The Holy Father's Prayer Intentions for December

From The Apostleship of Prayer:

Culture of Life. That, faced with the growing expansion of the culture of violence and death, the Church may courageously promote the culture of life through all her apostolic and missionary activities.

Fraternal Witness. That, especially in mission countries, Christians may show through gestures of kindness that the Child born in Bethlehem is the Hope of the world.

New Study: Direct Link Between Abortion and Mental Health Problems

Washington, DC -- A new research study featuring numerous controls and a national data set finds a link between abortion and psychiatric disorders. The study directly contradicts the report the American Psychiatric Association released in August claiming abortion causes no mental health issues for women.

The research team found induced abortions result in increased risks for a myriad of mental health problems ranging from anxiety to depression to substance abuse disorders. Ultimately, the authors write that abortion is directly"responsible for more than 10% of the population incidence of alcohol dependence, alcohol abuse, drug dependence, panic disorder, agoraphobia, and bipolar disorder" among all Americans.

Full report at LifeNews.com.

Advent 2008: Everything you need to make it holy

The First Sunday of Advent (Meditation)

Today the Church celebrates the First Sunday of Advent. This is the beginning of a new liturgical year. The Advent liturgy opens with that great yearning cry of the prophets of Israel to the Messiah and Redeemer whose advent they awaited. "Come!" God is not deaf to His people's cry. Fulfilling the promise of salvation made to our first parents at their fall He sent His Son into the world. And the application to all generations of mankind of the redemption that the Son of God made Man obtained for us by His passion continues until the end of time: it will conclude with the end of the world when the Messiah comes to complete His work and lead us into His kingdom. The history of the Church occupies the period between these two great events.

In the Mass of this Sunday the whole work of redemption is set before us, from its preparation in Israel's expectancy and its effect on our present lives down to its final fulfillment. The Church, in preparing us to celebrate at Christmas the birth of Him who came to snatch our souls from sin and transform them into the likeness of His own, invokes upon us and on all men the complete accomplishment of the mission of salvation that He came to perform upon this earth.

On the first Sunday of Advent, the traditional opening prayer (or Collect) prayed: "Stir up Thy might, we beg Thee, and come." With this request to God to "stir up" His might, this day was traditionally called Stir-Up Sunday. Many families create a traditional plum pudding or fruit cake or some other recipe that all the family and guests can "stir-up." This activity of stirring-up the ingredients symbolizes our hearts that must be stirred in preparation for Christ's birth. (Catholic Culture)

Advent Resources:

On-Line Resources for the Season of Advent

Tis the Season - Advent! Mega Links from My Domestic Church

Advent 2008 Resources Clearinghouse from Aggie Catholics

Resources for Advent from Phat Catholics Apologetics

Advent - The Beginning of a New Year from Musings of a Catholic Bookstore

Resources for Catholic Educators: Advent

Advent and Christmas Resources from Catholic Mom

Celebrating Advent - Christmas

Advent: Catholic Culture

Related Post:

Twelve Tips To A Better Advent Season

Video Reflection: Black Friday

St. Catherine Laboure and the Miraculous Medal

Today's Saint of the Day is St. Catherine Labouré.

Related Posts:
Prayer to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal
FEAST OF THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL

What Holiday are you?

You Are Easter

You are an optimistic, hopeful, and genuinely sweet person. Sensitive and affectionate, you are easily touched. You love nature, animals, and anything cute or cuddly. For you, every day is a new chance - no matter what happened yesterday. What makes you celebrate: Almost anything. You love most holidays and celebrations. At holiday get togethers, you do best as: The peacemaker. You can prevent any squabbles that might break out. On a holiday, you're the one most likely to: Remember to include everyone

What Holiday Are You?

H/T: Esther

Christmas Novena

This novena begins on November 30 and ends December 24. Humbly request God for the blessings that you want most this Christmas.

The Christmas Novena

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment
At which the Son of God was born
Of a most pure Virgin
At a stable in Bethlehem
In the piercing cold.
At that hour vouchsafe, I beseech thee,
To hear my prayers and grant my desires.(Mention your request here.)
Through Jesus Christ and his most Blessed Mother. Amen.

H/T: Spiritual Woman

Bookworm Award and Meme

Thank you, JennD., for nominating me for the bookworm award, which is also a meme.

The Rules:
Pass this on to 5 blogging friends. Open the closest book to you, not your favorite or most intellectual book, but the book closest to you at the moment, to page 56. Write the 5th sentence, as well as two to five sentences following that.

"If a brush dipped in black becomes black, and if cloth takes on the color of the dye, would not He, in the eyes of the world, have also partaken of the guilt in which all humanity shared? If He came to this earth through the wheatfield of moral weakness, he certainly would have some chaff hanging on the garment of His human nature. Putting the problem in another way: How could God become man and yet be a sinless man and Head of the new Humanity?"

This passage was excerpted from Fulton J. Sheen's The World's First Love, Doubleday Image Book, 1952.

I am passing this award/meme on to:

1. Sarah
2. Steven
3. Christine the Soccer Mom
4. Patjrsmom
5.Therese

I would love to select more, but am limited to 5.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

We all have so much to be thankful for!

This year I want to share an editorial that caught my eye and made me realize how blessed we really are in this country. I'm spending a simple Thanksgiving at home this year and not travelling anywhere. I plan to have a festive day -- thanking the Lord for all my blessings -- even those things I don't always view as blessings, because God knows what is best for us and as St. Therese of Lisieux says "everything is grace." Have a blessed and beautiful Thanksgiving!

Related posts:

For Today: A Thanksgiving Prayer

Thanksgiving Meme

For Today: A Thanksgiving Prayer

Oh, God, when I have food,
help me to remember the hungry;
When I have work, help me
to remember the jobless;
When I am without pain,
help me to remember those who suffer;
And, remembering, help me to destroy my complacency
and bestir my compassion.
Make me concerned enough
to help, by word and deed,
those who cry out for what we take for granted.

~ Samuel F. Pugh

"For I was hungry and you gave Me food.
I was thirsty and you gave Me drink.
I was a stranger and you welcomed Me..."

~ Matthew 25: 35

Posts for November 25 / 26, 2008

Kenny Chesney Song Helps Save Unborn Child

Just in Time for Christmas: Planned Parenthood Gift Certificates

Online: Powerful Pro-life Film

Prayer for the Unemployed

Pope Benedict calls on society to reconnect beauty to truth and goodness

Thank you, Sarah Palin!

St. Pio of Pietrelcina: Meditation

St. Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin and Martyr

Catholic Carnival 200: You've got to see this!

Send a Christmas Letter to a Pro-life Heroine

Kenny Chesney Song Helps Save Unborn Child

A heart-rending tale of a reluctant young father discovering the joy of sacrificial love, Kenny Chesney's hit country song "There Goes My Life" has stunned audiences with its message of the sanctity of human life since its 2003 debut. The song even appears to have saved the life of at least one unborn child, according to a comment posted under the music video on Youtube, and has possibly played a part in saving others.

The lyrics, written by Neil Thrasher and Wendell Mobley, capture perfectly the quandary of a young man whose dreams are shattered when he learns his girlfriend is pregnant. "There goes my life," Chesney sings. "There goes my future, my everything. Might as well kiss it all good-bye." In the music video the father of the child is portrayed as a star football player who is forced to give up a promising career to care for his child.

The story fast-forwards two years later when the young man realizes his daughter was no "mistake," but as the chorus eloquently reflects, she embodies "my life, my future, my everything" that he was sure he had lost. The ending reflects on the father years later as he watches the now-teenage girl drive away to college, revisiting once more his agony of detachment after learning to love his daughter's life more than his own.

(To watch the music video, go here.)

Read the entire article here.

Just in Time for Christmas: Planned Parenthood Gift Certificates

And just when you thought you could no longer be shocked. Well, sit down. Planned Parenthood of Indiana is selling Christmas gift certificates. And yes, they can be used toward abortion.

Here's the story, from WISH-TV:

Gift certificates have become a popular holiday gift option, but a controversial new one, already has people talking.

For the first time, Planned Parenthood in Indiana is offering gift certificates. The organization said a big increase in calls and visits from newly unemployed and uninsured Hoosiers prompted what it calls the unusual, yet practical gift option.

"People are making really tough decisions about putting gas in their car and food on their table, so we know that many women especially put healthcare at the bottom of their list to do," said Chrystal Struben-Hall, VP of PP of IN.

The certificates come in $25 increments. They can be used for everything from birth control to $58 examinations that include breast exams and pap tests. Men who receive healthcare at PP can use them too.

"They can be seen for sexually transmitted disease screenings, HIV tests and general prostate exams and those kinds of things," said Struben-Hall.

Some Hoosiers... asked if the gift certificates could be used towards abortions. The answer is yes. But, PP said that's not the purpose of the gift certificates.

Struben-Hall said, "They really are intended for preventative healthcare. We decided not to put restrictions on the gift certificates so it's for whatever people feel they need the services for most."...

Planned Parenthood, this generation's King Herod, you know, the guy who ordered the mass slaughter of babies when Jesus was born.

~ Via Jill Stanek.

Online: Powerful Pro-life Film

I just finished watching a powerful pro-life film online entitled Volition.

Here is the description: "The act of making a choice. Sometimes the choice of inaction has consequences stronger than we could ever imagine. Throughout history, men have been faced with difficult choices in a world that makes it easy for them to conform. This film explores the hope that lies behind every decision made in the face of adversity; the hope that is buried in the heart of those that look beyond themselves and see something bigger worth fighting for."

It's not long and is well worth watching. Go here to see it in its entirety.

~ Via American Papist and Jill Stanek.

Prayer for the Unemployed

Dear Father in Heaven, and all the Saints who are known to help those in most need, especially Saint Joseph, Saint Jude, Saint Anthony, Saint Therese, and Saint Josemaria, we humbly beg you to hear our cries for help to provide work and income for those among us who need just those things, patience and loving trust in your Divine Providence for those who must wait for these things to come, and strength, creativity, inspiration, guidance, and energy for those who must search and struggle to find these things. We trust in Your desire to answer our prayers as quickly as possible; we believe in Your holy promise to provide daily bread, and we ask you to respond mercifully to so many prayers, from so many of us, for our brothers and sisters in need. Thank you. We love you. Amen.

~ Via Catholic City.


Related Post: What do you do when you get laid off?

Pope Benedict calls on society to reconnect beauty to truth and goodness

Pope Benedict calls on society to reconnect beauty to truth and goodness A world can be immersed in images and yet empty of beauty, Pope Benedict said today in a message sent to the Pontifical Academy of Fine Arts and Literature as it explores the relationship between aesthetics and ethics.

When Christians create works that "render glory unto the Father," the Pope continues, they speak of the "goodness and profound truth" that they are portraying, as well as the integrity and sanctity of the artist or author. To this end, Benedict XVI encourages believers to learn how to "communicate with the language of images and symbols ... in order effectively to reach our contemporaries."

The Holy Father also mentions how at the Synod on the Bible the bishops noted that knowing how to "read and scrutinize the beauty of works of art inspired by the faith" can lead Christians to discover a "unique path that brings us close to God and His Word."

Finally, Pope Benedict cites John Paul II's Letter to Artists, "which invites us, to reflect upon ... the fruitful dialogue between Holy Scripture and various forms of art, whence countless masterpieces have emerged." His message closes by appealing to academics and artists "to arouse wonder at and desire for beauty, to form people's sensitivity and to nourish a passion for everything that is a genuine expression of human genius and a reflection of divine beauty."

FULL STORY

Thank you, Sarah Palin!

They forgot, "Thank you for standing up for special-needs kids and the unborn, and thanks for sharing your beautiful family with us."

However, I will say it for them. Thank you for upholding the precious gift of life, Sarah Palin. Thank you for being a living example of love to us!

God has other plans for you now, but we hope you will consider running for election in 2012 -- our country needs you! God bless you! Happy Thanksgiving!

H/T: Granny Grump

St. Pio of Pietrelcina: Meditation

He who does not meditate acts as one who never looks into the mirror and so does not bother to put himself in order, since he can be dirty without knowing it. The person who meditates and turns his thoughts to God who is the mirror of the soul, seeks to know his defects and tries to correct them, moderates himself in his impulses and puts his conscience in order.

~ Saint Pio of Pietrelcina

St. Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin and Martyr

Optional Memorial

November 25th

Fernando Yáñez de la Almedina

Saint Catherine (detail)

1505 - 1510

Museo del Prado, Madrid

Catherine, virgin of Alexandria, devoted herself to the pursuit of knowledge; at the age of eighteen, she surpassed all her contemporaries in science. Upon seeing how the Christians were being tortured, she went before Emperor Maximin (311-313), upbraided him for his cruelty, and with convincing reasons demonstrated the need of Christian faith in order to be saved. Astounded by her wisdom, the Emperor ordered her to be kept confined, and having summoned the most learned philosophers, promised them magnificent rewards if they could confound the virgin and turn her from belief in Christ. Far from being successful, a considerable number of the philosophers were inflamed by the sound reasons and persuasiveness of Catherine's speech with such a love for Jesus Christ that they declared themselves willing to offer their lives for the Gospel.

Then the Emperor attempted to win her by flattery and by promises, but his efforts proved equally fruitless. He ordered her whipped with rods, scourged with leaden nodules, and then left to languish eleven days without food in prison. The Emperor's wife and Porphyrius, general of the army, visited Catherine in prison; her words brought both to Christ and later they too proved their love in blood. Catherine's next torture consisted of being placed upon a wheel with sharp and pointed knives; from her lacerated body prayers ascended to heaven and the infernal machine fell to pieces. Many who witnessed the miracle embraced the faith. Finally, on November 25 Christ's servant was beheaded (307 or 312). By the hands of angels her body was carried to Mt. Sinai, where it was interred in the convent which bears her name.

Patronage: Apologists; craftsmen who work with a wheel (potters; spinners; etc.); archivists; attorneys; barristers; dying people; educators; girls; jurists; knife grinders; knife sharpeners; lawyers; librarians; libraries; maidens; mechanics; millers; nurses; old maids; philosophers; potters; preachers; scholars; schoolchildren; scribes; secretaries; spinners; spinsters; stenographers; students; tanners; teachers; theologians; turners; unmarried girls; wheelwrights.

See The Catholic Encylopedia and Women for Faith and Family to learn about St. Catherine of Alexandria.

Catholic Carnival 200: You've got to see this!

In this week's Catholic Carnival, Sarah at Just Another Day of Catholic Pondering has the most creative and unique post I have ever seen. When she has previously hosted the Catholic Carnival, she has shared some great family pictures, but this time she invites us to visit the barn at her farm in Ohio and the photos are absolutely fantastic!

You have to go and check out what's going on there and see how she integrates what's happening in her barn with the various posts from the Catholic community.

But first, heed her warning: You might want to run back in the house to put on some barn boots (shoes that you don't mind getting dirty) and you'll definitely want to make sure you're dressed warmly (our weather's been a lot on the freezing-cold-how-do-people-live-like-this end of the spectrum).

Send a Christmas Letter to a Pro-life Heroine

Send a Christmas Letter to a Pro-Life Heroine in Jail for Silently Witnessing to Life

Pro-life heroine Linda Gibbons will spend another Christmas in jail this year for her refusal to abide by an injunction which forbids even silent prayerful pro-life witness on the public sidewalk in front of the Scott abortion mill in Toronto.

Rosemary Connell of Show the Truth Canada informed LifeSiteNews.com today that Gibbons appreciates very much the letters and cards she receives from pro-lifers all over the world. She assures them of her prayers as well.

"I know she appreciates letters and cards and the effort to send them," Connell told LifeSiteNews.com. "She enjoys letters and art work from children also. She is very humble about the number of letters she gets each day. Please consider sending a Christmas card and short letters regularly. It is great for her spirits and important that the employees of the prison know of her supporters. It reminds people of the plight of little babies being threatened by abortion."

The rules for such letters are:
- handwrite or type address and return address on envelope
- no stickers or stamped images etc. on envelope or in letter
- put return address on letter as well as envelope
- no plastic prayer cards or bookmarks
- paper prayer cards and bookmarks are fine
- she is allowed a couple of pamphlets but not many
- no questions about day to day workings of the prison
- baby saves, prayer groups, difficulties she faces.

She cannot comment on the day to day workings of the prison but will call Show the Truth with any news.

- please number your letters so she can be sure she is getting all that you send
- please include a pro-life comment in each letter
- facts of numbers of children being executed, loss of God's children, our prayer for everyone involved in abortion industry Gibbons' upcoming trial is Jan 12, 2009 in Toronto.

Letters should be addressed to
Linda Gibbons - Vanier Women's Detention Centre
655 Martin St. - Box 1040 - Milton, ON
Canada
L9T 5E6

For more information, go to LifeSite News.com.

Posts for Monday, November 24, 2008

Prayer to Our Lady of Gentle Love

Jordin Sparks: determined to remain a virgin

Spanish woman shows homosexuality can be overcome

Pope Benedict speaks on the Beatifications in Japan and Cuba

Simple Woman's Daybook -- November 24

St. Andrew Dung - Lac and Companions, Vietnamese Martyrs

Prayer to Our Lady of Gentle Love

"On a spring morning in 1987 in Somerville, MA, a man awoke and was bewildered to find his hands stained with pastel colors, which he smeared on his pillowcase and pajamas. He went into an adjoining room where he pursued his hobby of painting in pastel. There he was more bewildered to see the completed painting of a woman. This depiction of Our Blessed Lady, has since been named "Our Lady of Gentle Love".

Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God,

infuse in our hearts the love you have

for Jesus, Your Divine Son,

Help us to understand that love and

gentleness go together in our daily life.

Intercede for us and bring peace

and joy into our families, help our

neighbors, the lonely, the sick,

the homeless and the hungry,

You are the Mother of all humankind,

given to us by Almighty God and

we turn to you for guidance.

Help us to be holy, as you are holy

and to love as you love.

Our Lady of Gentle Love, pray for

all your children.

We ask you to implore for us to God

the Father, God the Son and God the Holy

Spirit, to bless us all and to help us to

attain eternal salvation. Amen.

~ Painting at The Little Sisters of the Poor

Somerville, Massachusetts

Jordin Sparks: determined to remain a virgin

Pop Tarts: Jordin Sparks is Proud to be a Virgin But Finds Always Being a Good Girl Difficult

Jordin Sparks has made no secret of the fact that she's a virgin and plans to stay that way until her wedding night, a personal pledge that was reinforced backstage at Sunday's American Music Awards after the songstress was presented with an un-televised award as Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist. The 18-year-old was truly flattered when we gave her credit for her chastity pledge and for setting herself apart from so many other trouble-makers in Tinseltown, saying a humble thank you multiple times.

"The role model tag has definitely been thrust on me and that's something I don't take lightly," Sparks said.

The "American Idol" alum reminisced that it was just two years ago that she was sitting at home as an aspiring singer watching these very awards, but felt that there was no young performer she could really look up to as a figure of inspiration.

"That really motivated me. Being a role model is fun but I find it difficult," Sparks admitted. "I have to constantly watch myself, watch my mouth and who I hang out with."

Hmmm, perhaps that’s why Sparks has opted to take a very safe date with her when she hits the road again soon -- her grandmother.

Previous Posts:

Jordin Sparks: A Pro-life American Idol Winner

Jordin Sparks: A Pro-life American Idol

Pro-life supporter & American Idol Winner Jordin Sparks to sing at Super Bowl

Spanish woman shows homosexuality can be overcome

CNA STAFF, Nov 24, 2008 (CNA).- Marta Lozano is the courageous author of, “A Story About Abuse and Homosexuality,” a book in which she recounts her own life and how she regained peace after struggling for years with her own homosexual tendencies. She shared her testimony in an exclusive interview with CNA.

Lozano said she decided to write the book to “help those who live tormented by a feeling of shame and/or guilt, who feel excluded or different, either because they have been victims of physical or psychological violence or because they have experienced a homosexual attraction which they neither sought nor desired.”

In her case, “it was the unbearable pain and profound unease that led me to ask for help. I could have channeled this pain in a different way, for example, by falling into deep bitterness or trying to harm others or myself, but luckily that didn’t happen. The only thing I regret is not having begun this journey sooner, since shame and loneliness are demolition machines that destroy you inside and isolate you from the world,” she said. MORE

Are you or a loved one experiencing homosexual attractions and looking for answers?

Courage, an apostolate of the Roman Catholic Church, ministers to those with same-sex attractions and their loved ones. Learn more here.

Pope Benedict speaks on the Beatifications in Japan and Cuba

After praying the Angelus, the Pope recalled the fact that tomorrow, November, 24, "the beatification will take place of 188 Japanese martyrs, both men and women, killed during the first half of the seventeenth century. On this occasion, so important for the Catholic community of Japan, I give assurances", he said, "of my spiritual closeness".

Benedict XVI then went on to mention the fact that, on November 29, Br. Jose Olallo Valdes of the Hospitaller Order of St. John of God will be proclaimed a blessed in Cuba. "To his celestial protection", he said, "I entrust the Cuban people, especially the sick and healthcare workers".

View the Spanish version of Fray José Olallo Valdés.

Speaking Spanish, the Pope directed a special greeting to Cuban pastors and faithful who will participate in the beatification ceremony at Camaguey, expressing the hope that "the intercession of the new blessed may help the Church in her evangelising mission, and bring renewed apostolic vitality to all Cubans who glory in being disciples and missionaries of Jesus Christ".

Simple Woman's Daybook -- November 24

FOR TODAY, Monday, November 24, 2008

Visit Peggy's to discover what the other women are thinking and doing today.

Outside my window... it's very sunny and bright. The leaves of the trees are dancing in the wind and it's in the upper 50's outside.

I am thinking...that I am looking forward to Thanksgiving this Thursday. I have so much to be thankful for this year.

I am thankful for...the hope that God gives me each day and for the grace to persevere in prayer.

From the kitchen...we are having chili tonight, as it will be cooler by the time we eat supper, which will be following Mass and our walk.

I am wearing...my soft purple pants and a pink t-shirt.

I am creating...my Plurk social journal. I am also on Twitter and enjoy both social networks.

I am going...to be busy this week cleaning and cooking.

I am reading...my devotionals and Mother Teresa's Secret Fire by Joseph Langford.

I am hoping...for my special intention to be answered soon.

I am hearing...the whirr of the washer and the soothing hum of the dryer.

Around the house...it's fairly quiet this afternoon.

One of my favorite things...is celebrating Thanksgiving and giving thanks to God for his many blessings.

A few plans for the rest of the week: reading writing, cooking, cleaning, and decorating for Thanksgiving.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Some of the members of our small Oblate group are gathered here on the Feast of the Presentation of Mary this past Friday with Fr. Bernard, who came to visit from France. The day was a solemnity for our Community (The Community of St. John) and Fr. Bernard celebrated Mass in the home of one of the Oblates. In addition to the Mass, we enjoyed a gourmet meal prepared by Marie and enjoyed a wonderful evening of festivity together.

St. Andrew Dung - Lac and Companions, Vietnamese Martyrs

Christian missionaries first brought the Catholic faith to Vietnam during the sixteenth century. During the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Christians suffered for their beliefs. Many were martyred, especially during the reign of Emperor Minh-Mang (1820-1840). One hundred seventeen martyrs are in the group. They were proclaimed saints by Pope John Paul II on June 19,1988. The group was made up of ninety-six Vietnamese, eleven Spaniards, and ten French. Eight of the group were bishops, fifty were priests and fifty-nine were lay Catholics. Some of the priests were Dominicans. Others were diocesan priests who belonged to the Paris Mission Society. One such diocesan priest was St. Theophane Venard. (We honor him also on November 6.) St. Andrew Dung-Lac, who represents this group of heroes, was a Vietnamese diocesan priest. The martyrs of Vietnam suffered to bring the greatest treasure that they possessed: their Catholic faith.

~ Via The Daughters of St. Paul.

St. Andrew Dung-Lac's name was originally Dung An Trân, and he was born about 1795 in a poor and pagan family in Bac-Ninh in North Vietnam. When he was twelve the family had to move to Hà-Nôi (Hanoi) where his parents could find work. There he met a catechist and got food and shelter from him. He also got education in the Christian faith for three years, and was baptized in Vinh-Tri with the Christian name Andrew (Andrew Dung). After learning Chinese and Latin he became a catechist, and thereafter taught catechism in the country. He was chosen to study theology, and on March 15, 1823 he was ordained a priest. As parish priest in Ke-Dâm he was tireless in his preaching. He often fasted and lived a simple and moral life, he was a good example for the people, and many were baptized. In 1835 he was imprisoned under emperor Minh-Mang's persecutions (he was called Vietnam's emperor Nero), but his freedom was purchased by donations from members of the congregation he served. To avoid persecutions he changed his name to Lac (Andrew Lac) and moved to another prefecture to continue his work. But on November 10, 1839 he was again arrested, this time with Peter Thi, another Vietnamese priest whom he was visiting so that he might go to confession.

Once again Andrew was liberated, along with Peter Thi, in exchange for money. Their freedom was brief. They were soon re-arrested and taken to Hanoi, where both suffered dreadful torture. Finally they both were beheaded December 21, 1839.

~ Excerpted from Catholic Culture.

Find out more about the Vietnam martyrs.

Posts for Sunday, November 23, 2008

What does your taste in music say about you?

Do you have any gaps in your knowledge?

What do you do when you get laid off?

What is Your Blog's Personality Type?

Twelve Tips To A Better Advent Season

Solemnity of Christ the King

What does your taste in music say about you?

What Your Taste in Music Says About You

Your musical tastes are upbeat and conventional. You are an easy going, optimistic person. Family and friends are very important to you. You enjoy caring for and helping other people. You thrive in a tranquil environment, and you do your best to keep things peaceful. You enjoy your life. You have your priorities straight.

What Does Your Taste in Music Say About You?

~ Via Jackie.

Do you have any gaps in your knowledge?

There Are 1 Gaps in Your Knowledge

Where you have gaps in your knowledge: Science Where you don't have gaps in your knowledge: Philosophy Religion Economics Literature History Art

Do You Have Gaps in Your Knowledge?

Via Esther.

What is Your Blog's Personality Type?

The analysis indicates that the author of http://catholicfire.blogspot.com/ is of the type:

ISTP - The Mechanics

The independent and problem-solving type. They are especially attuned to the demands of the moment are masters of responding to challenges that arise spontaneously. They generally prefer to think things out for themselves and often avoid inter-personal conflicts. The Mechanics enjoy working together with other independent and highly skilled people and often like seek fun and action both in their work and personal life. They enjoy adventure and risk such as in driving race cars or working as policemen and firefighters. (Catholic Fire)

Find out your blog's personality by adding its URL here.

H/T: Alexandra from Happy Hearts at Home.

What do you do when you get laid off?

With the current economic situation we are in, companies are laying off employees and some are even closing their doors. Many people are facing unemployment. For some, this may be a first time event, for others, it may be a repeat event, which adds insult to injury. Dealing with unemployment can be quite stressful and even traumatic, especially during the Christmas season.

Here are some tips for practical strategies that can help:

1. Review your separation package: At the termination meeting, your employer should provide you with a folder of information containing specific forms and instructions to review. Review these forms carefully and do the following:

• Ask about severance pay, accrued vacation, overtime and sick pay, pension benefits, and eligibility for unemployment insurance.

• Severance packages may be negotiable. You have nothing to lose by asking for more than what’s offered.

• Request information on continuation of health and life insurance benefits. Your employer, if the company has over 20 employees, is mandated by law to offer health insurance coverage through COBRA to terminated employees for 18 months. However, it is worth asking if you will be covered for a certain period of time at no cost to you.

• Ask about outplacement resources and/or an office with a phone, computer, and a printer to use for your job search.

• Request a reference letter for your files.

2. Share the news with your partner: It may seem unusual to include this as a “must-do” step, because most people will automatically do this without a reminder. After all, it only makes sense that your partner be told immediately about your job loss. Nevertheless, some people try to spare their spouse the pain and will go through the motions, pretending that they are still working. However, trying to spare your partner unnecessary anguish, can backfire on you, when he/she finds discovers the truth and feels hurt because you have kept them in the dark.

3. Talk to your children: Once you have had the opportunity to discuss this with your spouse, you’ll want to determine the best way to share the news with your children. While you can probably wait a day or two before meeting with your children, thereby giving yourself some time to calm down and gather your thoughts, don’t let weeks go by without sharing the news. Children often have a sixth sense when something is wrong, so letting them know is vital.

4. Let people know where they can reach you during this transition period. To stay in contact with your business associates, immediately send an e-mail to them, letting them know your new contact information. While you may want to send a personal note to close contacts, a simple business-like note to the majority of your client list will suffice.

5. File for unemployment benefits: The fifth "must-do” step is to file for unemployment. Granted, you won’t get paid very much, but it is money that you are entitled to and you’d be foolish not to claim it. Fortunately, filing for unemployment has been simplified in recent years. In many states, you can now file by telephone, removing the stigma of having to stand on long lines at the unemployment office.

6. Establish a Routine: Take a day or two to rest from the stress of your loss, but don’t fall into the trap of that routine, as it can lead to greater anxiety and even to depression. Get up at your regular time and plan structured days.

7. Assess Your Goals: Refocus your energy and use this time to reassess your career goals and to get on track to find a new position. This can be turned into a positive experience for you by finding a job that is even more satisfying to you than the one you left behind.

8. Polish up your resume: Taking stock of your achievements will help ease the pain of the layoff, and setting a new career objective will help you focus your job-search efforts.

9. Identify Target Employers: Research the employers in your area and identify 15 or 20 on which you will focus your energy.

10. Execute your job search: Get assistance from your state employment office - often called a “Career One Stop”.

11. Take stock of your contacts: Make a list of everyone you know, and don’t avoid them. It’s tempting to hide sheepishly when you have been laid off, but this is the time to renew your acquaintances and let them know that you are available for work.

12. Update or create your Facebook or LinkedIn profile: Employers are using social networks to look for employees these days, so make these sites work for you.

13. Stay safe, fit and healthy: This will be a trying time. Don’t neglect your health and well being. Make your health and state of mind your priorities. Don’t blame yourself. Employees are selected to be laid off for reasons that are often beyond their control. Don’t look for reasons why you may have brought the layoff upon yourself. It’s easy to get down on yourself. Unfortunately, searching for a job is much more difficult when you lack self-confidence. Not only is it difficult to speak comfortably in a job interview when you lack confidence, but it’s also difficult to deal with the nearly inevitable rejection that is part of a job search. After all, it is extremely rare that job seekers are offered a perfect job after a single interview.

14. Revise your household budget: Prioritize your spending. Make painful cuts now to avoid even more painful ones later. Never assume that unemployment is going to be brief.

15. Pray: with your partner and your family. Seek the prayers of prayer groups in your parish, diocese, and community.

16. Trust in God. He will see you through this difficult time and will provide for all your needs.

Scripture Meditations to Focus on Now:

Matthew 7: 25 - 31

Psalms 37: 25-26

Jeremiah 29: 11 - 14

Twelve Tips To A Better Advent Season

The liturgical season of Advent begins on the first Sunday in Advent, opening a new year in our Church's Calendar. The word Advent is from the Latin adventus, which means "coming" and is associated with the four weeks of preparation for Christmas.

Advent blends together a penitential spirit, very similar to Lent, a liturgical theme of preparation for the Second and Final Coming of the Lord, called the Parousia, and a joyful theme of getting ready for the birth of Christ.

During Advent, we are called upon to:

1) prepare ourselves to worthily to celebrate the anniversary of the Lord's coming into the world as the incarnate God of love,

2) make our souls fitting abodes for the Redeemer coming in Holy Communion and through grace

3) make ourselves ready for His final coming as judge, at death and at the end of the world
~from New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia

Advent is a season of waiting, a season filled with hope. Here are ten tips that will help you and your family keep this season holy:

1. Use an Advent calendar and/or a wreath to mark this time of preparation. Pray Advent prayers with the family and the rosary when you light up the candle on the wreath. Sing 'O Come, O Come, Emmanuel' throughout Advent.

2. Keep outdoor lights & decorations simple, using religious CHRISTmas scenes like the Nativity or a star.

3. Use a Jesse tree or an Advent tree.

4. Have your Christmas tree blessed. Remind your children that the tree is a Christian symbol and relates to many aspects of our faith.

5. Let your children know that "Santa Claus" is another name for the real St. Nicholas and tell them his story. Celebrate the day. Encourage your children to leave their shoes outside their bedroom doors on Dec. 5. When they awaken, they will find small gifts like candy or fruit if they’ve been good.

6. Participate in the Giving Tree at church. Have your children buy a gift to donate to children in need or perform some service for the poor or elderly.

7. Put a Nativity set in a prominent place in your home, but only put out some of the animals. You can put the other statues out, but in another place in your home. Each week, read a little from the Christmas story in Luke's Gospel, and move the statues a little closer.

8. Have the children place a piece of straw in the manger for each good deed they do during Advent as a gift to the baby Jesus.

9. Take the entire family, when possible, to daily Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, and to the sacrament of Reconciliation.

10. Light a candle before the Blessed Mother when visiting the Blessed Sacrament.

11. The Mary candle: Some families have the custom of decorating the Christ candle with a blue veil on December 8th, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. On this great feast, others place a candle with a blue ribbon before a statue or picture of the Blessed Virgin, whose “yes” to God enabled our Lord’s coming at Christmas. The candle is lit during meal times to serve as a delightful reminder of Mary’s eager expectation of the “Light of the World.”

12. St. Lucy cakes: The feast of St. Lucy, virgin and martyr, is on December 13th. This marks the opening of the Christmas season in Sweden. Her life story can be found in most saints books, as can the recipe for the traditional cakes. The symbolism is rich and her life story worthwhile reading.

Here are some great Advent links:

Catholic Traditions for Advent and Christmas
Customs and Prayers for the Advent Wreath

Meditations for Each Week of Advent

The Story of St. Nicholas
Gingerbread
Fasts and Feasts
Fasts and Feasts:Recipes
Advent

Advent Wreath

Jesse Tree

Advent House & Calendar

Manger Scene

Solemnity of Christ the King

Pope Pius XI instituted the Feast of Christ the King in 1925 in his encyclical Quas Primas. Pope Pius connected the denial of Christ as king to the rise of secularism. At the time of Quas Primas, secularism was on the rise, and many Christians, even Catholics, were doubting Christ’s authority, as well as the Church’s, and even doubting Christ’s very existence.

Today's Mass establishes the titles for Christ's royalty over men: 1) Christ is God, the Creator of the universe and hence wields a supreme power over all things; "All things were created by Him"; 2) Christ is our Redeemer, He purchased us by His precious Blood, and made us His property and possession; 3) Christ is Head of the Church, "holding in all things the primacy"; 4) God bestowed upon Christ the nations of the world as his special possession and dominion.

Today's Mass also describes the qualities of Christ's kingdom. This kingdom is: 1) supreme, extending not only to all peoples but also to their princes and kings; 2) universal, extending to all nations and to all places; 3) eternal, for "The Lord shall sit a King forever"; 4) spiritual, Christ's "kingdom is not of this world.

~ Rt. Rev. Msgr. Rudolph G. Bandas

Excerpt from the Quas Primas:"Men must look for the peace of Christ in the Kingdom of Christ; and that We promised to do as far as lay in Our power. In the Kingdom of Christ, that is, it seemed to Us that peace could not be more effectually restored nor fixed upon a firmer basis than through the restoration of the Empire of Our Lord. We were led in the meantime to indulge the hope of a brighter future at the sight of a more widespread and keener interest evinced in Christ and his Church, the one Source of Salvation, a sign that men who had formerly spurned the rule of our Redeemer and had exiled themselves from his kingdom were preparing, and even hastening, to return to the duty of obedience."

~ Pope Pius XI

The way to "enter" into God's Kingdom "does not permit shortcuts"; rather, "every person must freely welcome the truth of the love of God. He is Love and Truth and both love and truth never impose themselves: they knock at the door of the heart and mind and, wherever they may enter, they bring peace and joy. This is God's way of reigning; this is his project of salvation, a 'mystery' in the biblical sense of the word, which is a plan that is revealed little by little throughout history."

~ Pope Benedict XVI


A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful, who piously recite the Act of Dedication of the Human Race to Jesus Christ King. A plenary indulgence is granted, if it is recite publicly on the feast of our Lord Jesus Christ King.

The Holy Father's Angelus Meditation on Christ the King from Whispers

Daily Resolution on the Feast of Christ the King from A Catholic Mom in Hawaii.

Lonely People (that you may have peace in Me)

~ Via Catholiques.

November 21 - 22 Posts

Lonely People (that you may have peace in Me)

Going The Distance For Life

Thanksgiving Meme

What Do Barack Obama Voters Know?

St. Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr

Obama Petition: Another Chance to Sign Online

SHOCKING NEWS: OBAMA VOTERS WERE RIGHT!

When The Saints Go Marching In: Louis Armstrong - Danny Kaye

Happy Birthday, Eleanor!

The Feast of the Presentation of Mary

Going The Distance For Life

Are you willing to do it?

Thanksgiving Meme

I saw this at Almost Empty Nester and it looked like fun.


1.Which do you like better: cooking at your house, or going elsewhere? I like being with family, who live out of state, but I also enjoy cooking on Thanksgiving. I am thankful wherever God places me.

2. Do you buy a fresh or frozen bird? Frozen

3. What kind of stuffing? I make dressing - no stuffing.

4. Sweet potato or pumpkin pie? We eat both.

5. Do you believe that turkey leftovers are a curse, or the point of the whole thing? We love turkey and enjoy the leftovers.

6. Which side dish would provoke a riot if you left it off the menu? The dressing is delicious and probably the best part of the meal.

7. Do you save the carcass to make soup or stock? No, but that's a good idea.

8. What do you wish you had that would make preparing Thanksgiving dinner easier? More time

9. Do you get up at the crack of dawn to have dinner ready in the early afternoon, or do you eat at your normal dinner hour? I'm normally already awake at the crack of dawn after working all night.

10. If you go to somebody else’s house, what’s your favorite dish to bring? Brownies or a pumpkin or cherry pie

11. What do you wish one of your guests would not bring to your house? nothing

12. Is your cranberry sauce fresh or canned? I make it fresh.

13. What’s your absolute favorite thing on the menu? I can't choose a favorite thing -- I like it all!

14. Share one family tradition. We drink some wine from our blessing cup and pray a special Thanksgiving prayer together.

What Do Barack Obama Voters Know?

Related Post: How Barack Obama Got Elected

St. Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr

Today is the memorial of St. Cecilia.

It is believed that St. Cecilia was born in the 2nd or 3rd century A.D., although the dates of her birth and martyrdom are unknown.

Tradition tells us that Cecilia was a Roman girl of a patrician family who had been brought up as a Christian. She fasted often and wore a coarse garment beneath her rich clothing. Although she had consecrated her virginity to God, her father betrothed her to a young pagan named Valerian.

When the wedding day arrived, Cecilia sat apart from her guests, repeating psalms and praying. After the ceremony, when the guests had departed and she was alone with her husband, Cecilia made known her great desire to remain a virgin, saying that she already had a lover, an angel of God who was very jealous. Valerian, shaken by fear, anger, and suspicion, said to her: “Show me this angel. If he is of God, I shall refrain, as you wish, but if he is a human lover, you both must die.” Cecilia answered, “If you believe in the one true and living God and receive the water of baptism, then you shall see the angel.” Valerian assented and following his wife’s directions sought out a bishop named Urban, who was in hiding among the tombs of the martyrs, for this was a time for persecutions. Valerian made his profession of faith and the bishop baptized him.

When the young husband returned, he found an angel with flaming wings standing beside Cecilia. The angel placed chaplets of roses and lilies on their heads. The brother of Valerian, Tiburtius, was also converted, and after being baptized he too experienced many marvels.

Valerian and Tiburtius devoted themselves to good works on behalf of the Christian community, and they made it their special duty to give proper burial to those who were put to death. The two brothers were themselves soon sentenced to death for refusing to sacrifice to Jupiter. Maximus, a Roman officer charged with their execution, was converted by a vision that he saw in the hour of their death. After professing Christianity, he, too, was martyred.

The three were buried by the grieving Cecilia. Soon after, she was sentenced to death. The prefect tried to reason with her, but she remained strong in her faith. Consequently, he gave an order that she was to be suffocated in her own bathroom. Surviving this attempt on her life, a soldier was sent to behead her. He struck her neck three times, then left her lying, still alive, for it was against the law to strike a fourth time. She lingered on for three days, during which the Christians who remained in Rome flocked to her house. In dying she bequeathed all her goods to the poor, and her house to the bishop for a place of Christian worship. She was buried in the crypt of the Caecilii at the Catacomb of St. Callistus. St. Cecilia's body was found to be incorrupt in the Catacombs of Saint Callistus. Her body was later moved to St Cecilia in Trastevere.

She is praised as the most perfect model of the Christian woman because of her virginity and the martyrdom which she suffered for love of Christ.

At her wedding banquet, while the pipes were playing, St. Cecilia sang to the Lord, asking that her heart might remain immaculate, that she not be put to shame. This inspired early composers to write elaborate music for the antiphon used on her feast day, and St. Cecilia became the special patron of musicians. For this reason, she is usually shown at the organ, although a harp or lute may be used. Sometimes she wears a wreath of white and red roses.

Patronage: Albi, France; composers; martyrs; music; musicians; musical instrument makers; archdiocese of Omaha, Nebraska; poets; singers.

"Sing a new song; play skillfully and shout for joy." ~ Psalm 33:3

Prayers to St. Cecilia

Obama Petition: Another Chance to Sign Online

WND: Petitioners tell prez-elect:Prove eligibility for office

Thousands sign online demand,reveal frustration over secrecy

Previous Post: SIGN THE PETITION FOR PUBLIC RELEASE OF OBAMA'S BIRTH CERTIFICATE

SHOCKING NEWS: OBAMA VOTERS WERE RIGHT!

Today, I learned from a reader the startling news that Obama voters were right about our taxes being reduced:

Jean,

Obama voters were right -- I will have my taxes reduced. I won't be paying any income taxes for a while, nor will over 2,300 other people. That is the minimum number of people being laid off here in Wichita. Today, I became a part of that statistic when I was laid off for "business reasons."

That number includes: 500 employees from Cessna Aircraft, 500 from Hawker Beechcraft, 500 at Spirit Aerosystems and 800 at Boeing Aircraft. This town went from busting at the seams just one month ago, to laying off now. Boeing and Cessna were posting record sales, Cessna had a 10 year backlog of orders. Right at the time of Obama's election, all hiring was frozen and now we have lay-offs. Our largest customer (when I was working) was Case New Holland, but they are shutting down now until after January 31 of next year, with another 400 people losing their jobs. Boy, NObama is really good for the economy!!!

Your Husband

THANK YOU, PRESIDENT - ELECT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA!

Chaunie's Journey

Chaunie Brusie shares the story of her pregnancy and her involvement with Feminists For Life.

When The Saints Go Marching In: Louis Armstrong - Danny Kaye

I couldn't resist posting one of my favorites with these two -- what a combo!

Happy Birthday, Eleanor!

Broadway Melody of 1940 is a 1940 MGM movie musical starring Fred Astaire, Eleanor Powell and George Murphy. It was directed by Norman Taurog and features music by Cole Porter, including "Begin the Beguine".

The film was the fourth and final entry in MGM's "Broadway Melody" series of films, and is notable for being the only on-screen pairing of Astaire and Powell, who were considered the finest movie musical dancers of their time.

The Feast of the Presentation of Mary

"God inspired in the heart of the pure Virgin Mary His own intense love for humility, and abhorrence of pride. She possessed, even from her infancy, a far greater horror of pride and ambition, and a far deeper love for humility than all the saints together. It was the first virtue that she practices. She abased and humbled herself before all. She esteemed herself, and would have been happy to be treated by others, as the last of the creatures. By marvelous radiance of her Immaculate Conception, she beheld herself susceptible to the guilt of the children of Adam, except that God miraculously preserved her, and she considered that she might have been capable of all the sins in the world, whose source is original sin. It was this humility which attracted to her the countless graces which rendered her worthy to be the Mother of God, Queen of heaven and earth.

Give thanks to Almighty God who resists the proud and gives grace to the humble, and offer Him all the glory that this Maiden accorded to His majesty by her practice of the richest humility during her childhood and throughout the rest of her life."
~ St. John Eudes

What does the feast of the Presentation celebrate?

It celebrates the fact that the parents of Our Lady brought her to the Temple at the age of three and handed her over to live there for a long period as a virgin consecrated to the Temple, contemplating God exclusively.

What is the special beauty of this feast?

Our Lady was the one chosen before time began, the Queen of Jesse from whom the Messiah would be born. The Temple was the only place in the Old Testament where sacrifices were offered to God. It represented, therefore, the only true religion. Our Lady being received at the Temple was the first step to the fulfillment of the promise that the Messiah would come to the true religion. It was the encounter of hope with reality. When she was received at the Temple, Our Lady entered the service of God. That is, a soul incomparably holy entered the service of God. At that moment, notwithstanding the decadence of the nation of Israel, and even though the Temple had been transformed into a den of Pharisees, the Temple was filled with an incomparable light that was the sanctity of Our Lady. It was in the Temple atmosphere that, without knowing it, she began to prepare herself to be the Mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ. It was there that she increased her love of God until she formed the ardent desire for the imminent coming of the Messiah. It was there that she asked God the honor to be the maidservant of His Mother. She did not know that she was the one chosen by God. This is so true that she wondered about the meaning of the salutation of the Archangel Gabriel when he greeted her to ask her permission for the Incarnation. That preparation for Our Lady to be the Mother of Jesus Christ began with the Presentation at the Temple, the feast the Church celebrates on November 21.

Is there a grace we should ask on this day?

We should ask for spiritual help to be better prepared to serve God as Our Lady did. But the best way to serve God is to serve Our Lady herself. So, on this feast day we should re-present ourselves before Our Lady, asking her to receive our offer of service and to give us her assistance in the task of our sanctification, just as the Holy Ghost helped her at the Temple of Jerusalem.

~ Prof. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira

SIGN THE PETITION FOR PUBLIC RELEASE OF OBAMA'S BIRTH CERTIFICATE

Online effort launched to answer presidential eligibility question

WASHINGTON – WND today announces the launching of an online petition designed to enlist the public's help in demanding evidence of Barack Obama's constitutional eligibility for the office of the presidency.

The electronic petition calls on all controlling legal authorities to take seriously the matter of where and when and to whom Obama was born and whether he qualifies as a "natural-born American citizen," according to Article 2, Section 1 of the Constitution.

Learn more here:

Gateway Pundit: Dr. Alan Keyes Sues Barack Obama Over Eligibility

MacRanger: Trouble in Paradise: Obama’s Kenyan Birth Record on it’s Way to US

WND: Obama's state secret: His birth certificate!

'Constitutional crisis' looming over Obama's birth location
Alan Keyes lawsuit warns America may see 'usurper' in Oval Office

Supremes to review citizenship arguments

Today's Posts: November 20, 2008

Ten Money-Saving Christmas Gift Ideas

The Band and Album Meme

10-year-old's abortion is center of Tiller hearing

Maria Schriver Shocks the World

Media Compares Obama to FDR, Abraham Lincoln

Catholics Who vote for FOCA Could Face Automatic Excommunication

Monasteries: Oases of Ascetic Life

Beatifications Approved by the Holy See

Christmas Cards for Recovering Soldiers

Video: Margaret Sanger, Planned Parenthood's Racist Founder

Salve Regina ~(end of Monastic Compline)

Saint of the Day: St. Edmund of Abingdon

What color are you?

Ten Money-Saving Christmas Gift Ideas

As a Catholic freelance writer (who rarely gets actual cash for her work), I shop for Christmas gifts with little or no money.

How do I shop for Christmas?

1. I think of my family and close friends all year round, but send each one of them a special card with a personalized greeting in my own handwriting. I call each of them during the Christmas season on my cell phone and the long distance calls are free, as they are in my cricle.

2. When I see something during the year that reminds me of the person and it is affordable on my budget, I buy it.

3. When I read or review a new book or DVD and finish it, I give it to the person whom I think will most benefit from it or the person who will enjoy it the most.

4. Each year I go the Knights of Columbus fundraiser for a local pro-life facility. There I can get practically new books or like new books for both children and adults, CD's, or DVD's for a fraction of the cost that you would pay in the stores.

5. One of the best gifts is to donate money to a charity in the person's name -- even small monetary donations make a treasured gift.

6. I offer the gift of companionship and time. I invite someone to my home who is away from family and friends to share dinner with us. If someone is lonely or distraught, I give the gift of my time and listen to them.

7. I bake extra cookies, brownies, and special treats, wrap it up and share it with others. I try to personally deliver it.

8. I offer to perform a service for the other person, such as babysit for a couple with a handicapped child who rarely are able to spend time together.

9. I write a personalized poem for the person.

10. I offer the gift of prayer -- something we can all use.

The Band and Album Meme

I found this at BettNet.Com: Ever wonder what your name would be if you were in a band?

Here’s what you do: Band Name: Random Wikipeda Link

Album Title: Random quote generator (take the last four words from the first quote on the page)

Album Art: Flickr Interesting Photo (pick one)

Here’s what I came up with for Band Name: Dancing Satyr
Album Title : Does Away with Fear

And the album cover:

10-year-old's abortion is center of Tiller hearing

A 10-year-old girl who received an abortion became the center of a Kansas attorney general's argument to obtain patient records from a Wichita clinic. Here was a possible child-rape victim, officers for then-Attorney General Phill Kline told a Topeka judge in 2006 -- and a crime that abortion provider George Tiller didn't report, as required by law. They wanted to find out whether Tiller hadn't reported other crimes, and they needed his records to do that. The hearing is also making public for the first time details of a secret investigation conducted for three years by the state's top prosecutor against Kansas abortion providers. The case of the 10-year-old girl who received a late-term abortion has become the center of Tiller's defense team's argument. MORE at The Wichita Eagle.

From Operation Rescue: Maxwell Leaves Monnat Miffed As Tiller Hearing Is Continued To January

Maria Schriver Shocks the World

Maria Shriver, a West Coast Kennedy, shocks the world. Or not.

“I go to church every week. I went to Catholic schools my entire life.” But, says Shriver, when it comes to Church teachings, “I pick and choose… I think I’m probably a ‘Cafeteria Catholic.’”

“I don’t believe that if someone’s divorced they shouldn’t get Communion; I don’t believe that people who are gay shouldn’t be accepted into the Church… I’m pro-choice, I believe women should have that right.” She also said “women should have a larger role in the Catholic Church.” What she does like about Catholicism, said Shriver, are its teachings on “compassion” and “social justice.”

H/T: Carl Olson

Media Compares Obama to FDR, Abraham Lincoln

The idiocy continues:

Catholics Who vote for FOCA Could Face Automatic Excommunication

Catholic members of Congress who vote for the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) could face “automatic excommunication” if the act is determined to be “formal cooperation” in the evil of abortion.

When asked last week whether a Catholic politician voting for the FOCA – which would impose nationwide abortion on demand and government funding of abortion – would incur automatic excommunication from the Catholic Church, Cardinal Francis George of Chicago said the question would need to be discussed once the actual language of the bill was known. Entire article at CNS News.

H/T: Jay Anderson