Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Santa Maria de Guadalupe!

I have carried an image of our Lady of Guadalupe in my wallet for many years. I don't recall now where I got it or why this is image I carry. Two friends just returned in November from visiting Mexico and of course the tilma. I admit I am a bit jealous. I have wanted to see the tilma for many years. That day of pilgrimage will come. I can't complain too much-I have seen the Shroud of Turin (read about it here)

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My sister (Agnes Penny) has an article in the November issue of the New Oxford Review on some of the ethical issues surround vaccines. Check it out.

I had never really read an issue of the NOR before-although I have been curious for years. I can't say I would go out of my way to get another issue. I certainly appreciate bold criticism, humor, and sarcasm-but only when based in truth-not in speculation. I found NOR in this particular issue to cross some lines in this regard. Maybe reading another issue would change my opinion but....

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My diocesan newspaper had a gift-giving guide (for purchasing Catholic gifts) in their latest issue. For books, they mentioned all the Catholic bookstores in the diocese-but failed to mention the one Catholic publisher in the diocese. I won't be so shy. Our selection is small, but the material is second to none. Our shipping costs are lower than most other publishers. And by buying Requiem Press books, you will be supporting a small Catholic business and a not-so-small family. I will put out my "gift guide" tomorrow.

Monday, December 11, 2006

Quick weekend notes ...

Got some work done on the house-patching a hole left over from the broken water heater incident. Also packed and shipped books (more on that later). Sunday went to Mass and pancake breakfast (KofC). Then we had forgotten (but were reminded just in time) we had been invited to a gathering of friends and strangers-but all Catholic-for fellowship, study (we listened to a CD on keeping kids Catholic) and a presentation on Family Honor. The food was bountiful and excellent. The adults sang around the piano as the evening ended. Got home late so what I planned to write today must wait for later or tomorrow. Til then...

Saturday, December 09, 2006

Back for a while

Okay-a brief reprieve. As regular readers know I am teaching a "couple" courses at our "local" Catholic high school this year. The first semester is almost over. Our last class is Monday and then we have a week of Exams before breaking for Christmas. For me, my grades for the quarter are done (all but a few straggling makeup tests) and my Semester exams are finished, just waiting for administration (and then of course grading.) Teaching has been more time-consuming than I ever imagined. It doesn't help that our "local" Catholic high school is a bit of a hike from here.

Certainly one reason why my posts at BethuneCatholic have been shorter and shallower is due to time constraints. I have written anything for other sources (usually CatholicExchange in this time either.

However, starting Friday I will have 3 weeks off and I hope to do a lot of writing-as well as celebrating with my family-who have missed me dearly these months.

One benefit to regular readers has been that I haven't been pushing RequiemPress books on the blog as much. This will change. We have a couple great new releases and some other books which deserve to be under someone's Christmas tree.

So stay tuned. From Bethany, the small holding in Bethune, Oremus pro invicem!

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

The obligatory warning...

End of semester exams are just ahead, so blogging will be light until the weekend. Until then, Oremus pro invicem!

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

The cult of celebrity

I am 139 pages into the 1000-page Birth of the Modern by Paul Johnson. Slow progress to be sure, but it could be worse. Recall that last spring I finished reading Warren Carroll's current volume in his history of Christendom series, which dealt almost exclusively with the French Revolution and Napoleon Bonaparte's career-so I am well prepared for this volume.

The first point I really noted was that Bonaparte was really the first to have a secret police force-but it became, after his demise, a sign of prestige among European government leaders to have one. Certainly, one hallmark of modern governments is their secret police and spying agencies.

The second point I would like to spend more time on. Mr. Johnson writes,

Beethoven was a key figure in the birth of the modern because he first established and popularized the notion of the artist as universal genius, as a moral figure in his own right-indeed, as a kind of intermediary between God and Man.... Poets had been honored since the days of Homoer, but even at the end of the 18th century, muscians were low- or middle-ranking servants in the households of the great or minor cathedral functionaries.... Beethoven would have none of such subservience. ... It is important to grasp that Beethoven was not consciously trying to turn music into a secular religion. He was neither agnostic nor atheist, deist nor Unitarian, but a Roman Catholic..... Thus in countless anecdotes and eyewitness accounts (of Beethoven's deafness) was built up the composite picture of the archetype martyr to art, the new kind of secular saint who was taking over from the old Christian calendars as a focus of public veneration.

Along with this rise of the cult of celebrity for entertainers came the rise of the middle class and the demise of the aristocracy in Europe. Entertainers and artists replace Christian saints as the object of public veneration-especially in the growing (urban) middle class. Some could/would run with this saying that this proves that a return to an agrian lifestyle is the only legitimate way.

I would not go so far. I think that it is a warning that riches can shift your focus from God.

Yet there is something more important: how to return public veneration to Christian saints and put entertainers back in the place they ought to occupy? Is it even possible? More later....

Saturday, December 02, 2006

I have a couple things to say over the next few days-hopefully I will have time to write them. It is amazing how a little peace and quiet can generate thoughtful thoughts...

TS has done it again! I had "Strange but True Football Stories" as a kid(it may even be somewhere in the bookcase downstairs.) The other ones also look familiar. I used to collect football cards and baseball cards. One day in the early '70's, my mother came to me with two packs of unopened 1963 football cards. She had bought them for my older brothers and forgotten about them. Among the cards were football greats Sam Huff, Y.A. Tittle, Paul Horning, Gerry Kramer, and a young Mick Tinglehoff (I had a '70's card of him also. These were all passed to my younger brother. He probably sold them for Carl Yastrzemski baseball cards). And yes, Sam "the Bam" Cunningham played for the New England Patriots when I was a kid. He actually wasn't all that good-but was the best we had at the time.

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It looks like it is really good-bye this time at Hallowed Ground. Hopefully Mr. Culbreath will check in from time to time (or grace us with his essays again in some new form.)

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As Advent approaches and the Protestant/American Christmas season has already blown in, this article at Catholicexchange seems appropriate.

Here at Bethany, we have several times panicked during the last week of Advent to find a tree. (It seems they are either in over-abundance or gone by the 2nd week of Advent.) Thus the Greencastle solution may be best:

"We haven't decorated it (the Christmas tree)yet. So that counts for
something, right?"

Mrs. Curley has suggested getting the Christmas tree early in Advent, but decorating it with purple ribbons until Christmas. Then we will remove the purple ribbons and decorate it for Christmas. I will let you know what we decide.

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Finally, I am sure Pope Benedict's visit to the mosque is causing much consternation in certain quarters. Yet I would remind everyone that our goal should be to pray always (at all times-even in mosques-and even when facing Mecca). His presence at a mosque doesn't endorse Islam or give it equal footing with Christianity-and any Catholic or anyone else who gets that impression is an idiot.

Friday, December 01, 2006

Bingo!

Not much time this morning-hope to update this later....

If you want a true painting of Bingo night, go here. I recall my days of working Bingo for our local Catholic school in Massachusetts (thankfully, the Charleston diocese ended all Bingo some years ago-all forms of gambling are volatile issues in the South). Mrs. Curley had volunteered for the job-but passed it off on me when she was pregnant (the smoke was bad for the baby and made her sick.) Somehow the job stuck with me even when she was not pregnant. My job was to pass out the bingo sheets. Oh how I hated Bingo night.

I think the primary reason we moved to SC and started homeschooling was to avoid Bingo and all mention of daubers.

Just spending this much time on it makes me think I will have start having those Bingo nightmares again....Thanks TS.

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Shameless Plug


Just a reminder that several of our books would make great gifts. Here is an excerpt from a review for Giving Up Stealing for Lent by Brother Charles Madden OFM Conv. of Marytown. In fact, there is a booksigning there with Brother Charles (if you are in the area) on Saturday December 2nd for all of his books. On to the review:

Escape back to a simpler, more clear cut time in life through this three decade collection of Madden Family tales.

An easy pick up/put down book, everyone in your family, Catholic or not, will find themselves wishing they’d been a part of the loving mayhem that was the Maddens.

We are indebted to Brother Madden for letting us be a part of his warm and entertaining family life.

Nationally Syndicated Humor Columnist and author Karen Rinehart lives in North Carolina where she and her family attend St. James the Great Catholic Chuch. Read more at www.busstopmommies.com

Renewed request

Last week I asked for prayers for a friend who was sick. I renew the request now as he is not really progressing and has somewhat relapsed, after an initial turn for the better. He still remains hospitalized with no concrete plan of recovery.

My friend is a father, historian, author, painter of icons, and devout Catholic. Please pray for his quick return to health according to God's will.

Oremus pro invicem!

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Benedict and Islam

Just a thought: will Pope Benedict XVI be to Islam as John Paul II was to the collapse of the Communism in Eastern Europe?

The Knights of Columbus have suggested the following prayer for the success of Pope Benedict XVI's mission:

Heavenly Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name, we humbly ask that you sustain, inspire, and protect your servant, Pope Benedict XVI, as he goes on pilgrimage to Turkey – a land to which St. Paul brought the Gospel of your Son; a land where once the Mother of your Son, the Seat of Wisdom, dwelt; a land where faith in your Son’s true divinity was definitively professed. Bless our Holy Father, who comes as a messenger of truth and love to all people of faith and good will dwelling in this land so rich in history. In the power of the Holy Spirit, may this visit of the Holy Father bring about deeper ties of understanding, cooperation, and peace among Roman Catholics, the Orthodox, and those who profess Islam. May the prayers and events of these historic days greatly contribute both to greater accord among those who worship you, the living and true God, and also to peace in our world so often torn apart by war and sectarian violence.
We also ask, O Heavenly Father, that you watch over and protect Pope Benedict and entrust him to the loving care of Mary, under the title of Our Lady of Fatima, a title cherished both by Catholics and Muslims. Through her prayers and maternal love, may Pope Benedict be kept safe from all harm as he prays, bears witness to the Gospel, and invites all peoples to a dialogue of faith, reason, and love. We make our prayer through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Monday, November 27, 2006

A Review

Read the first review of Standing with Peter here. And of course, pick up your copy here.

Thanksgiving and beyond...

It was a wonderful day. My sister from VA came down for the 11th straight year. Because of the bad weather on Tuesday and Wednesday (she was driving) I thought she might skip this year-but she made it.

We played our annual 'Turkey-Bowl" after Mass on Thursday. The green team beat the yellow team (mine) 58-27! It was the first time my team had done worse than a tie. Those boys are getting older and faster. The older boys (the green team) also constructed goal posts: this was the first year with point-after-TD for the Turkey Bowl. Youngest son scored all the TD's for the yellow team. I thought I was going out prematurely when oldest son took me down from behind. (I reminded him "gently" we were supposed to be playing 'touch' football.)

After the game a friend arrived to share dinner with us. Another was supposed to come, but is still in the hospital (see prayer request below-prayers still needed.) Our friend came bearing gifts-a telescope for the kids. Wow! I am one of the the kids! We had it out last night. The children had never seen the moon in such splendor. We live in an area where many, many stars are visible. The telescope highlights the multitude we couldn't see even before. This will bring many hours of fun.

Dinner...it was a delicious 23.6 lb turkey. Daughter #1 found it. Usually I buy the turkeys-but I am happy to pass the chore when we can find one this big. Of course we had sweet potatoes, corn, beans, green bean cassarole, cranberry sauce (homemade), potatoes, two kinds of stuffing, etc. etc. A grand feast. For dessert, number 3 son made a pecan pie and number one daughter made TWO apple pies. Mrs. Curley made 'magic squares'. All was fabulously delicious.

After dinner we watched the homemade "Blade of Zorro" movie (produced last summer). Then we sang some songs and laughed. I wished it would never end.

Saturday night I ran over my son's foot with the car-but it wasn't my fault. We were heading out to an oyster roast (oh boy!) when we realized we forgot the lemon squares. I pulled into the driveway and someone (who shall remain nameless) urged number 2 son to get out of the car quickly to get those lemon squares. He did so-problem was, I hadn't yet stopped the car. The rear tire pinched his heal and ankle. He yelled at me to back up-I thought I had run over a dog. No real damage. He limped a little, but then played football that night. Sunday he was limping some more. But 5 hours on the couch cured the limp. (No swelling or bruising.)

Sunday, my sister returned to VA. Things are back to normal. Back to work this morning.

Oremus pro invicem!

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

When I heard this...

I thought sure it was a spoof:

Morning Edition, November 20, 2006 · Citing an increase in cases of rabies, some local governments in China have been confiscating and killing pet dogs. The capital, Beijing, issued new rules this month limiting each family to one dog.

(Yes I confess I sometimes listen to NPR). The story talked about police banging on doors and threatening if let weren't allowed in to confiscate the dog, and of neighbors reporting on neighbors; and of internet criticism of the move being censored. The report explained about how dogs have become very important because families (due to the one-child policy) no longer provide social companionship.

What a world we live in!

May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen

Monday, November 20, 2006

Request for prayers

A dear friend of our family needs our prayers. He was a healthy and robust 69 years old some 4-5 months ago. He got a tooth infection a few months ago and nothing has been the same since; his health has gone way downhill. He was checked into the hospital today. In the past few weeks they have not been able to determine what is wrong-but he is in really tough shape. Please pray for his doctors-that they find his problem and for his return to health-according to God's will.

Oremus pro invicem!

The weekend

Saturday I tackled the kitchen floor again-trying to get the last layer of glue off the pine floor which lay underneath. The effort was well worth it. For the most part, the pine floor is beautiful. There are a few boards here and there which need replacement, but overall, the pine floor in the kitchen is going to be really nice.

Sunday we went to Mass and then with another family headed up to Charlotte to see "It's a Wonderful Life" in a theater. It is nice to see some of these movies on the big screen.

Speaking of Frank Capra, I remember reading this article about him and his movies at CatholicExchange a couple years ago. Check it out.


Saturday, November 18, 2006

Car Trouble?

Yesterday I get a call while I am teaching. Mrs. Curley has taken the Subaru up to St. Catherines for Mass and it is making funny noises. She thinks it is overheating cause she hears that 'bubbling sound' even though the temperature gauge is okay. I walk her through a couple fluid checks-but tell her to go to Mass before she does them. Later I try to call and see how things are going, but she doesn't answer.

Here's the story: She checks these the fluids and all is fine. She does notice she has a very low front passenger tire and gets that pumped up before heading home. She heads home and hears the funny sound again.

Number 3 son who is with her happens to drop something on the floor, and bending over to get it, notices that daughter's portable radio is on and spouting statice. Yes-this is the noise.

Now I don't tell this story to embarass Mrs. Curley-although after she reads this, I am sure she will threaten to get her own blog and tell some stories of her own. This story is just too funny not to put out there. It reminds me of this story I posted a little over a year ago (here I am excerpting my own blog posts-how vain it that?):

Just outside of Charlotte, Mrs. Curley and oldest daughter started being alarmed at 'smoke' coming from around my (the driver's) seat. Mrs. Curley begged me to pull over, but I saw nothing. Suddenly oldest daughter sighed. The hairspray was spraying because someone had put a book or something on it. The first crisis avoided.

And then they wonder why I am sometimes hesitant to take the car in for some funny noise that they hear and I don't?

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Okay, how about this funny story... it concerns the young lady holding the shrimp in the post below. One day little daughter lets out a nice sneeze.

Mrs. Curley: "God bless you!"
Daughter: Thank you.
Mrs. Curley: Are you going to bless me?
Daughter: Why? You didn't Achoo?
Mrs. Curley: What do you mean 'Achoo'?
Daughter: You only bless someone when they Achoo.
Mrs. Curley: You mean when they sneeze.
Daughter: No, when they Achoo.
Mrs. Curley: What is a sneeze?
Daughter: I don't know.
Mrs. Curley: When you "Achoo", that is a sneeze.
Daughter: Oh.

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This reminds me of a play my sister wrote when we were kids: "Please Sneeze". It was the story about a princess who would only marry a prince who had a pleasant sneeze as she figured that she would have to live with this all through the cold winters in their kingdom. I remember playing the prince and balking at the scene where I had to kiss my younger sister.

Speaking of my sister, she should be coming down here for Thanksgiving. Uh Oh, speaking of Thanksgiving, I have a kitchen floor to finish.... I'm off.

May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen

Friday, November 17, 2006

Nice one!


I went down to Georgetown (SC) some weeks ago and went shrimping off a deepwater dock. We had a good haul. On getting home, the kids help 'head' the shrimp while I washed it and flash froze it. This one (not the kid, but the shrimp) was not the biggest, but was typical of what I came home with. (Everyone got involved. I even taught Mrs. Curley how to clean some sea mullet we had caught while the kids worked on heading the shrimp.).

of Veils...

Sorry I have been pretty absent from here of late. This story caught my eye. (Hat tip to Ad orientem)

That radicalism (of accepting a religious vocation) is, ironically, embodied by the wearing of the veil. Decreed unnecessary by Vatican II and shed happily by many older nuns, the headdress is for many of today's newcomers a desired accessory. "A lot of my older sisters would never wear the veil," says Sister Sarah Roy, 29, who is the only member of her Sisters of St. Francis of the Immaculate Conception in Peoria, Ill., to do so. (The others wear a simple dark dress adorned by a pin.) Though she admits "people just stare at you like you're a freak," she adds, "It's a trend with younger women wanting to wear the veil now."

Ironic, isn't it? Of course there is an inaccuracy in the quote above. I don't believe Vatican II decreed the veil unnecessary.

I went to elementary school at St. Catherine of Sienna in Norwood, MA during the 70's. We had Sisters of St. Joseph dressing in everything from full habit (only face visible); modified habit (veil but not fully covering hair); black veil and various colored dress; no veil, but black or blue dress; to practically everything/anything goes. But notice that vocations to the Sisters of St. Joseph dropped so far that I am not sure they even accept new vocations any more.

May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen


Wednesday, November 15, 2006

See the sidebar...

I figured out how I added those books to my sidebar... and just in time. We now have "Standing with Peter" ready for shipment. Those whoe won free books in our cover contest should expect them in the mail sometime next week.

In case you are dying to know, here is the description and endorsements from the backcover:


In 1968, William May signed a document dissenting from Pope Paul VI’s encyclical Humanae vitae, in which the Pope reaffirmed the Church’s teaching against artificial birth control. In Dr. May’s own words, "Signing this document was on my part a cowardly deed." But God, in his providence, used this mistake to launch the career of one of the Church’s outstanding moral theologians-who now ‘stands with Peter’ on Humanae vitae. This is his story.


In these reflections, Dr. May takes us from his early years in the seminary, the illness which precluded his ordination, his first career as a book editor, the cataclysmic events of 1968-especially those surrounding Pope Paul VI’s encyclical Humanae Vitae, and finally his academic career at Catholic University of America and the John Paul II Institute.


With personal anecdotes, humor and humility, William May shows how God takes care of us and has plan for each of us; how God in his providence can bring good from our mistakes, if we are willing to co-operate with his grace. Dr. May also illuminates the errors of moral relativism and other questionable theological "innovations" so fashionable in recent decades.


Dr. William May for many years has been one of our most important moral theologians. He also is a man who has served the Church and her people long and well. Standing With Peter is a fascinating memoir of a lifetime of scholarship in action–a warmly human account told with Dr. May’s famous gusto, integrity, and passionate commitment to the truth. It’s a joy to read. –Russell Shaw (author, Catholic Laity in the Mission of the Church)


Dr. Bill May, perhaps America’s most outstanding moral theologian of the twentieth century, has written a memoir of his personal and professional life that forms an important part of the developing history of the pre- and post Vatican II era in the Church in the US. For well over 40 years, he has been inside the Beltway at Catholic University and the John Paul II Center at the heart of, and on both sides, of the conflict between loyal Catholics and ‘dissenters’ on magisterial teaching. There is no one better to tell the inside story particularly surrounding the events of that pivotal year 1968 and also of his role and charge of heart and mind. –Rev C. J. McCloskey III, Research Fellow, Faith and Reason Institute, Washington D.C.


For the past three decades and more, William E. May has stood among the very best moral theologians in the world–always standing with Peter. He has demonstrated how standing with Peter is a sure guide to straight thinking. –Patrick G.D. Riley (author, Civilizing Sex: On Chastity and the Common Good)


Eternal rest grant to them O Lord. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen.

Monday, November 13, 2006

Today is the traditional feast of St. Stanislaus Koska-a big day around here as St. Stanilaus is the the name saint of my father and coincidentally (or maybe not) his day of burial. How an Irish boy born in Boston in 1920 was given is Polish name is a family mystery which has several proposed solutions, but none completely satisfactory.

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This past weekend was my college reunion. I didn't go to any of the formal events, but did sneak down to Charleston Saturday night for a cookout at a classmate's house. Several of the guys were there. I had missed the last two reunions (probably because babies were being born around then), so I hadn't seen some of these friends in many years. Mostly we haven't changed much except for putting on various amounts of extra pounds and thinning hair. It was good to see these guys. Of course we all promised to do better keeping up with each other. Don't know if it will happen past Christmas cards.

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Still working on our kitchen floor. We found a pine floor under all the other floors. Now we just have to liberate it from the glue/tar which secured the first linoleum floor. Sanding would take forever and would gum up the paper constantly. Pouring water on it seems to disolve the glue, but it is very messy-but perhaps the only way to go. Any ideas would be welcome...

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At Mass this weekend, Father talked about how sometimes it is better to receive than to give: he related the story about how a beggar was determined to give something to Mother Teresa as so many others have. So he begged all day and then came to Mother Teresa with his days' work and offered it to her. She didn't want to take it, but decided she should in order to avoid hurting his feelings. The joy the beggar had when she accepted his gift was overwhelming.

I remember a priest in MA telling me one time that his father taught him never to turn down a gift-no matter how much you didn't want it; that it is a charity to be able to accept gifts graciously. This last I have never been good at. (Pride maybe?) This has been one of the lessons of the past couple years.

Saturday, November 11, 2006

All Saints Day - Reprise

Here is a group picture of our "saints" with our pastor from the celebration on November 1st.


Now to ship some books and work on a kitchen floor.

Friday, November 10, 2006

Just around the corner....

Our latest, "Standing with Peter", the memoirs of Catholic theologian Dr. William May is almost available for shipment! It is now (finally) available to pre-order on our website (here). It is a quick read (92 pages) and very affordable. Book should be available for shipment next week.

Now I just have to remember how to get it on the sidebar with the others....

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I was attending a meeting at our parish last night. We were talking about the Hispanic population in our parish and our pastor, Fr. John, who says Mass in Spanish on Sunday nights, but lets Deacon Munoz give the homily, noted that while he had no formal training in Spanish, had studied spirituality in Spain some 30-40 years ago. Since all the writings were in Spanish, he learned to read it and speak it after a fashion. Thus our Irish Jesuit pastor (Fr. John) went on to relate how the pastor at the local Church in Spain where he was near commented how his parishioners were always interested when Fr. John said Mass as his strange pronounciation was so entertaining. (By the way, our Bishop commented some months ago that the Catholic population of SC was 50% Hispanic now. )

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Gotta go. Remember to pray for the Holy Souls.... Eternal rest grant to them O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon them. Amen

Thursday, November 09, 2006

In memoriam...Dad

My father died 7 years ago today. The whole story of that week is definitely one to be told-but not today.

I remember the Sunday after the funeral: the Gospel was the parable of the talents. I remember listening to that parable as if for the first time as I related it to the gift God had given me in my parents. My parents had passed on the Faith to us-and the question to me that Sunday morning, as I contemplated especially my father's impact on my life, was whether I was burying this great gift from God or trying to use it and make it multiply as did the faithful servants.

G0d has bestowed each of us with many gifts-some unknown and/or unrecognized. We should tremble if we don't contemplate occasionally how we are using God's gifts to further His kingdom.

In my case, the gift of Faith given through my parents was not a casual one. When our local parish growing up stopped teaching recognizable Catholic doctrine in CCD, my parents began regular classes at home. Sunday mornings we would return home after Mass, eat breakfast, say the rosary, and then break into groups for religion. My mother would take the younger kids and my father, the older ones. I can vividly recall sitting around the dining room table with my father on those Sunday mornings for what we kids affectionately called "The Talk". Each year we would alternate between reading one of the Gospels and studying the Baltimore Catechism. I loved these sessions. My oldest sister constantly asked questions, going deeper or asking Why?- which made it all the more interesting.

My parents' faith was/is deep and open. For example, we knew that my father said the rosary on the train each day going to or from work in Boston. We said prayers together every night. My mother kept our 'library' well-stocked with the lives of the saints. Catholic periodicals lay on the tables in the living room. The small but significant Catholic customs we practiced, like singing 'Happy Birthday" to Christ before opening, or even looking at the presents; all of these things illuminated the committment of my parents to the Faith. I tell my children that their Catholicism is a direct result of the gift from God that my parents gave to me.

I try to take stock every once in a while-and especially on this anniversary-to see if I am burying this 'talent', or nurturing and letting God work with it in my life. I always come up short-but in making this examination, at least I have the chance to throw away the shovel and to start anew.

I thank God for the wonderful blessings He has given me. I have never known want or suffering. Everything I have ever needed has been provided. Most especially, God gave me the gift of Faith, by way of the cooperation of His faithful servants-my parents. My own Mrs. Curley and my Curley kids are some of the fruits of this cooperation of my parents with God's plan. I am deeply grateful-but I fear not nearly grateful enough-Oremus pro invicem!

DEUS, qui nos patrem et matrem honorare praecepisti: miserere clementer animae patris mei eiusque peccata dimitte : meque eum in aeternae claritatis gaudio fac videre. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.


[O God, who hast commanded us to honor our father and mother: in Thy mercy have pity on the soul of my father and forgive him his trespasses; and make me to see him again in the joy of everlasting brightness. Amen.]


May he and all the souls of the faithful departed, rest in peace! Amen.

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Joy

A couple weeks ago in our pastor's Sunday homily (or was it on All Saint's Day?), he quoted St. Catherine as saying something like, "our journey to Heaven is made up of a lot of little heavens." It is reminiscent of C.S. Lewis' comment-quoted on these pages before-about how when we get to Heaven we will see our Heaven started on earth, and conversely, if we go to Hell we will see that our Hell started on earth.

Both are worthy of contemplation-especially in this month of November when we meditate on death with more urgency. While I guess we can not be presumptuous to say we are 'on the path to Heaven', we can look to see whether those things we will have and do in Heaven are present in our lives today-and this might give an indication on whether we should change directions....

Do we sing? (Read Revealation) Do we live or at least attempt to live in the presence of God? (How often, for example do we actually realize this fact throughout our day?) Do we live with joy-even, of course, in adversity?

I think this last tells us alot about ourselves. Can we be joyful even when we hate our job, or when our security around us is falling apart, or when the demands on our time seem to be overbearing? Can we see joy in all these things because we see them as opportunities to work for the salvation of our soul and the souls of our loved ones (or their deliverance from Purgatory?) We need to live with joy because our Redeemer lives!

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So the House goes to the Dems and the Senate?. In years past I would have been up to all hours to get the details of every race. George will commented last night that we may have a more conservative House as the Republicans who lost were mostly moderate and the Dems who replaced them more conservative.

Rick Santorum loses.... I remember being in PA for a Homeschool conference, (I was selling books) a few years ago. Boy, the Catholic pro-lifers were angry at Mr. Santorum for his active campaigning for Arlen Spector who was in a tough primary race against a PRO-Life Republican. Two years later, the sentiment among Catholic homeschoolers in PA hadn't much abated. The news this morning is that Catholics abandoned him for Casey. I have felt that this "betrayal" was the cornerstone of his defeat all along. (I am not sure Casey is as pro-life and pro-family as he is cracked up to be, or as his father was, but time will tell.) Santorum's support of the President on Iraq policies didn't help of course either.

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Is the Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo a good read? I know it is a classic, but is it any good? I am thinking of reading it as I work through Birth of the Modern.

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Got the cold water working on the washing machine on Saturday (thanks to a friend who had a spare input valve-who would have figured?). Now am working on redoing the drain field for the washer. (We have separated drain fields for the septic, kitchen water, and washing machine.) Also changed the oil in the cars on Saturday. It was the first time I have done it for two of the cars as they were "new" (if you can call cars made in the 80's new). Go figure that the oil pan plugs are stripped. Still managed to get one of them off. Will have to go back and work on the other one soon.

That's all for today from Bethany, the small holding in Bethune. Tomorrow is the 7th anniversary of my father's death.

Monday, November 06, 2006

A few notes...

Finished Flag of our Fathers and am now reading Birth of the Modern by Paul Johnson. Only have read excerpts of Mr. Johnson's more famous Modern Times. This (Birth...) is one of the free books I got at the school library.

Contemplating the death sentence of Saddam Hussein....Is this a case where as long as he is alive and imprisoned in Iraq (once the US leaves) there is the risk of his supporters (or the Sunnis in general) trying to free him and put him back in power to 1. restore order, and 2. to wrest power from the Shiites? I am not sure this risk is real as I don't know the political situation on the ground (other than it being not too good). Yet when I see our President using Hussein's death sentence as a rallying quip on the campaign trail, it really irks me.

Let's not forgot this is still November...

May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Thursday, November 02, 2006

All Souls...

This post may be a repeat... (I would have to check my entries from past Novembers. It is the introduction to the booklet pictured below).
"It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins." 2 Macc. 12:46

"There shall not enter into it anything defiled…" Apoc. 21:27


Praying for the souls of the dead is a tradition which goes back to our Jewish heritage. Judas Machebeus collected silver to send to Jerusalem to be offered for the sins of those fallen in battle. He understood that nothing unclean or defiled could stand before God and therefore provided for the offerings for the souls of those who had died so that they could see God. Reading of the Psalms bears out this understanding: "Lord, who shall dwell in thy tabernacle? or who shall rest in thy holy hill? He that walketh without blemish …" (Ps. 14:1-2)


Our Catholic heritage is no less rich in the theology of praying for the souls of our beloved departed.


In the gospel of St. Matthew, in the parable of the unjust servant, our Lord tells us that our debts must be paid. ("And his lord being angry, delivered him to the torturers until he paid all the debt" - Mt. 18:34).


St. Paul says that we are saved only through fire (1 Cor. 3:15). St. Peter likens our trials to gold being tested by fire. (1 Peter 1:7).


The councils of Lyons II (1274 A.D.), Florence (1439 A.D.) and Trent (1563 A.D.) reaffirmed earlier traditions in the Church of the existence and purpose of purgatory – that place where those who have departed in the love of God but before complete satisfaction has been made for their sins may be purged in order that they can approach God unblemished. Further, the custom and tradition of the Church Militant – the faithful left here on earth – of praying, sacrificing, and giving alms on behalf of those souls in purgatory to make satisfaction for their sins and thus to shorten their time of purging, was reaffirmed by these councils also.


Purgatory is truly a grace of God because it is the nature of God which demands that those approaching be unblemished, and thus without purgatory, many would never reach Heaven. St. Catherine of Genoa wrote that the soul, upon death, finally free of worldly attachments, is able to see itself as it really is; seeing the stains from its sins and desiring God, the soul throws itself into the fires of purgatory to be cleansed in preparation for the audience with God.


These holy souls in purgatory, the Church Suffering, can not help themselves. The Church Triumphant, those who have entered into their Heavenly reward; the Church Suffering; and the Church Militant – these three are in reality one Communion of Saints. As the Church Militant we ask the Church Triumphant to intercede for us before God; we offer our prayers, fasting, and almsgiving to aid the Church Suffering. At every Mass during the Eucharistic Prayer, we pray for the souls of our departed loved ones, those gone before us "marked with the sign of faith."


With all this Catholic tradition, however, it seems that prayers for the holy souls in purgatory have waned as a private devotion in recent years. Funeral notices for Catholics rarely plead for Masses to be said for the departed. The Truth that God is all-merciful has been distorted to exclude the notion of purgatory – even though this exclusion distorts the true nature of God and the true nature of God’s mercy.


The prayers in this booklet are not new and are not an anthology of all the beautiful prayers written over the centuries for the holy souls. Herein are simple prayers, one for each day of the week. The prayers follow Christ’s way of the cross in petitioning for the Holy Souls. Each daily prayer is followed by the recitation of Psalm 129. Psalm 129 is especially appropriate as a prayer for the Holy Souls and for us, as it calls on us to contemplate more deeply our need to trust in God and the mercy we must receive from Him for our salvation. Psalm 129 also expresses the deep longing the souls in purgatory have for God as they cry to Him "de profundis" – "out of the depths".


It is hoped that this simple exercise, taking less than two minutes every day, will become a habitual and devout practice among the Church Militant so that the Church Suffering may be aided and granted their deepest longings.


This practice too, will help us advance in our own spiritual life. These prayers will help us to contemplate more fully our own day of judgment, our own longing for God, and our devotion to the Holy Sacrifice of the altar. The devout practice of prayer and sacrifice for the holy souls focuses our attention on our own sinfulness and on our own need for God’s mercy. This act of charity for our suffering brethern will help us to become less selfish and more detached from the worldliness around us. The more we love, the more we have the capacity to accept God’s love for us.


Since the practice of praying for the souls in purgatory has slowed - many, many souls are waiting and longing for God; with no help coming from us. We need to bemore prayerful. We need to pray for our priests and bishops - and for those priests and bishops suffering in purgatory. We need to pray for our family and friends – and for those family and friends suffering in purgatory. We need to pray for the conversion of sinners – and for those suffering in purgatory who have no one praying for them.


By praying for these souls that long for God, may our own longing for God be increased.


Oremus pro invicem! – Let us pray for each other!

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

All Saints Day!

Update: Fabulous day! Mass this morning with a full house. Breakfast with many in the hall; some I didn't meet: for instance, the wonderful lady in the front pew with 3 boys and a baby girl-and another on the way. She left before Mrs. Curley and I could meet her. We hope she comes back ... The children made their saint presentations: St. Isaac Jogues, St. Nino, St. Giles, St. Therese, and many more. We ended with the rosary and then talked and talked. It is wonderful being Catholic! Happy All Saints Day!

Mass this morning, followed by breakfast at the parish and a celebration including: a parade of saints (our children dress as saints and make presentations), games, and good friends. It doesn't get much better than this on earth....

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Random Thoughts

We have hot water again...but not without our tribulations and plumbing woes. Let's just say that when you buy a water heater from one of the those home improvement superstores, don't be too surprised if they recommend the wrong pieces to hook it up with. In the end, we have hot water-Praise God!

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The lady bugs made started their first incursion yesterday. I don't know why, but they always seek out my office to invade first.

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From this morning's liturgy of the hours:

To you all flesh will come
with its burden of sin.
Too heavy for us,
our offenses,
but you wipe them away.
--Psalm 65

How true-but so often we try to carry them ourselves. The lessons from thousands of years ago are continually be re-learned.

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Look in the comment box of my last post. It contains one of my absolute favorite poems by Long-Skirts.

Check out this article on CatholicExchange this morning. You can find out what it means to be "nice".

Have been missing alot of discussions on music in the liturgy and the imminent(?) universal indult.

I did note TS O'Rama's mention of the film Flags of our Fathers. It turns out that I won a gift certificate to our school bookfair and decided on this book after reading the referenced post. Good thing I did cause there wasn't a whole lot to choose from.

Speaking of books, I recently read Frank McCourt's (author of Angela's Ashes-which I never read-although it was recommended to me.) Teacher Man. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it. It does hold your interest and isn't too long, but it also doesn't seem to have a real direction. Mr. McCourt has some problems with the Church-which I gather I would get more detail about if I read his previous books. Yet the Church seems to still be reflected in his thought and lighten his path whether he realizes it or not.

Back to work. Hope to have some good things to say soon. Until then...Oremus pro invicem!

Thursday, October 26, 2006

This week I am having each of my students teach a problem to the rest of the class. The idea being that you learn something more thoroughly if you have to explain it to others. After class yesterday, when one of the students had just finished teaching his problem, he says to me, "Mr. Curley, this is hard."

The weekend is looming-and with it the prospect of a water heater installed! Winter is coming early this year (nights in the low 30's has been the norm this week). Hot water will be a welcome addition to the family.

When I was a kid in Catholic schools, we got Holy Days of obligation off. (Catholic schools shouldn't make a teacher work on a Holy Day. This, it seems would violate the precepts of the Church.) The school I teach at does not give the November 1st off. So I am hoping to find a substitute teacher and take it off so I can celebrate All Saints Day with my family and parish.

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

I have been thwarted


Was trying to post something meaty this morning, but then a breaker flipped and I lost the time to do it as I tried to figure what happened.

With only moments left to post, I will just remind everyone that November is closing in on us rapidly. You can start a devotion to praying for the holy souls in purgatory during November and keep it up year round. This is one (of many) books that may help you do this. Of course available from Requeim Press . It is not too late to get for November. Single copies (!.85 + shipping) go out 1st class. And of course there are discounts for quantity purchaes (larger quantities are shipped Media Mail).


This simple book, which fits in purse or pocket, has a short prayer for everyday of the week:


Sunday - for the soul most destitute of prayers;
Monday - for the soul nearest to entrance into Heaven;
Tuesday - for the soul who is last to issue from Purgatory;
Wednesday - for the soul richest in merits;
Thursday - for the soul who was most devoted to the Holy Eucharist;
Friday - for the soul for whom you are most bound to pray for; and
Saturday - for the soul who was most devoted to our Lady.

Monday, October 23, 2006

It is coming .... the unveiling...

A little late, but within a few weeks you can get hands on our newest release. And sometime this week you will be able to pre-order it on our website.

Of course, you all voted on the cover. So I unveil the final version here with some comments....

Someone suggested colors similar to the Vatican website-We were curious and tried a few more color schemes. You see what we came up with.

Someone suggested working on the photo to leave just Dr. May, his wife, then-Cardinal Ratzinger, and John-Paul II. -Done.

We also slanted the newsprint (I know some of you didn't like it to begin with, but we have our reasons) so that the title didn't seem to be part of the newspaper. The newsprint is readable, but in the background.

You'll be hearing much more about this book in the coming days/weeks. Thanks for all your input on the cover. It did help us fine tune it.

Saturday, October 21, 2006

New Floor...er.... old floor

As reported here earlier, our water heater sprung a leak this week. The previous owners, or maybe the ones previous to them, didn't want to drain the water heater the last time a kitchen floor was laid. (We don't have basements in our part of the country. Waterheaters are sometimes outside; sometimes those short stubby ones under the house; sometimes hidden in a closet; ours is in the kitchen next to the washing machine.)

So the previous owners have the water heater directly on the particle board subfloor and cut the vinyl flooring around the water heater. Thus when the water leaks-as it did, the water goes under the vinyl, and of course the particle board sucks it up like a sponge. Time for a new floor.

So, Mrs. Curley gets the new kitchen floor she's always wanted, (I usually don't put in floors until forced to when selling a house.) Although, as I dug down through the floors, the last floor is a wooden floor-it seems in good condition for the most part. Thus the new floor may be an old floor-which means labor is all it will cost. (Oh yes, we may have to polyeurathane it, but no major expenses.)

Of course, that labor is not so cheap. I am not as young as I used to be, and my back not as strong. But between me and the boys, I am hoping Mrs. Curley can at least have a vision of her new floor by mid-week. Which is imperative anyway, because without hot water and a washing machine (also in the kitchen), we can't survive too long anyway. (Cold showers may be fine for Lent, but this is ordinary time....)

I am just taking a break right now. It isn't going as fast as I hoped. But having the right tools helps. We would be almost done if they hadn't put so many nails in the floor. I don't do enough physical labor I fear. So this will be good for me. And, with any luck, Mrs. Curley will have a beautiful kitchen floor with barely any expense except for a thinner and meaner Mr. Curley.

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Irish Shiites?

I just read somewhere that the name "Bethune Catholic" is akin to saying "Irish Shiite". I never thought of it that way-but it is true. We don't have many Catholics out here. Since moving to Bethune, I have only met two Catholics in town. One came from New York and lives in Hartsville (are large town about 30 miles away) and works locally. The other lives in Camden (a small town-but not as small as Bethune, about 25 miles away) and was in town for a political rally.

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I am getting tired of having to spend the first 5-10 minutes every time I open my email sorting through spam. I guess every one else is too.

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Is it my imagination, or are the 'News' reporters on NPR salivating about the possible turnover of the control of Congress to the Democrats in the next election? I don't recall so much coverage years ago when the Republicans wrested control of the House and Senate from the Democrats, (after many more years of Democratic control, I might add.)

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You may have read (see here for example) about the chapel roof/ceiling coming down in Marytown. As you may be aware, Brother Charles Madden OFM Conv. (author of Requiem Press' Giving Up Stealing for Lent! and The Mini-Catechism) is from Marytown. They could use your prayers (and I am sure, your financial support.)

Auriesville

How could I let today pass without mentioning Sts. Issac Jogues, John De Brebeuf, Rene Goupil, et. al. One of our happiest trips (the inspiration of number one son) was to visit the Auriesville Shrine in upstate NY where Isaac Jogues and Rene Goupil were martyred.

It is few places in the US where you can walk and pray on the same ground where martyrs bled. Here are some photos of the Ravine from the shrine website.

We have gone back to Auriesville once and hope to do so again someday. The grounds are simple and (the last time we were there) in need of care. But this only adds to the spiritual pilgrimage.

Here is my original entry on Auriesville from 2 years ago-much better written than today's effort.

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh!

There was a time when I thought (when considering my family and the budget) that I should have been a doctor. No more. I should be a plumber.

Plumbing, as stated before on this blog, is not my favorite home repair area. I can do it, but it usually requires bending to get in cramped places and doesn't allow for too much slop unless you don't mind leaky pipes. (Thank God for this wonderful self-fusing tape I have. It take sthe precision out of plumbing.)

Yet I constantly have plumbing jobs in the que. Since the weekend I have been working (in my spare time-Ha!) on putting in a new drain field for the washing machine line. More digging than plumbing-but it is certainly related. And last night as we get home from CCD, we find the kitchen floor flooded-oh yes the water heater has sprung a leak.

I really had something substantial and thought-provoking to say this morning-but because of the late night last night draining what was left in the old water heater, I am at a loss.

The only thing that comes to mind (and this is because we have just finished a quick 'survey' of the book of Job in CCD) is the quite appropriate and very true:

"The Lord giveth and the Lord hath taketh away. Blessed by the name of the
Lord"
(Job 1:21)

From Bethany, the small holding in Bethune...Oremus pro invicem!

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Two Year Anniversary!!!!!!

How can I let my 2 year anniversary blogging go by without an entry? Yes two years ago today, I started Bethune Catholic and was welcomed with my first comment from Mr. Culbreath. I will not reveiw the highs and lows-but simply push forward.

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In my youth I read alot of mysteries. Somehow, I had never read any Ellery Queen. Well that changed last month. I had a book sitting around here for years called The Wrightsville Murders by Ellery Queen. (EQ is the pen name for the 2 authors who write the book and for the detective in the book.) Overall, I was not impressed. The solutions to the crimes seemed a little forced, and in one case (this book had three books in one) the solution actually was pretty unrealistic. That all being said, I found one very interesting revelation. Let's step aside for a moment.

Several years ago at a talk (probably given by Steve Wood) I learned about how a father impresses upon his child the image a child has of God. Because God is also called 'Father', a child will attribute some of his earthly father's attributes to God, and this (a child's relationship with their father) will affect the child's relationship with God. At the time this was new stuff for me. And I thought it was new stuff for most people.

However, I read in Ellery Queen's book "Ten Days Wonder", written in 1948, the following (Ellery Queen is speaking to the murderer):

I attempted last year.....to explain that Howard's choice of the Ten Commandments weaon-breaking the Father-Image of God in breaking the father image of you-must have been rooted in his environment as a child.....But how about your boyhood environment Mr. Van Horn?-the environment you were raised ... Howard loved (you) his father, but you hated yours. And its out of that hatred that your Ten Commandments idea was born....

I guess this is just another case of each generation re-learning what the previous one already knew.

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Busy day. Hopefully Bethune Catholic will rebound soon from a once a week to a more regular endeavor. Until then-Oremus pro invicem!

Thursday, October 12, 2006

I am alive...

I think this has been my longest blog-siesta since I started this thing two years ago (anniversary coming up next week). So what have I been doing? Moving from crisis to crisis to crisis at school, at work and at home with no perceivable end in sight. (Even now there are several things I should be doing instead of posting a blog entry.) I won't belabor y'all with details-just that I have been busy and not getting everything done that I should be doing.

I know I have been missing some good and or provocative posts around st. blogs, because I do sneak a peak here or there every so often. There was at least one good one on liturgy and music at last week. There is a current thread which I haven't even finished reading the main post of on 'youth ministry' here ; and that is just to name two I have been missing.

Yesterday I walked into the school library and was aimlessly looking at a dolly full of books when the head librarian came up and said, "Take any you want. These were donated and are of no use here." First reaction? Yahoooooo!!!!. Second reaction: How can you say that "Fifteen Decisive Battles in History" or "The Birth of the Modern" by Paul Johnson, or a little book on the art of Grunewald won't be used in the school library. If you can't use them in your school library-I can use them in my homeschool library." And so I came home yesterday with a small treasure trove. (Of course I have all the time in the world to read them all....) Here's a sample from the Grunewald book ('the mocking of Christ').

Well I suppose I can't let my vast array of readers get to used to my presence here - I do have lots of work to do. But just wanted to let you know that I am still alive an kicking.... Oh yes, and that Requiem Press still has books for sale and a few late ones which should be out shortly.

Oremus pro invicem!

Friday, October 06, 2006

More advice...

From morning prayer...

In your will is our peace Lord.

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Advice for the day

As related to a few of my recent posts below, I was given this advice:

"Don't turn on the radio in the car. If you do, you might miss something."

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

The Peace

NPR has an “I believe” segment on Mondays in the afternoon news program where a guest reads an essay on what he or she beliefs. Yesterday the lady (wife, mother, nurse) reading her essay said that everyday she needed to block off all the daily voices in her life so she could listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit. She does this by taking a daily walk by herself and in the quiet listening to God.

Finding this quiet has been difficult for me lately. The most accessible time for me these days is on my ride into the city – but praying and driving have never been a great combination for me. And when your car has a working radio, it is even tougher to resist the temptation to put on the noise. And the morning news (forget about the music) is really noise in your life. Yes, you need to know what is going on in the world, but replacing prayer with the depressing state of affairs in the world is surely not the way to start a day.

I am searching for a place of quiet and peace again. We really need to appreciate what we have when we have it-because it is fleeting.

You can’t make Heaven on earth-but you can recognize heavenly moments-those you can cherish and be thankful to God for His blessings and His consolations. Those moments, or even periods in your life (although never without some distractions and hardships), must be recognized as God’s consolation-prodding you forward to your final home.

It seems I am always apologizing these days for neglecting this blog. I am working on a decent post in my mind-but you must be patient and I must find more quiet to realize it.

Went shrimping and fishing this weekend with one of the boys and two friends-with one their boys. Caught some shrimp and crabs Friday night, and then went fishing on the ocean on Saturday. We caught several sharks, an octopus, and a stingray-none of which we kept. My son hooked something, and I fought it for almost 2 hours, then the line snapped. It was probably another stingray (that one took 45 minutes to bring to surface), but we'll never know. We also came home with flounder, sea mullet, and black sea bass. My friend's son caught a nice pompano. Said the rosary for all kinds of intentions there on the boat. What a great day! And what a great feast Sunday night!

So now, back to deleting spam and all those other things which keep me from posting things few people read anyway.

From Bethany, the small holding in Bethune...Oremus pro invicem!

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Songs and school

I have to link this article by Mark Shea on Catholic Exchange this morning. Somehow my senior class in high school selected "Imagine" for the class song. I recall being upset & of course refused to sing it on graduation day. (Of course most of the rest of the class refused to sing the school song.) Here's a piece (from the article, not the song):
You can see imbeciles swaying to this tune, eyes closed in beatific bliss, at everything from school assemblies to soccer matches to September 11 commemorations. How does it honor the dead to "Imagine there's no heaven"? How does it honor the firefighters who sacrificed their lives to mewl about "Nothing to...die for"?

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As mentioned before, (and speaking of high schools), I am doing a little teaching this fall at our "local" Catholic high school. Doesn't leave me much time for other things, but it is interesting. We had school lockdown-random drug search last week. They herded everyone to the gym and brought in dogs and searched the school. The principal had heard rumors-so decided to check it out. A couple things were found and action taken. Today we have our monthly Mass during 7th period. After teachng here a month, I must say I give a lot of credit to full-time teachers. One thing you have to be (which I am not great at-even with 7 kids) is FLEXIBLE. You never know when they are going to cancel your class for a lock-down, assembly, etc.

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Finally, to leave you with some summer fun...

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Nothing to say...

I wish I had a poem to write or a story to tell. I don't have enough quiet in my life right now to think-to write...

Monday, September 25, 2006

The Weekend

Nothing too exciting. It had been a long and exhausting week, so rest was in order-and was achieved. Sunday after Mass we came home and alternately read stories and played games ("Sorry!") with my youngest two in between naps.

Last evening we gathered after dinner and sang some songs-many of them songs of Ireland, and some hymns. After we sang "Our Lady of Knock" we discussed that even though Our Lady is the patroness of America, we don't seem to have a uniquely American hymn honoring her-just English translations of other hymns. Is this true?

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While it has been occurring to me with greater and greater clarity for several years now (and discussed in previous posts), it is a fact that the I am left without a political party to champion my beliefs. I do remember those days gone by when I thought being an orthodox Catholic and being a Republican were almost synonymous-of course it was a delusionment even then-but I was in ignorant bliss. (The errancy of the advice given by William Buckley's "National Review" -that I could safely ignore John Paul II's social encyclicals because economy was not an area of competence (faith and morals) did not hit me until a few years ago-when I actually read them, I am ashamed to say.)

Today's particular disappointment with politicians in general stems from the failed Republican stand-off with the Bush Administration's interrogation bill. My understanding is that while the Republican Senators McCain (never been a fan), Warner (don't know much about him), and Graham (one of my senators-and I have been a fan), did win on the important issue on the accused being able to see the evidence presented against him, they seem to have lost on the torture. To say that the US and the CIA will abide by all the Geneva Conventions on interrogation-yet if a CIA operative tortures a prisoner, he cannont be prosecuted for it-means business (er.. torture) as usual.

I read somewhere this weekend that the Democrats have introduced a 'pro-life bill' in the House: giving support to pregnant women so they won't necessarily seek an abortion. I applaud those who have introduced this (if it is what it seems), but I have no illusions.

Thursday, September 21, 2006


I have been so pressed for time recently that I haven't been reading my favorite blogs, have not been able to put together a coherent post myself for sometime-other than posting general news. So bear with my muddling around for these weeks and hopefully I will be back on an even keel shortly.

Today is the feast of St. Matthew. We have a Matthew here, so we will do something to celebrate his name saint's feast. St. Cornelius was Saturday (we have Connor-the Irish version of Cornelius).

While it is only September, let me take this opportunity to remind everyone November-the month to especially remember the holy souls in purgatory in our prayers-will be on us. It would be a good time to start a daily rememberance of the holy souls. Our booklet (which can be purchased at our website ) is a good resource. It is only $1.85, or you get a free copy with the purchase of any other book we sell. Check it out.

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

weighing in

Of course everyone else has commented on the now-famous (or in some quarters, infamous) speech by Pope Benedict XVI. Yesterday NPR had a piece on it, with John Allen commenting. Mr. Allen noted repeatedly that the quote had to be taken in context-and in fact that the entire speech was more a criticism of the West than of Islam. (He mentioned in hindsight, like others, that perhaps a different illustrative quote would have been used to avoid the uproar).

I can't remember who represented the opposing view-some professor from some prestigious university-someone who should be able to read. But this expert on Islam essentially kept repeating the outrage at Pope Benedict for daring to say this about Islam (of course giving the impression that the statement was Benedict's own thought and/or view.)

I continually amazed by intellectual dishonesty, and/or intellectual sloppiness. People are either unwilling or unable to understand anything but the most simple statement-and in general don't want to look at something indepth. Therefore, everything is open to spin.

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and from Morning Prayer for Wednesday Week IVwe pray:

Give us strength in temptation, endurance in trial and gratitude in prosperity

From Bethany, the small holding in Bethune...Oremus pro invicem!

Monday, September 18, 2006

The weekend

It sure seems a long time since I posted anything. Many things to say-but I may have to split it into smaller pieces. First, this weekend....

Oh boy! Went shrimping off a deep water dock in Georgetown, SC on Friday night with a friend who has access to this dock through family. Got a load of shrimp. Saturday, when I got home, as a family we 'headed' the cooler full of shrimp, cleaned it and flash froze it. I also brought home 9 crabs, 3 croakers, a ladyfish, and another which slips my mind.

And best of all-good company. How can you beat saying the rosary with a friend (for your wives) as you finish a day of fishing?

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Sunday there was an insert in the parish bulletin lsiting 15 'directives' from the bishop about the Mass. Our paster said, "If read any of these and see were are not doing them, let me know."

Two points which we need to work on...The first is that the bishop has asked that some of the prayers be said in Latin as often we have two language groups at Mass. (1/2 the Catholic population of SC is Hispanic.) He specifically suggested the Pater Noster and the Creed. I would think that the Gloria, Sanctus and the Agnus Dei would easily be done also. (The Creed would be the most difficult.)

The second point has to do with music, directing that the Responsoral Psalm be played and sung as in the missal as opposed to other songs being played and sung (which happens-including this past Sunday.) In my mind, the directive on the music doesn't go far enough. But one step at a time...

More tomorrow.

Thursday, September 14, 2006

All Seasons...


Haven't had a lot of time to post recently-or to read much of anyone else either. However I have a bit of time this morning.

The weather has cooled the last few days-not that I think that summer weather is gone for the year, but it is nice to have a few days of cool weather.

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We are showing A Man for All Seasons for the Youth Group at the parish in a week or so-acompanied by pizza of course. I love the film, and it did spark my initial interest in St. Thomas More, however each time I watch the film, I do find more problems with it.

The biggest problem is that it seems Robert Bolt (author of the play) has a different idea of conscience that Thomas More had (or the Church has). Conscience in the play/film is more personal-there is a primacy of conscience almost in the absence of the requirement of its proper formation. The whole play is about primacy of conscience. Yet even with this flaw, it is a good film. And certainly this flaw can be discussed with the group afterwards.

My other problems with the film have to do with historical accuracy. Thomas More is portrayed as being the father of one instead of several. Son-in-law Roper is portrayed as having Lutheran leanings in the film-he did, but had reaffirmed his Catholicism and rejected Luther by the time the events of the film take place. There are other small errors, but within the license of dramatization with limited scope.

After this, we will move on to some other good films (any suggestions?)

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

The first thing the Holy Father did when arriving in Altoetting was to prostrate
himself at the foot of the Blessed Virgin.

(from Zenit)

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

This morning...

...two great posts from Mr. Culbreath: one on music and the other on homeschooling.

Of course we've weighed in on these topics a number of times here also.

TS talks about funerals here.

It reminds me that we need to get our special discounts ready for the holy souls in purgatory booklets-as November is coming up.

Have not finished my thoughts from yesterday, will perhaps get back to them before the week is over...

Monday, September 11, 2006

Marriage...

There was a time not so long ago when getting married and starting a family-having kids-were prtetty nearly synonymous....Those who weren't yet in a position to start families-because of money problems or further schooling-put off marrying until their situation changed.

So goes Russell Shaw's last column for the Knights of Columbus' Magazine Columbia. I remember as a young man being told by a priest that if you weren't ready or prepared to have children, you weren't ready to get married. (Besides the obvious-Who is ever really prepared for children?) Of course when marriage is viewed apart from having children, then what follows (and what we have today) is that children are had apart from marriage and that marriage itself becomes nothing of true value (no-fault divorce and now homosexual unions).

But here is another debate. I am a believer that young people should not date one-on-one, but should go together in groups. When a young person is ready to be married (in a theoretical sense) then a more serious courtship can occur-but should occur primarily in the context and the setting of the family as opposed to a series of 'dates' where one spends more and more time alone with the boyfriend/girlfriend. (Granted in many situations, there may practical limits to this-but theoretically the ideal-but grant the more ideal for the moment.)

In this situation, then, the couple should not be dating unless it is with a view to marriage, and unless they are in positions to get married. So let's say the man is carrying a load of debt and in school. He doesn't seem ready until the debt is cleared and he has a job.

Yet in contrast to this-we know that marriage has been occurring later in life because of a "pattern of prolonged adolescence". This does not seem to be a good thing either.

So where is all this leading? Actually I can't say because I am out of time this morning-but will ponder these points today and maybe pick up tomorrow with either more confusion or wisdom. (Maybe the comment boxes will give me direction.)

Thursday, September 07, 2006

Is anybody fooled?

I have been following President Bush's recent speech tour on terrorism and the ongoing threats to America. Of course yesterday he revealed what has been reported for some time: that the CIA has had secret interrogation camps overseas. He told us that he can not tell us the methods of interrogation at these camps for fear that the opposition would train their people against these techniques-but then assures us that the interrogations were tough but legal. Yeh! How many people believe that? And these camps were necessary to keep America safe. The ticking bomb scenario. No doubt many people agree with President Bush-torture is okay if it saves American lives.

But being Christian says that our treasure is in Heaven. That we'll avoid sin, avoid doing things that are wrong, that are an affront to human dignity, in order to gain everlasting happiness in Heaven. "Love your enemies" doesn't mean we do not put them in prison if they are criminals; but it does mean not to torture them. This exhortation appears over and over-especially in the New Testament-in different forms.

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Now with respect to Mr. Bush's claim that we can not afford to stand by as Islamic terrorism grows-that if we ignore it, we are akin to Europe ignoring the rise of Hitler-I think he has a point. (However his term Islamic-Facism is unrelated and is probably ridiculous-although I would not be the expert.) The world must face the fact that much of Europe will have a Muslim majority sometime in this century, and that that history shows Muslim majorities rarely tolerate Christianity and move towards Islamic states. This concern is not the same as the one stated by our President-but it is related to it.

This situation must be faced. Europe is not facing it. However, Mr. Bush seems to believe that the war Iraq somehow addresses the issue of Islamic terrorism. (He doesn't address the issue of Islamic domination of Europe). I might buy Mr. Bush's argument if we were pursuing regime change in Syria and Iran. (Not that I am advocating either at this time.) But not in Iraq.

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

School...

Tonight is the first night of CCD at St. Catherine's for the year. I've heard that the program has several more students this year. Our class (high school) should be about 12-14. As you see, we are a small parish. As in the past, we are using the Bible, the Catechism, and several resources on prayer. Hopefully we can do a play this year-as we did last year.

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In my teaching job, I start every class with a prayer-it had been the Our Father everyday up to last week. During the opening Mass (a couple weeks into the year) for the school said by Bishop Baker last week, he talked to the students about prayer (among other things). Inspired by some of his words I decided to mix things up a bit and familiarize the students with the Psalms. Thus, now for two week stretches we will open class with a Psalm. Once it is familiar to us, we will move on to another. I selected Psalm 22 (23) to begin as I figured it would be most familiar to all. I think I am getting more benefit out of it than the students-after praying it at the beginning of every class for almost a week now.

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Yesterday I spend much of the day getting shipments ready for our newest release. It is not high concentration work for the most part, so I asked each child to come up to the office individually during the day. We said two decades of the rosary and then talked about whatever they wanted for a half and hour or so. This is something I should have been doing all along.

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Read the Fr. Lane posts here, here, and here over at TS' place.

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Something to remember from the The Deliberate Agrarian

The point is, if you read this blog, or my recently published agrarian book, and that is all you ever knew about me and my family, you would think ours is a perfect little family and our agrarian life is nothing but beauty and sweetness.

In so thinking, you might look at your own life situation and compare your reality to the agrarian perception you have of my life. And, in so comparing, you may think you are coming up short of the agrarian ideal that you so desire but can’t seem to attain. That, my dear reader, would be a mistake—a very serious mistake.

I say that because the perception and the imagined ideal that could grow from it is not reality. The picture-perfect cheeseburger does not exist and the picture perfect agrarian life does not exist either, at least it does not in my experience and I’m quite certain it doesn’t in anyone else’s
experience either.

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Finally, I must say I agree with Long-Skirts' analysis (in fact I wrote my bishop about this some years ago):

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- This year because All Saints Day, Nov. 1, falls on Saturday, the usual obligation of U.S. Latin-rite Catholics to attend Mass that day is abrogated, said the July newsletter of the bishops' Committee on Liturgy

...AND THE PURSUIT

Ascension Thursday's Sunday.
Corpus Christi got the boot.

And this year, since it's Saturday,
All Saints' Day will be moot.

'Cause Saturday's by Sunday.
And Monday just won't scoot

And two days in a row for God...
That's yielding too much fruit.

So if we play our cards right,
Let money trump all suits,

We'll end all militant Sundays
Obliging happy pursuits.

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Have a blessed day. From Bethany, the small holding in Bethune...Oremus pro invicem!

Monday, September 04, 2006

At Mass...

At Mass this morning Fr. John used the readings for St. Gregory the Great (whose feast would have been yesterday but was supplanted by the Sunday liturgy). In the Gospel, Christ says that those who stood by Him in His trials will be rewarded.

Father commented that we can stand by Christ in His trials, His Passion, by our attendence at Mass; as it is the re-presentation of His sacrifice on the cross.

The Weekend-not quite over

Saturday was pretty much a work day. I was mostly in the office, taking care of some neglected business-although, there were a few household fix-it jobs to do also. At the same time, the land next door was being leased to a hunt club for a dove shoot. (Labor Day weekend starts the dove hunting season here in SC.) The dove shoot is annual event. Our neighbor usually runs it himself, but this time let a local hunt club do it. In years past, we had a few pellets find their way into our yard. This year it was an almost constant rain. I tried to find the organizer but he seemed to always be 'someplace' else. I talked to several hunters-but it didn't slow the rain. I don't know if they'll be shooting again today-sometimes they do Monday and sometimes they don't....If they're out there today, so will I.

Sunday we went to Mass at St. Catherine's (as usual) in Lancaster. The boys served, as one of the scheduled altar boys was out with a broken foot. After Mass we did something we hadn't done in several years-that is go out to eat for breakfast after Mass. This was something we used to do in former days, maybe 4-5 times a year. Not too often, but often enough that it was remembered well by the older kids. It has been at least 2 and a half years, and possibly more since we done this. It was only a Waffle House, but still quite enjoyable. The sausage was not too good, but the cheese eggs were the best I've ever had. Go figure.

Getting home, we decided to have another one of our homegrown talent shows. We had about an hour to prepare and then gathered together to entertain each other. Two sons did a western skit (the Lone Ranger saves the day), Mrs. Curley and daughter did a skit on how stories and misunderstandings get started; Mrs. Curley and I recited "The Children's Hour" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow; daughter played a rhapsody (can't remember the composer) on piano; sons and I sang a stylized version of "If I Were a Rich Man" (Fiddler on the Roof) which we entitled "If We Were Rich Men"; and there were a few other acts. It was great time.

Then we watched a couple family movies from 2000. Boy how these kids have grown. Then, I used up our last bit of charcoal and cooked some hot dogs and chicken breast on the grill while Mrs. Curley prepared potatoes and vegtables. We said the rosary while waiting for the grill to heat up, had a late dinner and bundled off to bed.

A good weekend overall. Now back to work....

Friday, September 01, 2006

The collar

Mr. Culbreath mentions a dinner guest on his blog today-the dinner guest being a priest without his collar. It brings to mind an experience we once had....

We have had many priests over the house for dinner in the past 10-15 years. On one occasion, (and only one occasion), the priest came without his collar/clerical garb. (To be sure, some came with the collar undone, but each wore their clerics). He wore a sweatshirt and dark pants. As we sat down in the living room and talked before dinner, the kids had a few moments to get Father's attention. Number two son gained the floor, and seeing that Father was not wearing his clerical garb, he asked his question prefaced by, "Father-when you used to be a priest...."

Father came over to dinner at least twice more-but those times he wore his clerics. My son had addressed the issue in an innocent but more effective way than I ever could have.

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This whole issue is certainly one that raises strong opinions on both sides. I view clerical garb of priests and religious as sort of a wedding ring-a sign of their vocation. Especially for priests, it means when in public, they are always on call. A person sees a priest in the airport, they may go to confession or begin a conversation which leads to conversion-which would not have happened if the priest was in 'street clothes'. Also too the clerical garb is a sign for the world-a sign of contradiction. The more one sees easily identified religious in public, the more you are aware of God's presence and the willingness of some people to give up 'the world' for God. This must have an effect on people-even if unmeasured.

On the other hand, to be sure I like to take off my tie and let my hair down (some people would laugh hysterically at that last). So why not a priest? I suppose part is determined by the occasion and closeness of the friendship. A parishioner inviting the parish priest to dinner is different than having over a brother or very close friend who is a priest. And the company matters too. Is the dinner party just the family and the priest, or are other individuals invited also-some of which may not know the priest well or may not be Catholic. I think all these things come into play. Priest and relgious are people too, to be sure, needing time to relax etc., but they are different from the laity also in their role and their sign to the culture.

Just to beat a dead horse...When I am out in public or at someone's house, I d0 not with my dress, demeanor, accessories (re: wedding ring), or actions wish to confuse anyone about my state in life-that being a married man. In my opinion, priest and religious should do the same.

I don't think all the lines are black and white, but they are more black and white than grey. I'm sure some of my readers will disagree-let's hear it.