ike Update

The computer models appear to be converging just north of Matagorda Bay for landfall.

Hurricane Ike

Ike is getting close. Coastal counties up and down the coast have already issued mandatory evacuations. The computer models have been varying wildly over the last 24 hours, so at this point, the location at which Ike will make landfall is still not certain. Most likely, it will hit between Corpus Christi and Houston on Friday night/Saturday morning. While coastal communities are fleeing, many folks around here don't seem to be taking it too seriously. History has shown, of course, the folly of that line of thinking. I should note, however, that the evacuation for Hurricane Rita in 2005 was its own disaster that resulted in loss of life. We are inland quite a ways, and while our county isn't technically an "evacuation county", we can still expect hurricane force winds and a lot of rain depending upon the location of landfall.

One little scary bit: Google Maps currently has Ike going directly over my office:


View Larger Map

NHC and Weather Underground aren't that precise :) Oh, and I'd like to plug the blog of Dr. Jeff Masters of Weather Underground.

NARAL calls Feminists for Life anti-choice

The assertion is laughable on its face.

Serrin Foster, president of Feminists for Life, responds:

The Washington Post noted that, within minutes of the announcement that Alaska Governor Sarah Palin had been named as Senator John McCain’s running mate, NARAL Pro-Choice America sent out a fundraising appeal as well as a text message to its supporters saying the vice presidential candidate is a "member of the anti-choice group Feminists for Life."

WE are anti-choice???

What’s so anti-choice about Feminists for Life’s work to promote holistic, woman-centered solutions—including housing, childcare, maternity coverage, and telecommuting options?

FFL is all about choices—so that no woman feels that she has no choice but abortion.

Which choice is it that NARAL Pro-Choice America doesn’t support? Marital parenthood? Partnered parenthood? Single parenthood? Or the various adoption options that birthmothers choose as best for themselves and their children?

Maybe NARAL forgot that this “anti-choice” feminist was in the room with their representatives working to give women support and choices by successfully supporting the passage of the Violence Against Women Act and enhanced child support enforcement as well as fighting against cuts in benefits for the children of poor women, which were later proven to have coerced more women to have an abortion.

Perhaps they also forgot FFL’s successful effort to secure healthcare for working poor and pregnant women and their unborn children through changes in regulations in the state Child Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Oh, wait, NARAL Pro-Choice America actively opposed our effort to give women support and choices.

Then there was my testimony before the US House Judiciary Committee in support of the passage of the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, also known as Laci and Connor’s Law, which recognizes the loss of an unborn child through violence—against her choice.

Or maybe they are disturbed by the FFL-inspired Elizabeth Stanton Pregnant and Parenting Student Services Act that will help address the unmet needs of pregnant and parenting students on college campuses (that NARAL has been strangely silent about) and that enjoys bipartisan support?

No, NARAL, we are not anti-choice. We are pro-life, just like our feminist foremothers: Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and so many more.

We proudly remember our roots.

And we remember NARAL’s, too, and how NARAL’s co-founder Dr. Bernard Nathanson later became a pro-life activist. He told FFL’s past president Rosemary Bottcher how he and Larry Lader convinced the leaders of the ‘70s women’s movement to support abortion. The real goal of the movement was equality in the workplace, but Nathanson and Lader convinced them that children were an obstacle to success like men’s—and that abortion was the answer.

And we remember NARAL’s former president, Kate Michelman, telling the Philadelphia Inquirer (on tape) that abortion was “a bad thing.”

The early American feminists would have agreed. They knew abortion was not good for women and that it violated basic human rights—long before sonograms showed the unborn child in meticulous, undeniable detail.

This would all be too ridiculous for words, except for the sad fact that NARAL and like-minded abortion activists have the attention of millions of women who have the highest rate of abortion—college-age women.

Trying to marginalize our work to address the unmet needs of women and the “rest of the choices” by slamming Feminists for Life is just par for NARAL Pro-Choice America’s course.

Apparently they are satisfied with millions more women laying their bodies down to undergo a surgical abortion or swallowing a bitter pill called choice.

Apparently they don’t believe women when they say that lack of resources and support drive them to abortion.

Foster also notes that Feminists for Life is receiving greater visibility due to the nomination of Sarah Palin, a member. Regardless of whether Palin is elected, I think this is a good thing:

PS: As you might suspect, interest in Feminists for Life is high, and the phones are ringing off the hook, with interviews in the New York Times, Washington Post, Washington Times, Associated Press, NPR, The Hill, Catholic News Agency, Our Sunday Visitor, mentions on The Today Show, CNN, CBN, Christian News Service, Voice of America and many more.

Note also that Feminists for Life is non-partisan and has members across the political spectrum.

Humbert of Romans on the Rule of St. Augustine

Some commentary by Bl. Humbert of Romans, the fifth Master of the Order of Preachers (1254-1263), on the Rule of Saint Augustine and its application to the Dominican Order.

On the apostolic life:

Saint Augustine shaped his rule on the model of the apostolic life, as is clear from what we sing and read, namely, that he began to live according to the rule laid down by the holy apostles. In one of his sermons he says: "We wish to live the apostolic life." Who doubts that the apostolic life is to be preferred to any other kind of life? With what splendor is that rule to be extolled which is modeled on such an example!

On the rule's "middle path":

Moreover, there are many rules which impose a multitude of physical observances; but the Rule of Saint Augustine is built more on spiritual deeds, such as the love of God and neighbor, the unity of hearts, the harmony of customs, and other such things. Who does not know that spiritual deeds are of more importance than physical exercises? The more a rule deals with spiritual matters rather than physical ones, the more worthy it is of greater praise. Likewise the Rule of Saint Augustine observes such moderation that it avoids the dangerous extremes of too many or too few regulations. It takes the middle path where all virtue lies.

On its suitability for preachers:

The Rule of Saint Augustine, moreover, is more suitable for preachers than for others. It is evident that preachers should be well-read. How fortunate it is that, for those who are well-read and so wish to be his eager pupils, this Rule is solicitous that no day pass without them taking out their books and pursuing those subjects which they are eager to learn or to teach. Likewise, since the Rule of Saint Augustine is derived, as it were, from the model of apostolic life, how completely should all preachers imitate it, since this rule applies more to preachers than do other rules.

Hurricane Gustav



Please keep everyone in the path of Gustav in your thoughts and prayers this week. It looks like the hurricane will be making landfall to the northeast of us, in Louisiana. It has weakened a bit since Cuba; because it is moving at a fairly fast rate (17mph?), it looks like it may not strengthen beyond a Category 3 before it hits land. Still, a very powerful storm.

The following email is from Bruce Trigo, the provincial moderator for the Dominican Laity of the Dominican Province of St. Martin de Porres:

Dear Brothers & Sisters,

As several members of our Dominican family in the Southern Province are once again being threatened by a hurricane(s) I ask for your prayers that the suffering to lives and property will be minimal. I bet many of you are a step ahead of this request and so I say thanks for the prayers and ask that you keep them going.

Mandatory evacuations have been called in for in most areas which affect all the Dominican communities in the Metropolitan areas of New Orleans. The only Dominican Communities unaffected by mandatory evacuations are the Hammond/Ponchatoula areas which are North of Lake Ponchartrain.

I also ask that you remember our family in Cuba as well. Just before the storm I received an email from Alberto Dorta, the Lay Provincial President of Cuba, asking for our prayers and letting me know that we were in their prayers as well.

While this quiet before the storm allows me to write you I suspect that after the storm I will not be able to communicate for awhile.

Sexism

... can come even from anybody these days, including those on the Left. And from women too. Yes, Hillary Clinton pointed it out. Don't be surprised when you see more sexist attacks on Sarah Palin, particularly pertaining to her life before politics, or her motherhood.

And did the nutty National Organization for Women even bother to congratulate Palin, which even Obama, Biden, and Hillary Clinton took the time to do? No. All they care about is their agenda. Palin, a member of Feminists for Life, which actually carries the banner of the early American feminist movement, is too "out of touch" for NOW or Planned Parenthood.

Sarah Palin and Post-Denominationalism

McCain's VP pick is interesting from many angles.

NCR's John Allen on Gov. Sarah Palin and Christian post-denominationalism. Interesting thoughts on contemporary Christianity in America.

The initial confusion surrounding Palin’s denominational identity, therefore, has a simple explanation: She doesn’t have one.

Instead, Palin appears to be part of that rapidly expanding galaxy of “post-denominational” Christianity, where elements of Evangelical and Pentecostal styles of faith and worship fuse into a myriad of unique local combinations, and where old denominational loyalties are essentially dead.

Read more.

Gov. Sarah Palin and Feminists for Life

Just a couple of thoughts. There certainly is the question of her lack of extensive political experience, but I think that Sarah Palin is a fairly solid pick for an "outsider" VP candidate, someone who is willing to stand up to her own Republican party when necessary, as she did in Alaska. Yes, the executive experience is there. Alaska's population is small but not that small... it has more people than Vermont and almost as many as Delaware :)

But what I also think is of importance is that, as a public member of Feminists for Life, Palin can bring greater national visibility to issues that will really benefit women and children, with real solutions to eliminate the problems in our society that drive women to abortion as their "only choice". I'd like to think that Susan B. Anthony would have preferred Palin to Hillary Clinton, but who knows. Palin certainly has the credibility as someone who has had to walk the talk with her own experience of motherhood.

It's good to see a new face and not the same old Washington faces we're used to. Does that mean she has what it takes? Not sure. Alaskan resident and blogger radicalcatholicmom, who blogs at the (mostly) left-leaning Vox Nova blog, has this to say:

My husband and I volunteered on Palin’s Alaska campaign when she ran for Governor. Here are a few of my thoughts:

First: I have known Sarah Palin for years. How? I met her through AK Right to Life. She always came to our fund-raising dinners, she always came to pro-life events (even when she took time off from politics to be home with her children), and one of her kids became AK RTL’s baby mascot for our stationery. She is the real deal when it comes to pro-life matters. This became even more clear when at the age of 44 of this year, she gave birth to a baby with Down’s Syndrome. BTW: No one knew she was pregnant until 1 month before giving birth!

Second: She worked under previous (Catholic-pro-life) Governor Frank Murkowski’s Admin and ended up resigning because the corruption was so blatant and so bad she could not effect change. She gave up her 6 figure income to do so. This catapulted her into stardom for Alaskans.

Third: When she ran for Governor, she was up against the incumbent Murkowski (the least popular Governor in the nation at the time) AND against two-time former super popula,r Governor Democrat Tony Knowles. Husband and I both had deep respect for her so we decided to join her campaign. We were not the only ones. I have worked many a campaign before and this was the first time in my experience where normal, average, non-partisan types joined the campaign. When I decided to wave signs for her on street corners (with my baby strapped on my back), I was blown away by the hundreds of other Alaskans who had the same idea.

Fourth: When she ran for Governor, the AK Republican Party threw fundraisers for Palin’s Democratic rival! No joke! They hated her because she was the one who blew the whistle on their corruption. Big Oil hates her because she refused and refuses to be bribed. She had very little campaign money and her very few tv ads always said “Frugally paid for by the Palin Campaign.” Yet, she won, sweeping the State.

Fifth: I worked the polls on voting day and Democrats, Independents and non-voters alike came to vote for her.

My advice: Don’t underestimate her, my friends.

Last night my husband and I were convinced we would support Obama. Thanks to McCain’s VP choice, we don’t know now.

Augustine and Dominic

Today is the glorious feast day of my patron, St. Augustine of Hippo.

The Church of St. Vincent Ferrer blog discusses today the role of St. Augustine in the Order of Preachers. The Dominicans apply the Rule of Augustine, which was seen as quite flexible for the life of the friars, as unlike other religious orders, they were not confined to perpetual life in the monasteries.

At the time, the bishops judged that groups were multiplying faster than the Church could assure their authenticity. They concluded, therefore, that any new association seeking approval from the Church would have to adopt one of the ancient monastic rules already in use. Among these were the Rules of Augustine, Basil, and Benedict...

After conferring with the brethren, Dominic returned to Rome in 1216 to inform Pope Honorius III (Innocent died just after the Council) that he and his followers had chosen the Rule of Augustine. For many reasons, the choice was a natural one. First of all, Augustine’s was the rule Dominic himself lived under as a canon of the Cathedral of Osma. He knew it by heart, and he understood its potential for forming priests in holiness.

Secondly, Augustine’s rule is one of the more flexible in the Church’s tradition. Unlike St. Benedict, Augustine did [not] use his rule to legislate the particular customs of a monastic community. Instead, he outlined only the general principles that should order a group of monks living together in charity. This flexible rule was more suitable to the new Order of Preachers, whose members would spend a lot of time traveling and preaching outside the priory. Their customs would have to adjust to space and time, all the while being guided by the lasting principles of Christian monasticism.

Lastly, Augustine himself could serve as a saintly example for preachers dedicated to the study of truth. As the greatest of the patristic fathers, St. Augustine demonstrated in his own person that contemplative prayer, deep study, and pastoral care can all coalesce into one fruitful priestly life. His rule bears the marks of one who lived the mixed life perfectly.

For 800 years now, the sons of St. Dominic have lived also as the spiritual sons of St. Augustine.

Holy Father Dominic and my blessed patron, Augustine, intercede for me.

Remember me at the altar of the Lord

Today is the Feast of St. Monica, mother of St. Augustine of Hippo. Augustine records in his Confessions (Book 9, 10-11):

We were overwhelmed with grief, but she held her gaze steadily upon us and spoke further: "Here you shall bury your mother." I remained silent as I held back my tears. However, my brother haltingly expressed his hope that she might not die in a strange country but in her own land, since her end would be happier there. When she heard this, her face was filled with anxiety, and she reproached him with a glance because he had entertained such earthly thoughts. Then she looked at me and spoke: "Look what he is saying." Thereupon she said to both of us: "Bury my body wherever you will; let not care of it cause you any concern. One thing only I ask you, that you remember me at the altar of the Lord wherever you may be."

Pray for us!

Bill Clinton prefers Candidate Y

This is why politics can sometimes be interesting - when the buzz words come down and there is insight into what politicians really think, even if you have to sift through it a little:

Speaking at a forum of ex-world leaders less than a mile from the site of the Democratic National Convention, Bill Clinton drew an analogy that had many wondering whether the former president had made peace with the idea of an Obama candidacy.

"Suppose for example you’re a voter and you have candidate X and you have candidate Y," Clinton said. “Candidate X agrees with you on everything but you don’t think that person can deliver on anything. Candidate Y disagrees with you on half the issues but you believe that on the other half, the candidate will be able to deliver.”

"This is the kind of question that I predict — and this heas [sic] nothing to do with what’s going on now — but I am just saying if you look at five, 10, 15 years from now, you may actually see this delivery issue become a serious issue in Democratic debates because it is so hard to figure out how to turn good intentions into real changes in the lives of the people we represent."

Mmm hmm. So is there an analogy here between candidates X vs. Y and Obama vs. McCain? Or is he merely speaking off the top of his head? Of course, this may have nothing at all to do with what Clinton actually says in his convention speech coming up.

Nancy Pelosi, and what did Augustine say?

Aliens in This World provides a very good analysis:

Nancy Pelosi’s people say that she’s studied the Fathers on abortion, and takes all her inspiration from St. Augustine. They said it was “On Exodus”, but that’s not what you want to look for. What you want is Quaestionum in Heptateuchum. Liber 2 is Quaestiones in Exodum. Go to Section 80. It’s about Genesis 21:22-25 — but a different version from the usual one.

Read the whole analysis.

Reflecting...

During grad school, I led a special weekly "small group" at my university parish. I say it was "special" because it wasn't exactly like the other groups. A few students, no "year-rounders". The students who came to my group tended to be those who had considered leaving the Church. Sometimes they would bring their friends from the evangelical community (which I had been involved with as an undergrad, as a Catholic). The core purpose of the group was to discuss the Scripture readings for the next Sunday's mass. However, the staff had given me permission to use the group to present mini-lessons on the Catholic faith using the Catechism -- basic things. I'm not sure it had a lasting impact, but it was a good opportunity to talk about some things.

On one rare evening, nobody showed up. I hung around for a little while (I studied there typically, no big deal), when suddenly a guy my age came in and walked up the stairs to our lounge. I had never seen him before, and so I thought he was lost; and I suppose he was looking for one of the priests, but they weren't around the office that evening (they were working with RCIA in another room). He came in and sat down. We spent some time talking about life, and he mentioned that that night was the first time he'd set foot in a church in a long while; that he'd wasted the last few years of his life, and his time in college, indulging in the party scene. He revealed to me how something began to eat away inside of him, and he began to see himself as having value. He had realized the horrible ways in which he had treated women, and he knew that God had opened his eyes. He was yearning for the sacraments. I was a little uncomfortable at first, but seeing his sincerity, I couldn't help but see a moment of grace.

Another time I recall when none of the regulars showed up - the evening began the same way. Suddenly, a man, probably in his mid-40's, walked up the stairs and sat down on the couch opposite me. Indeed, he was a regular parishioner at the parish, but he needed to talk to somebody -- one person -- and the priests again weren't available. The man was utterly wracked with guilt. He had been involved in a car accident earlier that day, not too far from the church. The accident wasn't his fault, but it nonetheless resulted in the death of the other driver. I did my best to assure him of God's peace. We talked about life's simple moments, and of connections we make with others, with family, friends. I saw him several times after that night. He never said hello, but he knew who I was, and I knew who he was.

Those moments were so simple. Too simple, even. And yet, they were meaningful. Not only to those guys, but to me. And it wasn't even about me. They helped me. And I came to an even greater appreciation of grace-filled sacraments, and true freedom, holiness in Christ. For me, life is Christ!

From a father to his son...

From a spiritual testament by King Saint Louis IX to his son:

My dearest son, my first instruction is that you should love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your strength. Without this there is no salvation. Keep yourself, my son, from everything that you know displeases God, that is to say, from every mortal sin. You should permit yourself to be tormented by every kind of martyrdom before you would allow yourself to commit a mortal sin.

If the Lord has permitted you to have some trial, bear it willingly and with gratitude, considering that it has happened for your good and that perhaps you well deserved it. If the Lord bestows upon you any kind of prosperity, thank him humbly and see that you become no worse for it, either though vain pride or anything else, because you ought not to oppose God or offend him in the matter of his gifts.

Be kindhearted to the poor, the unfortunate and the afflicted. Give them as much help and consolation oas you can. Thank God for all the benefits he has bestowed upon you, that you may be worthy to receive greater. Always side with the poor rather than with the rich, until you are certain of the truth.

Be devout and obedient to our mother the Church of Rome and the Supreme Pontiff as your spiritual father.

In conclusion, dearest son, I give you every blessing that a loving father can give a sons. May the three Persons of the Holy Trinity and all the saints protect you from every evil. And may the Lord give you the grace to do his will so that he may be served and honored through you, that in the next life we may together come to see him, love him and praise him unceasingly. Amen.