Personal Ramblings on the Eve of Thanksgiving

In the past year or so, work has had me all over the place. I have moved 3-4 times in the past year alone. During all of this time, my vocation and the question of what God wants me to do in my life, still looms over my head. I have strongly been considering the priesthood for some time now...but it seems like the last few months I have been experiencing the largest amount of spiritual dryness I have ever encountered. I know that by reading the lives of many saints and talking with many priest, spiritual dryness is something to be expected of those trying to live as a devout Catholic. I have even questioned my vocation during this time...but here as of late, I am trying to embrace this dryness and use it as an opportunity for spiritual growth. We must all pass through this Dark Night on our way to being everything God expects of us. I won't lie, I really do miss those periods of pure bliss...it is so easy to say "I am going to be a priest" or a religious, etc. when you are in a period of pure bliss...on the contrary, it is not so easy to be sure about those things or even live your faith to the fullest when you are going through a period of extreme dryness. Even frequent participation in the Sacraments does not seem to help. I do have moments though when it feels as if that bliss is back...but then it fades away again. I know this is not permanent, and I just pray that I remain faithful to God's purpose for me in life...whatever that may be. In the meantime, I just ask for all of you to pray for me to the Lord our God. God Bless you all. Happy Thanksgiving

Way to go Jim!!!

Hollywood, Apr 30, 2008 / 06:08 pm (CNA).- In an interview with “Christopher Closeup,” a radio show for the media apostolate The Christophers, Jim Caviezel described both the deep fear he felt when adopting two children with brain tumors, and the joy he and his wife have received from doing the will of Christ.
Caviezel, best known in Christian circles for his role as Jesus in Mel Gibson’s movie, “The Passion of the Christ”, has been committed to his Catholic and pro-life beliefs for a while. When he was challenged to prove his faith by adopting a disabled child, he and his wife, Kerri, traveled to China where they adopted a five-year old boy who was living in an orphanage.
Caviezel recalled that he was “completely terrified” at the possibility of adopting a child with a disability, but deep within his soul, he knew that God wanted him to do it.

Read the rest of this story here: http://catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=12509

Paul VI saw liturgical abuse as "smoke of Satan"

Rome, May. 16, 2008 (CWNews.com) - When Pope Paul VI spoke about the "smoke of Satan" entering the Catholic Church, he was referring to liturgical abuses, according to the prelate who served as his master of ceremonies.
Cardinal Virgilio Noe, the chief Vatican liturgist during the pontificate of Paul VI, spoke candidly about the late Pope's concerns in an interview with the Roman Petrus web site. The Italian prelate-- who was also the Vatican's top liturgist under Pope John Paul I and the early years of the pontificate of John Paul II-- is now retired, and at the age of 86 his health is failing. In his interview with Petrus he concentrated primarily on his years serving Pope Paul VI.
[The full interview has been translated by Father John Zulsdorf on his What Does the Prayer Really Say blog.]
Pope Paul accepted the liturgical reforms after Vatican II "with pleasure," Cardinal Noe said. He added that Paul VI was not be nature a sad man, but "he was saddened by the fact of having been left alone by the Roman Curia." Regarding the late Pope's famous remark about the "smoke of Satan," Cardinal Noe said that he knew what Paul VI intended by that statement. In that denunciation, he said, the Pope "meant to include all those priests or bishops and cardinals who didn't render worship to the Lord by celebrating badly Holy Mass because of an errant interpretation of the implementation of the Second Vatican Council. He spoke of the smoke of Satan because he maintained that those priests who turned Holy Mass into dross in the name of creativity, in reality were possessed of the vainglory and the pride of the Evil One. So, the smoke of Satan was nothing other than the mentality which wanted to distort the traditional and liturgical canons of the Eucharistic ceremony."
For Pope Paul VI, the cardinal continued, the worst outcome of the post-conciliar liturgical reform was the "craving to be in the limelight" that caused many priests to ignore liturgical guidelines. Cardinal Noe recalled that the Pope himself believed in careful adherence to the rubrics of the Mass, firmly believing that "no one is lord of the Mass."
Speaking for himself, the former top Vatican liturgist said that the liturgy must always be celebrated with reverence and careful respect for the rubrics. He said with regret that in the wake of Vatican II "it was believed that everything, or nearly, was permitted." Cardinal Noe said: "Now it is necessary to recover-- and in a hurry-- the sense of the sacred in the ars celebrandi, before the smoke of Satan completely pervades the whole Church."

Football Season is Over Folks!!!

Ok...this is really becoming disturbing. Is there anyone else out there that would love to attend a Mass where everyone follows the Rubrics and the GIRM? The Orans posture has become a scourge, and now apparently a permanent fixture, in the majority of Novus Ordo Masses in this country. This posture, which is only supposed to be adopted by an Ordained Priest is seeing widespread use amongst the laity. Every time I go to Mass, I see someone who has an even more exaggerated version of it. Last Sunday, I thought I was at the superbowl and one of the officials was signaling a Giants touchdown. Where does this stop? I have written about this topic before...but it seems this abuse has reached an all time high. Don't get me wrong...I love the Novus Ordo and do not feel it is a problem with the Mass itself...however, I do blame this problem and the other problems facing the Church such as decreasing vocations and decreasing Mass attendance on poor Catechesis and a few rogue Bishops. Names like Mahony come to mind...and I would like to remind His Excellency, that "Apathy is the glove into which evil slips its ugly hand". I had to search long and hard to find a reverent Novus Ordo Mass...but luckily my parish of St. Agnes has just that...I am also blessed to have Pre-Conciliar Latin Mass there as well...I tell you one thing...at the Tridentine Mass, these types of abuse would never take place. God Bless, Michael

Thank you all for your support

It is so to be back after such a long sabattical in 2007. The support I have received from you all for both my vocation to the Priesthood and my blog has been phenomenal. God Bless you all. You are much too kind. I have received mixed opinions on my public endorsement of Alan Keyes...however, there are some like minded Catholics out there who strongly agree with my outlook on Dr. Keyes. As far as presidential Candidates are concerned...his views and public positions are more in line with The Holy See than any other presidential candidate this country has ever seen...I tell you, when I placed my vote for him in the Louisiana primaries, it was the first time I had voted with complete confidence that my vote did not conflict with my Catholic faith and principles.

Thanks once again to you all...I love you all. Vivat Jesus

Please Pray For My Vocation

I am currently in a serious discernment period. I am considering the Priesthood and I desperately need your prayers. Pray that I be open and respond to God's call in my life. Oh, Let thy will be done Lord, not mine!


"It is not you that have chosen me, it is I that have chosen you"--Jesus Christ

Why Not Alan Keyes

Is it just me, or do you also have a feeling of impending doom when thinking about the upcoming 2008 presidential election? On one hand, we have Hillary Clinton, who I believe would eat her young for self preservation and a chance to gain the white house in 2008...then we have Obama who, in all honesty, scares the crap out of me. If you look at some of his initiatives and plans for the country if he were to become president, it is safe to say that he is the biggest national security threat facing this country. He has great oratory skills...he is able to win people over and captivate them with his rhetoric and enthusiam...well...I can think of one other person in history who had the oratory skills that Obama has, and that was Hitler. We all know what kind of legacy he left in this world. Finally, that leaves us with John McCain...come on folks, face it, it is a one horse race for the Republican nominee. I have a better chance of being elected Pope at the next conclave than Huckabee has to being selected as the Republican nominee...which wouldn't be a good thing anyway. Huckabee is a lousy candidate...and is not a conservative in the slightest shape or form. And then there was one...John McCain. I abhor the thought of him getting the Republican nomination and possibly becoming president....don't get me wrong, I would rather get gut shot and die a slow death before seeing Hillary or Obama become president, however, the alternative McCain isn't an easier pill to swallow by any means. I could spend all day discussing why McCain is a lousy candidate and should not be the nominee, but then I would just be regurgitating stuff we already know and have said dozens of times. No, no...I won't do all of that. I am writing this post to make a suggestion..."Why not Alan Keyes"?

Think about it...why not Alan Keyes? The following is a list of things Dr. Keyes is for or against:

Checklist of Alan Keyes' Views

For

Strengthening the moral foundations of America's families and communities.
Protecting the life of the unborn.
Returning government to its proper role under the Constitution and Declaration of Independence.
School choice that respects the authority of parents in the education of their children.
Free exercise of religion in public and private life.
Second Amendment rights.
Replacing the income tax with a national sales tax.
Privatizing social security.
Eliminating disincentives to competitive free enterprise.
Health-care reform based on consumer choice.
Low medication costs through free-market competition.
Reversing trade policies that hurt American jobs.
Strengthening national security.
Preserving national sovereignty in world affairs.

Against

Abortion and euthanasia.
The homosexual rights agenda, including same-sex marriage.
Racial quotas.
Government-sponsored health care.
Tax-supported welfare.
The tyranny of judicial activism.
Expanded involvement in the U.N.
Detrimental trade agreements like GATT/WTO.

Dr. Alan Keyes is a solid candidate that is in touch with the non-negotiables a Catholic must consider when voting for a candidate for public office. He is a fellow Catholic...and one of few Catholic politicians who's public views and platform are in complete union with The Holy See. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus, and he is staunchly pro-life. He is a magnificent man of great intellect, character, integrity, and vision. He is a fellow Catholic, and he is not afraid to stand up for what is right. He is the right choice in 2008, and he deserves our support. God Bless you all.