Friday, March 25, 2011

Mar 25, 2011 letter to editor

In the March 23, 2011 News-Record op ed “public radio provides ‘sense of place,’” the general manager of listener sponsored, Wake Forest University owned WFDD pleaded her case for continued tax payer funding for NPR. Tax payers should not be asked to pay for a ‘sense of place’ at a privately owned radio station.

The manager’s own numbers make the case for defunding “public radio”. In the fall of 2010, WFDD had 92,000 listeners: less than 4% of their service area’s population.

Defunding NPR would cost WFDD $171,000 per year. Let their few listeners pony up the $1.86 more per listener per year to make up the loss from tax payers. Or, cut this ten percent of their operating costs.

The manager states that public radio’s technological and programmatic interconnectivity is so fragile that this loss from taxpayers to WFDD is “the equivalent of removing a weight bearing wall” from a house.

Business with few consumers that cannot cut 10% of its costs or raise $1.86 per year per customer is a straw house built on sand.

Defund NPR. Let public radio rebuild its house with brick on a rock foundation: fundamental capitalism not an entitlement to a sense of place.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Ash Wednesday 2011 begins

Jack and Thom,
Good Morning, I love you
110309, 0957

Ash Wednesday, 2011. I woke up at 0445, having slept through the alarms at 0415 and 0430. Still, that left me plenty of time to get to 0645 Mass and be the second reader. Next thing I knew, it was 0607. Speed showering should be an Olympic sport!

I listen to Mike and Mike in the morning and can keep time with them fairly easily. In and out of the shower. Sport coat and tie for the reader role. Out the door at 0623.

It’s six miles to St Paul’s. Speed limit is 35. There is light traffic at 0635ish but there was enough traffic for me to have to wait at the end of our driveway – for traffic from the left and a car from the right before I burst out in front of the next car coming from the right. There’s the redlight at Old Battleground. Another redlight at Battleground. Short stops at each, the clock ticking. The next two lights are right turns – being out in front of the short traffic line, I sprinted from light to light. Even with a mustang, maxing speed on a city street, for stretches of about a half mile, how much can be ‘cut’ from a 12 minute drive?

I pulled into the St Paul parking lot at 0636 on the radio clock. There were maybe ten cars there. I was there way ahead of the congregation that would more than half fill the church by 0650. But, as reader, I’m suppose to be there early enough for the liturgical coordinator to know all the spots are covered. I was there before the second reader. (The other reader, marine sergeant was unloading his three children (2 to 5) from their suv when I was walking crossing the parking lot.)

We did our pre-Mass clarification of roles between we ‘extraordinary ministers’ (v. deacon and priest). I was comfortably in my seat reading for the umpteenth time today’s excerpt from 2nd Corinthians. Our pastor has a way of moving through the Mass with a speedy fluidity. He’s like a bowling ball rolling downhill. … The marine did he reading. He lead the responsorial psalm. He stepped back from the ambo. Did the short pause thingy. As he stepped toward the stairs off the altar area, I stood up. Our priest also stood up and whisked across the altar to the altar on his way to the ambo. Father rolled right into the Gospel.

After Mass our liturgical coordinator nudged me out of my rosary meditation to explain to me that Father thought the marine had done the two readings. Oh? How does that happen? How did he not know that the ‘second reading’ was the Responsorial Psalm and not the reading from Corinthians? First, the priest is focused. He’s got a rhythm for the Mass. He really doesn’t have to listen to the words – or even the reader’s lead and people’s response of the psalm. Second, his sermon was drawn totally from the Gospel. The other (three) readings were irrelevant to his role this morning. [Not to mention that one of the prayers of the faithful picked up one of the key lines from the Epistle.]

Oh well. Father did a comedic mea culpa re: cutting me off from the reading. I’m sure he’ll restrain his impulse to get on with it for the other Masses today.

Oh well. I did my part. Plus, I had the blessing of spending a week with the reading. We are ambassadors of Christ. Be reconciled with God. He made him sin who did not know sin. Do not receive the grace of God in vain. In an acceptable time I heard you. On the day of salvation I helped you. This is a very acceptable time. This is the day of salvation. Amen.

The rest of today is getting ahead on my faith formation classes and project preparation. I Then get ready for the weekend. All the while, fulfilling today’s fast and abstinence expectations – of me for me beyond the modern era relaxed rules. That on top of yesterday’s beginning of the process. One bagel for breakfast. A few cups of coffee while I was immersed in the laptop.

Til soon,
I love you
Dad
0931

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

March 6 Fridolin d. 540

Thom and Jack,
Good Morning, I love you
110308, 1413

With too much time not doing what I’m suppose to do, I might as well get the saints part of this caught up past today. After Fridolin, the next saint meeting my criterion is the 12th. I’ll knock off past this weekend before this weekend. From Baltimore I’m on my way to Chincoteague for a ‘same time next year’ experience that’s more a ‘same time next century’ opportunity. Videbimus.

March 6

Fridolin d. 540

Fridolin was a Benedictine abbot, an Irishman venerated as “the Apostle of the Upper Rhine.”

Fridolin traveled to France and settled in Poitiers, rebuilding the monastery of St. Hilary which had been destroyed by Vandals.

Fridolin then became a hermit on the Rhine. There Fridolin built the abbey of Sackingen.

< Another example of doing the hermit thing before setting out to serve God in community. >

Fridolin was called “the Wanderer’ because of his many evangelizing trips in the region.

< Growing up we had the FBI priests – our foreign born Irish, the overflow of Irish priests. Today, the state of the Church in Ireland saddens us all. Ora pro nobis. >


Catholicencyclopedia online

In accordance with a later tradition, St. Fridolin is venerated as the first Irish missionary who laboured among the Alamanni on the Upper Rhine, in the time of the Merovingians.

< Of course it was easy in the sixth century, to be the first to evangelize an area. However, today, you always have the chance to be the first to evangelize among your friends and much of your family. Evangelize by living a Catholic life as well as preaching what you practice. >

Fridolin belonged to a noble family in Ireland (Scottia inferior), and at first laboured as a missionary in his native land.

< The Apostles of Ireland evangelized clans from the top down. Their persuasive powers as well as the appeal of Christianity to the Celts is proved by the number of nobles who became priests in this new religion. >

< To go first to your native land is a high risk endeavor. Being a prophet in your own land carries its challenges. But. That’s what we’re called to do. To evangelize with our lives. When you live under your mother’s apron, that’s the place you get to demonstrate Truth. >

Afterwards crossing to France, Fridolin came to Poitiers, where in answer to a vision, he sought out the relics of St. Hilarius, and built a church for their reception.

< Whether we’re blessed with a vision or simply discernment, pray that you will see what God is calling you to do. Find His will in your life through prayer and spiritual guidance. >


St. Hilarius subsequently appeared to him in a dream, and commanded him to proceed to an island in the Rhine, in the territories of the Alamanni. In obedience to this summons, Fridolin repaired to the "Emperor" Clovis, who granted him possession of the still unknown island, and thence proceeded through Helion, Strasburg, and Coire, founding churches in every district in honour of St. Hilarius.

Reaching at last the island of Säckingen in the Rhine, he recognized in it the island indicated in the dream, and prepared to build a church there. The inhabitants of the banks of the Rhine, however, who used the island as a pasturage for their cattle, mistook Fridolin for a cattle-robber and expelled him.

< Expect it to be a common experience that when you live your Catholicism that you will be seen as a ‘cattle-robber’ – someone who is a threat to the essential false beliefs of those around you. >

On Friodlin’s production of Clovis's deed of gift, he was allowed to return, and to found a church and monastery on the island.

Fridolin then resumed his missionary labours, founded the Scottish monastery in Constance, and extended his mission to Augsburg.

Fridolin died on 6 March, and was buried at Säckingen.

And yet….

Not a single ancient author mentions Fridolin, the life has no proper historical chronological arrangement, and the enumeration of so many wonders and visions awakens distrust.

Consequently, most modern historians justly reject the life as unauthentic, and as having no historical foundation for the facts recorded, while the older historians believed that it contained a germ of truth.

So, we learn from the oral traditions of our bards and seanachie’s and druids and priests and ….

I love you,
Dad
1435

News-Record front page article: Brain injury made Summers impulsive, defense says

Jack and Thom,
Good Morning, I love you
110308, 1344

Read today's paper and the blog Doug Clark wrote about it. Then, see the comment/response I made that Mr. Clark posted -

RE: Jennifer Fernandez March 8, 2011 article ‘brain injury made summers impulsive, defense says.’

Psychiatric analysis injected into the determination of a person’s criminal guilt or innocence is a volatile mix of intellectual integrity and emotional reactivity.

Caveat: I, of course, did not see nor read the testimony in this trial. However, my career in psychology and psychiatric hospital management has more than once immersed me in the vortex that is the criminal prosecution of brutal crimes.

The psychiatric testimony reported in this case would exonerate most criminals. The logic argues backwards from the person’s actions to causal attribution to a psychiatric disorder. The statement that “'normal brains and normal minds don’t do these things” is both a tautology and an oxymoron.

This approach would then argue that every person who has had head trauma (do you remember all the times you’ve bumped your head?), has learning disabilities, experienced epileptic seizures, abused alcohol, been abused as a child, and/or lived in foster care are out there committing violent crimes.

Besides, none of these mental illnesses/challenges alleviates responsibility for our impulse control. Not one of these absolves us from knowing and acting on what is right and wrong.

I love you,
Dad
1346

p.s.
obviously, I have too much on my hand today. ora pro me.

Rep King's hearing about Muslim-American terrorists and their protectors and apologists

Thom and Jack,
Good morning, I love you
110308, 1337


See the columns by Herbert in the Times and Robinson in the Post plus the Times' editorial: plus the editorial in today's Times.

One theme of their rant is that to investigate Muslim-Americans terrorists and those who do not turn them in is UnAmerican.

Here's my opinion, posted also on Mr Robinson's website.

Creating a Straw Man that we are acting as a “religious persecution - and it's un-American and wrong” does not help us eradicate radical Muslim terrorism in our homeland.

Rep. King, unlike Mr. Robinson and our ‘frisk granny’ TSA, better has our safety and security at heart. He will magnify where the terror is. He won’t let terrorists in the USA hide behind women and children and the good works of others.

We must remember that part of our Declaration of Independence where our forefathers castigated “our British brethren.” “We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity…. to disavow these usurpations [by the crown]” Today we call upon Muslim Americans to disavow the acts of Muslim terrorists.

Until we eliminate all Muslim terrorists: “We hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.” We are at war in 2011 with Muslim terrorists.

What do you think?

I love you,
Dad
1342

March 5 Kiernan the Elder d. 530

Jack and Thom,
Good morning, I love you
110308, 1245

Our homilist Sunday evening – a friend of our pastor, a theology professor at Notre Dame, the Chairman of the (THE) Seminary in Nigeria – was more long winded than Msgr. S. on Saturday. He actually gave three maybe four excellent sermons in one.

I got caught up in his aside about parents as Catechists, as The Catechists. Of course, I said to myself. My teaching in our faith formation ‘program’ is simply and only as an adjunct to what the parents are doing. With any luck I contribute something that supplements and seals what they are teaching.

I also believe that our parental role qua parent-catechist is never ending. Ya think? As you become an adult, the role is supplemental to what you are doing for yourselves. It’s being part of the family, clan, church.


March 5

Kiernan d. 530


The “first born of the saints of Ireland,” sometimes listed as Kieran Saighir or the Elder.

< Isaac Jogues and companions were America’s first martyrs. Or, more precisely, the first martyrs in North America. Fr. Jogues and his Jesuit confreres came to us, went to the Indians, from France. First born of the saints of USA are Elizabeth Ann Seton, Katherine Drexel, and (soon to be canonized?), Kateri Takewitha. Three women. Two ‘Catherines.’ Remember your Grandmother always. Pray for her as well as call upon her to pray for you – which, I bet, she does anyway or because she’s not asked. >

He was a native of Ossory, and after living for a time as a hermit, he is believed to have been consecrated a bishop by St. Patrick, taking his place as the first bishop of Ossory.

< Having a period as hermit is a worthwhile ’40 days in the desert’ before assuming your ministry/service/vocation. I’m glad I had the novitiate. I wish the gifts given stuck better. Fortunately, mother church gives us lent. An annual renewal of our hermetical opportunity. >

Legends attribute remarkable miracles to Kieran.

< remarkable miracles. Redundant, ya think? Embellished by our bards and seanachie’s? duh! Imagine what it was like to be Kieran. A saint in his own right. Blessed by God with His miraculous powers. And yet, there was Patrick. Oh yeh, March 17th is coming. Erin go Braugh! >


Brigid-Undertheoak.blogspot.com I recommend you enjoy this blog of our Irish saints.

Saint Ciarán of Saighir, one of the 'twelve apostles of Ireland.’


The Twelve Apostles of Erin, who came to study at the feet of St. Finian, at Clonard, on the banks of the Boyne and Kinnegad Rivers, are said to have been St. Ciaran of Saighir (Seir-Kieran) and St. Ciaran of Clonmacnois; St. Brendan of Birr and St. Brendan of Clonfert; St. Columba of Tir-da-glasí (Terryglass) and St. Columba of Iona; St. Mobhí of Glasnevin; St. Ruadhan of Lorrha; St. Senan of Iniscathay (Scattery Island); St. Ninnidh the Saintly of Loch Erne; St. Lasserian mac Nadfraech, and St. Canice of Aghaboe.




OSSORY ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY.

[INAUGURAL ADDRESS delivered by the RIGHT REV. DR. MORAN, Bishop of Ossory, at the first Meeting of the Ossory Archaeological Society, 7th January, 1874.]

Foremost among the subjects to engage your attention will be the lives of the patron saints of this diocese. It was thus that St. Jerome, St. Augustine, St. Cyprian, and so many other great ornaments of the Church applied themselves to record the lives of the holy men who went before them in the paths of faith ; and who will say that your labour will be fruitless whilst you preserve the memory of your fathers who enriched our country with the inheritance of divine faith, and left the bright examples of their piety to mark out for their children the paths to heaven ? Since history, as Cicero defines it, is " Magistra vitae," surely the lives of the saints must be the noblest branch of history, for they point out the heroism of Christian life, and are the most instructive school of the Gospel virtues.

The life of our chief patron, St. Kieran, leads us back to the " Preparatio Evangelica," so to say, of our nation, and to the first dawn of the Christian faith in this country.

In the mysterious ways of Providence, the first gifts of this Celtic nation were offered to the Cross of Christ upon the shores of the sister-island. When the Roman general, Maximus, withdrew his legions from Britain in 383, to win by the sword the imperial diadem of the West, its provinces were left defenceless, and became an easy prey to Irish and Pictish adventurers.

Modern research has placed it beyond the reach of controversy, that towards the close of the fourth and the commencement of the fifth century, many Irish settlements were made on the coasts of the present Cumberland and Lancashire, whilst at the same time the greater part of Wales became an Irish colony. The brave British chieftain, Cunedda, indeed, soon freed North Wales from the dominion of the intruders, but in the south the Irish continued to hold sway; and we find the son of an Irish chieftain, named Brecan, whose name still remains attached to Brecknockshire, ruling there with undisputed sovereignty from 410 to about 450.

St. Ninian was the apostle of these Irish colonists. They proved docile to the sweet yoke of Christ, and many famous monasteries sprung up amongst them, one of which, in after times, was known as "the Glastonbury of the Irish." Prince Brecan, of whom I have just spoken, is styled a saint in the Welsh Triads, and twenty-four of his children, or grandchildren, received the same honours. We should not be deceived by the title of " Apostle of the Picts," which from early times has been awarded to St. Ninian, as if that would restrict his labours to the inhabitants of North Britain, for we must hold in mind that the name given by British writers to the Irish settlers at this time was Gwddyl Ffichli, i.e., "the Gaelic Picts."

I will not discuss the merits of the various theories which have been advanced regarding the chronology of St. Kieran's life. No one at the present day will seriously maintain that he lived to an age of three hundred years, or that for one hundred and fifty years he discharged the duties of the episcopate in this island.

To me it seems sufficiently proved, that it was through the preaching of St. Palladius that our Saint, when he had attained the age of manhood, was awakened to the knowledge of Christian truth, and it seems equally certain that it was in the year 432 that he proceeded to Rome, and received there the saving waters of baptism. As we read in his ancient Life, "Kieran set out for Rome of Letha, for it was made known to him by heaven, that it was there he would receive divine instruction, and be promoted to the highest dignity, because Rome was the fountain of the faith." (MSS. British Museum, Egerton, 91).

This same ancient record further attests that he remained in Rome for thirty years, leading a life of heroic sanctity, and emulating in that corrupt capital of the decaying empire, the virtues and austerities of the fathers of the desert. How eventful were these thirty years for the Christian world! St. Sixtus III., and, after him, the Great St. Leo, ruled the Church of God. With what joyous acclamations was the news received in Rome, that the Council of Chalcedon had restored peace to Christendom!

Terror and dismay took the place of joy, when it became known that Attila, with his countless hordes of Huns, had crossed the Rhine, and vowed the destruction of the empire. And how must the degenerate citizens have trembled, whilst the venerable Pontiff, arrayed in his sacred robes, went forth from the defenceless capital to confront their merciless enemy ! But with what triumph did they welcome him, on his return from the banks of the Ticino, when his words of peace had rolled back the tide of invasion, and saved themselves from utter ruin!

It is probable that St. Kieran left Rome early in the year 461. It was in that year that Genseric, with his Vandal army, pillaged the city, and led away its noblest families into slavery, and it was only through the prayers of St. Leo that the Basilicas were honoured as inviolable sanctuaries, and that the lives of the citizens were spared.

St. Kieran received the episcopal consecration at the hands of that great Pontiff, and returning to Ireland, hastened to the territory of Eliach, where he erected for himself a cell in a dense wood, on the brink of a spring-fountain which was called Saiger. There his sanctity and miracles soon gathered a large number of disciples around him, and in the presence, and with the blessing of St. Patrick, he, in 462, laid the foundations of his great monastery, which continued for centuries a centre of learning and piety, and diffused throughout Munster and Leinster the blessings of religion.

The reader of the Saint's life will be, perhaps, surprised to find recorded in it many things performed by the badger and the wolf and other wild animals. We owe to a distinguished antiquarian among our citizens the suggestion, that these were merely the names borne by some of the religious brethren of our Saint's monastery; and this suggestion is confirmed by the fact, that similar names were at the same period familiar in the monasteries of Gaul and Italy.

The labours of St. Kieran were not confined to Ireland. He passed several years on the western coast of Britain, and, as we learn from Blight's "Churches in West Cornwall," his memory is still cherished there. Four ancient Cornish parochial churches bear his name : these are Perran-zabuloe, or St. Piran-in-the-sand ; Perran-arworthal ; Perran-uthnoe, situated near the coast opposite St. Michael's Mount, and styled in the taxation of Pope Nicholas " Ecclesia de Lanudno;" and St. Kevern, or Pieran, which in Domesday-book is called Lanachebran.

St. Kieran's holy well is also pointed out on the northern coast of Perran-zabuloe. The parish church of St. Keverne stands in the district called Meneage, which terminates at the Lizard Point, the southernmost land of England. The name Meneage is supposed to mean, in the old Cornish dialect, " the deaf stone," and the reason given for it is, that though there are several mineral veins or lodes in the district, on trial they have been found to be of no value, and hence are called deaf or useless.

Tradition tells that St. Kieran inflicted on the inhabitants, as a punishment for their irreligion, that the mineral veins of the district would be un-productive, and the old proverb is still handed down, "No metal will run within the sound of St. Kieran's bell."

Penitential austerities were the characteristic virtue of St. Kieran; though the richest gifts were made to him, all were distributed among the poor. His only meal each day was at sunset, and consisted of a little barley bread and undressed herbs. His drink was from the fountain; the bare ground was his bed; and skins and sackcloth were his only garments.

There is not in the whole range of Irish hagiology a sweeter scene than that of the Saint's death, as described in the ancient Irish documents. Knowing that the time was come for St. Kieran's repose, St. Finnian, of Clonard, hastened to be with him in his last moments ; for, although our Saint in his declining years had enrolled himself among the disciples of St. Finnian, yet it was from him that St. Finnian had learned the first lessons of heavenly wisdom.

Thirty bishops also came to Saigher, all of whom had been trained by St. Kieran in piety, and had received the sacerdotal ordination at his hands, These being assembled around him, he said to them:

" 'My brethren, pray with me to God that I may not stand alone before His judgment seat, but that His holy saints and angels may be with me ; and pray that my path unto the King may not be through darkness, and that His smile may welcome me.' And turning; to his religious; he blessed them, and bequeathed them to God and to Mochuda : he exhorted them to uphold piety, to love their monastery, and to guard themselves against the son of malediction, that their days of blessing might not be shortened." And then raising his eyes to heaven, he prophetically added : "

For a time will come when evils shall prevail, and the churches shall be demolished, and the monasteries be reduced to a wilderness, and sacred truth shall be corrupted into falsehood, and holy Baptism be tinged with corruption, and each one will seek not what is his own, but what does not belong to him."

"He then went at their head into the Regies, or church of the monastery, where he was wont to celebrate, and there at the altar he offered the holy sacrifice, and having partaken of the Body and Blood of Christ, and received the last sacrament of Extreme Unction, he asked the brethren to inter his body in a secret place, which none but themselves should know, close to the spot which was hallowed by the relics of St. Martin, and where the remains of the holy men who preceded him had been laid.

And now, having perfected his victory of abstinence and penance, and attained his triumph over the demons and the world, the choirs of angels came to meet the soul of Kieran, to give to him the greetings of heaven, and to conduct him to God. At midnight he breathed his last, but so many were the lights that burned around him, that night seemed changed into day. His remains were wrapped in precious linen, and for seven days hymns and canticles were chanted in thanksgiving to God for the mercy shown to him, and earth seemed to breathe the fragrance of heaven ; but his soul was in bliss, in the company of St. Patrick and St. Martin and the other saints of God."

I love you,
Dad
1320

March 5 John Joseph of the Cross b. 1654 d. 1734 bl. 1789 c. 1839.

Jack and Thom,
Good Morning, I love you
110308, 1142

This morning’s reading from Tobit 2:9-14, made me chuckle when I first read it and I couldn’t (didn’t) stifle my chuckle at the back of the church either. Listening to the readings from Tobit, it feels like we have an old man telling us his story. Like a grandfather would. Or, a father were there sons listening – except, of course when I am talking to myself.

I called to my wife and said: “Where did this goat come from?
Perhaps it was stolen! Give it back to its owners;
we have no right to eat stolen food!”
She said to me, “It was given to me as a bonus over and above my wages.”
Yet I would not believe her,
and told her to give it back to its owners.
I became very angry with her over this.
So she retorted: “Where are your charitable deeds now?
Where are your virtuous acts?
See! Your true character is finally showing itself!”


This is a conversation men and women, husbands and wives have ‘all the time.’ Even though Tobit was blind now for a couple of years – birds shat in his eyes as he slept – and, apparently increasingly grumpy. He was, it seemed, a righteous man throughout his life. A holy man. Maybe a bit self-righteous. All of that, we naturally believe, is easy to do when things go well for us. Maybe so – but things were ‘perfect’ for Adam and Eve.

Now that things have gone south for Tobit, his wife declares we’re seeing his true character. Post-Adam/Eve with sin and concupiscence, she’s right. Our true character, although created in the image and likeness of God, is to suffer the consequences of man’s separation from God. No wonder we’re all a bit grumpy.

This scene, I assure you, is played over and over in relationships. My advice from this interaction – NEVER doubt what your loved one tells you. No matter how incredible. No matter how grumpy you feel. ALWAYS receive what your loved ones give you in the most positive light.


March 5

John Joseph of the Cross b. 1654 d. 1734 bl. 1789 c. 1839.


St. John Joseph of the Cross was born in the beautiful island of Ischia, near Naples. From his childhood he was the model of virtue. He lived a life of prayer.

< I’d love to have more details of John Joseph of the Cross’s childhood virtue. Living a life of prayer is essential for our virtuousness. Prayer, a personal, even intimate, relationship with God. Remember your childhood. Remember your virtuousness? And since then, what’s happened? How do you rebound? >

In his sixteenth year John Joseph of the Cross entered the Franciscan Order of the Strictest Observance, or Reform of St. Peter of Alcantara.

< This virtuous boy, well, maybe in the 17th c. sixteen was on the cusp of manhood, chose the strictest of the Franciscans. His pursuit of virtue, I suppose, drew him to challenge himself with the most demanding of the religious he knew about. I didn’t live what anyone would call a virtuous childhood. Maybe an ordinary one vis a vis my religiosity would be the best someone who knew me then would say. So why the Jesuits? I was persuaded (then and now) that they are the Pope’s marines. The best and the brightest. Most importantly, the holiest. If I were to be a priest, that was the priest I wanted to be. I figured I needed all the help I could get to find my way along that path. Thus, the Jesuits. How are you choosing to be formed in your pursuit of service to God? >

Throughout his life he was given to the greatest austerity: he fasted constantly, never drank wine, and slept but three hours each night.

< Personal austerity. Fasting is one test. How do we go into Lent – prayer, fasting, almsgiving. … I can go along with the three house of sleep. It seems to have been my body’s natural inclination most of my life. The problem is what we do with the awake time. Even now, that’s a challenge for me. Not to mention avoiding the easiest avoidance tactic – sleep. >

Such was the edification he gave in his Order, that within three years after his profession he was sent to found a monastery in Piedmont.

< Nineteen years old and the Franciscans asked him to found a monastery because of his holiness. Remember when you were nineteen? What were people thinking of you? How were you being selected for service to God, to the community – in work or school? 1968, after a year in the novitiate, I was on a roll. Not the leader of my secundi class. Not a leader of the class either – by vote or by assignment. I was asked to lead the one ministry that interested me: Berkshire Farm for Boys. We did well. We did good. More importantly for me, I learned a lot about myself. >

John Joseph of the Cross became a priest out of obedience, and obtained, as it seems, an inspired knowledge of moral theology.

< Obedience. It was my (in hindsight I know false) belief that I could not live the life of obedience as a Jesuit. The life of obedience is essential to any vocation. >

With his superiors' permission John Joseph of the Cross built another convent and drew up rules for that community, which were confirmed by the Holy See. He afterward became Master of Novices. Sometimes later he was made provincial of the province of Naples, erected in the beginning of the eightheenth century by Clement XI.

John Joseph of the Cross labored hard to establish in Italy that branch of his Order which the sovereign Pontiff had separated from the one in Spain.


In his work John Joseph of the Cross suffered much, and became the victim of numerous calumnies. However, the saint succeeded in his labors, endeavoring to instill in the hearts of his subjects, the double spirit of contemplation and penance bequeathed to his Reform by St. Peter of Alcantara.

< Two essential ‘learning opportunities’ here. First, follow John Joseph of the Cross to not only live a virtuous life but to lead others, expect others, to live similarly. Second, when you do what is right and righteous, know that you will be the receiver [not victim, please, let’s not succumb to our culture’s victimology] of calumnies. Suck it up. Know your relationship with God and Church will sustain and, in the end, reward you. >

St. John Joseph of the Cross exemplified the most sublime virtues, especially humility and religious discipline.

< Humility. One of the seven heavenly virtues. Know thyself. Know thy place vis a vis God and Man. And when you boast, boast in God. … Today’s Fat Tuesday. Tomorrow starts our annual challenge to our personal religious discipline. What penance will you be doing for yourself? For the rest of us? For the souls in purgatory? What discipline will you improve for yourself – without, of course, letting anyone know what you’re doing except to see the quality shine through in your love of the Lord? >

John Joseph of the Cross also possessed numerous gifts in the supernatural order, such as those of prophesy and miracles.

John Joseph of the Cross’s great devotion was to our Blessed Lady, and he was urgent with his penitents that they also should cultivate this.

< Why is it do you think that a devotion to our Blessed Mother is seminal? Beyond a love of Mother: devotion! Not only giving Her our heart and soul, what we do and what we refuse to do, what we think, feel, say, do. In addition, what She says, how She lived, the place She holds herself and for us. We often need more than ourselves to get us over the hump into penitence and reconciliation and conversion. Let your first stop be to ask Mary for the help you need. >

Finally, consumed by labors for the glory of God, he was called to his reward. Stricken with apoplexy, he died an octogenarian in his convent at Naples on March 5, 1734. His feast day is March 5th.

< Sunday’s Gospel had, as the guest homilist we had said, the scariest line in he Bible. “I never knew you. Depart from me, you evil doers.” Jesus tells the story of the people who arrive at the pearly gates and proffer – ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’ This is not enough. These blessings and efforts are not sufficient. What matters? “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.” The question is not, ‘what do you want to be when you grow up?’ We are here to know, love and serve God. We must do the will of the Father in Heaven. Even Jesus struggled with this at the end. Remember his prayer in the Garden? If this cup can pass, please, take it away. But! “not my will, but yours be done.” Our life is created to be lived in obedience. Ya think God’s made that clear enough? First and Fourth commandments. And this punch line from Jesus. >


I love you,
Dad
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Sunday, March 6, 2011

Catherine of Siena, Patron Saint of Fire Prevention?

p.s. [to letter to niece]
Why is Catherine of Siena a Patron Saint of Fire Prevention?

Try these ideas….



From the Prayers of Saint Catherine –

My Nature is Fire
(Prayer 12)

In your nature, eternal Godhead, I shall come to know my nature. And what is my nature, boundless love? It is Fire, because you are nothing but a fire of love. And you have given humankind a share in this nature, for by the fire of love you created us. And so with all other people and every created thing; you made them out of love….


A Poem of St Catherine’s -

O, abyss! 0 eternal Godhead! 0 deep sea!
What more could you have given me than the gift of your very self?
You are a fire always burning but never consuming;
you are a fire consuming in your heat all the soul's selfish love;
you are a fire lifting all chill and giving light.
In your light you have made me know your truth:
You are that light beyond all light
who gives the mind's eye supernatural light in such fullness and perfection that
you bring clarity even to the light of faith.
In that faith I see that my soul has life,
and in that light receives you who are Light…


From St Catherine’s biography –

Catherine's frustrated parents tried to marry her against her wishes. She responded by cutting off all her hair, which infuriated her parents. To discipline her, they made her the servant of the house, responsible for all the chores. She was showered with insults and humiliation, but she rejoiced at being able to serve her family, as if they were the "Holy family" of God. One day while turning the spit of the fire, she reportedly fell into ecstasy and rolled in the ashes, yet she revived unharmed….

< Unlike St Catherine, your family supports your vocation – with the understandable trepidations. But, you and St Catherine have in common the fire of your vocation. One day, you will find yourself in the bowels of a fire. May St Catherine be one of those who make sure you emerge unharmed. >



From St. Catherine’s biography

During the summer of 1370 she received a series of special manifestations of Divine mysteries, which culminated in a prolonged trance, a kind of mystical death, in which she had a vision of her being in Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven,….

< There are other similar experiences described for St Catherine’s experiences as actually being in the fires of Purgatory and Hell; and, of course, returning unscathed. I do not doubt that being in the midst of a fire is like being in hell. May St Catherine be one of those who make sure you always emerge from those times unscathed. >


110306
wtn

Mar 3 Foila 6th c.

Thommy and Jack,
Good Morning, I love you
110306, 1433

Picking up from the Fergna entry….

Three priests. In the same way that there’s been a plethora of schools and parishes in my life, the number of priests who have come and gone are more numerous than I can count; many more than I remember. I hope that you have a priest or more who are (have been) important to you. And I hope that those importances are positive.

I only have two priests on my list that are in the negative column. Not, with wiser hindsight, their fault but because of my frailties. The first was the chaplain at the Newman Center when I first arrived at Alabama. He was a gazillion years old and tenaciously held onto the pre Vatican II church.

The second summer of my experiences with him led me to stop going to church. Of course it was his fault. Duh! Because he wouldn’t remove the altar rail from the chapel.

The second one, also the chaplain at the BAMA Newman Center, 1982. I blame him for the absence of pre-cana instruction and adequate due diligence. He could have prevented the non-marriage I endured. Alas, if I had done the simple questioning – did you get your annulment? – I cannot imagine how much better the world of bill Nolan would have been. You can put that priest in your negative column by proxy if you wish. Your lives would have been better if he’d done his job.

Anyway, be sure you have a priest in your life. Be sure to have a [redundantly, Catholic] spiritual adviser, too.

This week, our first readings have been Sirach, aka Ecclesiasticus. If you only take five minutes to read the Bible, flip open to Sirach. The book is full of maxims, like Proverbs, any one of which is worth a morning meditation. Then there’s the description of Wisdom [or you can read any of Andrew Greeley’s stories qua novels]. The origins and excellence of Wisdom. Divine Wisdom displayed in nature. The practice of Wisdom in our every day life.

One of the advantages of going to daily Mass is the tidbits of the Bible we get every day – and often the priest’s mini-homily enhances our reflections. Reading the readings before Mass, and formulating my own homily-to-self, is one way to have another half hour when I’m not doing something wrong. A few examples from this week:


Come to our aid, O God of the universe,
look upon us, show us the light of your mercies

< A personal prayer of petition. A worthy mantra. A morning request to start the day. Come to our aid, God. Is there anything else a guy could ask for? …. God of the Universe. Duh. A brief consideration of the Universe makes is clear that we must have a God of the Universe. The God of the Universe is our One True God. …. God, even better than Santa Claus, looks upon us, always and everywhere. Anyone with any insight whatsoever knows we need mercy. We might as well ask for it daily, at the beginning of the day, prophylactically. >



Hear the prayer of your servants,
for you are ever gracious to your people;
and lead us in the way of justice.
Thus it will be known to the very ends of the earth
that you are the eternal God.

< When we pray like this, ‘hear the prayer of your servants, for you are ever gracious to your people,’ we’re not telling God anything He doesn’t already know. It’s a reminder for ourselves. … ‘lead us in the way of justice.’ There is no one else better to follow in the way of justice. Why would we consider any second choice? … How will God be known to the ends of the earth? By how we walk in the way of justice. Just do it. >



At God’s word were his works brought into being;
they do his will as he has ordained for them.
As the rising sun is clear to all,
so the glory of the LORD fills all his works;

< Say it and it is so. Try that trick why don’t you. And, once created, are your creations doing always what you ordained? One of the sermons this week pointed out that our first parents – ole Adam and Eve – had everything. Ev. Ry. Thing. And still, they chose to separate themselves from God, to disobey Him, to act contrary to His love, to be selfish, to put themselves on the ‘I know best and I will know more’ pedestal. How much harder is it for us to love God always? … For anyone who has eyes to see, even the blind, as in the rising of the sun, the glory of the Lord fills all His works. Amen. >

Anyway, try some Sirach with breakfast. [to break the fast of your current antifaith?]





March 3

Foila 6th century

Co-patroness of Kil-Faile and Kil-Golgan parishes in Galway, Ireland, the sister of St. Colgan, 2-20
Grandma’s family tree goes to County Galway, the beautiful West of Ireland! I could put the story of Jack’s and my train ride across England and visit to Dublin. But, I’ll redo that another time.

I love you,
Dad
1508

Mar 2, Fernga d. 637

Jack and Thommy,
Good Morning, I love you
110306, 1406

Sunday to Sunday writing? Well, blog writing anyway. No excuse though. There once was a goal to be a month ahead, anticipating the saints ahead of paper columns. I need to get back on the paper writing and recatchup with the saints. I’m officially way behind on both.

It’s hard to believe it’s been a week since I dropped Catherine Drexel into the mix and resolved to add all Catherine saints to the regular entries. Most of the week has been writing, though. Some of it pretty good stuff. Some of it back and forth with Uncle Ken about Kelly’s graduation. I’m glad to hear you’re both planning to attend. [too bad you haven’t had similar events for her to attend. I could, you know, make a difference in those outcomes.]

First Friday, March 2011. The Mass attendance goes up noticeably. I wonder how many children today have the First Friday piety drilled into them by our Catholic Schools? Certainly it’s not done by our CCD programs. Laying the foundation makes a difference. Not only does making those devotions become an important habit but there is truly a visceral negativity when it is missed.

Same for First Saturdays and our devotion to our Blessed Mother. [Knowing her will help you know what/who a mother should be; help you, if this is your vocation, identify who should be the mother with you of God’s gift f children.]

St Paul’s pastor has a way with his sermons – his cadence is hard to get into but beyond that the substance of his homily hooks you. And plays itself back to you for ongoing reflection.

And then there’s Msgr S. I’m guessing he’s grandpa’s age. I admire the tenacity of his faith – he is, I am sure, a rock for many of us to stand on. However, the man is past his prime as a preacher – if he ever had a prime. He started his sermon yesterday, first Saturday, with a story about a child once saying outloud at the beginning of one of his sermons, ‘you talk too much.’ That was the understatement of the day!

Yesterday’s sermon was longer than the rest of the Mass. And, of course there’s no shutting him up – he’s priest, he’s a msgr, he earned his stripes as pastor at several parishes along the way, he’s 80+ years old, we’re grateful to have a priest to fill in. If only he’d tell one of his wonderful stories and stick to one of his ‘let’s get back to pre-vatican II’ rants it might be tolerable. Oh well….

Fr Scherer continues to say Mass at St Paul’s. He is visibly deteriorating Mass to Mass. Please pray for him. It’d be better for each of you to give him a visit.


March 2

Fergna d. 637


Fergna was a relative of St Columba. No doubt it’d be something to be related to someone like Columba! The closest I’ve gotten so far is Aunt Monica, aka Sr. Anita Rosaire. I’m sorry you did not get a chance to know her. She could help you understand me. She could help you be faithful Catholics.

Fergna succeeded Columba as abbot of Iona. That’d be like being elected president after Washington. Some shoes are impossible to fill. Still, the job has to go to someone. Being a relative to the great saint of Iona would not have been sufficient to be elected his successor. We all, now, follow someone into the job we take. Let Fergna be one of those people you consult when it is your turn to follow in another person’s foot steps. [I could teach you a few things not to do!]

Undertheoak

Fergna was born, probably after or about the middle of the sixth century, having been a member of the community in Columba's time.

Fergna is called Virgnous, by Adamnan, who describes him as being a youth of ardent piety.
< Are you a youth of ardent piety? Such piety would not only bring you closer to God and your faith and your vocation, it’d fill some of your blank hours. >

Oengus the Culdee and the Calendar of Cashel designate him, by an epithet meaning "white" or "fair."
< I think it’s cool how our Celtic heritage comes up with nicknames. >

I love you,
Dad
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