Ichthys

Recently, I had an awkward conversation with one of my classmates. Not that the content was especially awkward,it was more that I wanted to leave but for some reason, we kept talking.

Somehow, we got to a point where we were talking about how she does not like to go home often. After a while, she explained that she is the daughter of two Presbyterian ministers. I explained that I didn't know much about the Presbyterian denomination, and she went on to explain that, because of this connection, all of the Presbyterians in her town judge her actions. She also went on to explain that her Dad and step-Mom did not care for her fiancé.

Somewhere in the conversation, I mentioned that I was Catholic.

In order to make more of a connection, I told her about how my brothers are both in the seminary. She didn't seem to understand that the statement meant that they both hoped to be Catholic priests someday.

At one point, she finally seem to understand because she said, "Oh, so they are going to become the Catholic priests that don't have kids."

So I answered, "Well, yeah. They don't get married."

She then said, "That must be hard to live alone..except for with just guys."

I then replied, "It's not hard, it's a sacrifice." Looking back, I probably should have said, "it may be difficult, but it is a sacrifice."

It's funny how, the world today, acts like a teenage child acting a certain way just to make it's Father angry.

Until that conversation, I had never seriously thought about how much I need to represent my brothers, and all religious for that matter. When people hear that someone is Catholic, they seem to immediately think of the scandals going on or maybe they think that no one is a "real" Catholic anymore (more the Nancy Pelosi types I guess).

When people ask me about my brothers, I feel like I need to defend them as well as all priests, seminarians, and religious that I know (or don't know).

When Michael first entered the seminary, I seemed to get all of these new uncles. I feel much more connected to the Church and its priests. Not that I wasn't connected before, I just feel more responsible in the representation of the Church. But, we should all feel that way, all the time.

Catholics should defend their priests in these trying times. They are walking through the lions den, and their parishioners should be right there with them. In a time when people only associate the Church with scandal, these priests and religious are true heroes.

Pray for your priests and be armed with information! When someone finds out you are a Catholic, show them your love for the Church and its servants.

When someone draws that Ichthys in the sand, don't ignore it. Profess your faith and finish drawing that fish!

March for Life

This video shows the biased nature of the media when it comes to the March for Life every year. The media constantly chooses to ignore the March despite the overwhelming numbers of marchers.

Media Malpractice at the March for Life

Putting the humanity back into the human

Philadelphia doctor who performed abortions charged with murders

I wish stories like this would wake people up from their ignorant slumber.

Even if, for some reason, you support abortion excerpts like, "...a search of Dr. Gosnell’s clinic had turned up bags and bottles that contained aborted fetuses.
'Jars containing the severed feet of babies lined a shelf,' the statement said," should shake you to the core. You should begin to realize the evils of abortion.

"Gosnell 'induced labor, forced the live birth of viable babies in the sixth, seventh, eighth month of pregnancy and then killed those babies by cutting into the back of the neck with scissors and severing their spinal cord.'"
(http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/01/19/philadelphia-abortion-doctor-charged-counts-murder/)

After hearing the saying "He who sings prays twice," almost all of my life, I wanted look up the source of this "quote" or determine if it really was a quote at all. This saying is usually employed by choir directors of parishes that are a bit too quiet.


Father Z has a cool post from 2006!

"Qui enim cantat laudem, non solum laudat, sed etiam hilariter laudat; qui cantat laudem, non solum cantat, sed et amat eum quem cantat. In laude confitentis est praedicatio, in cantico amantis affectio…For he who sings praise, does not only praise, but also praises joyously; he who sings praise, is not only singing, but also loving Him whom he is singing about/to/for. There is a praise-filled public proclamation (praedicatio) in the praise of someone who is confessing/acknowledging (God), in the song of the lover (there is) there is deep love."

In any case, I will be in the music ministry for Mass tonight and I need all the help I can get!

Sophia

There is no possible way to describe how wonderful my Grandma was and how much I will miss her, but I will begin by saying that she had so much love to go around. She made everyone feel welcome and always put others before herself. In public, she was a quiet woman with a loving smile with eyes that gave the glimmer of wisdom and excitement from her many adventures of youth. In private, with family, she showed her humor and sacrificed everything to provide for her loved ones. Even these words don't seem enough to capture the glimpse of Heaven that was my Grandmother, but they are the best I can do at the moment. I love you Grandma and I miss you so much!

Dzisiaj w Betlejem



SUNSET and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea,

But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns again home.

Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark;

For tho’ from out our bourne of Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crossed the bar.

(Crossing the Bar - Tennyson)

I haven't updated in a while, so here goes..something..

I'm back at school now with a whole new semester of classes. It feels strange being back here and especially with the new schedule. After one semester of grad school under my belt I can make some observations. In grad school, they kind of assume you know all of the procedure and such. Don't get me wrong, I like not being treated like I'm in preschool when it comes to finding forms and the like, but sometimes I feel like there should be some advice available.

I can say, for sure, that my head as not in the game after Thanksgiving break. My Grandma suddenly passed away during the Thanksgiving weekend. I know I still haven't come to terms with it, but I'm really trying. I came back to school after that break, but I left my heart at home.

After getting very sick and finally taking my last final I was able to come home.

Christmas break went fast (too fast). After going home late because of a snow delay for my exam, I went straight to work at the bakery which was very therapeutic after so much turmoil over Thanksgiving break and with my exams.

After Christmas, we had a sort of talent show with friends and I decided to honor my Grandma there by singing a Polish Christmas carol with my brother. It seemed only fitting because she had spent Christmas with the birthday Boy this year.

Empty snowfall crush
Eyes burn with warmth of Spring
Lost in this gray slush

JP2, we love you!

John Paul II's Beatification Process

"VATICAN CITY, 14 JAN 2011 (VIS) - On 1 May, the second Sunday of Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday, Benedict XVI will preside at the rite of beatification for John Paul II in the Vatican.

According to a note released by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, "today 14 January, Benedict XVI, during an audience granted to Cardinal Angelo Amato S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, authorised the dicastery to promulgate the decree of the miracle attributed to the intercession of Venerable Servant of God John Paul II (Karol Wojtyla). This concludes the process which precedes the rite of beatification. "