Away

I've been away for awhile.  Our home computer now has a virus and a worm.  I cannot keep up with the technology or the security.  I don't understand why I can't just turn it on and use it.  That's what it's for right?  Apparently, it is actually for the amusement of computer geeks with too much time on their hands.  They have to mess with the rest of us--minding our own business.  Anyway, some pent up ramblings...
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I've been think alot about the HHS nonsense lately.  I can't imagine what women like Fluke are thinking.  Do women nowadays really think that contraception is a matter of health care?  If that is true, I believe our young women are poorly educated in the truth about contraception.  Contra means "in opposition to; against".  The vast majority of contraceptive methods for women do not prevent or are not "against" conception.  In fact, the devices put in a woman's body are there specifically to prevent pregnancy (at least they say that honestly in the commercial for one of the devices); they do not prevent conception.  IOW, you are making sure the baby you have conceived does not implant in the uterus, and then dies.  The chances of these devices puncturing your uterine wall, causing sterilization, infections, bleeding, etc, besides killing the baby, doesn't matter, as long as you don't carry a baby to term?  The pills can kill you by heart attack, stroke, cancers, blood clots, etc, doesn't matter so long as you don't have that inconvenient baby?  Our society is making women into men and we don't seem to care.  Not only has our society said sex for pleasure is our highest pursuit in a "relationship", but it says that there should be no consequences of that "free" expression of "love." 

Pregnancy is not a disease, but a gift.  A gift of life that is taken for granted nowadays.  It is not just because I am Catholic that I feel this way.  Years before my conversion, I felt that contraception and sleeping around were wrong.  It goes against why there are difference between men and women and how the two become one--physically and spiritually.  It is not just a health issue; it is a moral issue.  If a person can't see that, they are willfully blind to the facts.
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Teaching my second graders about forgiveness has given me a different perspective on the Sacrament of Penance/Confession/Reconciliation.  (For the record, I like penance).  Saying sorry to God and really meaning it is so vitally important to our spiritual well-being.  It cannot be ignored.  Do you have a better or worse relationship with your spouse when you are guilty of something?  When you say, "I'm sorry", you feel so much better, and you feel closer to each other.  It is the same way with God.  Our relationship is much closer to Him when we say we're sorry.  In the Sacrament of Penance, we can actually hear God say, "You are forgiven" through the voice of the priest.  What a huge gift we've been given.  Why don't we take advantage of it more often.
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This school year has been a crazy roller coaster.  At times, I've felt like I've been hurtling down a huge hill.  At others, just coasting around level curves.  I wish I could get off, rest for a while, and be able to get back on right where I left off.  Life, however, doesn't work that way.  This year I'll be half a century old.  Where did the time go?  

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I've been studying John 6.  What a blessing!  I must dig dip for the theological meanings of the Eucharist in John.  It has been a labor of love.  I hope my latest paper reflects that. 

Gotta go, I hope to be up and running again soon.

Documentary of Nun Nominated for Oscar

I found this at Catholic Fire and thought I'd share it.

Just a Gripe

One of my biggest gripes about driving in this state is that few people seem to know what a stop sign is for.  I often observe people driving through, slowing then driving through, and almost stopping (their wheels never actually stop turning) at the stop sign across from our house.  I got "t-boned" by a lady who stopped at a stop sign but then went through the intersection without looking right first.  I frequently see cross ignore the stop sign at the exit to the high school parking lot.  At the four-way stop on the other side of the high school few vehicles actually stop at the stop sign.  I don't get it.  Can someone explain to me why "stop" does not mean stop?

And, one of these days some one is going to get killed in the high school parking lot.  I observed one 'kid' driving a truck getting impatient.  Yes, the car ahead of him was going excruciatingly slow (about 5mph).  But, once that car was past the stop sign, he hit the gas (not stopping at the stop sign), and gunned it around 10-12 teenagers walking through the parking lot.  He barely kept from hitting one teen as he screeched his tires around the group (who, btw, were NOT in the driving lane).  I drove behind the slow driver to the other end of the parking lot to the exit, while he drove to the other exit.  The irony is that that slow car was the only car ahead of me at the stop sign; I observed that there were 3 cars ahead of speedy Gonzalez.  He actually had to wait longer to get out of the parking lot because of his impatience.

Enough of a gripe for today.

Attack on Religious Liberty Contined...

Faith, Hope, Charity, with Sophia
(Wisdom) as Virgin Martyrs

"We will therefore continue—with no less vigor, no less sense of urgency—our efforts to correct this problem through the other two branches of government." 

--USCCB statement on the so-called heath care 'Compromise'

I find it incomprehensible that any Christian would not understand the recent attack on religious liberty.  A "friend" on facebook said she didn't see attack on religious liberty at all.  Really?  Are you that blind?  An acquaintance at church really thought that Obama's so-called compromise was a change of heart on Obama's part?  Really?  Are you that blind?  I have a hard time comprehending why seemingly intelligent Christians don't get what is going on.

The issue for Catholics on "Obama Care" is the forcing of Catholic organizations to pay for something Catholics find morally reprehensible.  And this "compromise" ain't a compromise.  He says that Catholic organizations won't have to pay for abortifacients or sterilizations but the insurance companies will.  Huh?  You don't think the insurance company isn't going to pass on that expense to the employer buying the insurance, really?  It's not a compromise; it is a bait-and-switch.  So, yeah, most of the bishops are now saying they will make sure we do not pay for it.  IF  it comes down to that Catholic organizations (ie, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, charities, etc) will be FORCED to drop insurance coverage.  That is how serious it is!  Bishops would rather Catholic organizations pay the huge fines than be forced to pay for things Catholics (real, orthodox ones anyway) find reprehensible--it is against God law.

"Catholics should not be misled into accepting feeble compromises on issues of principle. The HHS mandate is bad law; and not merely bad, but dangerous and insulting. It needs to be withdrawn – now."
--Archbishop Chaput


Do some reading, please!
USCCB's reaction statement, In depth analysis: The Bishops Response to the Obama 'Compromise' mandate, Catholic World News article on the "Compromise", Recent Catholic New Service article, January Fox News item, Archbishop Coakley's letter, Fr. Z's blog listing all the Bishops and Archbishop's letters, messages, etc. out so far.

This is worth repeating:

"First they came for the Socialists and I didn't speak out because I was not a Socialist. 
Then they came for the trade unions, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak out because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak out for me."
--Martin Niemoller, German pastor interred in Nazi concentration camps from 1938-1945.

More later...

Powerful "180 Movie" Documentary

180 Movie

Not for children or the faint of heart. 

This movie is powerful and thought provoking.  What a movie for the younger (older teens and twentys) generation to see.

Threats to Religious Freedom in America

This is the name of a seminar just put on the schedule at CDU.  It is timely.  It has purpose.  Dr. Royal will review and discuss the present attack on religious freedom in America.  What can we do about it?  Learn where it comes from, who is doing it, and how we can prepare ourselves for battle against it or standing up to it. 

Sign up now the seminar starts March 5th.

Archbishop of Oklahoma, Bishop of Tulsa Stand Against Mandate

Bishop Coakley published his letter on January 26, 2012:

"We cannot--we will not--comply with this unjust law.  People of faith cannot be made second class citizens.  We are already joined by our brothers and sisters of all faiths and many others of good will in this important effort to regain our religious freedom.  In generations past, the Church has always been able to count on the faithful to stand up and protect her sacred rights and duties.  I hope and trust we can count on this generation of Catholics to do the same.  Our children and grandchildren deserve nothing less."

For other links to Bishops's messages from around the United states go to Fr. Z's blog where he has updated links.

Here is Bishop Slattery of Tulsa on YouTube: