A Priest, A Homily and Courage

H/T Courageous Priest

Cardinal Dolan on CBS re HHS Mandate

Female Genderside

We Have Become a Welfare State!

Now, more than 50% of U.S. households are receiving some sort of government assistance. This compares to 30% in 1983.

As a Catholic, I strongly agree that we must help our neighbor, and I agree we must help those in need. But we have become a welfare state largely because many want a hand-out rather than work. I have seen some of the vehicles drive up to the food pantry in cars a lot newer and more expensive than mine; I have need the woman in a full length fur coat walk into a public disability vehicle for a free ride door to door. But the Bible also tells us "For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat." (2 Thess 3:10 NIV)

There are 305 million people in the U.S. 107 million are means tested to receive government aid. So the many who deserve it due to age or disability - God bless them. But what about the others who are cheating us? We now spend 2.3 Trillion on these programs. We cannot pay for all this. So 1.4 Trillion goes against the Debt, which our children and their children will have to pay. The national debt right now is at $127,584 per person - man, woman, child.

Now we cannot even imagine a Trillion dollars. Let's make an effort to understand this. H/T to PageTutor.com.

A one hundred dollar bill.

A pack of 100 100 Dollar Bills = $10,000

One Million

100 Million - 100 Packs

One Billion Dollars

One Trillion Dollars

Note: these are $100 dollar bills and they are double stacked.

Now double this and add a bit more and you can visualize how much we are providing in entitlements - in ONE year.

God help us!

Are We China Now?

I've just heard a report that Planned Parenthood is now counseling women how to abort based on the baby's gender. Unbelievable! In this case, a women went into a PP mill and asked how to determine the sex of the baby. and then, if it was a girl how to abort. She was advised how to get an ultrasound with public funds and then to come back to PP for the abortion.

Now a babies gender cannot be determined until 20 weeks - so now it is considered a late term abortion.

Even more unbelievable, only four states prohibit abortions based on gender. So yes, we have become China. And 47% of Planned Parenthood funding is from the U.S. Taxpayer.

Reflection - Pentecost

Following the recommendation in Rediscovering Catholicism by Mathew Kelly, I’m trying to do a better job of reviewing the readings the night before, and, yes, I’m jotting down notes on the homily. The Gospel tells us that Jesus, when he visited his disciples after his resurrection twice said “Peace be with you.” I wondered why he had to say it twice. Then I realized right after he said it the first time, we are told that the disciples rejoiced. I can imaging them jumping up and down, hugging each other, elated at the sight of Jesus. So Jesus had to say it a second time, in effect saying, “Hey, pipe down. I have something else to say.” The second reading tells us that the Holy Spirit gives, “to each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit.” Not some, not a majority, but to each. We all are one part of His body, the Church, so we each have a job to do. So I think we need to listen and be open to His promptings. Often, when we think we know what He wants us to do, we find something entirely different. Some jobs are greater, some more humble. Some do their job by raising a family - teaching their children of their faith. Some have slowed down - but if nothing else they can pray. We all can proclaim the Gospel to our family, friends, fellow workers, and neighbors. We should not hide our faith, but proclaim it. I don’t think this calling is only directed to the mission of the Church or spiritual matters, but to secular or societal matters as well. We know the condition our society is in. We need to be that leaven to call ourselves and others to the mission of service to our fellow sojourners and make this a better place for ourselves, our children and the generations to come. He will tell you what to do. Simply find a quiet place and ask. You might not get an immediate answer, but He will answer.

Religious Liberty Prayer

We are Catholic

To Be Born

Do you have 15 minutes? Well, less than that really. Do you want to see the Truth? Reality? Then my all means, watch this video.

Burning Incense in Church

“The fragrance of incense in church or in our homes reminds us by analogy of the fragrance of virtue and by contrast of the evil odor of sins, and teaches those who are inattentive to inward feelings to avoid the stench of the passions, of intemperance, fornication, malice, envy, pride, despair and to adorn ourselves with every Christian virtue; the incense reminds us of the Apostle’s words: ‘For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved, and in them that perish; to the one we are the savour of death unto death and to the other the savour of life unto life’ (2 Cor. 2:15-16)

 -- St. John of Kronstadt, My Life in Christ

And Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it. Every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall burn it, and when Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he shall burn it, a regular incense offering before the Lord throughout your generations. (Exodus 30:7-8)

For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts. (Malachi 1:11)

“When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. 3 And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, 4 and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel.” (Revelation 8:1-4)

In the last year, I can only recall my parish burning incense once, and that was for the Easter Vigil.

Why is this? Is it because the pastors are being politically correct? I understand this beautiful fragrance might be bothersome to some. Perhaps they have an allergy. So does the majority have to be deprived of this? There is an easy solution - just announce it ahead of time.

In the post-Vatican II world there seems to be an effort to make Catholicism more Protestant  looking - just look at some of our new churches - easily mistaken for a theater in the round. I, for one, think it is time we reclaim our traditions.

Incense reminds us that we are in a sacred place. It reminds us, assures us, of the Holy Presence. It is a sign that our prayers rise to heaven as does the incense smoke. The smoke forms a cloud and this is a symbol of God's presence, ref. Exodus 13:22, 40:34.