View From The Lake

Political Parties and Abortion

2012-01-25T21:23:00.000-06:00

On February 23, March for Life Day, Rachel Maddow of MSNBC made an interesting comment concerning political parties and abortion. See a clip from her show here. She said that the Republicans have a litmus test on the subject of abortion. She claims that you must be against abortion to be a Republican. Next she contrast this with the Democrats who have no such litmus test and pointed to the

Newt, "North Dakota Doesn't Count"

2012-01-25T19:09:00.000-06:00

It's highly unlikely that Newt Gingrich reads the posts of a small town Catholic blogger but in the last Republican debate he sounded like he had read my last posting about his clearly incorrect comments on domestic oil production over the last three years. It seemed that his new comments were spin to obscure the issue. Probably staff or friends pointed out to him the patently incorrect nature

Going on 40 Years Of Rejecting The Gift

2012-01-23T21:48:00.000-06:00

"Children ... are a gift from the Lord, the fruit of the womb, a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children born in one's youth. Blessed are they whose quivers are full." (Psalm 127: 3-5b)

Something to Consider from Thomas Merton

2012-01-21T17:04:00.000-06:00

The pomposity of the current political campaign language has been overwhelming. While rereading one of Thomas Merton's books I came across this insight. "... Christian humility is first of all a matter of supernatural common sense. It teaches us to take ourselves as we are, instead of pretending (as pride would have us imagine) that we are something better than we are. If we really know

JOHN 3-16 JOYFULLY PROCLAIMED

2012-01-20T22:40:00.000-06:00

If you have watched almost any major sports event on television in recent years you have seen fans in the stands holding signs showing or athletes with this scripture reference painted on their faces. JOHN 3-16 Here is a link to the non-commercial, non-political, non proselytizing 'commercial' seen during last Saturday's football playoff game involving Denver and New England. Rather than a

Constitutional Confusion

2012-01-13T18:35:00.000-06:00

Today I saw an interview with the Daughter of Lee Atwater (Chairman of Republican Party in late 80s) who is backing Newt Gingrich. She gives all credit for the 'balanced budget' during the Clinton years to Newt Gingrich. She gives all blame for the unbalances budget and debt created by the during the bush and Obama years on President Obama. The interviewer could not shake her from the strange

Supreme Court on Religious Liberty

2012-01-11T19:17:00.000-06:00

The supreme court ruled today that the government has no say in hiring and firing decisions by a religious organization, even if a minister sues for employment discrimination. The ruling was unanimous. Read an ABC story here. Read a Catholic Blogger on the topic here. Hopefully this will stop the federal government's attempt to force Church organizations to commit human rights violations.

"The Media" confirms Newt's Error

2012-01-11T18:58:00.000-06:00

I just opened today's issue of the "FARGO FORUM", North Dakota's major daily. A huge headline introduces an article about that state's growing contribution to our domestic oil production. That growth is not without problems and concerns as well as opportunities. Unemployment is practically non existent in the state and workers are being imported by the droves by the industry. This huge influx of

Newt steps in it again!

2012-01-10T23:03:00.000-06:00

No sooner do I express some appreciation for Newt Gingrich's chutzpah and he turns around and makes an embarrassing claim that is exactly the opposite of the facts that can be easily determined. Tonight, in his post primary remarks, he said if he was elected president that he would end President Obama's policy of reducing America's domestic energy production. and begin to grow it. Last week I

Newt Bucks Republican Tradition Again

2012-01-10T09:48:00.005-06:00

Watched most of the Republican Debate on Saturday and was again impressed by Newt Gringrich's willingness to buck the Republicans' habit of pandering to the media and the media's perception of the electorate. Here is a YouTube of Newt's injection into the debate. It was an injection since neither the moderators (from main stream media) nor the other candidates brought up the question of religious

New Executive Director for TOB Institute

2012-01-04T20:39:00.000-06:00

For many years the Owens and the Hilber families got together following Christmas Midnight Mass to sing carols, eat cookies and continue the celebration of the incarnation. Here is an announcement of the appointment of the Damon Owens as Executive Director of the TOB Institute. Since I have been a student of this institute I applaud this appointment. Damon's Father, Deacon Frank,

Bringing Up The Christmas Spirit

2011-12-09T12:00:00.001-06:00

Thanks to Deacon Ken Rosha for this link. Even though we don't yet have snow cover here in Minnesota the spirit if the season is creeping in . Witness this video evidence from the University of Minnesota.

Healing The Wounds of Sexual Abuse

2011-12-07T22:27:00.003-06:00

I have, for some years, been the Safe Environments Coordinator for two parishes in western Minnesota. The goal of this task is to assure that our children (and vulnerable adults) are protected from sexual and other abuse by adults, that civil and religious authorities are immediately notified if such abuse is discovered and that victims receive healing care as quickly as possible. An

Newt's Immigration Stand

2011-11-23T20:06:00.000-06:00

Since only the Republicans have a contest for president this year it has been easy to generate somewhat negative criticisms of their discussions. Today I would like to praise Newt Gingrich for his position on immigration reform. He is right to point out how anti-family much right wing rhetoric on the topic tends to be. Earlier Gov Perry took similar flack for his support of education for the

Christ The King Sermon

2011-11-21T13:24:00.001-06:00

Today we conclude the liturgical year with the celebration of the feast of CHRIST THE KING. Over the recent Sundays we have heard, in our Gospel readings some of Jesus’ Kingdom Parables that inevitably began; "The Kingdom of Heaven is like - - - -" Now, if there is a kingdom there must be a king! We Christians claim that the King we follow is Jesus Christ. But what a strange king he is. While

Where Did Healthcare Reform Come From?

2011-11-19T19:55:00.001-06:00

The endless round of debates between Republican Candidates for President have established quite clearly that the Health Care Reform the previous congress enacted came from conservative proposals offered in response to the 1990s effort by Hilary Clinton to address the problem and from subsequent demonstrations in the states, particularly Massachusetts, of its feasibility, workability and legality

REEL FAITH reviews "Catholicism"

2011-11-15T19:31:00.000-06:00

The Video Series by Fr Robert Barron entitled "Catholicism" is causing great interest in my parish where previews and viewings are under way. Here are the reviewers on the film review show "REEL FAITH" on NET (New Evangelism Television) network talking about the documentary. You can see the NET schedule as well as view the network live by clicking here.

All Souls Day at the Border

2011-11-15T09:09:00.002-06:00

Every year, On the Feast of All Souls, Mexican and US Catholics meet at the border to celebrate Mass. This year the co-celebrants were Archbishop Leon of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, Bishop Ramirez of Los Cruces, New Mexico and Bishop Ochoa of El Paso, Texas. Among the striking symbols obvious at the celebration were the Altar divided by the border fence and the sharing of the sign of peace through the

Heros Among Us

2011-11-12T11:21:00.000-06:00

Catholics and other Christians celebrated the feasts of All Saints and All Souls earlier this month. Our belief in the Communion of Saints reminds us that those now in God's presence were once here with and among us in time and space. The Blogger Roxane Salonen, in her November 11 posting about heroes, identifies modern heroes that have impacted her life. " Though heroes may be in short supply,

Strange Republican Claims Concerning Domestic Oil

2011-09-08T01:25:00.000-05:00

Tonight's Republican 'Debate' sounded a strange note concerning domestic oil production. Several participants made remarks about President Obama opposing domestic oil production. Living next door to my home state of North Dakota where oil production has risen 151% during Mr Obama's tenure these claims seem to be false. So here are the facts: Domestic Oil production during 2000-2007 (President

Gov Perry a little confused about Social Security

2011-09-08T00:10:00.000-05:00

Texas Governor Perry has characterized Social Security Insurance as a "Ponzi Scheme". He repeated the claim in tonight's 'debate'. --------------------------------- Definition of PONZI SCHEME (http://www.merriam-webster.com/) : an investment swindle in which some early investors are paid off with money put up by later ones in order to encourage more and bigger risks .--------

Read Gibran to Celebrate the Catholic View of Marriage

2011-08-18T18:29:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite bloggers, Jennifer Fulwiler, has been critical of the reading from the poem, “The Prophet” by the Christian Poet, Kahlil Gibran, at weddings. The title of her August 15 column in National Catholic Register is entitled “Please Don't Read This Poem at Your Wedding.” I disagree. The summary of her view of the poem is: “Though it was published in 1923, it's an eloquent

All the Victims of Abortion

2011-07-30T10:25:00.000-05:00

Can a man or a woman just walk away from an abortion and never think of it again? Does abortion have other victims than just the child? Here is a YouTube video that gives some personal post abortion answers. Thanks to the blog "Post Abortion Walk" for the link to this video.

Blog Commenting Pathology

2011-07-16T16:33:00.001-05:00

Deacon Greg of "The Deacons Bench" has interupted his trip to a family event to post a short piece about the totally inappropriate commenting found on many Christian blogs by a number of commenters. I have noticed the same thing and have simply stopped reading comments since one or two of these uncharitable comments about or adhominum attacks on fellow commenters or authors sour the whole

Reaching Out to The Other Side of the Abortion Issue

2011-07-10T22:00:00.000-05:00

I am unable to blog often in the Summer time so this posting will appear as a continuation of my last post several weeks ago. In that post I recommended several female authors and leaders whose writings and spoken resources can facilitate more productive dialog between pro-life and pro-choice persons of any sex. After that posting Abby Johnson, one of my recommended authors, came to a nearby

Abortion is a Feminine issue - On both sides

2011-05-22T19:20:00.001-05:00

The blogger I have probably quoted more often and referred more people to over my years on the bloggosphere is Jennifer Fulwiler who now blogs daily on NCRegister.com. (Dawn Eden, my TOB classmate, had this record for some time but has been on extended blog-pause while pursuing her PHD.) I have used Jen's written and verbal analysis of the abortion issue with many groups. She has the insight to

Sermon - Palm (Passion) Sunday

2011-04-16T20:02:00.004-05:00

In the Gospel reading we heard at the beginning of Mass today, before the palm procession, we heard Matthew tell us that Jesus rode into town on a donkey that day, long ago, on his last journey to Jerusalem. Why is this detail important? Matthew gives us a clue when he quotes from the Prophet Zechariah: “Behold, your king come to you, meek and riding on an ass.” (Zech 9:9) What a contrast it

Arriving by the back door - What we have in common with todays Illegals

2011-03-12T13:02:00.000-06:00

Years ago I heard Cherish-The-Ladies sing this song in a small rural church in New Jersey. While it is a lament of the "illegals" of an earlier generation it is also a tribute to those of our ancestors who arrived the same way. Please keep today's immigrants in your prayers. They are highly cherished children of our God. You can check out Cherish The Ladies by clicking here.

More Noise and Fun on the Lake

2011-02-20T20:52:00.003-06:00

Some weekends a roar echos over our lake from the sound of personal watercraft (Jet Skis). I guest we might see a new category of personal watercraft soon. Take a look at this video. Thanks to Patrick Madrid for the You Tube reference. To view his blog click here. .

Completing Health Care Reform

2011-02-18T13:00:00.000-06:00

A little good news from Washington. House bill HR358, making permanent the ban on tax funding of abortion and protecting the conscience rights of hospitals and health professionals and workers, has been passed by the House Commerce Committee. The US Catholic Bishops welcomed this progress in an improvement to the health care reform now being implemented. "The Secretariat of Pro-Life

A Treasure Worth Writting About

2011-02-11T21:36:00.000-06:00

Recently Jennifer, the author of the Blog "Conversion Diary" asked her readers around the world to respond to a series of questions about the social climate in their country concerning religious faith and its practice. The responses were numerous and if you have the time (2+ hours) you might want to read them yourself. I was planning a write a reaction to what was reported from all over the

Where Have All The Christan Youth Gone? - Take a Look at Texas A&M

2011-02-09T21:44:00.000-06:00

There has been much buzz about the vibrant Christian life found amoung the Catholic youth at Texas A&M University. Many of us older Christians get worried that Christianity is being abandoned by the youth of our country.Today, at a luncheon meeting of local ministers, we started down this road. This pessimistic swerve was halted when a young (20s?) intern Pastor at our largest Lutheran Parish

Pro Abortion Talking Points Try Alarmist Ploy

2011-02-08T22:52:00.000-06:00

What a cry has gone up from the pro-abortion commentators on our media over the efforts in our national congress to make the ban on tax funding of abortions a permanent part of our national law. This is the same ban that is passed by conress every year known as the “Hyde Amendment.” It is also the same ban approved by bipartisan vote in the US House of Representatives last year as part of the

Things Dictators Fear

2011-02-04T01:45:00.003-06:00

Today in a post on her blog, "The Anhcoress", Elizabeth Scalia makes the point that Dictators fear Art. "Great art flourishes when people are free – when they are permitted to tap into the Godspark that resides within them, and this is true, even if they must work within some sort of guideline or restriction. ...Art only dies when the human spirit has been subjugated and trampled on, and

More March for life Pictures

2011-02-02T11:40:00.004-06:00

In my wanderings on the net I came across another impressive graphic about the 2011 MARCH FOR LIFE. This one is a time-lapse video of a street corner along the line of march in Washington, DC. It is posted on the Franciscan Friars's You-Tube Channel . It gives another perspective on the size of this peaceful human rights effort. The Frairs also have a web site named "Air Maria" providing many

March For Life 2011

2011-01-26T11:33:00.000-06:00

Citizens taking to the streets seeking the protection of human rights by their government gets a lot of attention in our media if it is in Tunesia or Egypt but not if it is in our own country! In the last week such citizen activism did occur in Tunsia, Egypt and the United States. If you watched mainstream media, however, you might not even be aware of this huge human rights gathering by citizens

Behold The Lamb of God - Something out of the Ordinary

2011-01-22T10:41:00.001-06:00

John the Baptist was with some of his followers when he pointed to a man passing by and said, "BEHOLD, THE LAMB OF GOD!!!" (John 1:29) The Lamb of God? The Gospel writer tells us that the man was Jesus but if you had been there with John what would you have thought? If you were not a Jew and heard this you might have begun looking around for a fuzzy baby sheep or goat that John seemed to claim

Pope on Sexual Abuse - A light on the hill

2010-12-31T13:50:00.009-06:00

Every year in the parishes that I serve we hold a seminar for all clergy and staff and those lay ministers who serve and work with children and vulnerable adults. The purpose of these seminars is to provide on going education in the means of securing the safety of our children and vulnerable adults. Safety from sexual and other forms of abuse. As parents and, for some of us, victims of abuse in

How Well Do We hear God's Answer

2010-12-21T10:11:00.005-06:00

As we approach Christmas we end our Advent preparation by recalling the biblical scenes of Mary being approached by God's messenger with His invitation to become the mother of our saviour and her acceptance, and of Joseph's vision and decision to choose love over bitterness and law. As a husband and father I recognize the ideal and example set by Mary and Joseph for my own journey.Some times we

A Vocation Even in a Time of Persecution

2010-11-08T07:38:00.010-06:00

Some years ago my wife and I visited Dachau, the concentration camp in southern Germany. It was a very emotional experience to realize the cruelty and death that was perpetrated here against people who opposed the Nazi ideology. Mostly these were people of faith, Catholic, Protestant and Jewish. A large portion of the inmates were clergy of which the Catholic priests, including one deacon and one

2010-10-11T14:07:00.008-05:00

Today is 48th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council. The council had been called by Pope John XXIII and what a change it has had on the life of the church! Today is also the feast of Blessed John XXIII whose decree initiated the Council.Here is a You Tube piece from Salt and Light Network, the Catholic TV network in Canada, about 'Pope John.

Saying Yes To Life

2010-08-25T20:20:00.004-05:00

Roxane Salonen (Peace Garden Mama) makes similar points about the life giving choices made by her parents and grandparents as I did in my Assumption Homily in her posting about their anniversary celebration. Among these points are: - If they had chosen not to go through with it, not to walk down the aisle of the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Bismarck, ND, on August 21, 1966... - If

Sermon For Feast of The Assumption

2010-08-23T14:43:00.007-05:00

"A great sign appeared in the sky,A woman clothed with the sun,and on her head a crown of twelve stars. "(Rev 12:1)"She was with childand wailed aloud in painas she labored to give birth. "(Rev 12:2)"She gave birth to a son, a male child,destined to rule all the nationswith an iron rod."(Rev 12:5):The Book of Revelation is the last book of the Bible. In it the Apostle John describes the vision of

Prayer for Mary

2010-06-29T19:11:00.009-05:00

Deacon Greg writes about the story of a fellow worker from his years in mainstream TV. Since I have a sibling that is younger than me with this disease this story is also personnal for me. Here is a CBS news story about Jan Chorlton.Watch CBS News Videos OnlineIn two weeks my family will begin its biannual reunion and we will recall with love the last reunion that our sister was able to attend.

Anti Woman Abortion

2010-06-17T09:27:00.005-05:00

The dark side of Government imposed abortion is anti woman in its effect. Watch this CNN report from china. In the long run such policies are also anti life in a most fundamental way. Without women there is no new life created.I can just imagine a Chinese young man paraphrasing Adam (Gen 3:23) when he is lucky enough to find a wife. "This one, at last, is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh."

Pelican Rapids Review

2010-04-28T22:35:00.004-05:00

Another local blogger picked up on this review of the outstanding environment for families in Pelican Rapids, Mn. Read the entire posting at the link below. This blog is subtitled, "The global water cooler for women."'Today I heard the truth from people who live and work in Pelican Rapids."I absolutely love this district," said Stephanie, a new co-worker of mine. "My kids' lives have been so

Dawn Eden Update

2010-04-21T23:08:00.003-05:00

One of my favorite bloggers and and a fellow student at a Theology of the Body intro course several years ago has been on vacation from the blogosphere for many months while attending graduate school in theology. She is the author of the outstanding book, "The Thrill of The Chaste" which has become popular around the world in several languages.Last week her dormant blog address came alive with a

Conscience Protection for Healthcare Professionals

2010-03-30T13:01:00.003-05:00

The new health care reforms that are now part of federal law are quite weak if not a step backwards on conscience protection for health care professionals. In our federal system, however, each state can act to fill in the gaps left in federal law. We now have three states (Louisiana, Mississippi and Idaho) that provide comprehensive conscience protection. Idaho is the latest addition to this list

Called to Caritas - Self Giving Love

2010-03-26T14:18:00.004-05:00

Thanks to Jennifer of Conversion Diary for linking to this excellent video review of one of the vibrant orders growing in our midst.

The Church’s Teaching and Health Reform

2010-03-23T09:56:00.004-05:00

The Church’s social doctrine directly addresses the situation faced by Congressman Stupak. He clearly has been working to assure that loopholes that could be exploited by the marketplace to fund human rights violations (abortions) with tax dollars are not permitted to be used for that purpose. A honest review of Mr Stupak’s efforts, the church’s teaching (CSDC: Paragraph 570) and the events of

Thoughts on a Political Hero

2010-03-22T16:22:00.002-05:00

Bart Stupak is a true Pro Life Hero. Finally a pro life politician that actually engages in the battle and actually gets something done.Is it what I wanted? No, I wanted the Stupak Amendment which would have assured the broadest support and input to solving the health care scandal in our country. While the House gave Bart's amendment extensive and bipartisan approve the Senate refused and the

Heathcare Reform Sidelines Key Supporters

2010-03-19T19:50:00.007-05:00

Kathy Saile, Director of Domestic Social Development for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, explains the importance of health care reform for the U.S. Bishops and why the bishops insist that the legislation not federally fund abortion.Here is Kathy explaining again the importance of health care reform to the Catholic sense of human dignity and the contradiction that tax funding of

Springtime on the Red

2010-03-17T08:20:00.004-05:00

Roxane Salonen writes of the early arrival of flooding on the Red River of the North. A couple of weeks of warm weather have melted the huge piles of snow here in lakes country but all that snow transforms into water that finds it way into the Red. Her essay reflects the trials of last year and the resolve to face Noah's trial again."And so we find ourselves here again, earlier than anticipated,

Family Heros and War

2010-03-13T17:49:00.004-06:00

There has been much recalling of the service of the "greatest generation" who fought WWII on our media this week. This seems to have been triggered with the Tom Hanks historical series, "Pacific". All of my uncles served in the military during WWII, most of them in the Pacific. My Uncle Sylvan, however, served in Africa and Europe as a glider pilot doing troop transport. After D Day and the

Day In Life of Priest

2010-03-12T16:22:00.002-06:00

Here is a video made by Father Nels Gjengdahl, a priest of the Archdiocese of Minneapolis and St. Paul, about one day in his life. Thanks to CNS and Deacon Greg for the Youtube link.

Catholic TV Widget

2010-03-08T12:39:00.004-06:00

Today I have added a widget in the left column to access a mini viewer of the Catholic TV channel out of Boston. I have been using videos found here with various parish groups to teach, inform or stimulate discussion.The resouces on the channel are quite extensive and exceed those listed on the mini viewer list. Click on the "Catholic TV" icon at the upper right of the viewer to go to their full

The Facts Please

2010-02-27T16:15:00.007-06:00

Unlike the hysteria of last year about "OBAMACARE" (there were actually a score or so plans being proposed by legislators that came down two Bills at the end of the year) we now actually have a plan that the President has taken ownership of and discussed with legislators this week. It purports to be a combining of the Senate and House bills with additional features to make it more fiscally

Finally Healthcare Reform?

2010-02-23T20:48:00.003-06:00

It looks like we will see health care reform of some kind from Washington in a few weeks. Sadly we might have arrived at this point earlier if the supposed supporters of human rights had stuck to their values and not bargained them away for pork! The classic case, of course, is Ben Nelson on Nebraska who accepted taxpayer funding of abortion in return for a special Medicare discount for the

Pawlenty: Trying to end healthcare justice in Minnesota

2010-02-23T20:14:00.006-06:00

In less than six weeks GAMC, Minnesota's General Assistance Medical Care program for the poorest and sickest Minnesotans will end at the hand of Governor Pawlenty. He has vetoed the extension of the program passed overwhelmingly by the State Senate (46 to 16) and the State House of representatives (125 to 9) a few weeks ago. If this cruel veto is not overridden we will take two giant steps

Byron Dorgan - Public Servant

2010-01-06T19:55:00.007-06:00

A couple of years ago my wife and I were in the Minneapolis Airport on a Friday afternoon waiting for our flight to Fargo, ND to board when Senator Byran Dorgan and a number of staff persons entered the waiting area. They were on their way from Washington, DC back to North Dakota, and the Senator would be speaking at two critical public meetings in his home state over the week end.One staff

What Child is This

2009-12-26T10:47:00.008-06:00

The second day of Christmas dawns and the snow has stopped falling here in western Minnesota. Today we Catholics take note of the Deacon Stephen who became the first Christian Martyr due to his enthusasim for the Good News we celebrate this holy season. Many of the songs we love during this season ponder the child whose coming has so changed our lives. Jennifer, who writes about her journey from

Oh Blessed Christmas Gift

2009-12-25T16:53:00.003-06:00

Here is a recitation of the great news we celebrate today. May your day glow with the wonder of the news.Thanks to Deacon Greg for the video link

Family Traditions (Replay of 2006 Posting)

2009-12-21T11:10:00.003-06:00

Here is a re posting of a Christmas Traditions posting I wrote in 2006. May your Christmas celebrations recognize the great gift our God made of himself for love of us.Over sixty years ago Jack and Clarissa decided that it was important that a family have traditions. They built many over the decades as husband, wife and parents. Today (Christmas day) I will tell you about just one of these

The Radical Presense Found at Mass

2009-12-17T09:42:00.008-06:00

My sermon for the Third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday, was based on the readings and Psalm for the liturgy that urge us to rejoice because God is in our midst. At Mass God is present to us in three very important ways. He is present in our hearts, in our minds and in our bodies.One of my favorite bloggers, Jennifer , in a posting on her Blog, "Conversion Diary", makes the same points more

Love - Best Learned in the Family

2009-12-02T16:35:00.005-06:00

My wife and I had a very enjoyable Holiday with two of our three adult children visiting for several days. Our youngest daughter came alone for several days before Thanksgiving and our son and his family, minus their oldest who is in basic training in the Army, over the holiday. Love provides great consolation in physical presence and the touch of the beloved.Roxane Salonen, one of my favorite

Bishops Reaffirm Health Care Reform Support

2009-11-18T10:57:00.004-06:00

The US Catholic Bishops are meeting in Baltimore and along with approving a new document on Marriage have reaffirmed their support of health care reform. Here is s short quote from the Baltimore Sun's article on the meeting. "The bishops meet little more than a week after their successful lobbying effort to strengthen restrictions on abortion in the House version of health care overhaul. That

Sermon - 32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time

2009-11-11T20:16:00.002-06:00

Do you believe in miracles? Do you believe in forgiveness?I suspect that much of our society does not and certainly our media is highly doubtful about miracles and forgiveness.It is almost always a challenge to our media when a victim or a victim’s family, in a public crime, forgives the perpetrator.Remember the case in Pennsylvania in October of 2006? An anger young man went into a Amish grade

Adult Stem Cell Research at Notre Dame

2009-11-11T19:43:00.017-06:00

At a meeting of a parish group studying The Catechism of the Catholic Church a member of the group that is a graduate of Notre Dame mentioned the excellent videos available on the ND website about the various projects of the University. Here is one about adult stem cell research. View the Notre Dame Info Page About Stem cell Research.

The Crucified Rabbi - A Review

2009-11-05T12:15:00.010-06:00

About once a year I get motivated to post a book review. I should do it more often. Today I wish to recommend Taylor Marshall's new book, The Crucified Rabbi which became available two weeks ago. The author was formerly the Assistant Director of the Catholic Information Center in Washington, D.C. and currently a Ph.D. student in Philosophy at the University of Dallas focusing on the Natural Law

Blue Grass Mass

2009-10-30T11:43:00.003-05:00

Some of you liturgical musicians as well as many non choir Christians might enjoy listening to the Blue Grass Mass written by Father Edward Richard for St James Parish in Bristol, Virginia, the birth place of Country Music. It is performed by Fr Richard and friends. The composer is a professor at Kenrick Seminary in St Louis.Listen to the Blue Grass Mass Music here.Thanks to Deacon Greg for

Love Requires Freedom

2009-10-25T09:05:00.005-05:00

Yesterday I had the privilege of officiating at my Grand nephew’s wedding. David and Eiledh have been friends since high school. Their college careers took them to different locations but now, to the joy of their families, they have chosen to enter together the life-long vocation of marriage. The ceremony featured bagpipe accompanied processions in tribute to the bride’s Scottish heritage.The

New Evangelization Sucess Story

2009-10-17T09:16:00.004-05:00

View From The Lake has linked to several “Catholics Come Home” ads over the weeks. Now there is an interview with Tom Peterson, the founder of “Catholics Come Home”, on the television network of the Brooklyn New York Diocese. For those of us that have felt that the new evangelization requested by Pope John Paul II has been a little slow in coming up to speed it is good to see someone kick thing

Celebrating Priestly Careers

2009-10-06T22:02:00.007-05:00

One of the favorite yearly events in my life is the clergy conference of the Diocese of St Cloud that meets for three days every October. The conferees gather for Morning and evening prayer (singing and praying the Psalms and the poetry of the Bible) and at midday to celebrate the Eucharist. The serious presentations and meetings take place between the prayer time and the meal times. Oh yes, in

2009-10-02T13:17:00.006-05:00

Today (October 2, 2009) Pope Benedict XVI welcomed Minnesotan Miguel Diaz as the new Ambassador from the U.S. to the Vatican. Diaz met with the Pope to present his credentials as he took up his new office in Rome. The Pope and the Ambassador exchanged written greetings. Here is a section of the Pope's comments to the new Ambassador."In the course of my Pastoral Visit to your country last year I

Catholic Bishops and Health Care Reform

2009-09-28T22:38:00.003-05:00

Here is Bishop William Murphy speaking for the Catholic Bishops of the United States. The Catholic position on health care reform is clear and balanced. It truly represents our commitment to the dignity of all human life.

Healthcare and Small Business

2009-09-22T08:38:00.004-05:00

Leo and Mike Schweiss are small businessmen in Minnesota. Leo's business is small and employs only himself."His brother Mike, however, has gone "big time," by small town standards. He has 50 employees working at his Schweiss Bi-Fold Doors company at nearby Hector, making him one of the largest employers in his southern Minnesota area. The factory is out on the Schweiss family farm "home place,"

A meditation on Priesthood

2009-09-20T23:12:00.006-05:00

Another video on the priesthood from Grassroot Films that can be found on the Diocese of Trenton Video Site entitled, "Fishers of Men". An opportunity to meditate on how it is that men discern God's call to be Priests.

Archbishop Wuerl on Healthcare Reform

2009-09-17T09:03:00.004-05:00

Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl of Washington, DC has written an Op-Ed for 'Politics Daily'. He says in part,“As Congress returns to work, the debate on health care reform surely will focus on the political, technical and economic repercussions of various proposals. What cannot get lost in this debate, however, are the moral implications. Health care is about life and death, who can take their

Priestly Vocations

2009-09-13T21:45:00.004-05:00

Here is a video from our former Diocese of Trenton, New Jersey, featuring Priests and Seminarians speaking about their vocations.

Theology of the Body - The Next Generation

2009-08-26T22:55:00.004-05:00

Deacon Frank Owens was a key figure in descerning my vocation to the Deaconate. His prodding got me to investigate the Deaconate and his support get me through formation. He was ordained two years before me and is an awesome preacher! Frank's Son, Damon, is now a Theology of the Body speaker for the TOB Institute. Here is a video of Damon issuing an invite to one of his talks.

Go to the Source Documents

2009-08-16T23:27:00.004-05:00

I keep seeing editorials that call any healthcare reform “Obamacare”. Usually the position of commentators using the term are opposed to any reform. While we Americans did elected President Obama in part because he promised to support healthcare reform he has not created a plan but appropriately left that up to the legislature. Several healthcare plans or elements of a plan are in circulation.

Healthcare Rationing Common Sense

2009-08-15T14:22:00.014-05:00

I have read a number of editorials about healthcare rationing which prompted my posting yesterday. On Friday the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) published an editorial on rationing. While agreeing with me that Sarah Palin's claim of “Death Panels” is “over the top” they go on to say the following.“(O)nce health care is nationalized, or mostly nationalized, rationing care is inevitable, and those who

HEALTHCARE RATIONING AND SENIORS

2009-08-14T14:03:00.009-05:00

One of the most rational and well researched Pro Life Web Sites is that of American United for Life (AUL). Charmaine Yoest, PHD, the President of AUL , is one the coolest heads in our national abortion discussion. Her July 30th posting commented on the end-of-life sections of the House and Senate bills. Here is her paragraph on Section 2707 of the Senate bill.“Section 2707 of the Senate HELP bill

Political Scare Tactics Violate Human Dignity

2009-08-14T11:15:00.008-05:00

Sarah Palin[1] and others have referred to a section of one of the Bills in the House of Representatives (HR3200-1233) as justification for their claim that Congress intends to enact “Death Panels” as a way to frighten us senior citizens. Please find below, verbatim, the defining text from this section. You will note that the “death panel” that Mrs. Palin sees here is made up of your family and

A Special Plea To Senators Grassley & Issacson

2009-08-12T22:27:00.002-05:00

I was pleased to hear President Obama single out Senator Grassley of Iowa as an example of a conservative who is serious about health care reform. I was pleased because the Senator and I are both Pro-Life even though we are of opposite political party it is important that pro-life voices remain involved in this effort as the Human rights stakes are too-too high.As of now, however, I am convinced

Why is Marriage regulated by The Goverment?

2009-08-05T22:11:00.007-05:00

One of the most lucid legal minds concerning the subject of abortion has weighed in on the definition of marriage. Professor Robert P. George of Princeton University authored an essay on the issued published on August 3 in The Wall Street Journal Opinion Journal. Here are a few quotes from his essay."(T)he idea, deeply embodied in our law and its shaping philosophical tradition, of marriage as a

Meditation on Priests

2009-08-01T23:20:00.003-05:00

Steve Silvia has produced a series of beautiful videos on the Catholic Faith. Here is one about Priests. It is dedicated to one of his favorite priests. Watch it and recall the priests in your life who have followed the call to serve God's People. This is an excellent video to share with others during this year of the Priest.Visit the Web Site for Steve's "My Catholic Faith" video series.

Experiencing Signs of the Mystical Body

2009-07-29T22:09:00.006-05:00

Jennifer in her Blog "Conversion Diary" tells of an experience she had recently involving an orphan from South America who has come to spend some time with an American family. Maria, a social worker, had accompanied Rita on her trip to the US. Here is a brief quote from their first conversation with their hostess."Then Maria started to say something, hesitating to make sure she chose the right

A Life Well Spent

2009-07-25T22:34:00.006-05:00

Here is a portion of Deacon Greg Kandra's sermon for the Seventeenth Sunday of Ordinary Time."In 1994, when Amy was three months pregnant with her first child, her doctor told her that the baby had anencephaly, a neural defect. As a result, part of the baby’s brain, and skull, would never be formed. It happens in about one out of every 200-thousand pregnancies. There was nothing medical science

Abortion Funding Under Cover of Healthcare

2009-07-23T22:04:00.007-05:00

There is much discussion in our media of health care reform. It is every where. It on TV,newspapers, the Internet and in our day to day conversations. Just this past weekend at a family gathering health care discussions were heard from time to time, some heated.This evening I listened in on part of a huge Internet Pro Life meeting that featured speakers from a great diversity of organizations.

Homeward tug for Catholics

2009-07-16T23:58:00.006-05:00

The Diocese of Trenton New Jersey has a video web site known as DOTTUBE that has many ineresting videos. This diocese is of fond memory since my wife and I served as Assistant diectors of the Family Life Bureau here for a couple of years in the 70s. Here is one produced by Catholics Come Home. Goto the DOTTUBE web site or the Catholics Come Home Web site.

Pope and President Meeting Reviewed

2009-07-12T15:02:00.005-05:00

Carl Anderson, the Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, reviewed Friday's meeting between President Barack Obama and Pope Benedict XVI. Here is part of his introduction.'The speculation over what the pope and president would discuss, and whether or not abortion would be center stage has been answered affirmatively. As the Vatican's statement makes clear "the conversation turned first of all

Review of Pope Benedict's New Encyclical

2009-07-08T08:20:00.013-05:00

Carl Anderson, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, has provided an introduction to Pope Benedict's new Encyclical, "Caritas in Veritate" (Love in Truth). Here is a short quote from his article entitled "It's a Moral Document, Not a Political One"."Long before there was a "left wing," or a "right wing," there was the Gospel, and long after these political labels have faded into oblivion,

When Does Human Life Begin?

2009-07-06T08:18:00.011-05:00

I often hear Catholic Politicians claim that they cannot be politically pro-life because it would be an imposition of their religious belief on others to do so. This view is not limited to Catholics or Democrats. I have heard it also in day to day conversations about abortion with pro-choice persons of every political persuasion. When I ask my friend to describe the belief that I am forcing him

Left-Right confusion promoted

2009-07-01T20:19:00.009-05:00

In a posting on Pajama Media David Steinberg, in critiquing Judge Sotomayor, makes the claim that "leftists" are actually not charitable or empathetic. He starts the confusion by mixing nouns from different categories.In the quote below you will note that his bullet points are "Conservatives", "Independents" and "leftist". Each item from a different set or category. "Conservative" is an ideology

Abortion Survivor - Witness to Life

2009-07-01T07:39:00.009-05:00

As a young married man I decided that I needed to compete my college education. When I qualified for my employer's tuition aid program we lived in Sioux City, Iowa. The city had a Catholic College, Briar Cliff, which, at that time, did not accept male students so I signed up at Morningside College, a Methodist school, a few block from our home. Both colleges are still alive and educating but

Dawn Eden's Summer Job

2009-06-25T22:28:00.005-05:00

Speaking of Dawn Eden, you can sample her writting skills every day this summer on the web site of Americans United for Life. http://blog.aul.org/ Her background as a reporter and an author of a very sucessful book ( The Thrill of the Chaste) are obvious in her postings here. Her exploits are always amazing and landing a summer job that so matches her skills is much appreciated by readers.

Christopher West's Impact on Teens

2009-06-25T15:11:00.003-05:00

In 2005 I had the opportunity to accompany a group of teens from one of my parishes to hear a Saturday morning talk by Christopher West. The teens were very moved by his ability to so clearly communicate Catholic teaching. I was so impressed with his talk and his ability to reach the teens that I promptly signed up to take his introductory Graduate course on Theology of the Body.Below is a video

The Missing Pro Life Cohort

2009-06-24T20:01:00.006-05:00

The monthly newsletter of my Pro Life Organization arrived today. One of the lead editorials dealt with Judge Sotomayor and the second with the Polls that I reported on last week showing a growing pro life majority in the United States. The editorial begins with a long quote from the Gallup report of May 15. Here is a paragraph from that quote. "It is possible that, through his abortion

Epiphany Studio's St Paul

2009-06-23T22:22:00.004-05:00

If you can make it June 25 or 26 at the Cathedral of St Paul the premiere of this new play may be an excellent climax to the year of St Paul. For Tickets call 651-336-3302.Visit Epiphany Studio's Web Site.