Woo-hoo!

"America's largest brewing company, Anheuser-Busch, released its latest product last week -- a beer that contains caffeine. "

Read about it here.

2005 Catholic Blog Awards

Yes, once again it is time for the Catholic Blog Awards.  Go here to nominate your favorite blog, and make it quick, nominations end in a few days.

 Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia On Catholicism

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia said Saturday that people of faith should not fear being viewed by "educated circles" as "fools for Christ."

"To believe in traditional Christianity is something else," Scalia said. "For the son of God to be born of a virgin? I mean, really. To believe that he rose from the dead and bodily ascended into heaven? How utterly ridiculous. To believe in miracles? Or that those who obey God will rise from the dead and those who do not will burn in hell?

"God assumed from the beginning that the wise of the world would view Christians as fools ... and he has not been disappointed."

Scalia praised "traditional Catholics" who say the rosary, go on pilgrimages, kneel during the Eucharist and "follow religiously the teaching of the pope," adding that "intellect and reason need not be laid aside for religion. It is not irrational to accept the testimony of eyewitnesses who had nothing to gain. There is something wrong with rejecting a priori (deductively) the existence of miracles."

"If I have brought any message today, it is this: Have the courage to have your wisdom regarded as stupidity. Be fools for Christ. And have the courage to suffer the contempt of the sophisticated world."

In November, while speaking to an interfaith conference at a Manhattan synagogue, Scalia made headlines by saying that a religion-neutral government does not fit with an America that reflects belief in God in everything from its money to its military.

A few years ago Justice Scalia spoke here at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary, and I was impressed with him.  Nine times out of ten I agree with his style of interpreting the Constitution and his fearless approach to living his faith in the midst of his professional work.

 This Made Me Laugh

My favorite is the upper right-hand corner.

Here's the story behind the picture:  Pope John Paul II shooed a dove — a symbol of peace — out his apartment window Sunday, chuckling with children who watched in delight as the bird flew back into his room overlooking St. Peter's Square. 

The pontiff was addressing thousands of young people from an Italian Catholic organization who marked January as a month to promote peace.

He was flanked at his studio window by a pair of 8-year-olds — a boy and girl — who urged the world to remember children who live in countries wracked by war.

John Paul prayed that young people, "who so desire peace, become courageous and tenacious builders" of peace.

Each of the children at his side sent a dove flying, but the white birds, perhaps alarmed by Rome's unusual cold spell, almost immediately darted back into his studio.

Laughing, the 84-year-old ailing pontiff seemed determined to set the symbol free. He grabbed one of the doves as an aide returned the birds to the window sill, and he shooed it out the window and playfully patted the boy on the head.

After a quick flight over the square, the bird quickly fluttered inside again as the pope grinned.

The pontiff was addressing thousands of young people from an Italian Catholic organization who marked January as a month to promote peace.

He was flanked at his studio window by a pair of 8-year-olds — a boy and girl — who urged the world to remember children who live in countries wracked by war.

John Paul prayed that young people, "who so desire peace, become courageous and tenacious builders" of peace.

Each of the children at his side sent a dove flying, but the white birds, perhaps alarmed by Rome's unusual cold spell, almost immediately darted back into his studio.

Laughing, the 84-year-old ailing pontiff seemed determined to set the symbol free. He grabbed one of the doves as an aide returned the birds to the window sill, and he shooed it out the window and playfully patted the boy on the head.

After a quick flight over the square, the bird quickly fluttered inside again as the pope grinned.

My Absence

Some of you have probably been wondering where I have been over the past week or so, so here is my explanation:  Last friday my mother became quite ill with what we now know was meningal-encephalitis.  Thanks to the prayers of many, many people she has experienced what one doctor called a "miraculous" recovery.  She was released from the hospital after only a week which is highly unusual for someone with this illness, usually they are in the hospital for weeks.

So, for those of you who were praying, thank you.  Your prayers are appreciated.

Attention Liturgy Nuts!!!

Click here to see a copy of the new translation of the Roman Missal (Sacramentary).  I am unsure if this is the official and approved version or if it is a draft.  Nevertheless, I like what I see.

 Anti-American

Sgt. 1st Class Jeff Due, right, a U.S. Army recruiter, is surrounded by protesters at Seattle Central Community College, Thursday, Jan. 20, 2005, in Seattle. After about a 10-minute standoff during which protesters tore up U.S Army literature, the protesters were successful in getting Due and another recruiter to leave their table under escort by campus security officers. Several hundred students walked out of classes at several Seattle colleges and universities to protest the inauguration of President Bush.

I think it is very sad that while our fellow Americans are dying to defend freedom a soldier would be treated like this.  We should be thanking them for the sacrifice they make.

"I Put On My Bullet Proof Vest..."

Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington "staff were watching from the windows but we could not contain ourselves. We are all so jazzed by the cheers and thumbs up from the people in the parade. They loved our sign on the front of the building – "We will remain open to provide healthcare services... no matter what!" So I put on my bullet proof vest and ran outside to join some of the staff who were on the sidewalks. We passed out condoms to the marchers, who were delighted."

Urgh...how truly pathetic.  Wait till Monday when all the pro-life marchers descend on Washington.  I bet they won't be out handing out condoms then.

Jews Thank John Paul II For Fighting Against Anti-Semitism

John Paul II called for reinforcement of dialogue between Catholics and Jews when he received in audience a group of about 160 Jewish leaders, rabbis, cantors and their relatives.

The unprecedented meeting -- never before had so many rabbis gone to the Vatican for a private audience with the Pope -- was requested by the New York-based Pave the Way Foundation. 
Greeting the Pope on behalf of those present, Gary Krupp reviewed the gestures of this pontificate that have advanced the dialogue between Catholics and Jews.

"Soon after your ascension to the throne of St. Peter, you made a telling trip to Auschwitz in order to pay homage to victims of the Holocaust," Krupp said. "You have defended the Jewish people at every opportunity, as a priest in Poland and during your 26-year pontificate.

"You have denounced anti-Semitism as a 'sin against God and humanity.' This tone of reconciliation has been the cornerstone of your papacy and its relations with the Jewish people."

Krupp recalled that John Paul II has been the first Pope "since St. Peter to visit a synagogue."

He continued: "Your pilgrimage to Israel and the Holy Land on March 21, 2000, was immortalized in the hearts and minds of the Jewish people around the world, when you placed your prayer asking for forgiveness in the Western Wall."

"For your acts of love of all humankind and your implacable pursuit of peace and reconciliation of all faiths," the Jewish representative said, "Your Holiness truly is the personification of these ideals and spirit of Aaron, the high priest of ancient Israel." 

Interesting Article on Gender Differences...Apparently Science Says There Are Differences

And here is another article based ont he same research.

What The Heck Is Going On In Spain?

I highly doubt that this article presents the facts and I suspect that it is somehow slanted because I know that the the Church will not change it's teaching on contraception, even for the purpose of preventing the spread of AIDS.  It seems to me that allowing condoms would not be helping people to live a Christian life, but rather it would be encouraging illicit and sinful sex - by that I mean homosexual activity or sex outside of marriage.  If one were living a Christian lifestyle then there would be no need to use condoms or any sort of contraception for that matter.

What do you think?

UPDATE: A clarification from the Curt Jester.

Martin Luther King's Niece:  Pro-Life Conservative

Now this little gem will really make the liberal, pro-death media squirm:

From a Newsweek interview with Alveda King:

What is the most pressing issue facing African-Americans today?

If we were in the 1990s, I would have said that school choice is the most pressing civil-rights issue. We're now in the new millennium, and the battle for life, in my heart, has equal place. By that, I'm speaking of the pro-life movement. I am a member of a group called Silent No More, of mostly women who say they regret their abortion. I'm post-abortive so I know this, when we abort the child, we violate his or her rights, we as the mothers suffer tremendously, and our families suffer. I remember my children saying, "You killed our brother or our sister, how could you do that? Did you want to kill us, too?" My uncle said that "the Negro cannot win if he is willing to sacrifice the lives of his children for personal comfort and safety.” Now if you look at the issue of abortion, that's immediately sacrificing the life of a child for personal comfort and safely.

What about a young, single woman growing up in a poor neighborhood, with few resources? A lot of people would say that it is better for her to have an abortion than to raise a child in poverty and perpetuate the cycle of poverty for another generation.

I had an abortion in my early twenties. I was married, but the father did not want the child. He was very emphatic about that, and somewhat threatening, and I felt under tremendous pressure, and so I made that choice. At the time, we had one son, and [the father] did not want other children. And it was so convenient, because Roe v. Wade had just passed, and my medical insurance paid for it. I would say in retrospect, we have a greater responsibility as a compassionate society to teach our young people, male and female, the responsibility of parenting, what happens when you have sex, and to teach again like we used to: be prepared to raise a child if you have sex. People stopped saying that. And so I do have compassion for the young person who says, “If I have this baby, my life will be ruined.” But I believe the answer is: Think about that before you have the sex. I would say to that young lady, if she's already pregnant, then we go into intervention and look for opportunities to have the child adopted, or to strengthen her with maybe a scholarship to finish school so she doesn't feel deserted or abandoned.

 Ever Wonder What Really Goes On Inside An Abortion Clinic

Click here to read the whole sickening truth.

Sick and Wrong

Florida’s Indian River Community College (IRCC) is engaging in a campaign of repression against a Christian student group for attempting to show Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ on campus.  In November 2004, the college banned the Christian Student Fellowship (CSF) from showing the film because it was R-rated, despite the fact that the college has hosted a live performance entitled “F**king for Jesus” that describes simulated sex with “the risen Christ.”  

Sounds like the usual persecution and double standards.  It are things like this that make me really fired up, and frankly, it should get you fired up too. 

Read the whole article here.

A Little Post-Christmas Holiday Cheer

Back In The States

 More on my excellent trip and retreat later...

Here I Go...

I'll be leaving for my pilgrimage to Rome in a matter of minutes.  Keep me in your prayers and know that you will be in mine.  Blogging will be lite while away.