My Star Trek Review - updated

AWE. SOME.

(go see it)

===================

Update
To expound just a touch on my "two word" review of yesterday.

This movie took off with a bang that had me in tears before the opening title even came up.

I couldn't understand how reviewers were saying that this movie completely retools the Star Trek franchise while leaving it just the same. Having seen the movie, I must kiss the feet of the scriptwriters and director J.J. Abrams. Brilliantly done.

Simply put, Star Trek features the main characters of the original series, portrayed by a new cast, that shows their back story. The film introduces an alternate reality that is distinct from the original series and the other Star Trek movies. Simultaneously it leaves every character both somewhat changed and also completely true to themselves as we know them from the past. Not simple, I know. But they pulled it off.

This movie can be enjoyed by anyone but will be most enjoyed by fans of the original series as that is where tons of references lead. It is played with zest by a great set of actors whose risk taking paid off in taking these parts in a movie that may or may not work (Abrams being that sort of director). That left a solid core of Star Trek fans in the showing we attended laughing and clapping all through the movie. Which made it a lot of fun to watch.

I also didn't understand why girls were thrilling to Chris Pine as Captain Kirk. Blond haired, blue eyed boys are not that interesting to me. (Zachary Quinto in Heroes is much more my style ...) That is, until you see Pine is actually playing James Dean on a starship. (I found it both amusing and interesting to see just how they managed to keep him wearing black as much as possible.) As the movie went on and he became more and more dangerous looking, his appeal grew and grew. And, yes girls, I get it. Oh yeah ...

This is a movie that was applauded with gusto when it ended. And rightly so.

Later, Tom and I were comparing big summer movies. Star Trek or The Dark Knight? Hands down. Star Trek.

===================

Updated More
Reading Gina's comments about Star Trek, good, and evil made me decide to go ahead and post these thoughts. I also was thinking this morning that Star Trek (the movie, anyway) promotes the power of discernment and using one's own gifts the proper way. In Kirk we see both the rebel without a cause and the rebel with a cause. He has been helped along by a father figure who knows just how to motivate a rebel in the right way. How does Kirk use his gifts for good and not evil? This is also shown in Spock from a different perspective. Both are fighting personal demons to find the path they should take. The movie's writers may or may not have had this in mind, but a good story always contains at the base elements of Truth. This search for discernment and "self" is one such thing.

One Last Update
I've had a couple of people ask me about having their kids see it. Of course, it depends on what the kid is used to. It is rated PG-13 for sci-fi action and violence, and brief sexual content. Compared to most movies these days, this is the low end of the PG-13 rating spectrum. I see as much or more violence and sex than this on television, sad to say. Now that I think of it, it is much more like the TV show was (when transferred to a movie) where they weren't afraid to show someone taking a few hard punches to the face or to show Kirk putting on his boots (gasp) after a liaison with a beautiful woman. Though the sexuality is more than that, it is still fairly modest by today's standards.





SPOILER
just one that I can't resist ... down at the bottom to let the RSS feed folks avoid it if they want.






















Never in a thousand years would I have dreamed of seeing Spock with his hand on Uhura's a**. But it worked.

I have been meaning to mention New Advent for some time

Not only New Advent where you can find entries from the old Catholic Encyclopedia, but their main page is a treasure trove of links to happening news from around the blogosphere, mostly Catholic but also of general interest.

Kudos to Kevin Knight who posts this info. It is my main source for keeping tabs on lots of blogs I don't have time to visit regularly. I nominated them for a Catholic New Media Award as a matter of fact.

Imagine the Potential: Kinship

The newest ad from CatholicVote.org ... just as wonderful as the one featuring President Obama the preceded it.



Via Amy Welborn.

Top 10 Saying of Biblical Mothers ...

... will be appearing in the sidebar from day to day. If you can't wait that long to see them all, click through on the link there to Coffee Klatch.

Brilliant. Funny. And a Perfect Mother's Day Gift

Check out how you can send a personalized video to moms you want to honor.

I am linking to Sarah, the snoring scholar who is a truly awesome mom (and has the video to prove it) ... since her friend sent her one, I am skipping her in my list.

All the News That's Fit to Print ... and Punny Headlines Too

“Newspapers, however rare and financially weak, can adapt and ultimately conquer the threat posed by the Internet, the Justice Department’s Carl Shapiro told a House panel.

'We do not believe any new exemptions for newspapers are necessary,’ said Shapiro, an assistant attorney general for economics.”

From this week's Congressional hearing,
where newspaper executives pleaded
they need a change in antitrust law to survive

Truer words were never spoken.

Longtime readers know that my husband and I became disgusted with the sensationalistic coverage at the Dallas Morning News, canceled our subscription, and casting about for something to read with our morning coffee landed upon The Wall Street Journal. We knew not how well we chose at the time, but we know it full well now.

Even though the WSJ is a business and financial newspaper, surprisingly they have many articles that amuse, inform, and delight us every morning. Rare is the day that we don't have conversational fodder from several sources, especially as Tom and I have essentially different interests. Even more surprising is the way that the WSJ covers some business and financial news in a way that I actually am interested in reading. That is something I never could have predicted. Not all of it, mind you, but getting me to read any of it is quite a feat. As well, the editorial page has surprising sources for both authors and letters to the editor. As with all media, one must read with a discerning eye to the media's natural bent, but this is offset a surprising number of times by editorials proclaiming an opinion that one would definitely not expect in a conservative financial publication.

Our appreciation for the WSJ has been emphasized recently by the fact that the Dallas Morning News has been tossed on our lawn, evidently gratis, for the last week. What a shock to pick it up and find so little type for so many pages. Even more shocking was the reminder of how lackluster and lightweight their coverage has become. Even in the local and specialty sections (books, food, entertainment) there is mostly syndicated material which simply paddles in the shallow end of any subject. No need for a Congressional hearing to see why this newspaper isn't making it. I remember the days when there were vibrant movie, food, and religion sections (yes, that religion section made me look forward to the Saturday paper, believe it or not) which gradually have all been axed or pruned ruthlessly in favor of ... well, I'm not sure why. Our only assumption is that the accountants are running the papers instead of newspapermen. It is like seeing the local paper has become a Dallas edition of USA Today. Very sad.

Although I no longer miss the comics and found an online source for television listings, we do miss seeing local advertising. However, this has been largely replaced in our household by the ads in our neighborhood magazine and The Dallas Observer. For local news, the blogs of the Observer and D Magazine suffice, especially as most of it is something I do not miss either. In short, this may be the wave of future media: the rise of the small, specialized publication catering to specific areas.

Enough of that. Here are only a few of the stories I have enjoyed recently (you may also find some from further back here):

• How an Evolutionary Garden Grows: The diverse plant and tree collection of the Cambridge University Botanic Garden is arranged according to the classification system of a 19th-century book.
• Behind the Scenes at the Met: At the Metropolitan Opera House, what's happening on the main stage is only a fraction of what's happening in the house.
• New 'Star Trek': A Splendid Enterprise
• Obama and the 9/11 Families: The president isn't sincere about 'swift and certain' justice for terrorists.
• After the Apocalypse: A New Zealand teacher imagines the world in the wake of a disaster (a review of Genesis, which I read about elsewhere just yesterday and am interested in)
• Two escapism trends following those of the Great Depression: cookbooks and candy bars
  
• Taking One Day at a Time: A Jewish holiday encourages some inner reflection.
  
• What a Mom Wants: Here's a hint: It's not more hours on the job.
  
• New Ways to Buy Bach Online: Classical Archives, a new digital store focused exclusively on classical music, promises to give classical composers their due.

As well, another morning delight is that someone at the WSJ delights in word play as much as we do. It is not unusual for one or the other of us to suddenly read a headline aloud and then wait with a smile for the other to see the pun. In case this doesn't make me geeky enough, I have begun keeping them listed in a notebook. When I read them out to Mom the other day she was laughing aloud. These alone are enough to lure me through all the sections of the paper and often have me perusing a story I never would have seen otherwise. Here are just a few of my favorites:

• Alcoa Foils Investors with Offering
• GE to Shed Light on Its Properties
• Can Palm Squeeze the Blackberry
• McDonald's Pounds Out Good Quarter
• Ban on Foot-Nibbling Fish Leaves Nail Salon on the Hook
• A Look Into Future Oceans for Shellfish Reasons

And our current favorite, the one that made us both break into peals of laughter, which is a great way to begin the day:

• The Cranes in Spain Point Mainly to a Strain

Thank you WSJ.

This is Seriously Cool ... Huffduffer

Like an RSS reader but for podcasts!

My mind reels.

The possibilities are staggering.

Plus your Huffduffer page creates an RSS feed and iTunes feed for your selections. So I now have Scott D's feed in my iTunes. (Is that like getting chocolate in my peanut butter? I think it is!).

I found this at Concerning Rivets and Trees which Scott has resurrected and I am just now catching up on.

It works a lot like Google Reader, but takes a little more work. You find the location of an MP3 you want to share, enter that location into your Huffduffer account, add some description data, and post. It then appears in your feed. It’s useful for aggregating things you want to listen to, or for sharing things you have heard. Super easy, super useful, and super free.

I can testify that it is super easy.

Here is my Huffduffer page which I set up in about five minutes. The thing that took the longest was deciding what to link to ... which is some terrific Lyrics Uncovered info about the Beatles.

The Angels and Their Mission: According to the Fathers of the Church

If the mystery of the Nativity is also that of the revelation made by the angels of heaven to those of earth, then the mystery of the Ascension is the mystery of the revelation made by the angels of earth to the angels of heaven. Just as, at the Nativity, we see the Word descend, surrounded by the angels of heaven, and meet the guardian angels of earth, so now we see Him rise, accompanied by the angels of earth, and meet the angels who guard the gates of heaven. but these do not recognize Him, because He appears united to the human nature that He assumed and bearing the marks of His Passion. Thus, they question the angels who are accompanying Him to find out who He is. This is a traditional theme, resting principally upon two biblical texts, Psalm 23:7-10, which has already been seen, and Isaiah 63:1: "Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bosra?"

[...]

Thus, the mystery of the Ascension completely amazes the angels of heaven. for what it reveals to them is really a mystery, hidden up to then, an entirely new reality, disconcerting at first glance. The cosmological presentation of the descent and ascent must not deceive us. The true mystery of the nativity is the self-abasement of the divine Person of the Word, a "little lower than the angels." And the true mystery of the Ascension is the exaltation of human nature above all the worlds of the angels. That is the real double mystery which is dramatically represented by the descent and ascent in the midst of the choirs of angels. But this "dramaturgy," as St. Gregory Nazianzen calls it, must not conceal the reality it bears beneath it. It represents an overthrow of the natural order of things resulting from the revelation of a reality absolutely new and unforeseeable. That is why it throws the angels into a state of astonishment.

Perhaps this is something you already knew. I thought I had read a lot about angels and I was in a state of astonishment having read it as ... well, not as great as the angels mentioned above ... but I was pretty darned astonished. I have presented here only the essence of the passage and the careful reader will want to get the book and read all the thinking from the Fathers for themselves. However, I am left asking myself just how our current writings about angels have gotten so flat and boring when there is such richness in what the Fathers of the Church have already mined for us to consider.

The late Cardinal Jean Danielou was interested in considering the role of the angels in the economy of salvation. This prompted him to study the the Fathers writings and examine at the role of angels from the beginning of history. For is not history the story of salvation, at least as seen through the lens of faith that the Bible? The results are, as I have mentioned, rich and inform us about many things that we may never have considered such as angels, world religion, and why many religions may share a few common elements and then widely diverge. Fascinating. Completely logical.

When I mentioned some of the things I had learned from this book in passing to our learned priest, his face lit up and he instantly began chiming in with the same information that I was reading in the book. Obviously, the knowledge is being taught somewhere, just not to those of us with more mundane habits. This slender volume is just the ticket to fill in those gaps.

This book is not light, bedtime reading. However, neither is it so dense that one cannot struggle through. As evidence, consider that I devoured it in a few days. It does require attention and some thought but it is well worth it.

For instance, as a more prosaic example, I never thought about why the Church prayers for the dead may mention ... yes ... angels.

It is hardly astonishing then, that the Fathers of the Church picture the angels assisting the soul at the moment of death and leading it to paradise. Tertullian writes in De Anima, "When, by the force of death, it [the soul] is snatched from the weight of the flesh that closed it in, it trembles with excitement to see the face of the angel, the summoner of souls, realizing that its eternal abode has been prepared." The same doctrine often appears in Origen. Pseudo-Justin writes, "Immediately after the soul leaves the body, there follows a separation of the just from the sinners. Then they are led by the angels to the places they are deserving of ... John Chrysostom says, "If we need a guide in passing from one city to another, how much more will the soul need someone to point out the way when she breaks the bonds of flesh and passes on to the future life."

That is why the prayers for the dead invoke the assistance of the angels. These prayers present a twofold aspect. On the one hand, the guardian of the soul is asked to accompany it during its voyage to heaven. ...

[...]

Secondly, the angels of heaven, the guardians of paradise, are asked to permit the soul to enter there. Here once again we find that there are two groups: the angels of earth and the angels of heaven. Just as the liturgy invokes the angels who lead the soul into paradise, it also contains allusions to those who welcome the soul there. The Apostolic Constitutions contain a prayer for the dead that is drawn up in this manner: "Cast thine eyes upon thy servant. Forgive him if he has sinned and make the angels well disposed toward him."

Highly recommended.

This book was reviewed as part of The Catholic Company's reviewer program. Read more reviews here. Order the book from The Catholic Company here.

Not One, Not Two, But Three Catholic Awards Underway

The Curt Jester points out that in addition to our previously mentioned Cannonball Awards and Catholic New Media Awards ... there is a third set of awards out there ...

Another set of awards also in its 2nd year is the Eastern Christian New Media Awards. Too often the Eastern rites of the Church are forgotten. They are currently taking nominations and voting will start in June.

I'm looking forward to exploring these blogs and podcasts.

John Scalzi ... He's More Than Just An Author

The publicist at Roc sent me an e-mail asking me: “Won’t you please let us know if you write something about Flood, Stephen Baxter’s terrifyingly apocalyptic novel about the last days of dry land here on Earth?” And I said “Hey, why are you writing to me in blurb form?” And they said “I can’t help myself, because Flood’s gripping narrative of global warming taken to its natural and compelling conclusion has robbed me of my ability to speak genuine narrative and instead I must speak only in flap-copy-ready bites!” And I said, “That kinda sucks,” and they said, “Yes, but Flood, Stephen Baxter’s all-too-plausible vision of the ecological near future, does not!” And that’s pretty much where we left it. All I know is that I’ve been a fan of Baxter ever since he had the last creature descended of human stock attached to a super-tree by an umbilicus in Evolution, because, dude, we all knew we were going to end up as tree monkeys anyway, right? In any event, Flood, Stephen Baxter’s deeply moist tale of heavy-duty civilizational inundation, is out today. Also, it is not Stephen Baxter’s birthday. I feel I need to throw that out there.

He's a darned funny blogger as well.

Not only can he write a great book mention but his sad tale of just why Obama's first 100 days are an abysmal failure brings a tear to the eye ... or a smile to the face. At least it isn't the same ol', same ol' and it entertained.

I knew that John Scalzi had a rep as a writer of funny sci-fi but never could get my hands on his books. Then StarShipSofa featured one of his stories and I loved it. So I finally was able to query the library computer system in such a way that forced it to admit that the Dallas Public Library did indeed have a few of those books and that they would indeed send a couple to my nearest branch. And I see that Agent to the Stars is waiting for me to swing by and get it today. Can't wait for quittin' time ...

Baby William and His Baby Bobbi Bear

Here is the photo as promised of my finished Baby Bobbi Bear ... as you can see it is almost as big as William himself is ... although that will change very soon!

It was universally acclaimed as being a feat near to rocket science and also as an adorable bear.

I have four friends who all are having babies in the near future and foresee that I will be knitting bears in my spare time for the next month or two. I will say that it went quickly, being knitted in my spare time within the last two weeks. Although I did have a little problem coming up to the deadline and wound up spending a fair part of Sunday devoted to finishing up this little guy ... I do hate knitting to a deadline!

A few comments:

• The pattern says it is for advanced beginners. I would debate this as the pattern itself is incompletely worded. For example, the additional explanations for ear stitch count refer the knitter to reread the “increase” description, when what is actually used is “make one” stitch. Not a huge problem but the knitter must have a good ability to visualize pattern and adjust on the fly. I tended to trust to fate and that it would become more obvious when I was making it ... which is what happened.
  
• The duplicate stitch around the neck which is intended for further definition did not work well on my bear and from the photos on Ravelry, I am not the only person with this problem. I am thinking about experimenting with a couple of decrease rows after picking up the neck stitches ... and then doing the called for increases to shape the head. This would help define the neck, without the time taken for duplicate stitches which didn't do much.
  
• I liked the Blue Sky Alpaca organic cotton yarn as it knit up nice and soft but am dubious about giving a baby something that must be hand washed. Also, three times, the yarn simply broke and it was never at a time when it was easy to undo so I had enough length to weave in and then begin again. I am looking for substitutes but most of the cotton yarns I come across seem to be less hefty. You need something that knits up fairly tightly so the stuffing doesn't show through.

Pittsburgh Pilgrimage ... not ths year

Trinity Churchyard taken by Father Pitt
(go to the link for more photos)

Sadly, the Trinity Churchyard is a sight that I will have to wait to see. I am sorry to say that we failed to meet the necessary quorum for the Pittsburgh Pilgrimage. I am not sure if we just hit the economy at a bad time or if it was a combination of many factors. I am hoping that possibly the economy will be better next year and that we may revive the pilgrimage.

What I am sure of is that there are no words to convey how much I am touched by Mike Aquilina's and Chris Bailey's whole-hearted support and generosity in working on this pilgrimage idea. Certainly I never would have had the enjoyment of our frequent emails on this and other subjects, not to mention the pleasure of discovering Chris's other enjoyable blogs: Dr. Boli's Celebrated Magazine, Official Harding-Agnew Campaign Site, and Father Pitt.

As I will not have the pleasure of providing this book to a few in Pittsburgh by hand as I had planned to do, please allow me to recommend to you, Praying the Psalms with the Early Christians by Mike and Chris. That is something that we can all enjoy and that is quite affordable!

Announcements, Notices, Inbox ... You Get the Idea

Free Books for Bloggers

As a member of our Reviewer Program, you'll have a chance to pick a free review product from a list of items currently available. We usually have 10 to 15 items to choose from, and they are always recent releases or relevant to current events. All we ask from you is to post an honest review of the product sent to you!

Your review could be as simple or as complex as you'd like. We expect you to be more interested in some products you receive, so it's natural for some reviews to be better than others. Sometimes, you may get a product you don't care for at all. That's alright, we still want your honest review!

Yep, The Catholic Company is back looking for more bloggers to review books. As a member of the gang I can testify that they have top notch authors and titles.

Big C Catholics

Big C Catholics is for Catholics who are faithful to the Magisterium and seek the fullness of truth. This is a place to reflect on and renew our faith, deepen our commitment to love and receive guidance on our spiritual journey. We seek to promote understanding of authentic Catholic teachings among Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

We are currently accepting homilies, short to medium length articles, reflections, commentaries, and reviews of publications of interest to orthodox Catholics. All submissions will be considered, however, we focus on theology, the complementarity of faith and reason, and other issues relevant to the life of the Church.

Sounds like lots of good reading and writing opportunities will be available. Check it out.

Catholicflux

With a history spanning almost two thousand years, the Roman Catholic Church is one of the world's oldest institutions. But what about the Church today? Recent years have seen the rise of secularism and the demise of religion -- is it still relevant? This blog will look at Catholicism today; where it came from, where it is now and where it's going.

A thoughtful looking blog joins the blogosphere.

All Prisoner, All the Time

THE PRISONER Fact #9
Yes, #6 catches the swine flu. He catches it, has a few quiet conversations with it, and persuades it to attack #2.

Aha! So at last I have tracked down the commenter cracking me up with trivia from The Prisoner. Ok. I exaggerate. He gave me the link. And it is not all Prisoner, all the time ... but for quite a lot of it. Check out new blog Reactionary Drivel.

Award-ish Things

Catholic New Media - Nominations
As I mentioned before, the Catholic New Media Awards are accepting nominations. I finally got done making mine ... it really gets tough respecting nominating only one person per category. Great idea but winnowing down the many wonderful blogs and podcasts is not easy.

By the way, be sure to check out their FAQ with any questions. I'm just trying to save you from looking as stupid as I did after I emailed asking, "What the heck is a People's Choice Award?" Only to find out that it was the first question in their FAQ. Although, not one to throw out the baby with the bath water, I am pleased to see that my guess was right. They could also have called it the "Wild Card" award.

2009 Cannonball Awards - Polls Open
I see that while my back was turned (and while I was knitting furiously ... yes, furiously ... on that Baby Bobbi bear this weekend) the polls opened for the 2009 Cannonball Awards. Voting is open through May 23 so you have a nice long time to check out all the entries in the categories. Vote (and view nominations) by clicking on the categories in the sidebar.

If you're at a loss as to who to select in the Spiritual Treat category, you certainly may feel free to click on Happy Catholic. Likewise, may I recommend in the Best Blog by a Heretic, voting for my pal Good News Film Reviews. Heck, follow the link and go read his review of The Wrestler. Rose already told me all about it but after reading his review I may go ahead and watch it anyway. Yes. He's that good.

Reason #3,476 I Love the Internet

Because you can read Bram Stoker's Dracula ... real time!

YES!

Quick, go check it out. It's May 4 ... and that is the diary entry for today in Jonathan Harker's journal.

And puhleez, don't even comment on how easily entertained I am. I already know. Via Neatorama.

Happy Anniversary ... to Me!

More properly, Happy Anniversary to Happy Catholic.

I was reading Pioneer Woman's anniversary post, when it suddenly sprang to my startled mind that I began this blog sometime in early May. Didn't I?

When I checked the archives, I see that it was five years ago on May 2.

Did you catch that?

Five. years. ago.

Well, knock me over with a feather. No wonder I have 8,126 posts. Plus this one, natch.

I remember well those shy days of cringing when I pushed the "publish post" button and dared enter the blogosphere ... I don't think that lurking counted as being part of the blogosphere. I was a first class lurker though. It didn't take me all that long to get used to just putting it out there (we're not going to get into whether that is bad or good ... remember this is a celebration).

My first posts, on May 2, 2004, were:

• Work is Spiritual ... quoting extensively from a book.
• Jesus' Temptations in the Wilderness ... again quoting extensively from a book
• A Gaelic Blessing ... called down upon whoever stole our lawnmower that day ... my attempt at humor

So I see that I began as I meant to go on. Lots of other people's thoughts and my own attempts at humor. (ha! well, at least I make myself laugh ... someone's gotta!)

Much thanks to those who have been here from the beginning ... all 10 of you!

And many thanks also to those who have dropped in along the way and then kept coming back.

I am enjoying every minute of it (and we all know it's all about me, right?). Hopefully there is a bit of entertainment and information here for you as well.

A Little Weekend Reading

The Shroud of Turin in 2010 ... prompted by the news that the shroud will be exhibited next year, The Anchoress follows her thoughts to the fact that although the shroud may show us Jesus it does not reflect Jesus. Exactly. Maybe that's why I've never cared about it one way or the other. A good contemplation no matter which side of the fence you sit on.

Angels and Demons

Golly. I thought ANGELS AND DEMONS by Dan Brown would turn out to be just an ordinary run-of-the-mill Catholic-bashing hate-fest. But, no, the whoppers told strain credulity. Do people actually know that little about history? It seems that they do.

... John C. Wright writhes in agony over the many historical inaccuracies in Dan Brown's latest work to come to film. Why this surprises him I am not sure as Brown is not accurate about much as far as I know. I always like Wright's turn of phrase and, for me anyway, he is never a waste of time to read. Especially as as a few of Tom's relatives took the Da Vinci Code as gospel truth and wearied us excessively by quoting it as proof of the Church's dastardly doings. *sigh* We might as well be prepared right now for the next round ...

Well, That Was a Surprise!

Nominations are closed over at The Crescat's 2009 Cannonball Awards.

No, that isn't the surprise.

The surprise was seeing that Happy Catholic has been nominated in the Best Spiritual Treat category.

Thank you, mysterious nominator. You made my day!

Also, I nominated one of the nicest and best heretical bloggers I know in the (natch) Best Blog by a Heretic category ... Good News Film Reviews. His post on this nomination is hilarious and the badge is to die for (but not before we pull you away from The Dark Side, Scott!).

2009 Pandemic of Stupidity

Regardless of the big picture, we can testify that here in the DFW area, people are freaking out on a major scale.

The Ft. Worth school system canceled school for about a week because three students came down with the virus. They have now canceled Mayfest, an annual festival.

A friend tells me that an acquaintance of hers was fretting last night because "if they close the borders then how are we going to get produce?" This sent others off on emergency runs to the store where they found that masks are all sold out.

I hope the authorities and the media are happy ... our national freak-out is on schedule and progressing well.

Now I see, via Neatorama, that scientists are saying that this flu strain is milder than the regular winter flu.

"Let's not lose track of the fact that the normal seasonal influenza is a huge public health problem that kills tens of thousands of people in the U.S. alone and hundreds of thousands around the world," said Dr. Christopher Olsen, a molecular virologist who studies swine flu at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine in Madison.

His remarks Wednesday came the same day Texas authorities announced that a nearly 2-year-old boy with the virus had died in a Houston hospital Monday.

"Any time someone dies, it's heartbreaking for their families and friends," Olsen said. "But we do need to keep this in perspective."

There is much more. Go read it all. Please.

Grilled Lemon Chicken

Because I don't know about where you live but 'round here it's grilling season all year ... and most certainly it was last weekend. Grab it at Meanwhile, Back in the Kitchen.

The Flu View from Inside Mexico

Interesting to read the reactions there from various bloggers living in Mexico:

• Midwesterner in Mexico has lots o' links as well as good photos documenting their light-hearted take on things (they're eating lots of bacon ...)
• billieblog from whence I got the above link, talks about how quiet the streets are
• Mexico Bob, one of my favorite new blogs and one that I think maybe billieblog turned me onto also, has a fascinating contemplation about God, viruses, and his own faith journey. Worth reading for sure.
  

10 Secrets of the Vatican Exposed!

Actually, I'm going to share number ten from this list that I know will interest readers a lot. It is from Mental Floss magazine which is one of the very few magazines that I subscribe to.

Even the ATMs Are in Latin

The Vatican Bank is the only bank in the world that allows ATM users to select Latin to perform transactions. That’s just one symbol of the Holy See’s continued devotion to the language. Pope Benedict XVI has been particularly passionate about reviving the language and purportedly holds many informal conversations in Latin. (Pope John Paul II generally spoke Polish.)

The Vatican’s Latin Foundation tries to keep the language relevant by translating modern phrases into the ancient tongue. In 2003, they released an updated dictionary that included the terms “rush hour” (tempus maximae frequentiae) and “dishwasher” (escariorum lavatory). Interestingly, the translations can have serious consequences. A recent U.S. lawsuit was brought against the Vatican for conspiring to protect a child-molesting priest, and it was held up for months as the Church’s experts rejected the prosecuting team’s Latin translations of terms such as “conspiracy to commit fraud.”

I like the idea of Pope Benedict chit chatting in Latin. Though not if I were around. Then it wouldn't be a bit enjoyable ...

Happy Birthday, Dearest Tom

That is not a photo of my cake but it looks as if chocoholic Tom would like it ... so we'll see how close I can get to reproducing it with Chocolate Buttermilk Cake and Chocolate Malt Frosting.

Happy Birthday to my dear and darling husband!

Harry Dresden and How Diplomacy is Done

"This is not how diplomacy is done," Anastasia said as we approached the Chateau Raith.

"You're in America now," I said. "Our idea of diplomacy is showing up with a gun in one hand and a sandwich in the other and asking which you'd prefer."

Anastasia's mouth curved up at one corner. "You brought a sandwich?"

"Who do I look like, Kissinger?"

Lord knows I love a funny smart mouth detective.

Finally got my hands on Jim Butcher's latest Harry Dresden, Turn Coat. It's keeping me up way too late at night. I'm loving it.

Vinegar Peace by Michael Bishop featured at StarShipSofa

Tony of the StarShipSofa podcast writes to tell me:

StarShipSofa narrates Vinegar Peace, a SF story wrote by Michael Bishop for his son, Jamie Bishop, who died two years ago at the Virginia Tech shooting.

StarShipSofa is very honoured and humbled to be allowed to bring this story to a wider audience. I know I speak for the SF community when I say our hearts and prayers go out to Mike and Jeri and all the families who have to live with this grief every day.

Get the story itself here (and read Michael Bishop's message that accompanies it) if you aren't already subscribed through iTunes.

Movie Review: Stranded

On October 13, 1972, a young rugby team called "The Old Christians" from Montevideo, Uruguay, boarded a plane for a match in Chile--and then vanished into thin air. ... 16 of the 45 passengers miraculously resurfaced. ... Thirty-five years later, the survivors returned to the crash site--known as the Valley of Tears--to recount in their own words their harrowing story of defiant endurance, intense spirituality, and indestructible friendship. ... this shocking true story finally gets the cinematic treatment it deserves. Visually breathtaking and crafted with riveting detail by documentary filmmaker (and childhood friend of the survivors) Gonzalo Arijon with a masterful combination of on-location interviews, archival footage and reenactments, Stranded is a hauntingly powerful and spiritually moving celebration of humanity.

If a rugby team and the Andes were ever mentioned to me I very vaguely would remember something about a plane crash and the survivors having to turn to cannibalism to stay alive. That was all I knew and frankly I never gave it much thought. After watching this DVD, I can say that there are hidden depths to this story that make one reflect for days afterward the indefatigability of the human spirit and tenacity of our survival instinct.

The "Old Christians" rugby team with family and friends boarded their plane in a carefree, holiday frame of mind. Most were 19 years old from upper class families. These were pampered kids dressed for spring weather who were not equipped for wilderness survival. The plane ran into a storm system high above the Andes that crashed them in the middle of a forbidding landscape. At first, grieving for those who died in the crash, tending to survivors, they waited for a rescue team to pick them up within a few hours. However, this was not to happen. As day after day went by, they began dealing with the rigors of the climate, lack of food, and the uncertainty that comes with not knowing if rescue would ever come. Eventually, with survival uppermost in their minds, they were forced to resort to cannibalism to stay alive.

This story is told strictly through the words of the survivors, their family members, and others who were part of the story. We see the faces of the men telling their story, woven with beautifully and sensitively reenacted scenes to take us through the story. There is never a single word of narration. This forces a slow pace that I found frustrating at first. I longed for a narrator to clarify locations, time lines, and provide an omniscient point of view. Gradually, I realized that we would eventually receive all that information just as everyone else did at the time. This put us even further into the story with the men, agonizing as no one came to help, suffering as they realized what must happen to survive, and holding out hope even when uncaring nature seemed certain to leave none of them alive.

The story unfolds on two levels. First, there are the simple mechanics of the rescue. I had no idea if they were found or rescued themselves, how long they endured this time stranded, or what they actually went through simply to survive on the mountain. I am deliberately refraining from discussing these details so that any similarly unaware viewers may also follow the story as it develops. Rest assured that the story is simply incredible.

Secondly, there was the spiritual and mental level of survival. The promotional materials I received for the movie spoke stirringly of how they survived with the aid of their Catholic faith. This actually was not an overarching theme and depended largely on the individual person, as one might expect with any group of people. Occasionally one person or another would speak about how saying the rosary helped him at a particular moment. Another would talk about a time when he felt distinctly the presence of God. Regardless, one cannot miss the many images of hands telling the rosary beads that the director shows in the background time and again, even when no direct words are speaking about faith.

A particularly moving instance is when the survivors talk about when they realized that they were going to have to eat the dead in order to live. I don't know why this never occurred to me but it is not as if it were a plane full of strangers, which would be horrific enough in itself. These people were all friends and, in some cases, close family members. Just watching the faces of those speaking gives an immense depth of feeling to the horror of the very idea when it surfaces and then again when it becomes clear that cannibalism must be carried out. For those who were deeply Catholic, the thought that helped carry them through was that Christ himself gave his body and blood to his followers through Holy Communion. They said that if Christ did such a thing surely they would be forgiven for following those actions through their extreme reluctance. This subject is treated with the utmost respect and reverence on all levels.

One thing that we realize above all is how precious life is, that it is worth fighting for, and just how much these men love each other both in life and in death. Especially touching was seeing the men visit the crash site with their children and the children of those who never left the mountain.

Highly recommended.

Some Good Trashy Vacation Reading Recommendations

A friend wrote:

I know this is random, but I need your recommendations for trashy vacation reading. I'm asking for page turners here. I like mysteries but do not like serial killer genres. Doesn't have to be a mystery. Series are good. I've read the Stephanie Plum and True Blood series. No Dean Koonz or Danielle Steele. If you don't want me to share your name because you are too ashamed of the series you are recommending (e.g, derby roller-blading vampires), I will keep you anonymous.

Now we all know I have taken a certain amount of flack already for liking the Janet Evanovich (Stephanie Plum) series, up to about #12 anyway ... then I finally had had enough of that formula.

My off-the-top-of-my-head list follows, with an R rating applied t0 a few of them for ... oh, come on, you know what for ... R is for racy!

• I really love the Harry Dresden series by Jim Butcher. Every so often a book will have something ... shall we call it "racy"? ... but that varies. Harry's a smart mouth and these books will make me laugh out loud. As the back of his latest book said, like Spenser with magic.
  
  
• A new favorite book of mine, racy in a couple of spots, is Grimspace by Ann Aguirre. It is space opera.It has a sequel but I didn't like it which was disappointing.
  
  
• War of the Oaks is urban fantasy ... not a fantasy but I have loved everything of Emma Bull's that I've read. Also recommended is Territory ... a true blue Western set in Tombstone but ...with magic! Isn't everything better with magic?
  
  
• Sunshine by Robin McKinley ... vampires, cinnamon bun baking and a couple of touches of raciness.
  
  
• Bride of the Rat God by Barbara Hambly ... or, frankly, most of Hambly's early stuff. NOT her later things or her mystery series set in New Orleans which is good but very, very dark.
  
  
• Also, I thought of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander. 1st of a series but I didn't like the second book and didn't finish it. Truly a potboiler with time travel, Scottish rogues, evil British officers and much raciness.
  
  
• Not trashy, but sure to make you feel like it is when you have to venture into the Romance section of the book store, are Georgette Heyer's novels. Funny, frothy, smart romances that are the first Regency Romances. Not to be missed.
  
  
• I'm also partial to a few Barbara Michael titles: Shattered Silk, Into the Darkness, and Stitches in Time. Classic gothic-style romance but written and set in the 1970s (?).
  
  
• Barbara Michael's alter-ego is Elizabeth Peters. So you get the gothic-style romances with a humorous twist. My favorite series of hers is the Vickie Bliss mysteries, though I think the most popular is the Amelia Peabody series. I liked the first book but detested Amelia's son so very, very much that I never read past the second book.

UPDATED TO ADD:

• Charles de Lint. I like his older books better than the newer. Moon Heart, Jack the Giant Killer, Drink Down the Moon (Jack's sequel), The Riddle of the Wren, and Mulengro. Elizabeth Anne reminded me of him in the comments and says: If you like Emma Bull, you would love Charles deLint. He writes both short stories and full length novels that went a long way towards inventing the genre. "Forests of the Heart" is one my absolute favorites of his novels, and "Dreams Underfoot" is probably where people start. It's a collection of short stories that introduces his usual "cast" of characters. "Seven Wild Sisters" is a stand alone that is deeply beautiful,and makes me want seven daughters of my own.
  
  
• The Marcus Didius Falco series by Lindsey Davis features a cynical, sharp-witted gumshoe in Imperial Rome in 70 A.D. He goes from small case to small case, always short of cash and late on his rent. When he rescues Helena, a senator’s niece, from a kidnapping attempt he is flung headfirst into murder, plots in the Emperor’s family, and a trip to Britain where he winds up working as a slave in a silver mine (the first book in the series, Silver Pigs). Davis has a touch for humor, romance, and suspense as we follow Falco’s adventures. Part of the charm of these books is following Falco’s life as we see him move from case to case and in the process meet other members of his large family, watch changes in the neighbors’ lives, and see if he is lucky in love. Davis is a master storyteller and despite the solid historical setting, her hero has enough modern touches to make us relate to his life without feeling as if the up-to-date attitude is false. I was also reminded of this series by Elizabeth Anne, a.k.a. my light reading soulmate, who says:If you just plain like that noir tone but are intersted in historical fiction, I'd also strongly recommend the Marcus Didius Falco mysteries by Lindsey Davis. They're books about ancient Rome that even us Classicists love. If Sam Spade had lived under the emperor Vespasian, this would have been his story. "The Silver Pigs"is the first in the series, and is now back in print. There's also, I think, something of the Cadfael about Falco. Oh, he's tough and jaded, but he also has a large, sprawling Italian family. In case anyone is intimidated by the setting, it's extremely true to history, but not intimidating. Davis is writing for an audience that knows little about Rome beyond Ben Hur and Gladiator, so while history buffs will get a kick out of seeing Rome in 70 AD brought to life, those who aren't won't be left in the dust.

Ok, never let it be said that I don't let it all hang out for y'all.

I know there's some great stuff I either missed or just never heard of ... I'm looking forward to recommendations from you, the great blogosphere reading public!

$700 ... that's a lot to pay for a Pittsburgh Pilgrimage

Allegheny Building
taken by Father Pitt

This may not be the best time in the economy to plan a pilgrimage, some people may be thinking "especially to Pittsburgh." But why not fly in the face of conventional wisdom, right? I did want to take a second here to address something that was brought up by a commenter.

Agreed. $700 is a lot. However, it's chock full of value.

Let's just look quickly again at what that $700 buys:

• 4-night stay at the Wyndham in the University area ... this is about 3/4 of the cost and is an excellent price for a hotel anywhere, much less a top flight hotel in the heart of a vibrant central location in a city
  
  
• Welcome dinner on Mount Washington ... the most scenic location in Pittsburgh to have a meal overlooking the valley and downtown at night. Purposely chosen for unique Pittsburgh flavah.
  
  
• Admittance to tour attractions including the Andy Warhol Museum and the Carnegie Museum
  
  
• Talk by Mike Aquilina and Chris Bailey, noted Catholic authors and Pittsburgh afficionados ... including a copy of their latest book, Praying the Psalms with the Early Christians, to be signed afterwards
  
  
• Special tour guides, Mike Aquilina and Chris Bailey, afore-mentioned Pittsburgh afficionados will show us why Pittsburgh is in its third renaissance. They'll also take us to special Catholic sites in a place where Catholicism has thrived for over 200 years. For further looks, check out Mike's recent talk about Pittsburgh or Chris's excellent Father Pitt blog.
  
  
• Pittsburgh info for planning your free time in advance ... a.k.a. Moon Guide to Pittsburgh with items of interest marked.
  
  
• Movie talk night ... dessert, coffee, and a movie ... as well as the book sent to you ahead of time so we'll have a chance to discuss where the book and movie differ.

Of course, the opportunity to have several days of give and take with like-minded Catholics in a unique community setting is priceless. N'est ce pas?

As I said, the economy's tough and this might not be the way you want to spend your hard-earned cash. But you gotta admit, there's plenty of bang for the buck there.

More details about the pilgrimage can be found here.

The Anchoress Has Moved

Same great writing, just a new spot over at First Things. Yep, she's in the swanky end of the blogosphere, y'all. If she's a daily read for you like she is for me then you'll want to update your feed with this address:

http://www.firstthings.com/theanchoress/

Putting Her Money Where Her Mouth Is: Mary Ann Glendon Declines Notre Dame’s Laetare Medal

In the continuing protests against Notre Dame inviting President Obama to speak at commencement and giving him an award, a new, strong voice speaks up. Mary Ann Glendon both declines a prestigious award and clearly sets out her reasons for doing so in a letter that was faxed at 9:30 this morning to the university's president, the Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C. Read it at First Things. Well done Ms. Glendon.

Product Review: Garofalo Pasta

Pick up this tasty morsel over at Meanwhile, Back in the Kitchen.

And Now, For Something Completely Different ...

I just saw the list of Nebula winners and the nominated story I read for StarShipSofa won (Trophy Wives - Nina Kiriki Hoffman). I liked that story and was struck at how much it made me think of a fairy tale while not being a fairy tale at all.

I would have picked as a winner either 26 Monkeys, Also the Abyss by Kij Johnson or The Dreaming Wind by Jeffrey Ford. Nothing against the winner, I simply liked their free-wheeling originality. If you haven't listened to those stories, do go give at least those three a try ... and then venture further and listen to the rest.

Review of Lamentation

A pillar of black smoke rises from the plains where the ruins of a city lie. Four people watch it. Petros, an old fisherman; Nebios, a boy who is the only eyewitness; Rudolfo, the Gypsy King and Lord of the Ninefold Forest; and Jin Lee Tam, consort of a powerful madman. Each takes up the story in turn and we learn as they do what has happened and what changes it bodes for the Named Lands.

Through their eyes, Ken Scholes masterfully unfolds layer upon layer of complexity to reveal an epic tale of the struggle not only for power but to serve the Light. This struggle between vengeance, knowledge, mercy, and justice is what drives the main characters. Scholes takes us into a world where Machiavellian politics are constantly intertwined between characters’ motivations. However, because he uses interesting characters to tell his story, it always feels personal and we realize the “epic” quality only as we look back over storyline development. As well, he skillfully manipulates these believable people (and, let us admit it, his readers as well) so that I literally went from worrying about one character being killed to hating him to coming back into sympathy and understanding again by the end of the book. In the end, what we see is that despite epic qualities, the question the book is asking is a simple one. Who was the evil mastermind that destroyed Windwir and why?

Read my entire review of this brilliant book over at SFFaudio.

Movie Watching, Christians and The Cult of Me

Scott at Good News Film Reviews makes a point that I could not agree with more. In a Christian discussion forum after reading his review of Pirates of the Caribbean where Scott loved the plot but decried the reversed moral message comes this ...

The person with the 13 year old says:

I don't guess we'll be watching it. Better safe than sorry.”

This is where I slap my palm to my forehead.

Previous generations confronted witchdoctors, satanists and all matter of philosophical creep. Us? We’re sent running by Johnny Depp in a handkerchief.

It is my opinions that many Christians have become far too scared of this big bad world to be of any use in saving it. Honestly, better safe than sorry over a Disney movie? Regarding a 13 year old? This teen will presumptively be leaving the home in less than five years and he/she is too fragile to handle Pirates of the Caribbean? ...

The whole thing is worth your time in reading it but I can't resist in putting forward this further excerpt.

... Disgusted by the mockery of our Lord on prime time television? We have no one but ourselves to blame. The maintenance of this world falls to us, not someone else. When we turn our backs on the culture because it’s too icky and gosh I’m so sensitive – what do you expect will happen? Go find your Bible. Look up Acts 17:16-34. Did Paul shy away from the enemy? Did he turn from a fight? No. He went in, learned the culture and learned its language. He became like his hosts and turned them using their own arguments, their own ways. If Paul was with us today would he be too scared to view Pirates of the Caribbean? No. I believe he’d watch it to discuss its merits and its flaws. Then he’d use it to teach if he could find a way. Then again, Paul wasn’t so much into that whole me thing.

Be sure you read the entire article before commenting. He isn't saying to watch without discrimination, believe me. Also, although this is aimed primarily at Protestants, I know plenty of Catholics who would do well to undergo a little self examination on this subject.

Baking Can Improve Your LIfe

Get a super easy and delicious recipe for 1-2-3-4 Peanut Butter Cookies ... and find out why Rose wanted it.

2009 Cannonball Awards

Loved these last year and they're back!

... consider this the blog awards for us "minor" bloggers... a blog award not dominated by the usual suspects. The results from last year's awards brought those quieter less visited blogs some much needed attention... even the little guy deserves some recognition. Having lost my fair share of Blog Awards... Ok, all of them, I did what any other sore loser would do; create my own!

A few of my favorite categories ...

BEST BLOG BY A RELIGIOUS WHOSE NOT FR.Z

BEST CATHOLIC POLITICAL BLOG THAT IS NOT THE AMERICAN PAPIST

BEST BLOG BY A HERETIC

BEST POTPOURRI OF POPERY

Now go read all the categories and make a few nominations in the comments box ... I've got most of mine picked out but am still filling in a few blanks.

Catholic Basics--Moral Issues of Life and Death 6

As promised, I am following up my answers about pro-life issues with excerpts from Catholic Christianity by Peter Kreeft. This is the book I read that cleared up many of my objections to Catholic teachings. The excerpts for this series began here.

I must stress that this book does not substitute for the Catechism and is best read as an accompaniment to it. Also, I must stress that this book is best read from the beginning as Kreeft, in following the Catechism, provides a logical construct for the reason the Church's teachings exist. That is just precisely the Catechism does, but this book is somewhat easier to understand, especially in its application to specific examples of modern life and the faith. Although this section necessarily addresses other issues such as capital punishment, euthanasia, suicide and more, I will be focusing primarily on abortion and the right to life.

13. The basic arguments for and against abortion
There are three steps, or premises, to the argument for outlawing abortion.

The first is that one of the most fundamental purposes of law is to protect human rights, especially the first and foundational right, the right to life.

The second is that all human beings have the right to life.

The third is that the already-conceived but not-yet born children of human beings are human beings.

From these three premises it necessarily follows that the law must protect the right to life of unborn children.

There are only three possible reasons for disagreeing with this conclusion and being “pro-choice”instead of “prolife.” One may deny the first, second, or third premises. For if all three are admitted, the “pro-life” conclusion follows.

Thus there are three different kinds of “pro-choicers”:

First, there are those who admit that all persons have a right to life and that unborn children are persons, but deny that this right should be protected by law (the first
premise). This is a serious legal error.

“The inalienable right to life of every innocent human individual is a constitutive element of a civil society and its legislation. ‘The inalienable rights of the person must be recognized and respected by civil society and the political authority. These human rights depend neither on single individuals nor on parents; nor do they represent a concession made by society and the state; they belong to human nature and are inherent in the person by virtue of the creative act from which the person took his origin….’80 ‘The moment a positive [human] law deprives a category
of human beings of the protection which civil legislation ought to accord them, the state is denying the equality of all before the law. When the state does not place its power at the service of the rights of each citizen, and in particular of the more vulnerable, the very foundations of a state based on law are undermined. . .’81” (C2273).

Second, there are those who admit that the law should protect the right to life and that unborn children are human beings, but deny that all human beings have the
right to life (the second premise). This is a very serious moral error.

It is essentially the philosophy of power, of “might makes right.” Those in power – doctors, mothers, legislators, adults – decree the right to kill those who lack the
power to defend themselves: the smallest, most vulnerable, and most innocent of all human beings. No good reason can justify this decree; a good end does not justify an intrinsically evil means. If the babies shared the powers of the abortionists and could fight back with scalpels, there would be few abortions.

Third, there are those who admit that the law should protect the right to life and that all humans have that right, but deny that unborn children are humans (the third premise). This is a serious factual and scientific error.

Before Roe v. Wade legalized abortion, all science texts taught the biological understanding that the life of any individual of any species begins at conception, when sperm and ovum unite to create a new being with its own complete and unique genetic code, distinct from both father and mother. All growth and development from then on is a matter of degree, a gradual unfolding of what is already there. There is no specific or distinct point in our development when we become human. (What were we before that – birds?) Only when abortion became legal did the science textbooks change their language and cease teaching this understanding – not because of any new science but because of a new politics.

Abortion is not “a complex issue.” Few moral issues could be clearer. As Mother Teresa has said,“if abortion is not wrong, nothing is wrong.”

End of series.

(Note: you can also find the book as a series of pdfs or podcasts here. My series of excerpts would be found in Lesson 27.)

Good Advice and a Very Good Prayer

Yesterday, my friend Kim gave me several pieces of good advice. I share them here in case anyone else may be interested. This far from everything but it is what hit me most.

The first was that I offer myself completely to Jesus in the morning to use as He needs. Ok, kind of already doing that but not really thinking about it, being there for that prayer ... if you know what I mean. So that is a more definite prayer and commitment.

Secondly, she recommended that although the day may be busy so that we don't have time to consciously stop to offer up a difficult moment for Jesus to unite to his cross and use for our intentions ... we can instead do something that is quick, simple, and will bring us closer and closer to Him. (My ultimate goal anyway ...) If He crosses your mind, simply tell Him that you love Him. Simple indeed. And it made me realize that at least five times during my work day Jesus crossed my mind. Not in blog reading about faith or anything. But He, as a person, crossed my mind, just as I would think of our kids or friends or my husband. First of all I was astonished that Jesus was crossing my mind that much. But also at how naturally it was to toss a mental, "Love you..." out there. A very nice thing indeed, grounding and good for my soul to be "in touch" that often.

Thirdly, she called to mind a prayer for dealing with people that frustrate us which I have practiced for some time but had completely forgotten about lately. This also may be helpful for those struck by yesterday's "Well Said."

Lord, have mercy on me and bless (person's name).

I could go into more detail but have already done so in this post which mentions the deeper meanings, effect on me, and overall benefits of such a prayer.

Fourth, among other things, she gave me the Litany of Humility. Again, I know it well but had forgotten about it. Nothing is more grounding. I include it here.

Litany of Humility
Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val (1865-1930),
Secretary of State for Pope Saint Pius X

O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed,
Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being loved...
From the desire of being extolled ...
From the desire of being honored ...
From the desire of being praised ...
From the desire of being preferred to others...
From the desire of being consulted ...
From the desire of being approved ...
From the fear of being humiliated ...
From the fear of being despised...
From the fear of suffering rebukes ...
From the fear of being calumniated ...
From the fear of being forgotten ...
From the fear of being ridiculed ...
From the fear of being wronged ...
From the fear of being suspected ...

That others may be loved more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be esteemed more than I ...
That, in the opinion of the world,
others may increase and I may decrease ...
That others may be chosen and I set aside ...
That others may be praised and I unnoticed ...
That others may be preferred to me in everything...
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should.

God Makes Surprise Visit to Local Church

"I AM the God of Abraham, the LORD MOST HIGH, who brought you forth from the bondage of Egypt," God said unto church members, many of whom cowered in reverent fear of Him. "Thought I'd just pop in and see how things were going. Please, pretend like I'm not even here."

The Supreme Being then thanked the choir for its "lovely introduction" and took a seat to the right of the altar.

The Onion. Gotta love it. The entire thing is perfect, right down to the parents' reaction to their child wanting to hug God. (Warning, site has been known to have offensive content.)

Today God Sent a Friend to Sit Beside Me

Funny thing. Going through a few family things right now that are not only taking up a lot of time but also rather stressful.

Daily mass has been very helpful for this. Again, no angels singing or big epiphanies but I find I have been hugely helped by the steady flow of homilies and time in front of the tabernacle, not to mention the immense benefit of the Eucharist (of course, the most important comes last, right?).

Another great thing is to realize the good that is there to see along with the tough stuff. The fact that my brother, sister, and I get along so well and can laugh with each other through everything is a true blessing.

Just yesterday, my sister sent an email that began thusly:

You know, just when things look the bleakest God says, "well here's a wonderful person for you that's proof of my love"; that's Cathy.

Today that very same thing happened to me. I was at morning Mass and thought suddenly of a friend who attends whenever she can, "I wish Kim was here. It would be so comforting to tell her all of this. Oh well, I don't need to go on talking to people about this stuff. Most people have things much harder than I do and I need to toughen up and not worry about it."

Even with that, I found myself still thinking again five minutes later how good it would be to talk with Kim.

About five minutes after that while I was kneeling after communion, someone suddenly came and knelt down next to me. Kim. Like an answer to prayer. In fact, that is what she was.

I remembered what my sister had said and was flooded with thanksgiving for a God who cares enough to send such comfort right when it is needed. Proof of his love.

Kim was indeed good medicine for me with good advice that I never would have thought of otherwise.

Thanks be to God.

A.N. Wilson on His Return to Christianity from Atheism

For a few years, I resisted the admission that my atheist-conversion experience had been a bit of middle-aged madness. I do not find it easy to articulate thoughts about religion. I remain the sort of person who turns off Thought for the Day when it comes on the radio. I am shy to admit that I have followed the advice given all those years ago by a wise archbishop to a bewildered young man: that moments of unbelief “don’t matter”, that if you return to a practice of the faith, faith will return.

When I think about atheist friends, including my father, they seem to me like people who have no ear for music, or who have never been in love. It is not that (as they believe) they have rumbled the tremendous fraud of religion – prophets do that in every generation. Rather, these unbelievers are simply missing out on something that is not difficult to grasp. Perhaps it is too obvious to understand; obvious, as lovers feel it was obvious that they should have come together, or obvious as the final resolution of a fugue.

An excellent piece. Via The Anchoress.

Catholic Basics--Moral Issues of Life and Death 5

As promised, I am following up my answers about pro-life issues with excerpts from Catholic Christianity by Peter Kreeft. This is the book I read that cleared up many of my objections to Catholic teachings. The excerpts for this series began here.

I must stress that this book does not substitute for the Catechism and is best read as an accompaniment to it. Also, I must stress that this book is best read from the beginning as Kreeft, in following the Catechism, provides a logical construct for the reason the Church's teachings exist. That is just precisely the Catechism does, but this book is somewhat easier to understand, especially in its application to specific examples of modern life and the faith. Although this section necessarily addresses other issues such as capital punishment, euthanasia, suicide and more, I will be focusing primarily on abortion and the right to life.

11. The universal agreement in the Catholic tradition about abortion

“Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion [as distinct from miscarriage or spontaneous abortion]. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable” (C 2271).

The earliest Christian document we have after the New Testament, the first-century “Letter to Diognetus,” mentions abortion as one of the things Christians never
do, as a distinctive visible feature of their faith. The latest Ecumenical Council,Vatican II, reaffirmed this teaching in totally uncompromising terms:“‘. . . abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes’76” (C 2271).

The presence of “dissenters” or of heretics who reject some certain, essential Catholic (“Catholic” means “universal”) teaching does not make that teaching uncertain,
unessential, or non-universal. The Church’s teaching did not come from human opinion, so it cannot be changed by human opinion.

12. The Church’s policy on abortion
Catholic tradition distinguishes “formal”and “material” cooperation in any evil. “Formal cooperation”means direct, deliberate doing of the evil – for instance, a mother freely choosing to pay a doctor to abort her baby, the doctor performing
the abortion, or a nurse directly helping the doctor to perform it.“Material cooperation” means indirect or nondeliberate aid – for instance, contributing money to a hospital that performs abortions. Material cooperation is a “gray area.” Even paying taxes can be material cooperation in abortion when the government uses tax money to finance health insurance that covers abortions. It is not possible to avoid all material cooperation with evil. But it is possible, and necessary, to avoid all formal cooperation with evil, for any reason. No good reason can justify an intrinsically evil act.

“Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the canonical [official Church-law] penalty of excommunication to this crime
against human life. ‘A person who procures a completed abortion incurs excommunication latae sententiae,’77 ‘by the very commission of the offense’78 . . .” (C2272).

This does not mean that all who commit this sin are damned. Excommunication is not automatic damnation. But it does mean they have broken their communion with
the Body of Christ. For Christ cannot commit such a crime, and to be a Catholic is to be a member of his very Body, to be his hands and fingers. It is not Christ’s hands that abort Christ’s children.

“The Church does not thereby intend to restrict the scope of mercy” (C 2272). Forgiveness is always available for any sin, if sincerely repented, and ministries of reconciliation like “Project Rachel” deal compassionately with women who have had abortions.

Mother Teresa says: “Every abortion has two victims: the body of the baby and the soul of the mother.”The first is beyond repair, but the second is not; and the Church
does everything possible to repair and restore souls and lives torn by sin – which in one way or another is true of all of us. The Church does not judge the individual soul,nor should any of us. She says, as her Master did, “Let him who is without sin among you cast the first stone.” She is not in the business of stone-casting. But she is in the business of the accurate labeling of human acts, just like her Master, who said not only “neither do I condemn you,” but also “go and sin no more” (Jn 8:11).

Coming next, the basic arguments for and against abortion.

(Note: you can also find the book as a series of pdfs or podcasts here. My series of excerpts would be found in Lesson 27.)

No, My Kid is Better Than Your Kid ...

"I told you twice, don't put the lima bean in Jesus' armpit! What is wrong with you? You are almost 22 months old!!! Are you a baby? Read the directions!"

Ok, I know I'm having a tough day, but anyone is gonna find this hysterically funny ... go read.

Catholic Basics--Moral Issues of Life and Death 4

As promised, I am following up my answers about pro-life issues with excerpts from Catholic Christianity by Peter Kreeft. This is the book I read that cleared up many of my objections to Catholic teachings. The excerpts for this series began here.

I must stress that this book does not substitute for the Catechism and is best read as an accompaniment to it. Also, I must stress that this book is best read from the beginning as Kreeft, in following the Catechism, provides a logical construct for the reason the Church's teachings exist. That is just precisely the Catechism does, but this book is somewhat easier to understand, especially in its application to specific examples of modern life and the faith. Although this section necessarily addresses other issues such as capital punishment, euthanasia, suicide and more, I will be focusing primarily on abortion and the right to life.

9. Sins against the fifth Commandment

These include:

1. “Infanticide [killing an infant],70 fratricide [killing one’s brother or sister], parricide [killing one’s father or mother], and the murder of a spouse are especially grave crimes by reason of the natural bonds which they break” (C 2268).
2. “The fifth commandment forbids doing anything with the intention of indirectly bringing about a person’s death” (C 2269).
3. “The moral law prohibits exposing someone to mortal danger without grave reason,
4. “as well as refusing assistance to a person in danger” (C 2269).Also,
5. abortion,
6. euthanasia, and
7. suicide all demand special treatment today, since the traditional consensus against them is rapidly breaking down in so-called “civilized” and “advanced” societies in the West.
   

10. Abortion and the Right to Life

The “bottom line” first:“[h]uman life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception [its beginning]. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person – among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life72” (C 2270).

The American Declaration of Independence has the same philosophy: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

We cannot pursue our end of happiness without liberty. (Therefore slavery is a great evil.) But we cannot have liberty or pursue happiness without having life. (Therefore
murder is a greater evil.)

The State did not create us, design us, or give us life. Nor did it give us the right to life. Therefore the State cannot take away that right.

All persons, not just some, have a “natural right” to life simply because of their nature, because of what they are: human persons. Only if someone gives up his right to life by threatening the life of another is it right to take his life, to protect the innocent other person. This is the morality of Western civilization, of Greek and Roman classicism at its best, of religious Judaism, of Islam, and of Christianity, of
Biblical Protestantism and Eastern Orthodoxy as well as Roman Catholicism. It is the “sanctity of life” ethic.

The other philosophy, the “quality of life” ethic, holds that only some, not all, human beings have an inalienable right to life; and that some human beings may draw the line for others and exclude them from the community of persons, from those who have the right to life. This same principle is at work whether those excluded persons are unwanted, unborn babies, the old, the sick, the dying, those in pain, those of a certain “inferior”or unwanted race,those who have the wrong political opinions, or those who are declared “severely handicapped” because they fail to come up to a certain standard of intelligence or performance such as “significant social interaction” – which standard is always determined by the killers.

Thus the “quality of life” ethic denies the most basic human equality and the most basic of all human rights. No two moral philosophies could be more radically at war with each other than the philosophy of the culture Pope John Paul II has called the “culture of death” and the philosophy of the Church of the God of life.

Coming next, the universal agreement in the Catholic tradition about abortion.

(Note: you can also find the book as a series of pdfs or podcasts here. My series of excerpts would be found in Lesson 27.)

Pushing Back Against Politically Correct Language

"The word 'eskimo' comes from the language of the cree (?) indians to describe their neighbors to the north, and may actually be a racial slur. The inhabitants of the Canadian High Arctic call themselves the Inuit (the people). I believe that the Alaskan natives are Aleuts …“

I am aware of that, and I do not care. In fact, I regard with particular hatred attempts to change the language to sooth the imaginary hurt feelings of various mascots of the political Left. Unless you can tell me, off the top of your head and without looking it up, the name in any Eskimo dialect for a Virginian, I suggest your concern for their concern for our names for them is illegitimate, particularly where no English speaker knows the meaning of the insult. (None, that is, but I: it refers to them as eaters of raw fish, a slight against their relative poverty).

Besides, what could be more insulting to me that to have the Eskimos refer to themselves as ‘the People’? What does that make me? A non-people?

I still remember the day that I found out "gypped" came from the word Gypsy and that if I used it then I was slurring gypsies everywhere. Darn. I loved that word. It didn't seem to matter that everything I'd ever read about true Gypsy culture, including writing by Gypsies themselves, indicated that they'd glory in that meaning. One upping outsiders monetarily would be counting coup for them, to mix my metaphors.

For everyone who has ever wearied of editing our colorful language into plain vanilla in order to not offend anyone, I direct you to John C. Wright's On Political Correctness, Or How to Speak Nonspeak. It's a gem.

Stolen library book returned after 145 years

Holy moly!

There's Nothing Like a Loving Husband

I did a back-to-back turnaround to Springfield with my mother. As the second one in two weeks, the way back was a bit rough but nothing that was too horrible. I remain grateful to McDonald's McCafe lattes for providing good tasting caffeine and to my favorite podcasts for giving me engaging listening material. Both are key to the long drive alone.

Best of all, when I got home at about 8:00 on Saturday evening, Tom had dinner waiting. And a candlelit table. With flowers.

My heart melted.

And he had my favorite ice cream for later.

What a guy!

As well, yesterday became the "Day of Julie" as he catered to my every whim so I could recover. I had copious podcasting time, he went to the grocery store, and then we had Thai take-out while we caught up on the last couple of weeks of House, Life, and 30 Rock.

Ahhhh, is it any wonder that I am refreshed today? (Though not, as you may notice, blogging much ...).

I'll be back on track tomorrow.

Catholic Basics--Moral Issues of Life and Death 3

As promised, I am following up my answers about pro-life issues with excerpts from Catholic Christianity by Peter Kreeft. This is the book I read that cleared up many of my objections to Catholic teachings. The excerpts for this series began here.

I must stress that this book does not substitute for the Catechism and is best read as an accompaniment to it. Also, I must stress that this book is best read from the beginning as Kreeft, in following the Catechism, provides a logical construct for the reason the Church's teachings exist. That is just precisely the Catechism does, but this book is somewhat easier to understand, especially in its application to specific examples of modern life and the faith. Although this section necessarily addresses other issues such as capital punishment, euthanasia, suicide and more, I will be focusing primarily on abortion and the right to life.

4. The basic principle of Catholic ethics of human life
Persons are not things, objects of manipulation and control and design, to be judged by some other, higher standard than persons. There is no higher standard – God himself is personal (“I AM”). Persons are subjects, I’s. They are subjects of rights.They are not to be judged as worth more or less on some abstract, impersonal scale of health, intelligence,physical power, or length of life. Each life, each individual, each human being is unique, and each is equally and infinitely precious. That is the root of Catholic morality on all issues of human life.

5. Christ and the fifth Commandment
Instead of shrinking the fifth Commandment, as the modern “quality of life” ethic does, Christ expanded it. “In the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord recalls the commandment ‘You shall not kill,’ (Mt 5:21.) and adds to it the proscription against anger, hatred, and vengeance [Mt 5:21-22]. Going further, Christ asks his disciples to turn the other cheek, to love their enemies. (Cf. Mt 5:22-39; 5:44) He did not defend himself and told Peter to leave his sword in its sheath” (Cf. Mt 26:52.).

Coming next, sins against the fifth commandment.

(Note: you can also find the book as a series of pdfs or podcasts here. My series of excerpts would be found in Lesson 27.)