“Authentic polygamist prairie dresses” for sale

As someone who attempts to be a conscious consumer and avoids supporting clothing corporations that violate labor rights in their manufacturing facilities in the developing world, I am quite displeased–to say the least–with how the media has made fun of women from the FLDS community in the past couple of days. It turns out that the women from the FLDS community are making and selling clothes for children. You can find them at their website FLDSdress.com. They do have beautiful clothes and after all they are made in the USA!

Criticism coming from an MSNBC News correspondent was rather condescending: “Just in time for back-to-school shopping: authentic polygamist prairie dresses.” Another read: “Now you, too, can dress like a polygamist!” NPR followed with a short and similar “smart” remark yesterday during Morning Edition, which was rather disappointing. During the raid in which CPS authorities took 400+ children from the polygamist ranch, I wondered what was the obsession Nancy Grace and the media in general had with this case. I think it had to do much more than with a concern for how unfairly these children were being taken away from their parents. I think it had a lot to do with how these women and children lived and clothed differently than most of us.

Rape victims’ groups support Supreme Court decision

“[I]f you have a death penalty, why not apply it to child rapists ?“

As if it were that simple. Let us see why victims’ rights groups like the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault that have a much better understanding of the issue actually disagree with Gerald and support the Supreme Court’s decision on Kennedy v. Louisiana (emphasis mine) :

“The Texas Association Against Sexual Assault (TAASA) supports the Supreme Court’s decision, released this morning to overturn the death penalty for child sexual assault cases. Victim advocates have long been concerned that the death penalty for child sexual assault cases could backfire and result in lower reporting rates and fewer convictions of sex offenders.

“The issue of child sexual abuse is complex. Most child sexual abuse victims are abused by a family member or close family friend. The reality is that, child victims and their families may feel greater reluctance to come forward, knowing that doing so could effectively send a grandparent, cousin or long time family friend to death row. In addition, capital punishment trials are notoriously stressful for the witnesses involved, and typically face a lengthy appeals process. This forces the child witness to relive these painful events over and over again, severely disrupting their healing process.

The National Association of Social Workers also support the court’s 5-4 decision:

“We are heartened that the Court found the real-life experiences of victims and their families, as well as research on the reporting of child sexual abuse, persuasive. This ruling supports the investigation and prosecution of child sexual abuse while providing an opportunity for victims to heal,” said NASW Executive Director Elizabeth J. Clark, PhD, ACSW, MPH.

2008 Presidential Candidates’ Tax Proposals

While researching about tax proposals by each candidate, I came across the Tax Policy Center by the Urban Institute and Brookings Institution. I have only glanced through it for a couple of hours and they seem to have very helpful information. If you are like me and you prefer to see charts and tables rather than text when it comes down to numbers, then this seems to be a good resource. Here is a side-by-side comparison of the Obama and McCain tax proposals:

They also have papers on how federal tax policy could improve the living standards of working families, which seem worth our time as well.  Morning’s Minion has already posted on the candidates and their respective tax policies based on the Tax Policy Center numbers.

Are you familiar with the Tax Policy Center? What do you think? Do you recommend any other resources on tax policy and research?

Humbled to be an American

This upcoming Wednesday, after nine years of being a resident alien, I will become a United States citizen. I have been waiting for this time for so long. It is hard to express in words the great joy that I feel right now. At the same time, I do feel a great deal of nostalgia that leads me to reflect on this important step in my life. It means more than just a U.S. passport: for the first time in my whole life, I will be able to exercise my right to vote. I had not reached the age of eighteen yet when the presidential election in Venezuela came around in 1998 to elect either Hugo Chávez or his opponent Enrique Salas Römer. A few months following the election, we were moving to the United States forever. I have not been back to Venezuela ever since. These are some of my reflections as I transition from merely observing, listening or just taking the back seat in the issues that affect this country to actively participating and working towards the common good in the United States. These are some of my thoughts that follow my identity crisis when I first moved here. I knew who I was and my role was in Venezuela, because the context was an integral part of who I was and who I turned out to be. Once the context changed, I had to answer the crucial question: “Who am I now?” and “What am I going to do now?” This is the story of how I have come to love the country where I have lived, eaten, learned, studied, fallen in love, grown in faith, cried, laughed… for the past nine years.

When Gay Rights and Religious Liberties Clash

A very interesting report by NPR.  I recommend reading a few of the many lawsuits same-sex couples are starting against religious groups and organizations.  So far, the religious groups are losing, because they are violating the right of equal treatment for the homosexual couples.  It will not be long until these cases go all the way to the Supreme Court.

Adoption services: Catholic Charities in Massachusetts refused to place children with same-sex couples as required by Massachusetts law. After a legislative struggle — during which the Senate president said he could not support a bill “condoning discrimination” — Catholic Charities pulled out of the adoption business in 2006.

Housing: In New York City, Yeshiva University’s Albert Einstein College of Medicine, a school under Orthodox Jewish auspices, banned same-sex couples from its married dormitory. New York does not recognize same-sex marriage, but in 2001, the state’s highest court ruled Yeshiva violated New York City’s ban on sexual orientation discrimination. Yeshiva now allows all couples in the dorm.

Tim Russert dies of a heart attack

Meet the Press host and NBC News Washington Bureau Chief Tim Russert died suddenly today of a heart attack. He had just returned from vacation in Italy, preparing to celebrate his son’s graduation from Boston College. Russert, an Irish Catholic educated in Catholic schools, tirelessly promoted Catholic education in the United States. Here he is announcing the 2008 Making a Difference Award, given to an outstanding educator in Catholic schools. Russert was one the most outstanding poltiical commentators of the cable news era, never hesitating to push for the tough answers from all sides of politics. Above all else, Russert loved his family. During the NBC News Special Report this afternoon, David Gregory and Andrea Mitchell related how his relationships with his son, Luke, his wife, Maureen, and, of course, his dad, “Big Russ,” were the center of his life. Everyone, Mitchell said, went to Russert if they had any problems, be they professional or familial. Russert will be sorely missed. “Balanced,” “fair,” “down the middle,” he was one of the good guys. In the words of Peggy Noonan this evening, “Tim was a Catholic.”

May his soul rest in peace.

Archbishop of Baltimore sets conditions for the Legionaries of Christ

H/T: Food Fight in the Cafeteria

The Archbishop of Baltimore sent a letter to the superior general of the Legionaries of Christ asking for a liaison Legionary priest that would keep him informed of the order’s and Regnum Christi’s activities within his Archdiocese. More specifically, the archbishop asks for the names and locations where Legionary priests minister, the identification of all Regnum Christi groups as well as their “activities, meeting location and schedules, membership rolls and methodologies for gaining new members.” Then the Archbishop sets a series of conditions for the Legionary/Regnum Christi members that are active in the Archdiocese such as: “to avoid any undue sense of vocational obligation, ongoing and individual spiritual direction is not to be given to persons under the age of 18.“

Emphasis mine. I would recommend reading the two-page letter in its entirety.

UPDATE I: One of our readers has pointed out that Archbishop O’ Brien wrote about this ongoing situation with the Legionaries of Christ and the Regnum Christi Movement on June 10th in The Catholic Review. The post gives us a better context for his petition:

I have met a good number of Regnum Christi members who lead exemplary Catholic lives and see this movement as a God-send. But I also am well aware of the challenges that have led a number to leave the movement, some angrily insisting that Church authority must act to correct the excesses they claim have endured. Hence, the dialogue these last five and more
years.

UPDATE II: National Catholic Reporter has a complete interview with Archbishop O’ Brien on the matter.

Can you describe what led you to issue this letter?
When I came into the archdiocese, I was told by our Vicar General that there had been a long series of exchanges between the cardinal and the locals of the Legionaries about programs going on in the archdiocese that our pastors didn’t know about, didn’t know the extent of them, didn’t know the nature of them. There were seemingly heavily persuasive methods used on young people, high schoolers especially, regarding vocations.

Fox News: “Terrorist” fist jab?

I was only joking when I referred to the walking stick Obama received as a “terrorist” walking stick. Well, my joke was not too far from the truth, apparently. Do you remember the fist bump between Michelle and Barack Obama last Tuesday? Yes, apparently it is a “terrorist” fist jab. Fox News anchor E.D. Hill asked the following question when referring to the fist jab the Obama’s shared this past week:

“A fist bump? A pound? A terrorist fist jab? … We’ll show you some interesting body communication and find out what it really says.”

Of course, it doesn’t seem like she was serious, but the only fact that it was even brought up makes me question the purpose of the reference.  Why doesn’t E.D. Hill refer to these fist bumps as “terrorists”? Is Derek Jeter a “terrorist” also?

Obama receives “terrorist” walking stick as gift

As most of you know, Obama received yesterday an old maple walking stick from a 95-year old man from Virginia, which Obama joked he would use to “whup” Congress if they didn’t pass his health care bill. But… what is really behind the gift that may, at first glance, appear completely harmless? What else is Barack Hussein Obama planning to do with the walking stick? Perhaps he doesn’t want to tell us the whole story.  The picture below shows a close and quite scary resemblance and may give us an answer to the question:

Lesbians “showing affection” at a ballgame ignites controversy

An usher from Safeco field in Seattle asked a lesbian to stop kissing her date, because she was making another fan uncomfortable. (See CNN for more on the story).

This is now happening more and more often now. Last year, I was with my dad and my brother buying fireworks for New Year’s and there were two girls in their 20s kissing and being affectionate. Most of the displays of affection were not necessary and even if it would have been a heterosexual couple I would have been uncomfortable. Regardless, I was really uncomfortable that there were two girls doing this and I am sure they noticed, because I can only imagine the look in my face. My brother who is eighteen shrug his shoulders and told me that he sees that in school all the time. As a woman and hopefully a mother some day, I don’t blame this particular fan who was uncomfortable who had her kids with her. I mean, what do you say to your children? Even if they don’t ask about it, they are seeing it, right? If it would’ve been me at the baseball game, I know I could not have watched the game comfortably and would’ve had to leave the game if I had children with me.

Clinton will acknowledge Obama has enough delegates to win nomination

Tonight in New York.

UPDATE: Apparently, this “rumor” is not true and has been denied by her campaign’s chairman as “100 percent incorrect.”

Irish priest is one of the latest victims of the flawed U.S. immigration system

An Irish priest may have to return to Ireland by July 1st, since his application for a green card has been denied. (See CNS for more details on the story). Sadly though, parishioners of the St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church instead of realizing the effects of an immigration system that does not work properly and making them more aware of the problem that affects all immigrants without exception, they cannot understand why Latinos are around but their priest has to leave:

“Not only are [the parishioners] angry that their beloved pastor may have to leave, but some see the Latino immigrant workers at nearby dairy farms and factories and make comparisons,” said [a parishioner].

[The parishioners] don’t understand how (the Latinos) can be in the U.S. and Father can’t,” a parishioner said.

Meanwhile, in Switzerland, “Swiss voters overwhelmingly rejected an anti-immigrant initiative that would have made it harder for foreigners to gain citizenship.” (See AP for more)

Vox Nova at the Movies: Sex and the City

I am not going to do a review on this movie for the simple reason that I despised the series and, therefore, will not be wasting my money on the actual movie. As a woman, I am actually offended by the theme of the series, which is continued by the movie itself based on what I have heard on the radio. What bothers me the most about the theme of the series is how women are portrayed, its emphasis on the shortcomings of marriage and committal relationships, and its promotion of false femininity.

Is this a Catholic priest?

When the whole Rev. Wright issue took over the news, I was relieved to be Catholic and not to have to witness such display of divisiveness during Mass or even outside of it… Well, that was short-lived–this is truly an embarrassment.  There is definitely a good case for priests to stay out of politics.

Court Ruling: Texas had no right to remove FLDS children

From CNN

“The legislature has required that there be evidence to support a finding that there is a danger to the physical health or safety of the children in question and that the need for protection is urgent and warrants immediate removal.”

“Evidence that children raised in this particular environment may someday have their physical health and safety threatened is not evidence that the danger is imminent enough to warrant invoking the extreme measure of immediate removal prior to full litigation of the issue.”

This is a case that I personally struggled and keep struggling with, because I thought that CPS was just enforcing the law when they took that many children away from their families. However, I kept seeing the mothers longing to be with their children and, as a woman, I could somewhat relate and understand their pain. The court ruling seems sensible after reading only a short piece of it. I think CPS acted too quickly on this one.

Trinity Sunday: Understanding the triune God

It is that time of the year again: Trinity Sunday. As my seminary professor admits, it is a day that many young priests simply do not look forward to, because they have to give a homily about “three in one and one in three”! How can one condense a mystery of our faith in a 12-minute homily? Our modern way of thinking prevents us from being comfortable with merely accepting something as a fact without any evidence. We live in a scientific world where all claims made have to be accompanied by empirical or rational demonstrations that meticulously prove their existence. It is important for us to understand that the Trinity has been and will remain a mystery of faith and that it is our outlook on the Trinity that can aid us in making this mystery relevant in our everyday lives.

Charity and the Trinity – Families as “little trinities”

Let us approach the subject of the Trinity by talking about love, or more appropriately, agape or charity: Christian love. When we start talking about the Trinity, we are really delving into the mystery of who God is. Perhaps we can start with Sacred Scriptures, since the first letter of Saint John tells us that God Himself is love (4:8). Let us follow the epistle with what the medieval theologian Richard of St. Victor had to say about love:

“No one is properly said to have charity on the basis of his own private love of himself. And so it is necessary for love to be directed toward another for it to be charity.” [1]

NARAL Pro-Choice America endorses Obama

A statement by Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America:

“Today, NARAL Pro-Choice America PAC is proud to endorse Sen. Barack Obama for president. Sen. Obama has been a strong advocate for a woman’s right to choose throughout his career in public office. He steadfastly supports and defends a woman’s right to make the most personal, private decisions regarding her reproductive health without interference from government or politicians.

“Sen. Obama has been a leader on this issue in the United States Senate. Since joining the Senate in 2005, he has worked to unite Americans on both side of this debate behind commonsense, common-ground ways to prevent unintended pregnancy. Sen. Obama supports legislation to provide our teens with comprehensive sex education, prevent pharmacies from denying women access to their legal birth-control prescriptions, and increase access to family-planning services.

McCain: “The facts of global warming demand our urgent attention”

Good… Apparently, McCain does not see global warming as a myth:

“The facts of global warming demand our urgent attention, especially in Washington,” McCain said in remarks he planned to give at the Vestas Wind Technology plant.

“Good stewardship, prudence, and simple common sense demand that we act to meet the challenge, and act quickly,” he added.

“I will not shirk the mantle of leadership that the United States bears. I will not permit eight long years to pass without serious action on serious challenges,” he added.

Neither Republican nor Democrat: “Do not be afraid”

As we approach the general election, the term “evangelicals” will once again be understood as a homogeneous group of individuals who are mostly associated with the Republican Party. The term will be used by the media in terms of this group’s political leanings and will be completely divorced from the context of faith. Although it is not completely the media’s fault that the representation of “evangelicals” may be rather unfair given how vocal many pastors and churches have been in regard to their one-sided political positions, it is also not fair to isolate the term from its Christian faith. I know personally many friends who may fall under the category of “evangelicals” and, yes, they only watch Fox News, have a “W” sticker right by an NRA one in the back of their cars and literally despise any of the “unchurched” as they have made it known to me. On the other hand, I know friends who are also “evangelicals” and are deeply in love with God and go from one church to another seeking to fulfill their longing for community. Although I am a Catholic and they know it, a few of my friends from the latter group of “evangelical” friends have come to me with very deep concerns about their pastor’s political leanings and how they cannot reconcile them with what they read in the Bible day in and day out. I have to say that I have been deeply moved with how heart-wrenching these issues are to my friends: “Do I leave the church and the community that I love just because of my pastor’s political views?”

What are you going to do with your stimulus check?

I would save it if I wouldn’t have to pay for wedding “stuff”.

“When there is a recession, we are told to buy things to get the economy moving; what we buy makes no difference. All desires, good and bad, melt into the one overriding imperative to consume, and we all stand under the one sacred canopy of consumption for its own sake.”

William T. Cavanaugh. Being Consumed: Economics and Christian Desire. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2008), 13.

And why exactly do we need a report on this?

The whole “Anti-Catholicism” title just puts me in “war” mode and alienates me from the world… I like the approach of the Apologists of the Patristic era like Justin Martyr when he tried to convince the Roman Emperor that “more than all other men are we your helpers and allies in promoting peace.”

In an ideal world… who would you vote for?

Let’s close our eyes for a moment and dream of an ideal world in which all the three (two?) presidential candidates oppose abortion and embryonic stem cell research. Everything else remaining the same as it stands today: who would you vote for and why?

I’m not particularly a fan of hypotheticals, but I would like to set the stage for discussing their respective positions on issues that concern us from a Catholic perspective. The truth of the matter is that one of them is going to win in November even if we choose to protest and vote third party. So, taking into account their positions on economic issues, policies, foreign affairs, healthcare, among others, who do you think could run this country the best and who would align the closest to Catholic teaching?

My pick: Obama. I’m not going to explain why as of yet, because I want to read your opinions rather than have you focusing on my reasons and argue against them ;)

(I’ll be moderating comments on this one, so I’ll be deleting comments that are not related to the question so we can keep a focused discussion. Thanks)

Update–Breakdown so far:

McCain: 41%

Obama: 23.5%

Other: 23.5%

Hillary/Obama: 6%

Undecided: 6%

Is cutting the federal gas tax the answer?

McCain and Clinton seem to think so.

Obama disagrees and perhaps rightly so.  I have heard many economists on the radio and read several articles that do not support the gas tax cut either so enthusiastically.  Based on my conversation with people in the refining industry and friends in general, I’m getting the sense that they are on board with Obama as well.  Is an average $2 more at the pump every time we fill our tanks this summer really going to affect our pockets as they have already been affected with high food and fuel prices? What other cuts in federal programs will have to take place to cover for the billions of dollars that will be missing from the gas tax revenue? What it really comes down to is that if we don’t pay gas tax temporarily, when and how will we end up paying for the vacuum in federal revenue?

What are your thoughts?

U.S. and China among the Top 5 in executions

China leads the pack while the U.S. is in fifth place.  Via Amnesty International and CNN:

Ninety-one percent of all known executions in 2006 took place in China, Iran, Pakistan, Iraq, Sudan and the USA.

Daughter of Dorothy Day dies

H/T: Catholic Anarchy

The Christian Radical reported today that Tamar Hennessey, the daughter of Dorothy Day, died today after recently suffering a stroke. The Radical also passed along this 2003 NCR article about Tamar.

The NCR article that Michael linked to above is excellent. I had always been curious about Tamar and how she felt as a woman who was actively part of the Catholic Worker Movement but most importantly how she felt about her mother who was so active in the Church.  It is a very interesting article, so I would recommend you to read it. May Tamar rest in peace.

Supreme Court allows abortions for inmates

From CNN

“Descended into Hell” — Exploring God’s silence

This article of the Apostle’s Creed is certainly by far the most controversial for many Christians, but why? At first, it is hard to believe that the Son of God who is sinless would descend into hell, which we understand it to be a place where there is only pain and suffering.

As this can be a topic of deep theological discussions, I only attempt here to scratch the surface based on Joseph Ratzinger’s Introduction to Christianity and the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

The “Death of God”
In reality, even though as Christians we believe in the mystery of the resurrection, we may not feel as comfortable in accepting the fact that for the resurrection to be possible, Jesus had to experience death in the same way that all men do. The mystery of our faith is based in the reality that Jesus Christ in fact died; however, this was not an ordinary death. Jesus Christ as the Redeemer, descended into hell in a special way in order to proclaim “the Good News to the spirits imprisoned there.”[1]

Sheol, Hell, and Death
Scholars claim that the word “hell” in this article of the Creed may be a false translation of the word sheol, which meant in the Old Testament a state after death characterized by nothingness. Pope Benedict XVI, in his book Introduction to Christianity, challenges this interpretation of “hell”, which only implies that Jesus died, and inquires further into the meaning of hell and death.

God bless Venezuela

Given how people gave Alexham a hard time about his God Bless America post, to put things in perspective, I thought I would share a traditional song from Venezuela that we learned since we were very little. The translation of the song is mine and is meant to be literal and by no means an impressive attempt on my part to do justice to the rhymes contained in the song. The lyrics may not make as much sense when translated, but keep in mind that it is a traditional song and that it was written in a way so it would rhyme in Spanish.

Vatican: Pollution, drugs, genetic manipulation and social/economic injustices are sinful

Source: CNN

A Vatican official has listed drugs, pollution and genetic manipulations as well as social and economic injustices as new areas of sinful behavior.

Monsignor Gianfranco Girotti said in an interview published on Sunday by the Vatican’s daily newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, that known sins increasingly manifest themselves as behavior that damages society as a whole.

Girotti, who heads the Apostolic Penitentiary, a Vatican body that issues decisions on matters of conscience and grants absolutions told the paper that whilst sin used to concern the individual mostly, today it had a mainly a social resonance, due to the phenomenon of globalization.

When asked to list the new areas of sinful behavior, Girotti denounced “certain violations of the fundamental rights of human nature through experiments, genetic manipulations.”

He also mentioned drugs, which weaken the mind and obscure intelligence; pollution; as well as the widening social and economic differences between the rich and the poor that “cause an unbearable social injustice.”

Colombia says FARC documents show Chávez funding

The big news are no longer related to Chávez sending troops to the Colombian border.  Instead, latest evidence may link Chávez with the funding of a terrorist organization.  The Colombian government claims that documents found in the computer that belonged to “Raúl Reyes” (second in command of the FARC killed this past Saturday by the Colombian government) show that Chávez may have given over $300 million dollars to the Marxist group.  There is also some evidence of Uranium trade in these documents.  The FARC (translated Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) is a guerrilla movement (or so-called Marxist group) that has been trying to overthrow the Colombian government for the past 40 years.  They have organized attacks on civilians, murders and kidnappings.  They are considered a terrorist group by Canada, United States, Colombia, and the European Union, while Chávez has publicly repudiated the classification.

McCain was not born in the U.S.?

We learn something new every day (CNN):

He was born in the Panama Canal Zone in 1936. His father was stationed there in the Navy.

…

The New York Times reports the circumstances surrounding McCain’s birth raise questions about his ability to become president since our founding fathers specifically said only a “natural-born citizen” can hold the highest office in the land. The idea was to prevent foreigners from becoming president.

There’s no precedent for McCain. No U.S. president has ever been born outside the 50 states. But, McCain’s campaign says they’re confident he meets the requirement, that they researched the question during his last run in 2000 and this time around as well.

Another endorsement for Obama

Chris Dodd to endorse Obama today.

Americans are Switching Faiths

According to the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life survey, the Roman Catholic Church has lost more members than any other faith tradition in the United States. Some highlights:

Vox Nova at the Library: Journal of Catholic Social Thought

Michael found a pleasant surprise yesterday while browsing through the journals section at my university library: the Journal of Catholic Social Thought. The journal is relatively new founded in 2003 by Villanova faculty, if I am not mistaken. The cost of annual subscription is $40 (for U.S. residents and $60 for international subscribers) and the cost of past issues is $30. Click here to subscribe.

Here is the Table of Contents of their past Summer 2007 issue (Their Winter 2008 issue we were looking at yesterday looks even better!):

Vox Nova at the Library: The Politics of Immigration: Questions and Answers

The Politics of Immigration: Questions and Answers is a book written by two journalists and is structured with an easy-to-read question and answer format. Frequently asked questions regarding legal and illegal immigration in the United States are answered with detailed historical and socio-economic background. It is a must-read for everybody who wishes to learn the truth behind the immigration debate and the people who found themselves at its center.

The paperback edition of the book costs $9.56 at Amazon.

Self-defeating strategies of the pro-life movement

With much embarrassment I watched the recent episode that most of us know about how students from Franciscan University lifted a sign reading “Abortion kills children” in the middle of a speech given by Bill Clinton. We all know what happened afterwards. The discussion got heated between the students and Clinton. I don’t care for Bill Clinton and the point of this post is not to attack nor defend him, simply because he is not Catholic and he is not part of the “pro-life” movement. “Why embarrassment?” some of you may ask. It is embarrassing to see how some individuals in the pro-life movement have become this militant to the point of reducing the pro-life stance to mere activism. How is this kind of sabotage done by these college students any different than what a student did to John Kerry not too long ago? How many people did these “pro-life” students convince by raising the sign? I am sorry to say this, but these students embarrassed themselves and they do more harm than good within the pro-life movement.

Romney to endorse McCain

Hmmm…

White House to veto Senate ban on waterboarding

It would be interesting if someone practices waterboarding on the President for “training purposes” and see if he remains so enthusiastic about it afterwards.

Oh wait a minute. Nevermind. Waterboarding is “NOT” torture.

Falling in Love

(In honor of St. Valentine’s day and the season of Lent, I thought I would share a quote that my professor of Systematic theology gave us last year at the end of the semester. )

Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is,

than falling in Love in a quite absolute way.

What you are in love with,

What seizes your imagination,

Will affect everything.

It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning,

What you will do with your evenings,

How you will spend your weekends,

What you read, what you know,

What breaks your heart,

And what amazes you in joy and gratitude.

Fall in love, stay in love,

and it will decide everything.

Attributed to Pedro Arrupe, S.J.

Fast and Abstinence in Perspective

Our own Soutenus from Catholic Notebook has a wonderful post on where she puts fasting and abstinence in perspective. The post looks at fasting during the Lenten season keeping in mind how our brothers and sisters in Haiti, specifically, suffer from hunger. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. I think that Soutenus has a good Lent tip that I will personally consider:

During Lent you might want to place the money save by fasting and abstinence aside for people in poverty. Go to the St. Boniface Haiti Foundation to learn about their nutrition programs.