Merry Christmas To All

He who transcends time...

...has entered time.

Thank you, God.


Happy "Birth"day to Our Saviour.

"I'm Lovin' It???"

McDonald’s says they "stand by and support our people to live and work in a society free of discrimination and harassment," here is what they won’t tell you. McDonald’s helped sponsor the San Francisco Gay Pride Parade. Want to see what McDonald’s considers worthy of support? Click here. (Warning: These photos are extremely offensive and graphic.)

AFA asked McDonald’s to remain neutral in the culture war. The company refused, stating they will continue to support the gay agenda including same-sex marriage. AFA has called for a boycott of McDonald’s restaurants.

McDonald’s spokesman Bill Whitman told the Washington Post that those (even Christians) who oppose homosexual marriage are motivated by hate, saying that "... hatred has no place in our culture."

This boycott is not about hiring homosexuals or how homosexual employees are treated. It is about McDonald’s choosing to put the full resources of their corporation behind promoting the homosexual agenda.

To help promote the gay agenda, McDonald’s paid $20,000 to become an official "organizational ally and corporate partner" of the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and secure a seat on the group’s board of directors. The NGLCC lobbies against laws protecting marriage as between a man and a woman.

Sincerely,

Donald E. Wildmon

Founder and Chairman American Family Association

Birth "Control?"

Anyone else getting sick of contraception commercials???
I bet we see 2 for every half hour tv show we watch.

Now women get to only have one menstrual cycle per year.
Give me a break. Like that's good for the body?!?!?

What's next?

"If you're tired of having cycles and all those womanly things....our new 'pill' removes your entire insides - ovaries and all!"

Honestly, it's a bit ridiculous...

Response for Life

Today in a local Catholic newspaper, the following Letter to the Editor was printed. My response to the letter follows. Hopefully the paper prints it:

To the Editor:
I read with great interest Patricia Zapor's June 13 Catholic News Service article "Professor Refused Communion over Obama Support" in a local newspaper.

Although [my wife and I] consider ourselves conservative, we have a strong feeling this year to vote for Sen. Barack Obama, chiefly for reasons of "change" and for reasons against Sen. John McCain's stance on the Iraqi war resulting in continual killings and devastation.

While we do understand Sen. Obama's stance on abortion, which is unfortunate, we understand Sen. McCain's stance on the Iraqi war that results in continual "murder" of our own soldiers and innocent lives.

If Pepperdine law professor Douglas Kmiec, an active pro-life advocate, and endorser of Sen. Obama, was refused Communion on the basis of his support of a candidate, what, indeed, is the Catholic Church's teaching on supporting either candidate?

Stanley M. Kochanek
Berlin, NJ

In response to Stanley Kochanek’s Letter to the Editor

With the horror of war, we must realize that the objective is not to murder the “innocent”, whereas in abortion it is the reason for it.

War is an atrocity, there’s no question about it. Abortion is double the atrocity, which is why it is the primary concern in the USCCB Voter’s Guide. If you review these several items of importance from the Bishops, you’ll see that Senator Obama is by far the worst candidate for the Presidency. By contrast, that doesn’t mean Senator McCain is the best. Thankfully, we have more than two choices.

No Catholic should be voting for Senator Obama who, in addition to supporting partial-birth abortion, believes an aborted child who is removed from its mother’s womb with vital signs can still be killed by an abortionist.

It’s reported that on average nearly 50 troops and civilians have lost their lives each day in Iraq.
Conversely, 126,000 innocent children are aborted worldwide every single day.

I agree with Mr. Kochanek.

Come November, a “change” in the “continual murder of…innocent lives” is a moral imperative.

"The One Up Above"

What does that mean when we refer to the "one up above?" Conventional wisdom would say the person is talking about their God. Well, how can we know this God is up above and not below, behind, or in front? Why do we say this? I say it. When thanking God, I look up. When in doubt, I look up. I don't look down. I don't turn around and talk to the back of my chair - that's for certain. Rightfully, I could look at anything and thank God - for God is through, with, and in everything we see (all that is good and has come to be).

So, how did this come about?

I wondered about this during Adoration this afternoon. People say God is above them and the evil one below them. Is this absolutely true? I assume we say this because we look at the hierarchy of creation and so we think of the King of Creation as being above us. Are peasants ever above the King? Certainly not. So with God above us, satan must be beneath us, right? I beg to differ.

Satan can never be beneath us unless we make a concerted effort to keep him there. Walk around the city, notice him among our brothers and sisters - in false prophets, "adult" book stores, "planned" parenthoods, etc. Is he ever below us? Never. He is among us and in fact sometimes (and maybe a lot of times, and sadly) above us, replacing our Creator. When we put ourselves, money, fame, debauchery before God, satan takes His place above us - where he wants to reign forever.

So my brothers and sisters, be mindful of He who should be above you and he who should be beneath you. Our God only wants happiness for us. He has sent many a prophet to speak to us about getting closer to him and letting us know how much he loves us. The Bible is a Book of Love - intimate love. This God who created everything - even us - asks for our love so we can join him in paradise for eternity. We're far from him, but He gave us the Way back. There is absolute Truth and it came in the form of a man. God so loved the world...

He gives us the path and sheds his grace upon us to get closer to him to enthrone him on our heart's mantle. In our Exodus from Egypt, he gave us manna for the journey. Our new Exodus is from eternal damnation and our new manna is his only Son in the Most Holy Eucharist. We eat this new Bread and we're filled with so much grace. Why does God continually give us his love? How do we deserve any of it?

That is true love.

He wants us to return home. We're not destined for earthly residence, but the Heavenly Jerusalem. We know no better, but our Father continues to give us grace so we make it home. We are all Prodigal Sons, but we won't find true happiness and our heart's delight until we allow His love to penetrate our darkened souls.

We must never lose sight of the fact that we are either Saints or outcasts, that we must love for Heaven or for Hell; there is no middle path in this.

- St. John Vianney

Amen Soul Sista!!!

Well, someone check my pulse.
What have you found? Am I dead?
No?
Check it again.
And?
Still says I'm alive?

Wow.

Well, I thought I'd pass from this earth before a media source such as the Philadelphia Daily News printed something I'd actually read, but it's happened:

Christine Flowers' piece on Bill Maher today.

"Just the facts, ma'am."

"Whom are you looking for?"

Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!
our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
who did once upon the cross, Alleluia!
suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!

Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia!
unto Christ, our heavenly King, Alleluia!
who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia!
sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia!

But the pains which he endured, Alleluia!
our salvation have procured, Alleluia!
now above the sky he's King, Alleluia!
where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!

GREAT Friday

What a paradox this day in history is: a gruesome death, yet a defeat that leads to everlasting life. A sure stumbling block for some to comprehend.

The Passion gets glossed over too much, because we're quick to look to the Resurrection or we hang crosses in our homes without the Corpus. We don't want to see our Savior depicted in this manner, because it's easier to ignore the reality of the event. When we do this, we fail to acknowledge the Cross and how Christ Crucified suffered for our fallen humanity.

"Keep your eyes on the crucifix, for Jesus without the cross is a man without a mission, and the cross without Jesus is a burden without a reliever."
Archbishop Fulton Sheen

"Sumite: hoc est corpus meum"

A happy Holy Thursday to everyone to begin their Easter Triduum. A reminder to all that the last will be first and that we're here to serve.

May the Lord bless you and keep you; may His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; may He look upon you kindly and give you His peace.

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Many blessings to some dear friends who got married in India on February 01, 2008. Keep checking EWTN, they'll probably have their own show in a year or two.

PETRA SUPER PETRAM

Thanks be to God

I want to wish all of you a most blessed Thanksgiving. With our first child due only 9 days from today, this will be a very special Thanksgiving for us.

In the spirit of the holiday, may you all first give thanks to God for his many blessings upon you and your family; and especially for your life.

Don't forget your special intentions before digging into that sacrificial bird tomorrow! Maybe "saying grace" can become commonplace in your families before all meals. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden!

Pax et Bonum!

FORTY

October 22, 2007: 40 days left until my first child is due! It is hard to believe time has moved so quickly. I am so thankful to Our Creator, who has granted my wife and me the ability to produce human life. Thank you, Father.

In recognizing the meaningful number of days ahead of us, my wife and I declare more prayer and fasting for our baby's coming. I am like Easter-excited!

Lots of prayers for this child. And soon, he/she comes...

I waited patiently for the Lord
He inclined and heard my cry.
He brought me right out of the pit,
out of my miry clay.
I will sing a new song,
How long to sing this song?
He set my feet upon a rock,
and made my footsteps heard.
Many will see,
Many will see and fear.
I will sing, sing a new song.
How long to sing this song?

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Thanks be to Mike Lehr (for many things). My dear brother since Architecture School. We became roommates at a very crucial time for each of us and both had something the other needed. Mike's love of God (and example) couldn't have come at a better time for me. A time when college life had me questioning my faith in God. Not sure where I'd be without the guy. A true ambassador to Christ.

Thank you, Mike.