Improvised

2006-12-29T09:14:00.000-06:00

Moving on over...

...to my wife's blog. Please reset bookmarks, blogrolls, and so forth. Thanks.

2006-11-22T22:21:00.000-06:00

On hiatus

This is Mrs. Dave here.

I'm letting you know that, for personal reasons, Dave is taking an extended hiatus from blogging.

We would really appreciate your prayers. We need them to get through the next few months, as we've fallen on some very hard, very severe times.

Those of you who know Dave can email me through my blog address if you have questions.

2006-09-16T08:33:00.002-05:00

Music Meme

Caveman tags, I reply:

Best title ever for a piece of music - "Careful With that Axe, Eugene", by Pink Floyd

Most underrated guitarist - Richard Thompson. The man is amazing.

Music that moves me to tears - I'll agree with the Caveman and go with "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring"

Most unusual lead instrument in a piece of music - Tuba in "U Make Me Sick (But I Love U)" by Billy and the Boingers

Coolest name ever for a Rock 'N Roll band - The Violent Femmes

Worst genre of music ever - The type of easy listening music which turns respectable rock 'n' roll into puerile pablum.

Best guitar jam - "Shoot Out the Lights" by Richard Thompson. Fireworks from the fretboard. And he needs only one guitar to do it.

Music that's ever scared your kid - Haven't had a chance to scare my kid yet, so I'll go with something which freaked me out when I was little. "Thus Spake Zarathustra" used to do it for me. Naturally, when they'd play it on "The Electric Company", I'd be made to watch it by my sisters. So that show was banned in our house.

National Anthem that most gets the blood pumping - "Waltzing Matilda". I know it's not the official National Anthem of Australia, but it ought to be.

Tagging my wife, Irish Elk, Dale Price, and Kathy Ward.

2006-09-10T21:13:00.000-05:00

9/11 In Memoriam

Steven Paul Geller 1949-2001

To say that Steven Paul Geller loved to cook might be an understatement. This was a man who would go great lengths to find the perfect green pepper, who had cookware worth more than his wife's jewelry, who shared his culinary talent with his daughter Hali.

Mr. Geller was also an institutional trader with Cantor Fitzgerald. On the morning of September 11, he called his wife, Debra, to tell her that a plane had hit the tower. "We're trapped in here, and there's a lot of smoke. I got to run," he said. Debra tried to call back, but got no answer. And then she turned on the TV...

Steven left behind a wife and daughter. May he rest in peace, and may his family find strength and healing.

Sources: Newsday, Legacy.com

2006-09-04T07:52:00.000-05:00

The Battle-Axe

Amy and I went to the Scottish Highland Games last Saturday. We were watching rugby (first time for both of us) when my cell phone rang. It was my sister Diane. She and I chatted for a while, then I passed the phone to Amy. This is the important part of the conversation:

Amy: ...and Dave wants to watch the battle-axe throw...

Me (chiming in): Yeah. I want to see how far I can toss my wife.

This earned me a thump on the arm. And I thought that was the end of it.

After the rugby match, we made our way to the battle-axe throw area, which is open to anyone who wants to try it. Amy and I got our turn, and after a bit of coaching, had at it.

I got two or three on target.

Amy missed her first two. Then...

Thunk

Thunk

Thunk

Thunk

Thunk

Thunk

Several were dead center. All of her axes were firmly embedded into the wood. Her coach was impressed.

I may invest in a suit of armor...

2006-09-04T07:50:00.000-05:00

So Far, So Good...

Dad's bypass surgery went well. He's now in a rehab center for a week or so, then he'll be home. Please keep the prayers coming. Thanks!

2006-08-28T19:31:00.000-05:00

Five People Meme

The Caveman tagged me, and I reply...

If you could meet and have a deep conversation with any five people on earth, living or dead, from any time period, who would they be?" (Explaining why is optional.) Name five people from each of the following categories:Saints, Those in the Process of Being Canonized, Heroes from your native country, Authors/Writers, celebrities.

Five Saints:

The Blessed Virgin Mary (like the Caveman said...just to see her...)

St. Francis of Assisi (my Confirmation namesake)

St. Maximilian Kolbe (the story of his martyrdom left a deep impression on me)

St. Thomas Aquinas (love to get into a discussion with him)

St. Simon the Apostle (no quotes, no books, only one mention per Gospel...I'd like to hear things from his viewpoint)

Being Canonized:

Ven. John Henry Newman (I'd love to see him declared a Doctor of the Church)

Ven. Solanus Casey (great humility, great holiness, and a Milwaukee connection)

Bl. Maria Virgo Stollenwerk (a cousin of mine. Her intercession brought me back from the brink of death)

Servant of God Joseph Kentenich (founder of the Schoenstatt movement)

Servant of God John Paul II (Santo subito!)

Heroes:

Tadeusz Ko?ciuszko (fought for both American and Polish freedom)

Louis Pasteur (brilliant scientist and truly devout Catholic)

Robin Yount (greatest Milwaukee Brewer)

Harry Truman (read his diary...an unpretentious man who became President)

Old Abe (Civil War Mascot)

Writers (this is gonna be a tough one to limit to five):

G. K. Chesterton (I've always wanted his brilliance and clarity of thought. Instead, I have his absentmindedness and the beginnings of his girth...)

C. S. Lewis (one of the best Christian apologists ever)

J. R. R. Tolkien ('nuff said)

Charles Dickens (got into reading his work at an early age)

Terry Pratchett (my favorite living fiction author)

Celebrities:

Steve Carell (great comic actor, and versatile)

Richard Thompson (first-rate guitarist and wordsmith, and best-kept musical secret)

Stanley Kubrick (one of my favorite movie directors...I'd love to have known what made the man tick)

Colin Mochrie (brilliant improv!)

Bruce Campbell (one of these days he'll reach a wider audience)

Tagged:

Mark Shea

My Wife (double tag, I know...)

Dale Price

Dad29

Catholic Fire

2006-08-26T08:14:00.000-05:00

Prayers Requested

Please remember my father, who will be undergoing quadruple-bypass surgery on Wedensday. I'd really like him to see his first grandchild in 16 years....

2006-08-19T21:12:00.000-05:00

My Week

Schoolwork. Got the order of books finalized for Classics. Acquired lots of supplies. Putting together lesson plans for English. Religion is cut-and-dried.

Housework. Lots of laundry done. Cleaned the kitchen and the bathroom.

Playing Civilization II. It's still the best game in the series.

Reading other blogs. Lots more time now to do so.

ComedySportz. Worked Friday night. It felt good.

Irish Fest. Amy won free tickets, so we went today. Had a cup of mead, ate a lamb sandwich, and, most importantly, figured out how to pronounce Eudail. It's A-dell. And we got a onesie and a bib for Eudail.

Baby names. We settled on Charles John for a boy, and Elizabeth Clare for a girl. Melvin Beverly and Cunegunda Hedwig are out, alas...

2006-08-14T07:51:00.000-05:00

Plenty of time to blog now...

Friday was my last day at IBM.

I remember how it began. December 1994. Manpower called to offer me the assignment. I was to start on the 3rd. "How long will it last?" I asked. "Indefinitely," said the specialist.

It was good for a long time. The work allowed me to listen to the radio, the pay was sufficient for my needs and hobbies, and I made several good friends there. Not a bad situation for a bachelor with basic obligations...

My perspective changed when I met Amy, who decided I could do better. The job didn't offer much upward mobility, and COLAs were few and far-between. So we planned thus: collect my vacation check in January 2007 (Manpower pays ahead for vacation days), then get my resume together and go hunting for something else.

Plans accelerated on May 31, when my pay was cut for no good reason. I needed to get out now.
Amy and I put together my resume, and (Deo gratias!) Veritas Academy hired me not long after. So I gave notice, and set August 24 as my last day. I'd quietly finish my time, and leave.

But nooooo...I got jerked around on my productivity, because I wasn't consistently making the Almighty Quota. I couldn't believe the absurdity of it. In times past, anyone who was leaving would have been left alone, so long as he (or she) didn't completely slack off. What was the point of hassling someone who was staying for two more weeks?

My family's generosity enabled me to move my departure date to August 11. I let a few co-workers know, and brought items home every day. And I decided on how to leave on the blessed day...

Friday. All the important stuff was out of my desk and the break room. I had made the Almighty Quota every day (to show what could have been had they respected me and my co-workers), but I was slacking off a bit. I let others know, one by one, that I was quitting that very day...

11:15 AM. It was time. I logged out, shut down my computer one last time, and reached for my backpack. Out came a tutu, lent to me by my friends at ComedySportz. I put it on, and announced, "This is it for me. Lyle has my contact info if you want it. Thank you, and good luck to you all." And I pranced away to applause.

Of course, I had to hand in my badges to the HR person, but she was apparently too busy to see me at the moment. So I gave the badges to someone else, and sang:

So long
Farewell
Auf weidershen
I quit!

I repeated the previous announcement to the other side of the office, pranced over to the timeclock, punched out, and pranced out the door. I got down to the lobby as quickly as I could and went to an Indian restaurant to celebrate...

Afterwards, I checked with a couple of my co-workers to find out what happened following my departure. The HR person was livid. "BACK TO WORK!" she roared as people talked about my exit. Then she had to clean out my desk. Apparently, I had a lot of stuff left over. Oh, well...

Now it's two weeks of working on my lesson plans, getting housework done, and occasionally taking it easy. The last week of August will be occupied with meetings and setting everything in order for the school year. Then, on September 6, I will begin to help form young minds. The pay is just a little more, but the satisfaction will be a hundredfold. And I don't think I'll be leaving in a tutu, however short or long this job might last...

2006-08-05T15:39:00.000-05:00

You're On Notice (educational edition)

Hat tip: Amy Welborn

Above are listed all of my educational bugbears, none of which are present at my new school, I am happy to say...

2006-08-02T20:48:00.000-05:00

The Book Meme

Fr. Erik Richsteig has tagged me. I am compelled to respond...

1. One book that changed your life: Plato's Republic. It was liberating to realize that admitting one's ignorance is the beginning of acquiring real knowledge.

2. One book that you have read more than once: Many to pick from here. I'll go with the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

3. One book you'd want on a desert island: The Bible. A Catholic edition, naturally.

4. One book that made you laugh: Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. The Apocalypse has never been funnier.

5. One book that made you cry: A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck. Very sad.

6. One book you wish would have been written: The remainder of Charles Dickens' The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

7. One book you wish had never been written: Anything by Margaret Sanger.

8. One book you are currently reading: Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery. I'm working my way through my students' reading list.

9. One book you have been meaning to read: The Brothers Karamozov by Dostoevsky. I've gotten through at least half of it, but I've never finished.

10. Tag some others: My wife, Mark Shea, and Catholic Caveman.

2006-07-22T19:29:00.000-05:00

Eudail's First Picture

Amy and I went to the doctor's office yesterday for an early ultrasound. Both of us were nervous, as all the difficult possibilities were running through our minds. What if (God forbid) the fibroid cysts had returned? What if something else might be wrong? What if we were going to have twins (they run in both families)?

But when the picture came on over the monitor and little Eudail appeared, all I could do was stare in wonder. Here was a new life, eight weeks and one day old, created by God through the agency of Amy and myself. Here was my flesh and blood, and Amy's flesh and blood, mingled together to create a unique person.

Here was our child.

Wow.

I couldn't take my eyes off the monitor. Our child. Our child. The phrase repeated itself over and over.

Then came the sound of Eudail's heartbeat, pounding away at 167 beats per minute. Our child. Our child's heartbeat. This is real. This is really happening.

The three of us left the office as happy as we had ever been in our lives. One man, who had never thought he'd ever have the opportunity to beget children. One woman, who had thought her previous history would leave her unable to have a normal pregnancy, if she could get pregnant at all. And one preborn child, healthy so far, growing and developing, preparing for a March 1 due date.

2006-07-15T09:05:00.000-05:00

Girl's Baby Names

Since it's just as likely we'll have a girl, I ought to also list the names selected and their significance:

Evelyn Margaret: This was Amy's first selection.

Madeline Colette: My first selection. I've always liked Madeline. And Colette was my maternal grandmother's name.

Elizabeth Claire: Elizabeth is another perennial favorite, and a popular one at the moment. Claire is after the saint, and also complements Elizabeth very nicely.

Genevieve Marie: A combination I've always liked. You may also be noticing our love for French names.

Josephine Ellen: Amy selected this one. Ellen is her mother's name.

Lillian Rose: Our literary selection. Lillian is a variation of Lily, who was Harry Potter's mother. Rose is after St. Rose of Lima and the Rose of Sharon, one of the Blessed Virgin's titles.

Again, are there any favorites or not-so-favorites, or other relevant commentary? Please let me know...

2006-07-11T21:22:00.000-05:00

Boy's baby names

We have no idea of Eudail's gender, but we have a pool of names already picked out. We will select one after getting to know the youngster for a day or so.

Here are the boy's names, and the reasoning (or lack thereof) behind each:

Kenneth James: After her grandfather and my father, respectively.

Geoffrey Rhys: A cool-looking and -sounding name.

Stephen Daniel: Stephen after my late friend Steve Wiest, Daniel after the OT prophet.

Martin Richard: Another name we simply like. And Richard was Steve's middle name.

Charles John: A tribute to my grandfathers. However, I decided to use their middle names, since Thaddeus Wilbert would be cruel in this day and age.

Ronald Jack: A literary selection. Ronald is from Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter series. Jack was C. S. Lewis' preferred nickname.

Any favorites here? Any not-so-favorite? Mind you, your opinions won't necessarily influence the naming of our son (if that be Eudail's gender). But it would be nice to know anyway...

2006-07-03T07:31:00.000-05:00

I'm a Daddy...

Amy took a pregnancy test this morning. Two, in fact.

Both came back positive.

Wow. I'm a father.

I can hardly believe this has happened.

I'm a FATHER.

Lord willing, a little Pawlak will be emerging sometime in February. More details to follow. Amy will publish her own take on the matter once her holiday hiatus is over.

Please remember me, Amy, and Eudail (our nickname for Spawn of Pawlak -- it's Scots Gaelic for baby) in your prayers.

I'M A FATHER!!!!! WHOOOAAA!!!!

2006-06-20T17:28:00.000-05:00

O Give Thanks to the Lord...

I just got a call from Veritas Academy.

I've been hired as a teacher.

I'm positively bubbling over with joy right now...

2006-06-13T19:57:00.000-05:00

No. Please, No.

2006-06-08T20:40:00.000-05:00

Job Hunt

Last week Wedensday, 2:30 pm. One hour left in the day, and I'm trying to get through till quitting time. The phone rings. It's one of the HR people. She wants me to meet her in a fifth floor conference room. I go down, puzzled by why this is happening. My productivity hasn't been the same since we changed procedures, but neither has anyone else's.

The two HR people are waiting for me. They tell me the new manager reviewed our salaries. Some of us old-timers were getting paid at a rate above the usual for our positions, since we had had additional responsibilities in the past. The new manager doesn't think we're worth it. Therefore, my pay is getting cut by nearly two dollars an hour.

After nearly five years at the same wage, I had gotten a long-overdue COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment). Now it's been wiped out, and more. I've just been told that years of dedication don't mean anything, and being productive and useful aren't rewarded. This hurts just as much as the wage cut.

I ask to leave work early, since I'm in no condition to do any more work. I come home and think about what to do next. I make a phone call to Veritas Academy, inquiring as to whether any teaching positions are open.

Amy comes home, and is surprised to see me already there. I tell her what happened. She bursts into tears, and we hold each other. We want to start a family and buy a house. Now we're not able to do so.

Amy goes from crying to angry. I tell her it may be a blessing in disguise, that maybe this is a way to finding something better.

That evening, we begin work on my resume. We send it out to various websites the following day.

The results? I've heard from two headhunters so far, and Veritas Academy is interested in interviewing me. Others have expressed their interest in helping me.

Please pray for me as I look for a new job. And if you know of any good job openings, let me know. I'd really appreciate it.

2006-05-30T16:51:00.000-05:00

The Letter "C"

My wife has passed on to me an ongoing meme. The rules are this: Give ten words beginning with an assigned letter, and why they were chosen. The next person who wishes to participate leaves a comment, and is then given another letter.

Now, to begin my ten C's:

Christ -- Jesus, the center and focus of my life.

Caritas -- Agape in Greek, Charity in English, and too often loosely translated as "love". Specifically, it is the divine love, the love one has for another simply because he is God's creation. I try to love everyone in this way; however, I must admit I don't like everyone.

Clive -- the first name of C. S. Lewis, who has had a profound influence on me. His fiction stimulates my own imagination, and his apologetics are clear. His works are an antidote to the fuzziness of The Da Vinci Code, as well as the sharp starkness of practical atheism.

Chesterton -- Another great influence. I'm re-reading What's Wrong With the World, and I now understand why Mark Shea refers to him as "the Prophet Chesterton". Next will be revisits of Orthodoxy and The Everlasting Man. I do hope my wife will discover this treasure trove of common sense.

Communion -- In times past, I've abstained from the Eucharist when I knew myself to be unworthy of receiving It. Can you say spiritual starvation? Nowadays I try not to do that, because if I don't have His Life in me, his Most Precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity fed me under the forms of bread and wine -- then is my life really worth living?

This brings me to the next one...

Confession -- Every time I hear the words of Absolution, I can feel the weight of my sins removed from me. I may have to make restitution, and some purging is still in order; but the road to Heaven is clear for me again.

Carnivore -- Every Lent, I give up red meat, with exceptions made for Sunday bacon and Saint Patrick's Day corned beef. Then, after the Easter Vigil, I tuck into a large chunk of grilled dead ruminant. Mmmmm...

Cornflower -- As in cornflower blue. My favorite color. I think Crayola still makes it.

Covenant -- Here I'm thinking of two covenants: the New Covenant of Jesus, entered into at Baptism and sustained through the Eucharist; and the marriage covenant with Amy.

Finally...

Cudahy -- Hey der dey. Town sout' o' M'waukee, on da shore o' Lake Michigan. Pickled eggs, bowling, polka...good stuff, aina?

Any takers for a letter? Please let me know.

2006-05-17T17:17:00.000-05:00

A Friend Come Safely Home

I just received word that my friend Brian Ekendahl will return to Milwaukee tomorrow morning, after a year's duty in Iraq.

I've known Brian since freshman year in high school -- nearly 23 years. That's as long as my wife's been alive. We've done a lot of things together during those years: school stuff, video games and drinking parties in his parents' basement, rides to college, a few trips to Madison, watching Packer games together, heading out to dinner, and many other experiences.

And there were the times Brian would be gone, serving his country somewhere in the world.
Brian joined the Army Reserves in 1986 to pay for college. And while they held up to their end of the bargain, they also got the most out of Brian.

The first absence was Basic Training. He took a bit longer than usual to complete it, since it was interrupted by knee surgery. I saw Brian when he came home during his recuperation. And what a sight he was! He was wearing the infamous "birth control" glasses; his blonde hair was shaved off; and his frame was reduced from scrawny to skeletal. He looked like a refugee from the Minnesota Starvation Experiment.

After Basic came his Advanced Infantry Training and some schooling. Then he was home, except for monthly Reserve duty and the occasional trip to Germany or South Korea. I especially liked it when he travelled to the latter. He'd bring back soju (Korean white lightening) and some really nice silk neckties.

Then came October 1990. We had planned on celebrating our 21st birthdays with some legal debauchery (as opposed to what we'd been doing before). But Saddam Hussein spoiled those plans by invading Kuwait, and so Brian had to go deliver mail in Saudi Arabia instead. I wrote more letters during that time than I have before or since. He got home in March 1991, and picked up life where he left off.

May 1995. Some deranged officer picked Brian to go to Haiti to participate in the UN Peacekeeping Mission. By this time, Brian was living on his own, sharing a flat with his brother Bruce. I was in between places, and needed somewhere to stay. I occupied his room while he wass in Haiti. His brother and I nearly killed each other: I was a slob, and Bruce kept me awake by having friends over late at night. And it was a hot, stifling summer, spent in a room facing west with little air circulation and far from the living room air conditioner. Fortunately, Brian came back before things got too ugly.

Time passed. Brian bought a house with his brother, then bought his own after his brother got married. Life seemed to go into a regular routine for him. He worked at Fed-Ex, did his monthly weekend in the Reserves, visited his parents in the Dells, and dated with unspectacular results.

Spring 2004. Amy and I were picking our wedding parties. I couldn't decide who to select for groomsmen. I put names of high-school friends into a hat, and picked one. Brian was selected. He was the instant choice for Best Man. Of course, we knew there was just a slight chance he'd be called up for active duty. But why would they want a paper-pusher who had been overseas twice, when many others in his unit hadn't even left the USA even once? So we made plans. I'd stay with him while Amy moved into the apartment and arranged things to her liking.

April 2005. My ex-roommate, who had briefly dated Brian, called me. Brian had been chosen to go to Iraq. I immediately called his house to confirm -- it was true. He was going away again, this time for a year.

Amy and I spent as much time as we could with him before his departure. One last Brewer game, one last fancy dinner at an Asian fusion restaurant, and one last gathering with family and friends. And then he was gone again, leaving his house and cat in the care of his mother.

Brian was much busier in this tour than he ever was. All we'd get was the occasional email or phone call, one of which was especially memorable...

It was the morning of my wedding. I was staying at Brian's house (his mother had gone home for a few weeks) with one of the ushers. We had just come back from breakfast when I noticed a message on the answering machine. It was Brian, wishing us luck on our special day. Later on, when some of the wedding party returned to the house for a bathroom break and a breather, I was able to replay the message.

And now I'll be waiting for tomorrow's phone call, from his own house...

Welcome home, my friend. Thank God you got back here alive and intact.

2006-05-08T20:50:00.000-05:00

Aslan and I have one thing in common...

...we both call all times "soon".

It's been almost two weeks since I promised more wedding pics...

...I will post some more one of these days...I promise...

2006-04-26T17:01:00.000-05:00

Wedding Readings

Top Left: Jane Claas (Amy's friend) reading from the Song of Solomon.

Bottom Left: Kyle Post (my youngest nephew) reading from Revelation.

Psalm 128 and the miracle of Cana rounded out the Scripture passages.

Amy left the selection of readings to me, although I did consult her. I was resolute on one thing, however:

No 1 Corinthians 13.

It's a beautiful passage, to be sure, but it's overused; and just the mere mention of "love" does not a wedding reading make. I was also skeptical about the guideline toward having the readings and everything else geared to "service".

Instead, I thought of Christ and His Bride, the Church when I picked the readings.

The Song of Solomon is manifold. It is about the Lord and Israel, Christ and the Church, Christ and the individual soul, and man and woman. All the imagery -- even the erotic imagery -- fits each of these aspects.

And then Psalm 128. A blessing for a family, with a hard working man, a fruitful woman, and many children.

The New Testament reading was a challenge. Besides the "No 1 Corinthians" rule, I also decided against Ephesians 5. (OK, I was a wimp.) But I also liked the Wedding Feast of the Lamb, since it continued the parallel between a married couple and Christ and His Church. I was also thinking of those who had gone on before us, who (I hoped) were celebrating in Heaven with us. Most importantly, the Eucharist is a foretaste of the Great Wedding Feast. I was so happy that Amy converted, and we could receive Communion together.

The Wedding Feast of Cana was a no-brainer. Jesus performed His first miracle by turning water into wine, to keep a party going...

More photos soon...

2006-04-24T20:31:00.000-05:00

Wedding Music

John King on guitar, singing baritone.

Corrina Lynch on viola, singing mezzo soprano/alto.

John is the musician for the 4 pm Mass at St. Bernard's in Wauwatosa. Corrina used to be his partner until she moved to Rochester, NY. However, she graciously came back for our wedding.

We hired them on after I took Amy to Mass at St. Bernard's. She said, "This is what I want for our wedding!" And so it happened...

David Gardinier, parish organist.

We were required to have him there, since the Ordinary of the Mass must be played on the organ. John and Corrina acted as cantors for those parts.

All of them did a superb job. Amy and I received many compliments for the wedding music.

I highly recommend a guitar/viola combo, if you can get it. And appropriate music, of course.

The Wedding Music

All played by John and Corrina unless otherwise indicated.

Preludes

I chose mostly English and Celtic melodies: "Kingsfold", "St. Denio", and "Slane" among them. "Melita", the tune for "Eternal Father, Strong to Save", was played last as a tribute to our fathers, who both served in the Navy.

Seating of Families

"Canon in D" by Pachelbel. A traditional standby.

Processional

"Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" by JS Bach. It fit the moment perfectly.

Psalm Response

"We Praise You" by Mike Balhoff, Daryl Ducote, and Gary Daigle. Corrina sang the verses, taken from Psalm 128. This is one of the few pieces by the Dameans that I like.

Gospel Acclamation

"Celtic Alleluia" by Finian O'Carroll. Played by David Gardinier. John sang the verse, adapted for the occasion.

Unity Candle

"When Love is Found". Words by Brian Wren, set to "O Waly Waly".

Offertory

"Come, My Way, My Truth, My Life". Words by George Herbert, tune by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Sung by Corrina.

Sanctus, Memorial Acclamation, Amen, and Agnus

Mass of Creation by Marty Haugen. Played by David Gardinier, cantored by John and Corrina. I chose this setting since it is commonly known.

Communion

"The King of Love My Shepherd Is". Irish melody, words by Henry W. Baker. Sung a capella by John and Corrina. This was absolutely lovely, and garnered the majority of the compliments.

Honoring the Blessed Virgin and our mothers

"Ave Maria", Schubert setting. Instrumental.

Recessional

"Ode to Joy" by Ludwig von Beethoven. A fitting conclusion to a lovely wedding.

The Postlude I Wanted, But Couldn't Have, for a Variety of Reasons.

"Highway to Hell". Music and lyrics by Angus Young, Malcolm Young, and Bon Scott.

I wouldn't have done it, of course, but the look on Amy's face was worth it after I suggested it in jest...

2006-04-24T20:18:00.000-05:00

Another View of Old St. Mary's

I wish I knew how to make these pictures a bit larger, especially since I want to show you the altar painting of the Annunciation, donated by King Ludwig of Bavaria.

2006-04-23T21:45:00.000-05:00

I Know, It's Been Six Months...

...but we just uploaded all of our wedding pics onto the hard drive of our brand-new computer.

This pic is a nice view of the sanctuary of Old St. Mary's Church, located in downtown Milwaukee. I joined this parish in early '03, since it was handy to ComedySportz, didn't engage in liturgical fidgetry, and it's a lovely church, as you can see for yourself. Then I met Amy, and it was only natural that we would be married here.
We couldn't imagine a more appropriate setting for one of the most important days of our lives.

And now...the events of October 22, 2005 (aka Dave and Amy's Wedding, the Best Birthday Gift Ever, Hell Freezes Over), as documented and remembered by the Bride and Groom, and supplemented by many other sources...

Perhaps I ought to start with the wedding party...

Parents of the Bride: Mr. Marvin and Mrs. Ellen Seeger.

Parents of the Groom: Mr. James and Mrs. Judith Pawlak

Maid of Honor: Alisa Burdick (friend of bride)

Bridesmaids: Sherri Dahl (friend of bride)
Brianne Hammernik (cousin of bride)
Carol Kelley (friend of bride and groom)

Best Man: Lyle Sedlet (friend of groom)

Honorary Best Man: Brian Ekendahl (friend of groom -- serving his country in Iraq)

Groomsmen: Peter Seeger (brother of bride)
Eric McNew (nephew of groom)
Keith Boucher (friend of groom)

Ushers: Russell Owens (friend of bride)
Douglas Flahart (nephew of groom)
Scott Hammernik (cousin of bride)
Timothy Gename (friend of groom)

Celebrant: Fr. George Rebatzki (pastor of Old St. Mary's)

Concelebrant: Fr. Ben Benzinger, SJ (cousin of groom)

Readers: Jane Claas (friend of bride)
Kyle Post (nephew of groom)

Giftbearers: Pamela Hammernik (aunt and godmother of bride)
Diane O'Neill (sister and Confirmation sponsor of groom)

Musicians: David Gardinier (organ)
John King (singing, guitar)
Corrina Lynch (singing, viola)

Stay tuned to this blog and that of my wife's about the events of October 22, 2005. Pics, liturgy, anecdotes, and so forth.

2006-04-17T21:39:00.000-05:00

Why Can't We?

I went with my father-in-law to Mt. Zion LCMS in Greenfield for breakfast and Divine Service.

Some things I observed:

A sense of reverence. This particular congregation is very "High-Church". The pastor wears a chasuble; the Sign of the Cross is made; the people bow when the processional cross (with corpus) passes them; and the elements are elevated during the chanted words of institution. Also, there are icons on the walls and even on the altar. And I wonder, why can't we be more like that?

Solid preaching. Pastor Koch preached a very well-put-together sermon about the truth of Christ's resurrection, beginning with a fisking of the "Gospel of Judas", complete with a citation of St. Irenaeus. Granted, I naturally won't agree with all of his content (especially stuff like this ), but it seems like your average Lutheran pastor can out-preach your average Catholic priest. And I wonder, why don't we do a better job on homiletics?

This isn't to say that we Catholics don't have our stalwart preachers. But they seem to be more the exception than the rule. Even if you're in a solidly orthodox parish, you run the risk of listening to a sermonette with little substance, or a poorly planned and poorly delivered ramble .

High-caliber music. I need not go into the condition of Catholic music; it's been gone over enough. But one still wonders, why does a Lutheran congregation of a few hundred have better music than a Catholic parish of several thousand? Mt. Zion has a choir of eight, and they did a beautiful job. The organist provided solid accompaniment, and the hymn selection was impeccable. Too often we Catholics seem satisifed with mediocrity. We refuse to challenge ourselves musically (and otherwise).

Of course, none of these things are going to make me desert the Barque of Peter. That being said, I'd love to videotape Mt. Zion's service and send it off to certain people, with a note saying, Why can't we?

2006-04-15T08:44:00.000-05:00

Seems like there's no good news...

In our world: Iran defies the world. More deaths in Iraq. Tension between Chad and Sudan.

In our country: Discontent with the government. High gas prices, and they'll keep getting higher. Immigration issues.

In Milwaukee: Loss of jobs. The Frank Jude trial ends with a not guilty verdict. The bodies of two boys, missing since last month, are discovered in a park lagoon.

And yet...

Think back to the events of nearly 2000 years ago. There was no Passover joy for eleven men huddled in an upper room in Jerusalem. No joy for a handful of women. No joy for one woman in particular. They had lost a teacher, a friend, an only son. And he had died in the most degrading way known in that time.

What hope did they have, this frightened band of man? One of their own had betrayed their Master. They were sure the authorities were looking for them. One was still bitterly regretting his cowardly threefold denial. Just like many other times, his words had got the best of him. But this last time was the cruelest. The others were just too afraid to do anything else but hide. Even the youngest, wise beyond his years, the only one brave enough to stand by his Master's cross, must have felt his heart quail within him.

What did the women -- Mary Magdalene, Martha, Mary mother of Cleopas, and the others -- feel? They had lost a good friend and cousin. Jesus had turned Mary Magdalene's life around. Just a few days earlier, she had shown her gratitude by anointing his feet and drying them with her hair. And now he was gone, his battered, wounded body lying in a borrowed tomb. The best she could do was to do him one last service, and anoint him again, and properly finish the job so hastily done on Friday afternoon.

What did Mary feel? I will not say she felt despair. But even so, the sorrow...it was just like what Simeon had predicted so many years ago. She had held him in her arms then, and she had again held him in her arms the day before. How did this all tie in with what the angel had told her? She could only wait, and hope beyond all hope.

But what happened for them the next day happened for us. When all seemed bleak and hopeless, in the shadow of the cross, the dawn brought an empty tomb, the tidings of angels, and the return to life of One who was dead.

In these seemingly bleak and hopeless times, we cling to the Cross, an instrument of shame become a symbol of triumph. In the midst of death, we look to the empty tomb. In the hearing of bad news, we also hear the Good News. And we will always have our Risen and Glorified Lord, Who is with us in the Eucharist, and Who will come back to us in glory.

A happy and blessed Easter to all of you.

2006-04-10T20:37:00.000-05:00

What's Been Going On...

I'm writing from our new computer, which we got last Saturday. My nephew Kyle (aka the Family Tech Support) set it up for us. We took him out to breakfast, and will be treating him to Japanese food Saturday after next.

Amy had her wisdom teeth pulled today. She's miserable. I hope she'll be able to enjoy her post-Easter-Vigil ribeye steak...

I've got a lot of different topics I want to write about, but time gets in the way. Someday I'll write something with a bit more substance...but not tonight...

2006-04-05T20:20:00.000-05:00

I Got My Revenge

Remember how my wife did something unspeakable to me two weeks back?

Well...I made her watch Kenny Rogers perform on American Idol.

Mwahahahahahaaaa....

2006-04-03T20:15:00.000-05:00

Go Brewers!

The Brew Crew came from behind to win today's home opener, beating the Pirates 5-2. It was very nice. Solid pitching, clutch hitting (Jeff Cirillo's pinch-hit single put the Brewers ahead for good), homers by J. J. Hardy and Carlos Lee, four well-turned double plays by a young infield, and a lot of hustle from everyone...this team is exciting.

I'm not going to put my hopes up for a playoff spot just yet. But barring injuries, this ought to be a much better club than last year...

2006-03-27T16:49:00.000-06:00

My Wife is Beautiful...

...both inside and out.

I read her blog when I came home, and saw this lovely prayer. It floored me. It really did.

Amy's always been a quick learner; and once she get the hang of something, she masters it. She's been Catholic less than a year, and she's grown in leaps and bounds. Both she and I are far from perfect, but I do believe she's passed her sluggard husband by in running the race for the Crown that matters...

2006-03-26T21:30:00.000-06:00

Laetare Sunday

It's an annual custom. Every Fourth Sunday in Lent, I'm at the Indult Mass, situated in the second pew in the north transept. I do go to this Mass other times during the year, but Laetare Sunday has a special significance for me.

It's the spring of 1992. My grandfather is in the hospital with congestive heart failure. We're not sure if he'll make it or not. I decide to attend the Indult Mass, then being offered at the Mater Christi Chapel in the Cousins Center (the Archdiocese's main offices).

I meet with Fr. Richard Breitbach, who was then the Tridentine Community's chaplain. I ask him to remember my grandfather at the altar. But he does more than that. He asks the prayers of the entire congregation. From that time on, my grandfather's condition improves, and he becomes well enough to live with my parents, with assistance from a visiting CNA. His original prognosis was 3-6 months. He lives a year.

March 21, 1993. Grandpa's health has been declining since last December. All he wants now is to join his wife and son in time for Easter. That Sunday, I again to decide to go to the Indult Mass, now being offered at St. Mary Help of Christians in West Allis. Again I ask Fr. Breitbach for the community's prayers, and again he announces it to the congregation.

It's afternoon. I'm talking with a friend when an operator breaks into the line. It's my mother. Grandpa's dying.

A family friend picks me up and takes me to my parents' house and Grandpa's bedside. At 2:50 pm, he gets his wish.

Remembering all this, even 13 years later, brings a tear to my eye. I miss him, and nothing will take that feeling away until I can meet him again in Heaven. Something tells me he may well be there already. A man who literally wore down his rosary beads (he prayed it at least four times a day that last year of his life) can't have spent much time (if any) in Purgatory.

But until I leave this world, while it is still within my power to do so, I will go every Laetare Sunday to the Indult Mass. I will sit, stand and kneel in my customary place. I will behold rose vestments and paraments, and flowers on the altar. I will listen to the chant, and join in when appropriate. I will again hear the readings from Galatians about Agar and Sarai, and from John about the feeding of the 5000. I will behold a piece of bread and a cup of wine become the body and Blood of my Lord and God. And shortly afterwards, before receiving Him, when the priest remembers the faithful departed, I will remember with him, and the name of Wilbert John Benzinger will always come to mind...

2006-03-22T20:38:00.000-06:00

How to torture someone

You could shove bamboo under the victim's fingernails...

You could inflict electrical shocks on various body parts...

You could even make creative use of chili peppers...

Or...

You could make your victim watch Barry Manilow perform on American Idol...

...like my wife did to me.

The horror. The horror.

2006-03-20T19:30:00.000-06:00

Crunchy Worship

I'll admit it. I'm something of a Crunchy Conservative. The Caelum et Terra crowd were a big influence on me; and while I'm not entirely "authentic" (I do shop at Wal-Mart, for example), I do adhere to something of the Crunchy worldview.

Much of the whole Crunchy thing has to do with restoration: regaining what we've lost with the atomization, automation, and artificiality of the last century. This includes religion and worship. which is why I take issue with Maggie Gallagher's recent article on crunchy cons.

This is the chief offending paragraph:

There is something movingly pathetic in watching the Drehers drive through different religious identities, for example, searching for one that "fits." Worshipping at a Lebanese Maronite (Catholic) Church, for example, because they like the taste of ancient tradition, even if they are neither Lebanese nor Maronite. Tradition itself becomes a kind of consumption item, to be produced and consumed by crunchy cons.

The last sentence is especially egregious.

Traditional worship is not, and should not be, a "consumption item", chosen merely because the aesthetics are pleasing. I've known people who have gone to Episcopal churches because they liked the worship style, not because of any compelling belief (other than, perhaps, the usual PC agenda). The Drehers and countless others are drawn to traditional liturgical worship because it conveys the Transcendent. Its focus is on the Other, and not ourselves.

Think of what you get in your typical Whitebread Suburban American Catholic Church. Bland (or blandified) architecture. Chattiness before, during, and after Mass. Disposable music and disposable art. No substance in preaching, even if the preacher is engaging. A feelgood message with talk of "social justice" without actually expecting people to do anything concrete. And while the Transcendent happens with the Eucharist, there is no awe of the Real Presence.

Then there's what you get in a Classical Latin Mass, an Anglican Use Mass, a reverently celebrated Missa Normativa, a Marionite Liturgy, or a Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom. Beautiful (or beautified) architecture. A sense of reverence and awe throughout. Timeless music and meaningful art. A substantial message in the preaching (even if the priest or deacon isn't exactly Fulton Sheen). And the Presence is felt deeply as He comes to us under the appearances of bread and wine. The Transcendence is not lost.

People choose traditional worship (and all that comes with it) not because it is a consumer choice, but because it is true, and has Truth Himself as the Center. It is not produced, but handed down. It is not consumed like a commercial product, but it consumes and transforms. Mr. Dreher, who is a convert to Catholicism, has grasped this. So did Scott Hahn, when he beheld the Mass for the first time. So have countless others.

Granted, we do have a wide array of devotions, prayers, worship styles, and spiritualities to choose from, but this isn't a consumer mindset, either. The Church has always recognized that individual Catholics are called to different ways of prayers and lifestyle. Some prefer the Franciscan Method Way of the Cross; others are partial to the Liguori Method. One group of parishoners may meet to pray the Sorrowful Mother Devotions; another group may like the Perpetual Help devotions better. On a larger scale, a Dominican is no better or worse than a Jesuit (despite what you may hear from either group!). Both orders, and the underlying spiritualities, are equally good in and of themselves.

I think Ms. Gallagher, whatever her other points about Crunchy Cons may be, ought to reconsider her statement on religion. In the long run, authentic worship is not looking for the right fit, but it is something to be fitted into. It is not about feeling good, but becoming good. It is not about shopping around as a consumer, but seeking the Living God in His Fullness, worshipping Him using all of one's senses, and ultimately to be consumed and transformed by Him in the consuming of Him, under the appearance of bread and wine.

2006-03-18T10:40:00.000-06:00

This Wouldn't Have Happened With Rembert...

I do wonder if Archbishop Dolan will be having a chat with Fr. Carl at All Saints, however...

2006-03-17T11:40:00.000-06:00

An Unholy Alliance?

Charles Krauthammer writes today about the emerging polyamory movement and it relation to the push for gay marriage. The chief emphasis has been on the hedonistic, radically autonomous aspect: that "marriage" and "commitment" are words which need no concrete, narrow definition; and that individuals should do what they want, whenever they want, however they want.

But I don't think anyone has touched upon another group who, while hostile to gay marriage, may be strange bedfellows (so to speak) with the hedonistic crowd in order to legalize polyamory:

Muslims.

I am aware that polygamy is not that widespread in the Islamic world, and that the practice is permitted but not really encouraged. That being said, I can see certain factions within Islam pushing for its legalization, since it is mentioned as an option in the Q'uran.

I also predict that this will first happen in Europe or Canada, since the hedonists in those places are already pushing for anything-goes relationships. Then, if they are successful, I wouldn't be surprised if a liberal federal judge somewhere decided that any concrete definition of marriage is somehow unconstitutional, and therefore polyamory must be permitted.

Can it happen? Yes. Nothing is too far-fetched anymore. Perhaps the pro-bestiality movement might emerge next...

2006-03-16T21:11:00.000-06:00

I weep for her...

More importantly, I'll pray for her...

2006-03-14T05:28:00.000-06:00

Urgh.

I can just imagine what my late friend Pastor Wiest would have said about this particular abomination...

Thank you (I think) to Musings of an ex-Pagan and the Curt Jester.

2006-03-10T16:40:00.000-06:00

I Used to Be a Marty Haugen Fan...

February 1990. I'm in a "contemporary choir" in my parish, singing and playing percussion. Marty Haugen's in town for a concert and a workshop. I go to the concert, enjoy it, and volunteer to demonstrate percussion during the workshop. And so I do, shaking a tambourine to "Gather Us In" in the presence of a few hundred people.

Sixteen years later, I wonder why I ever did that.

I won't totally bash Mr. Haugen. He has produced a few worthy works, and I did end up using Mass of Creation for my wedding. But I realized at some point that his lyrics are often simplistic, and his theology is questionable for Catholics. (It should be noted that Mr. Haugen belongs to the United Church of Christ. This explains a lot.)

Here's a challenge to my fellow bloggers: can you give me at least one or more decent efforts by Haugen, Haas, Joncas, the St. Louis Jesuits, or others of their ilk?

I'll start:

Marty Haugen: I like his melody for "We Walk By Faith". Also "Your Love is Finer than Life", a very nice setting of Psalm 63.

David Haas: "We Are His People", a setting of Psalm 100, is decent.

Michael Joncas: The Alleluia from "Praise His Name".

John Foley: "May We Praise You" is as close to "traditional" as his group will get. And I've always loved "Take, Lord, Receive", although it is more appropriate as a choir piece.

The St. Louis Jesuits: Their Christmas album Gentle Night has a few good pieces on it, especially "Who Has Known" (which is meant to be a choir piece).

Any others?

2006-03-08T18:46:00.000-06:00

What Makes A Catholic (redux)

I've posted on this before, but recent comments on The Cafeteria is Closed has got me thinking about "liberal" vs. "conservative" again. Talmida's comment, to be specific.

Talmida's comments in italics, mine in standard script:

If you are a conservative, then you want to conserve something. You want to maintain the status quo, defend the existing church. That makes conservatives reactionary - -and oh! there is so much out there to react to!

Some conservatives could be called reactionary on all things. I would contend that most conservatives are cautious and/or skeptical of change -- you have to prove why something is better.

I think that's why conservatives blog more -- there are just so many things out there to fight.

I concede the point here...

A liberal favours change. He looks forward to how he can improve the situation instead of how to maintain it. He may not like the new, but its very newness equates with change and gives it value.

The question is this, however: is it change for change's sake, or a real improvement? The Church has always accepted change when it has proven to be conducive to her mission. Mendicant friars, active orders like the Jesuits, and non-cloistered women religious were all radical ideas once. The Gothic cathedrals were startling and avant-garde when they first were built. Even the use of Vulgar Latin in the liturgy was cutting-edge. Did all of these concepts meet up with resistance, for a variety of reasons? Yes. Did it sometimes take centuries for changes to be accepted? Yes. But they were accepted and embraced, because they proved helpful to the Church's mission, and did not conflict with her doctrine in any way.

There is also a fascination with "progress" and "evolving", which seems to turn into a journey without a destination in sight. The parameters always shift; the means to the goal are always altered; and the goal itself may alter significantly.

Of course neither the conservative or the liberal as I have defined them is particulary christian in his behaviour -- I expect our Lord was a bit of both. Conserve what works, change what doesn't.

I would say our Lord was in the center, since He is the Center of all things.

And of course, as you point out in your Canadian piece, most of us liberals are out there doing social(ist) activism.

This leads me to a critique of one of Talmida's comments in the Creative Fidelity post:

If you receive the sacraments, and you're in full communion, and obedient to your own bishops, and you take seriously what the Gospels say in Matthew 25:42-46, so you spend the rest of your time caring for the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the sick, the imprisoned, the stranger...

Does that make you a socialist? or a fundamentalist? or just a Christian? Is it more important to be orthodox, or orthoprax?

I'll answer as I did in the combox: you can't have true orthodoxy without true orthopraxy, and vice-versa.

You must hold the truths of the Creed as traditionally understood. You must adhere to the teachings on sexuality. You must have a reverent Liturgy which sticks to the rubrics and doesn't play fast and loose. All of these things are important.

But you must also remember that the Four Sins which Cry to Heaven for Vengeance include oppressing the poor and cheating the worker of his rightful wage. You must practice the Corporal Works of Mercy as your ability allows. You must reach out to the less fortunate among us. All of these things are equally important.

The point is this: you have to do it all to be fully Catholic. No additions, subtractions, or convenient alterations of any kind.

And if a nation takes it upon itself to care for its sick and its poor -- does that make the nation a Christian nation? or Marxist?

Seriously, how do you distinguish one from the other?

My question is: How does the nation (here I also mean the people and the culture, and not just the government) take it upon itself to care for its sick and its poor? Does the nation leave it entirely to government agencies, which can create (and has created) a cycle of dependency and a sense of entitlement? Does it leave important decisions entirely to bureaucrats, even if the decisions are completely divorced from reality?

Conversely, does the nation leave things entirely to a virtueless capitalism, which can place (and has placed) necessities out of the reach of the poor and working-class? Does it treat the working poor with contempt, saying that they deserve to be where they are? Does it lay off workers and outsource their jobs in the name of efficiency? Does it allow virtual monopolies to be created, leaving people with no real choice?

And most importantly, does a nation make it easy to be good? Does it encourage stable family structures, with a father and mother? Does it allow for a one-income household to provide all necessities? Does it promote virtue?

More on this tomorrow, as it's very late now, and I need to go to bed...

2006-03-06T06:04:00.000-06:00

She's Got the Hang of this Catholic Thing...

Check out the Lenten reflections written by my wife. Good, solid stuff from someone who's been Catholic for less than a year.

2006-03-04T14:44:00.000-06:00

What Should A Church Look Like?

I've seen lots of posts lately on churches: the good old ones, the horrid new ones, and the wreckovated ones. But I don't think anyone has addressed the good new churches, nor the 60's and 70's atrocities which have be remolded into something decent.

Let's have a look at two of the best churches of recent years:

St. Aloysius, New Canaan, CT

This church was built in the mid-60's, when a lot of bland concrete monstrosities were being erected. And this one was blander than usual.

Screened-off choir loft overhanging the sanctuary. Exits flanking same. And the colors? Let's just say that even if there was a color photo available, you wouldn't notice much of a difference.

In the early 90's, the parish hired Henry Hardinge Menzies to renovate their church. This is how it looks now:

Color. Beauty. A centrally located tabernacle, which is situated between the sanctuary and a smaller chapel. A place worthy to be the Lord's temple.

Holy Spirit, Atlanta, GA

Would you believe this was built in the mid-90's?

A beautifully appointed sanctuary.

View from the sanctuary, towards the choir loft.

The tabernacle.

The baptismal font, situated in its own chapel.

Traditionally-styled confessionals.

The pastors of these churches had a choice. They could either build a "worship space", or they could make something beautiful. Thank God they chose the latter. I believe this will be the trend in forthcoming years, as the younger generation of priests takes over.

2006-03-03T09:38:00.000-06:00

Twist of Fate

Yesterday afternoon got interesting really quickly.

Amy twisted her ankle at work while pushing a mail cart. She didn't trip or slip on anything; her ankle just gave way. Lenten regimen went out the window as I made my way to the emergency room to join her, then help her get up the stairs to her apartment.

So now I'm unexpectedly at home, Amy's gorked out on painkillers, and I'll be picking up my Lenten prayer regimen at midday. I also apologize for not getting the Prayer Network blog up last night...

2006-03-01T21:38:00.000-06:00

What I'm Doing for Lent

Today I began my Lenten routine:

Prayer

-- I've resumed praying the Liturgy of the Hours. Office of Readings and Morning Prayer after rising, Midmorning Prayer on my 10:30 break. Midday Prayer after lunch, Midafternoon Prayer at my 2:00 break, Evening Prayer on the busride from work, and Night Prayer before bedtime. After Easter, I'll simply pray Daytime Prayer in the afternoon instead of the full complement, but all else will remain the same.

-- Friday 5 pm Mass at St. Florian's. It's handy to Amy's workplace, and I can get there easily by bus. I think I'll pray the Stations and Evening Prayer there beforehand.

Mortifications

-- A very simplified menu for us. The only red meat we'll eat will be a bit of bacon or ham with Sunday breakfast, and corned beef on or around St. Patrick's Day. Otherwise, it's pasta on Mondays, egg dishes on Tuesday, soup (chicken or vegetarian) on Wedensday, fish on Thursday, pulse and grain on Friday, and either poultry or fancy seafood on Saturday evening. Sunday will be determined by our parents' choice for dinner.

-- No eating between meals. Lots of water and cups of tea.

-- More exercise. I look like I'm about to give birth to triplets. I need to do something about that.

Reading

I'm starting with Poustinia by Catherine de Hueck Doherty. I don't know what I'll do after that.

2006-02-27T19:45:00.000-06:00

Appeal for Lent

I'd like all of you in St. Blog's and beyond to make a daily visit to the St. Blog's Prayer Network. Read. Pray. Contribute your prayer requests. Blogroll it, if you so desire. Even if you don't visit any other blog during Lent, please make an exception for this one. I'd rather get thousands of hits for the Prayer Network than one for Improvised.

Thanks, and God bless you!

2006-02-21T21:27:00.000-06:00

Comrade McGee

Milwaukee alderman Michael McGee Jr. has sent a letter to Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez. His letter in italics, my take in normal lettering:

Fellow Revolutionary:

I am writing to first congratulate you on a job well done. I am proud to know that The Revolution is still alive and strong.

Apparently Mr. McGee approves of election fraud, stifling dissenters, and keeping power by any means..."a job well done" that has been emulated here in Milwaukee by means of election fraud (false addresses, questionable practices at the polls), stifling Republicans (raiding their HQ, slashing tires on buses), and keeping power by any means (although in fairness I can't tie McGee to County Board Chairman Lee Holloway).

Recently, a group of Afrikans in America...

"Afrikans"?

...led by the Honorable Harry Belafonte...

a has-been who hasn't been taken seriously in decades...

...visited you in Caracas. When Mr. Belafonte exclaimed that President George Bush is a terrorist, and that millions of Americans support the Bolivian Revolution, he was not bluffing.

To be honest, I don't think millions of Americans know or even care about the Bolivian Revolution (although they should).

I, like you come from a strong, Revolutionary, political and social family.

McGee's father is a former alderman and talk show host whose daily rants are more racist than anything you'll ever find from Rush Limbaugh.

I currently am a City Councilman in the City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I represent one of the most economically depressed areas of the city. Government policy has for decades, given special privilege to corporations over the struggling impoverished citizens of Milwaukee.

Not to mention all those social programs which have only exacerbated their poverty and broken up their families and communities. And the various agencies which take money meant to help the poor and spend it on themselves...

Here's the thing: yes, there was blatant racism in the early 1960's. And things had to change. But you also had stable black families with two parents, stable black neighborhoods with an increasing percentage of homeowners, and schools which educated children. It seems that the African-American community won the battle, but lost the war.

The disenfranchised citizens that I represent...

Disenfranchised? Mr. McGee, they voted you into office! Then again, so long as you're in office, they might as well be disenfranchised...

...experience poverty;

Mr. McGee, you're their alderman. What have you been doing to reduce crime, encourage small businesses, and ensure that children get a quality education in a safe environment? Surely there's something more you can do than just complaining about racism, vague "Respekt" campaigns, and wearing a "Stop Snitchin'" T-shirt? Wait...that would mean working hard at your job.

the dissolution of family;

AFAIK, Mr. McGee has been silent about how to resolve this issue. Suggesting that young people wait until marriage (or at least adulthood) to have sex and have children may be a rather unpopular. Or what about the grand idea of young men behaving like real men? You know, getting a good education, finding a job, getting into a stable relationship with the right woman and marrying her, being a strong father... But again, that might be a very unpopular position.

and the reverberating effects of United States neo-colonialism and expansion every day.

So kids having kids, people killing each other over trivial things, young punks roaming the streets and preying on elderly (and black) people, and the nihilism of gangsta "culture" -- IT'S ALL BUSH'S FAULT!!!

Milwaukee has one of the highest unemployment rates for Black and Latino men (59%), as well as increasingly high rates of murder; drop out rates, and drug dependency in the United States.

Again, I ask Mr. McGee: what have you done to help alleviate these problems? You're their alderman. You're supposed to be in a position to help.

As we approach the celebration of Black History Month in the United States,

I wonder what Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, Charles Drew, and Dr. King would think of what has happened to their people...

I am asking for your support and unity as we are both oppressed brethren of the same corrupt system- white supremacy, and European imperialistic hegemony.

"Oppressed"? Let's see...one is a freely elected local official, and the other is a career military officer and President of a good sized country. How is that "oppressed", exactly?

Similar to the oppressed people of Venezuela; Black People have made significant contributions by way of inventions and free slave labor that make Western culture, and imperial expansion the economic success it is today.

Inventions...I don't think that the innovations of Elijah McCoy, George Washington Carver, and Charles Drew were meant to foment Western imperial expansion. I do believe they were meant to help make people's lives better, regardless of their race.

And as far as "free slave labor" goes, perhaps Mr. McGee ought to focus his interest on what's going on in the Sudan right now.

We must unite and we must be compensated!

Compensated for events that took place nearly 150 years ago? If that's the case, I should be asking compensation from Russia and Germany for oppressing my Polish ancestors...or maybe I can follow my ancestors' example by building a better life for myself and leaving all that oppression behind...

We will be working diligently with your Honorable Ambassador, Mr. Bernardo Herrara and Consular General,Martin Sanchez regarding forming a Sister City relationship between Milwaukee and Caracas in the near future.

Now we have the solution to Milwaukee's problems! A "sister-city relationship"! It might not improve education, create new jobs, reduce crime, and solidify families, but hey, you can't have everything!

I close by repeating a pledge that Simon Bolivar made on the slopes of Monte Sacro in Rome in 1805, words every Revolutionary should live by, “I swear before you, and I swear before the God of my fathers, that I will not allow my arm to relax, nor my soul to rest, until I have broken the chains that oppress us…”

I wonder if Mr. McGee knows much about Simon Bolivar, and how much the liberator of South America had in common with all those "dead white European males"...

2006-02-19T08:29:00.000-06:00

The Blog Ate My Post...

I'm trying to figure out what happened to my "I'm So Lonely I could Cry" entry. I know I didn't delete it...

2006-02-18T22:04:00.000-06:00

Not Crying Yet....

...but it's very quiet and very lonely right now.

Lyle asked for a raincheck on dinner. He takes the bus as well, and had been out earlier. So I went on my own to Han Kuk Kwan. The bulgolgi was excellent, as were the banchan (side dishes) of cabbage kimchi, radish kimchi, spinach drizzled with sesame oil, and tofu. I finished with barley tea (first time I've drunk it in years) and mochi ice cream. Then I went home.

So quiet here...normally Amy is watching TV or on the computer. I'll be reading something or watching TV with her, or thinking about hitting the hay. But tonight it's just me, blogging away, not in a mood to read (tried it) or play computer games (tried that too), or do anything, really. I'm just waiting for my Beloved to come back home tomorrow.

Speaking of which, she's enjoying herself mightily. She called me around 9 pm. The gang was head to a movie. She hopes to be home tomorrow around 2 pm. We'll go to Mass together, have a nice dinner, and get ready for the workweek. Then to bed, next to my wife, warm and comfortable and grateful to have her back with me...

2006-02-14T19:54:00.000-06:00

Valentine's Day 2006

This is my first as a married man. It's wonderful.

In my pre-Amy days, I had two different ways of keeping the holiday. If I wasn't dating someone at the time, I'd do nothing in particular (naturally). If I was dating somebody, there'd be dinner, flowers (not red roses), and maybe a movie.

Then my One True Love came along. Our first Valentine's Day weekend was celebrated in a rather unique fashion. We spent Friday evening and all day Saturday bailing out the mess my psychotic ex-roommate made of my apartment. We filled sixteen trash bags. Her (the ex-roomie's) former room required gloves to pick up some of the trash. While I worked at ComedySportz, Amy spent Saturday evening washing lots of nasty dishes and cleaning out a refrigerator in which life had evolved to the point of launching miniature nuclear missiles. Truly she performed an heroic act of love that first time.

Last year was more conventional. I took her to dinner at a top-notch restaurant, got cards and flowers, and talked of the Wedding Plans (capitalized because they were all-consuming).

And this time, newlywed and childless, we stretched the celebration out over the weekend. Friday was flowers, dinner at an Asian restaurant, and a movie. Saturday was archery practice and a nice evening home. Sunday was Mass and an excellent brunch. Yesterday was low-key. Today she gave me a sweater and two very nice cards, and a sweater. And the day is not yet over...

Thank God for my wife, a wonderful woman whom I love like no one else alive....

2006-02-09T21:49:00.000-06:00

0 Dead, 1 Lightly Wounded

Such were the casualties after my first archery lesson Wedensday night. I didn't kill anyone, and the instructor allowed the bowstring to hit his arm during a demonstration (the welt was impressive).

Why did I decide to take up archery this late in life? Because I wanted to. Simple as that. I've always wanted to try it, and I decided now was as good a time as any.

However, I was glad Amy decided to take lessons with me, since all the other students were children (more adults will be joining us next lesson). One young lady of about 9 years was barely bigger than her bow.

The instructor mostly talked and demonstrated during the bulk of the 90-minute session. We went over terminology, safety, and technique. He also determined our drawing side (it has to do with the dominant eye rather than handedness), and got us into the proper stance.

And then...I fit an arrow to the string. I held the nock, index finger above, middle and ring fingers below, thumb and pinky joined. I drew back the string, and let fly.

It was beautiful.

No, I didn't hit the target. But I'll get there. Today (Saturday) I'll be going to the range for an hour's practice.

2006-02-02T21:31:00.000-06:00

About School Choice Part II

I was going to write a more detailed entry about school choice, arguments against it, and refutations of those arguments; but others (including my wife) have covered it better than I can. Please do read them, especially Amy's comments on Fraley's Dailytakes.

I'll focus on three other agruments against school choice:

If other places can't have it, Milwaukee shouldn't have it either.

I've heard something to this effect within my own family. My niece, after moving to Milwaukee, was enrolled at St. Augustine Grade School. She's very bright, and got excellent grades. However, her mother (and grandparents) could not afford either Pius XI or Thomas More. And since she lived in West Allis, she didn't qualify for choice or other financial aid. Therefore, there is some resentment that Milwaukee students can get this opportunity, but others can't

Two replies to this:

1) The solution is not to take it away from one place because others don't have it; but rather to universalize it, so that any family in need can take advantage of it. There are a lot of poor and working-class families in West Allis, Cudahy, Greenfield, and West Milwaukee who could use this opportunity. Granted, the school systems are not anywhere as messed up as MPS, but the choice should still be available.

2) Milwaukee's situation is dire. None of the suburban schools have anything close to MPS's problems. It makes sense that the program begins first where the need is greatest, and grow from there.

The parochial schools impose their religion on the children.

Yes. People actually use this argument.

1) Parents are usually fully aware of a school's religious heritage; and if they're not, they find out soon enough. If they're OK with it, they enroll their children there. If not, they don't. When they do choose to enroll their children in a religious school, they understand that there will be concepts, customs, and rituals particular to that religion. For example, if a Gentile were to enroll his child in a Yeshiva, he would know that the school would spend half the day on Torah studies, and that he shouldn't make a ham and cheese sandwich for lunch. If a Protestant parent chooses a Catholic school, he would know that his child might be taught about the Immacualte Conception, Purgatory, and papal infallibility; and also have to go to Mass on certain days.

2) It is also quite possible that parents enroll their children in religious schools because they want a religious environment, even if they're not part of that faith. Radical concept, isn't it?

3) Parents are also free to help form schools according to their own beliefs. Several Protestant churches have done so, as has the Islamic community.

4) This is not an issue in the mostly Latino and Catholic South Side, where most of the choice schools are Catholic.

Accepting government money means that the government will interfere more, especially in religious schools.

I must admit: this one has some validity.

The present system allows sectarian schools to keep and assert their identities. However, if school choice becomes the norm, it is a very real possibility that they could be pressured into downplaying or suppressing their beliefs, either for fear of offending someone, or even out of hatred of those beliefs.

This has happened in Canada, which funds both state and religious schools. A few years ago, at a Catholic high school, a gay student sued for the right to bring his partner to the prom, and won. The judge even forbade the school to cancel the prom. Apparently, the right of the student to violate Catholic teaching trumped his school's right to uphold it.

And I can imagine the same thing happening here. Religious schools may be told to implement sex-education programs which run contrary to their beliefs, or else lose their funding. They may be required to hire and benefit teachers who have chosen an unacceptable "lifestyle" of either orientation. Religious instruction will be watered down, or else dropped altogether. The schools will be Catholic, Lutheran, or Evangelical in name only, a meaningless appellation.

Some Catholic schools have already done some or all of the above, either because of the large presence of non-Catholics, or because they no longer consider authentic Catholicism to be important. Those schools which hold dear their beliefs will be faced with a choice: either give in and give up their reason for being, or drop out and face a drop in enrollment.

I've been assured that none of this will happen soon, but I'm still not too sure. Even a provision safeguarding the right of a school to assert and maintain its beliefs can be thrown out or, even worse, "re-interpreted" by a court or the DPI. It is my hope and prayer that faith-based schools will continue to be allowed to operate according to their core beliefs.

2006-02-01T20:07:00.000-06:00

About School Choice

We're in the midst of Catholic Schools Week. By now, most of the kids and teachers have attended the Special Mass, made all sorts of posters, and maybe they'll be holding some Open Houses -- the usual drill.

Here in the Milwaukee area, we've got contrasting trends.

My old grade school, St. Augustine's in West Allis, is no more. The parish is small and graying, and the costs were too much. Now there's Mary, Queen of Saints Academy. Eight parishes, two campuses, and about 500 students K4-8. That's less than a third of the students enrolled in West Allis Catholic schools in 1983 (when I graduated).

Meanwhile, certain schools in the City of Milwaukee are thriving. On the largely Latino South Side, St. Anthony's School requires two campuses as well, but they have 850 students. Neighboring St. Adalbert's now has over 400. Prince of Peace is also doing very well for itself.

On the most African-American North Side, St. Leo's Catholic Urban Academy has outlasted its parish namesake (closed 1994) . St. Rose's serves a mix of different ethnicities, and Messmer High School, left for dead by Archbishop Weakland in 1984, has not only flourished, but now operates its own elementary school.

What makes these school thrive?

Commitment from parents, certainly. A dedicated staff teaching an excellent curriculum also helps. And motivated children are also an important factor.

Most importantly, the parents were able to choose these schools for their children with the help of vouchers. Instead of the academic, social, and moral mess that is the Milwaukee Public School System, these working-class, mostly minority families are able to give their children a chance to succeed in a disciplined and demanding environment. The bright students are challenged; the students who need help get it; and most go on to better things.

Unfortunately, there are only so many spots available. As part of a compromise, an arbitrary cap was placed on the number of eligible children. You see, the public school machine doesn't like this, since it takes children away from them. So they have done everything in their power to restrict and constrict this program.

And now it could get worse.

Governor Jim Doyle is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Teacher's Union (among other groups, but that's fodder for another entry). He and the GOP-dominated Legislature could not agree to eliminate or raise the cap. So now these spots must be rationed, which means thousands of children would be taken out of their schools and thrown into the maelstrom that is MPS. A good number of schools would become unsustainable, and be forced to close. The hard work of 15 years would be undone.

Please pray for the Milwaukee Catholic Schools. And if you can find it in your heart, pray also for the fine Lutheran, COGIC, and nonsectarian schools which will also be affected by this unjust policy.

Gotta go work on the More Important Blog. If I have time tomorrow, I'll write more about school choice, objections raised to it, and answers to those objections.

2006-01-29T21:58:00.000-06:00

About St. Blog's Prayer Network

Many of you may or may not know that my wife and I have another blog, which is our small way of serving our "virtual parish". Please visit it, pray for the intentions posted, and, if you so desire, send in your own intentions. Thank you!

2006-01-29T14:18:00.000-06:00

Guilty Pleasures Meme

Got this from the Catholic Cavemen...

Music: Styx, Def Leppard, and Sammy-Hagar era Van Halen. Look, I grew up in the early 80's. That makes the first two excusable. Most people have trouble with the third...

Movies: The first Police Academy and the first Revenge of the Nerds. Never the sequels, however.

Politics: Following the foibles of school boards. Idealogues, petty power-hungry pencilnecks, unthinking zero-tolerance, and criminal obstinancy...it's all fascinating.

Church-related: I like the Gloria from David Haas' Mass of Light. I know I shouldn't...*sob*.

Chow: Little Debbie snack cakes. I also like kim chee. Ask my wife about the latter.

Clothing: Buying everything in greys and blacks (Amy's trying to change that...)

Hygienic: Searching for zits in the oddest places (I'm not saying where, mind you -- I'll leave that to your imagination) , and having an odd sense of satisfaction when they blow.

OK...Wife and Jeff...you're tagged.

2006-01-24T17:27:00.000-06:00

Some Are More Equal Than Others...

Full article linked above.

Four suburban teenagers have been charged with felony hate crimes, accused of shouting slurs at a gay University of Wisconsin-Madison student and vandalizing his property, authorities said Monday.

No one was injured in the early morning altercation in Ogg Residence Hall on Dec. 21, and property damage was limited to torn photographs and posters promoting a campus center for lesbians, gays and others.

But the nature of the attack and the fact that it was directed at a student based on his sexual orientation prompted Dane County, Wis., prosecutors to elevate misdemeanor disorderly conduct and criminal damage to property charges to felony hate crimes.

The men are accused of gathering outside the dorm room of a male student who is one of two gay and lesbian liaisons for the university's housing system and shouting anti-gay slurs and expletives.

Someone also tore down photographs of homosexual couples and posters promoting the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Campus Center that were outside the room. Someone also spat on his door and wrote an anti-gay statement in marker on a bulletin board outside the room.

The student chased three men to another floor of the dorm, but they refused to give him their names, police said. He called police about 10 hours after the incident, police said.

The culprits deserve disciplinary action from the University and a citation for disorderly conduct. But to turn this into a felony ?

Let's play a little game of Let's Pretend...

I'm an outspoken Catholic who has a poster on my door which proclaims my faith. I've also got posters about the Newman Center posted all over the dorm. One night, a group of drunken yahoos rip down these posters, write "I hate f***ing cookie-worshippers" on a message board, and yell all sorts of imprecations at me. I'm shaken up, and call the police.

What are the chances of the culprits being charged with a hate crime?

Slim and none. Because I'm not a privileged class.

In fact, I bet there'd be a good chance that nothing at all would be done, and I might be told that I was "asking for it".

Hate crime enhancers are wrong for two reasons:

1) They are never applied equally. If you assault or harass someone because they're gay or a minority, you will get charged. If the victim is conservative, a Christian, or a member of some other politically-incorrect group, you might be allowed to plea-bargain , or get a semi-stern lecture, or have nothing done to you.

2) Even if they would be applied equally, they are still wrong because they criminalize thought and opinion instead of the act itself. Rape and murder and other violent crimes need no enhancement, since they are hate crimes in and of themselves. Anything else will be subjectively judged, and you end up with unequal application.

What should be done with these four young fools? Punish them for what they did, and not why they did it. Give them a good lesson on why it isn't a good idea to get drunk and be idiots, but don't ruin their lives with a felony conviction.

What should be done with the hate-crime law? Repeal it, as soon as possible. And enforce the laws already in the books.

2006-01-04T19:26:00.000-06:00

What Makes A Catholic?

Hope everybody had a merry Christmas and happy New Year...

I'm reading through the discussion on Amy Welborn's blog about what makes a Catholic "liberal" or "conservative". I learned quite a while ago not to identify as either, preferring the term "merely Catholic".

What does this mean?

-- It means a distraction-free, faithfully celebrated Mass, without gimmickry, in either Latin or English, current or Tridentine (or any other legitimate rite) .

-- It means that soup kitchens and crisis pregnancy centers are both excellent and necessary things, and one should not eclipse the other.

-- It means adhering to everything in the Cathechism.

-- It means that each person has a different path within the parameters set by the Church. One might prefer rosaries and novenas; another might pray better with the daily Liturgy of the Hours. Some might be called to teach religious education classes; others are better suited for social outreach. And one has a plethora of different spiritualities: Benedictine, Franciscan, Dominican, Carmelite, Ignatian...each different, but equally good.

-- It means the salvation of your soul.

Any other ideas on this theme?

2005-12-23T13:04:00.000-06:00

Christmas Meme

Decided to do this ahead of the meme...

1. Hot chocolate or apple cider? Hot chocolate.

2. Turkey or Ham? Ham.

3. Do you get a Fake or Real you cut it yourself Christmas tree? Fake.

4. Decorations on the outside of your house?No, alas. If we could. my wife would light up the whole apartment building.

5. Snowball fights or sledding? Snowball fights. And giving Amy "facewashes".

6. Do you enjoy going downtown shopping? Since I work there, it's no big deal.

7. Favorite Christmas song? Three of them: The Wexford Carol; Wassail, Wassail; and The Star Carol, set to an Appalaichian tune.

8. How do you feel about Christmas movies? Depends on the movie. I love A Christmas Carol with George C. Scott as Scrooge.

9. When is it too early to start listening to Christmas music? Any time before December.

10. Stockings before or after presents? Always on December 6.

11. Carolers, do you or do you not watch and listen to them? Sometimes.

12. Go to someone else's house or they come to you? Christmas Eve at my parents', then to my wife's uncle's house; then Christmas morning at the in-laws', then the evening back at my parents'.

13. Do you read the Christmas Story? No, alas. But I think we'll do that with our kids (when they come along).

14. What do you do after presents and dinner? Try to digest. Talk a lot. Drink alcohol (in moderation).

15. What is your favorite holiday smell? All the fine foods of the day.

16. Ice skating or walking around the mall? Here in Milwaukee, we go view the decorations on "Candy Cane Lane".

17. Do you open a present or presents on Christmas Eve, or wait until Christmas day? Both. Each family has a different tradition.

18. Favorite Christmas memory? Midnight Mass at St. Anthony's in the 1990's.

19. Favorite Part about winter? The brisk! refreshing! invigorating! temperatures (my wife thinks I'm nuts).

20. Ever been kissed under mistletoe? Lots of times. Sometimes involuntarily.

OK....wife and Mark...your turns.

2005-12-19T20:41:00.000-06:00

I was a Vatican II child (Part I)...

I was born in October 1969, a little less than four years after the close of the Second Vatican Council.

My memories...

I grew up at St. Augustine's in West Allis, a small Croatian parish of several hundred families and a small school. The Masses celebrated there were conventional for the time, with occasional fits of folk music, burlap banners, and cutesy kids' stuff. There were regular trips to the confessional, recitations of the Rosary, and an annual Eucharistic Day, with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Benediction. But no Latin. Everything was in English. I didn't even know what Latin looked like.

Still, there were reminders of days gone by. The old altar was still in the sanctuary, now used to reserve the Blessed Sacrament in its tabernacle. Until 1978, there was a faux-marble communion rail and two wooden side altars (the sanctuary altars were stone). We sometimes used the old Baltimore Catechism in our classes, which showed the priest saying Mass with his back to the people, in a chasuble with decorations different from the modern polyester ponchos currently worn.

And then I discovered my mother's old missal and prayerbooks. The Mass looked different, and it was in a different language. The priest looked different in some of the pictures, wearing a chasuble that looked like a sandwich board.

What had happened?

2005-12-19T20:01:00.000-06:00

Remembering Roger

Amy and I will be attending a funeral Wedensday.

Roger Huebner, a man who could produce a plethora of sound effects with nothing but his mouth and a microphone, died Friday night at ComedySportz. He was found slumped over in his chair about 90 minutes before the show was to begin, a victim of either a massive heart attack or a brain hemorrhage. He had suffered two strokes in the last five years, but had always returned to do what he loved best.

What do I remember of him? I remember a shy, otherwise quiet gentleman, with the quirky sense of humor needed for a place like CSz. I remember his artwork, including Howie, the CSz mascot. Most of all, I remember his regular role in the shows, accenting the players' actions with hundreds of sounds.

I will miss him. May he rest in peace, and may I meet him again in a place of perpetual mirth, in which every sound is a part of one great Symphony.

2005-12-11T20:39:00.000-06:00

Lo, how the mighty have fallen... (and rise a little)

I'm listening to the Packer-Lions game right now...down 13-10 right now...

So what happened to my beloved Pack this year?

Injuries. Javon Walker, several running backs (although Samkon Gado is working out nicely), and others from time to time. A team discovers its true depth when that many players get knocked out. A few years ago, the Packers were able to fill in gaps fairly well. Now there is no depth. And some of that may be blamed on...

Mike Sherman's tenure as General Manager. Sherman's draft picks and free agent signings have not panned out.

Turnovers. This has been a big, big problem. Green Bay could easily be 9-3 if just one turnover had been avoided.

Offensive Line. Brett Favre was able to do quite a bit because of an above-average line with two Pro Bowl guards protecting him. Those guards are gone now, and the replacements have not been anywhere near the same quality. So the number of sacks allowed is up, the number of penalties is up, and the run blocking has been subpar for much of the season.

Brett Favre. He's trying to do more with less, but he can't turn a game around by himself, like he used to do. What would have been a gamewinning play just a few years ago is now an incompletion, or an interception. And his age is showing. I'm not saying that he should hang up his spikes now, but the Packers have to find someone other than Aaron Rogers.

UPDATE: tied 13-13.

UPDATE: They've won in overtime. Very nicely done, although I'm sure a fellow blogger will have something to say about Shaun Rogers' costly penalty and the Lions in general...

2005-12-08T17:09:00.000-06:00

Imposing Morality in Massachusetts

This isn't about "choice" or "access". This is about sticking it to the Church.

I wonder if this could be challenged in Federal court?

2005-12-05T18:49:00.000-06:00

Keeping The Family Catholic

Amy and I had completed our evening with the lighting of the Advent wreath, and now we were settled in for the night, snuggling under eight layers of blankets (which is what happens when the radiators aren't working properly). My wife and I always talk before we fall asleep: sometimes about the day's events, sometimes about each other, and sometimes we get into a discussion (the good kind, not the sort which would exile me to the living room couch or the roof). This time, we were in the latter mode...

"Why are you the only practicing Catholic out of the kids?" she asked. My two older sisters aren't practicing.

I thought about this for a bit. "They weren't big on organized religion, and made their own decision on the matter. Not much you can do once they're adults."

"How do we keep our children in the Faith?"

"Well...we'll make Sunday Mass a priority, pray together regularly, make sure they know their Faith...we have to set an example, of course..."

But what if it's not enough? I thought to myself.

My wife and I are committed to bringing up our children as Catholics. Nothing short of illness or emergency will be an excuse for missing Mass on Sundays and holy days. We will pray before meals, pray together regularly at other times, and keep seasonal rituals. We will be the first and foremost catechists, giving them the basics when little, then supplementing and reinforcing what they learn in school or religious ed class. The promises we make for them at the baptismal font will not be empty.

And yet...

There's only so much you can do. Even with all the above and more, our children may choose to fall away from the Faith. They might do it as twentysomething adults, or perhaps when they've gone off to college. Or maybe they'll rebel while still at home.

We talked about the last instance. Amy said that the "my house, my rules" principle applies, meaning that they'd still have to go to church and so forth. On the other hand, forcing a young adult to do those things might alienate them further. And you have to let them make and live by their own choices at some point.

So what do you do? Do the best you can, and pray a lot.

Still, I'd like to hear from all of you on how to keep the kids Catholic -- not just website referrals, but stories drawn from experience. How do you make the Faith an essential part of your children's lives? How do you keep them in, once they've hit adolescence and adulthood? How do you handle the difficult spots in their formation, whether it's conflicting data from school/Rel Ed, the Popular Culture, or some really good questions?

Please let us know. We 'd love to hear from you...

2005-11-28T20:08:00.000-06:00

Other Blogs to Consider

First of all, please do read and contribute to the St. Blog's Prayer Network. Besides the wedding plans taking up a lot of time, most of the email I've gotten for the site tends to be spam. You can change that. Read. Pray. Contribute.

I'd also like to plug my wife's blog. Politics (mostly conservative), current issues, whimsy, and a lot about Yours Truly, especially when I do something, like kiss her after eating kimchi, or calling her "my little iguana", or complain when she wants to coordinate the toilet paper with the rest of her bathroom scheme...

2005-11-27T19:53:00.000-06:00

People, Look East...

Favorite Advent hymns:

1) "People, Look East" -- A lovely hymn with vivid and unique imagery, calling upon us in turn to make ready for the Savior's coming.

2) "O Come, Divine Messiah" -- I've always liked the melody to this French carol.

3) "Conditor Alme Siderum/Creator of the Stars of Night" -- This venerable hymn speaks of the need for the Savior, Christ's coming, and his impending return to judge us, all set to a haunting melody.

What are your favorite Advent hymns, and why?

2005-11-25T15:09:00.000-06:00

Well, I'm Back....

It's been over two years since I've written on this site, but I believe it's about time I restart....

What have I been up to?

First of all, I'm now a married man. I met Amy Louise Seeger in the ComedySportz parking lot in September 2003. We fell in love, and on October 22, we wed. The extremely extensive planning and preparation for that event had taken up much of my time since Easter of '04, when we announced our engagement to our families.

I'd also fallen off blogging because of other personal concerns. My roommate, a person with lots of issues, became even more unmanageable. She screamed at me all the time, trashed the apartment, and flooded the apartment below when she tried to bleed a radiator on her own. She was duly thrown out, and Amy spent our first Valentine's Day cleaning up sixteen trash bags' worth of mess.

Following that, Amy had to have surgery for fibroid cysts. I spent the month of March at her house (she lived with her parents) help with her recuperation.

So it's been a long, strange trip since I've last blogged for myself....but here I am.

2003-10-07T22:12:00.000-05:00

I was going to retire from blogging...

I stare at a computer screen for hours on end anyway. I don't surf at work anymore -- too risky -- so I haven't been reading blogs, except for Mark Shea's. I can't say anything which hasn't been said better by someone else. I haven't even commented on the Packers games.

But the last two days have brought me back....

Rev. Dr. Stephen R. Wiest RIP

I got a nasty shock yesterday morning when I saw Steve's name among the obits. He had been battling non-Hodgkin's lymphoma for a few years, but the bone marrow transplant had apparently taken and he was in remission. What in Heaven's name had happened?

A mutual friend filled me in on the details. The cancer had returned, and was in his bones and liver. He went quickly, spending less than a week in the hospice before the Lord called him. That was a mercy.

The wake was held tonight at his congregation. Steve was dressed in cassock, surplicem and red stole. His biretta was by his head; a harmonica rested on a shelf in the lid; and his hands held an icon of his namesake. My eyes filled with tears as I looked down at him, and the memories came back.....

.....the first time I met him at the UW-Milwaukee student union, where he was playing a sweet, clear "Amazing Grace" on his harmonica.....

....the time I took him shopping for his first chasuble......

.....teaching him to burn incense properly......

....the fascinating discussions at his home.....

...his two young daughters and his very patient wife.....

....the retreats he conducted, and the friends I made from them....

....going out with the housefellow and another pastor friend for beer and theology...

...hearing about all the trouble he was in for his High Church ways, for which I bore part of the responsibility (not that he needed much persuasion)....

....hearing him refer to the Blessed Virgin Mary as "the Blessed Virgin Mary", and meaning it...

...Lending him books and seldom getting them back.....

....The coffeehouses in the basement of the LCMS Chapel, with some of the best harmonica I've ever heard...

...rejoicing when he took up graduate studies at Marquette, because more Papists would have the chance to corrupt him further...

...laughing when I heard that some of his students thought he was a conservtive Roman Catholic......

...emailing every monastic community with a Web presence when I heard about his illness...

As with any gathering of this nature, I saw people I hadn't seen in years. We shared memories, and even laughed about what Steve was up to now. "Be careful! He might be listening." "Why would he want to listen to us? Besides, he's probably lecturing somebody!" We also thought about how the Choirs of Angels are handling a blues harmonica accompaniment.

After the Vespers service, I came back to Steve's open coffin. "Rest easy, old man. I'll see you later." I patted his hand, hugged his widow, said goodbye to a few others and left.

Rest easy, Steve. I hope to meet you merrily in Heaven.

2003-09-14T12:20:00.000-05:00

Packers vs Lions

It remains to be seen if the Lions have truly improved, or if they were just the better of two bad teams last week. So far, it's Packers 7, Lions 0.

Update: Packers scored on their second possession. 14-0. Still only the first quarter, though....

Update: Special teams gaffe allowed the Lions to recover on the Packers 15, but they could only manage a field goal. 14-3.

Update: Packers answered back with a field goal. 17-3. Still a lot of game left....

Halftime: Favre threw an interception, and the Lions got a field goal out of it to make the score 17-6. Their defense has stepped up, and they're getting first possession for the second half. Let's hope the Packers don't blow this one...

Update: Packers intercepted the ball, got a touchdown from it -- a beautiful pass to Robert Ferguson. 24-6.

Update: A lovely interception and TD by Packers CB Al Harris makes it 31-6.

Final: 31-6 Packers. A good all-around effort.

I'd like to know what a certain Michigan blogger thinks......

2003-09-11T18:02:00.000-05:00

I Remember

I remember seeing the first bulletin online: "Plane crashes into World Trade Center". Must be a foggy day in New York, I thought. I prayed for the victims, and went back to my work.

I remember hearing about another plane crashing into the WTC, and realizing that this was no mere accident. And then the Pentagon, and then a field in Pennsylvania. And then the towers collapsing.

I remember work set aside and forgotten, no longer important, as we listened to radios and attempted to go online.

I remember comforting a coworker who broke down and cried.

I remember the evacuation of the building, as we were next door to the Federal Courthouse.

I remember going straight to Old St. Mary's for noon Mass, joining many others who filled the church.

I remember going home, turning on the TV, and watching BBC's panel discussion. It was all America's fault, they said. You sons of bitches, I thought.

I remember watching TV, watching the horrible footage, played on every channel, almost inescapable.

I remember calling ComedySportz, and letting them know that I wouldn't be at workshop that night, even if they didn't cancel it.

I remember hearing the first reports of what happened on Flight 93, and thanking God for the heroism of the passengers.

I remember going to bed that night with the same thought which had been in my head all day: Everything is different now.

Until my memory fails me, I will always remember September 11, 2001.

2003-09-07T17:48:00.000-05:00

A Small Consolation

The 49ers are busy trouncing the Bears. At least something's going right.......

2003-09-07T13:09:00.000-05:00

Packer Report

Got back from breakfast with Karen Marie, and now watching the Packer-Vikings game. Down 10-0 as of right now.....still a little less than 3 quarters to go.

Update: Pack's on the board. 10-3.

Update: Vikings just scored a TD. Incredible catch by Randy Moss helped them on their way -- caught it between two defenders. Even so, I have some real concerns about the Packers' defense. The middle has become very weak.

Halftime: The scream you just heard came from Brett Favre's third interception of the day, killing a hard-fought drive. Please excuse me while I start my Novena to St. Vincent the Motivator and St. Ray Nitschke, Hammer of Heretics.....I mean, Bears and Vikings.........

Update: 28-11. Need to score some more.....

Update: Donald Driver was carted off the field with a neck injury. Regardless of your fan affiliation, please pray for him.

Final: Vikings 30, Packers 25. Ferguson gone, too. Driver may be OK. At any rate, not a good start to the Packers season.

2003-09-06T16:41:00.000-05:00

Returned

Haven't had time or inclination to blog the last month. And sneaking into other people's sites during worktime is definitely verboten now, so I haven't kept up with the blogospere much, aside from Mark Shea's site. Will try to keep things up as often as possible now.....

2003-08-11T05:35:00.000-05:00

Kept Busy All Week.....

.....I'll keep up my list of "safe parishes" as time permits. In the meantime, I am performing tonight at ComedySportz, along with my fellow workshoppers. We're doing some very ambitious stuff this time, and could either succeed gloriously or fail miserably. Wanna find out how we do? Come on over! It's only $2 in advance, $3 at the door. Call (414) 272-8888 for more info. Website has a map for directions. Bring a friend, and some rotten fruit if you'd like.....

2003-08-05T19:01:00.000-05:00

For Those Episcopalians Looking to Swim the Tiber.....

....here are some parishes where you can get the Full Catholic Experience.....

Our Lady of the Atonement in San Antonio, or any of the other Anglican Use parishes.

Any of the Indult Latin Mass parishes and communities.

Just about anywhere in the Diocese of Lincoln, NE.

St. Anthony's in Milwaukee.

St. James in Kenosha, WI.

St. Agnes in St. Paul.

St. John Cantius in Chicago.

St. Thomas More in Chicago.

St. Mary of the Angels in Chicago.

St. Peter in Volo, IL.

St. John Vianney in Northlake, IL.

Assumption Grotto in Detroit.

Will have more later. Contributions are most welcome.

2003-08-03T16:14:00.000-05:00

From a bygone era....

Check out some of the used vestments sold here.

2003-08-03T14:42:00.000-05:00

If I were to reform a parish......

We've heard quite a bit over Fr. Perricone's new parish and the furor caused by the changes he made. While I think Fr. Perricone is right, he could have been a bit more diplomatic and gradual in implementing those changes. OTOH, he would have ticked off some people, no matter how he did things.

Here is something of a blueprint for a priest who wishes to bring a wayward parish back to something resembling orthodoxy. Two things should always be remembered, however: (1) Attitude is everything. The pastor should be gentle and civil, and should praise the good things being done. (2) There will always be somebody who is unhappy about something.

Immediate Changes (if needed)

--Ask the congregation to kneel throughout the Eucharistic Prayer. If there are no kneelers, make it optional for the time being and plan on purchasing kneelers.

--If the parish has more than one priest, make sure that at least one other priest is available to help with Communion.

--Follow proper procedure regarding Eucharistic Ministers. This means not having them receive simultaneously with the celebrant, or (even worse) receiving last. The pastor may also wish to reduce the number of EEM's for each Mass.

-- If the vessel for the hosts is not metal, replace it immediately. Also replace the communion cups as soon as possible.

-- No more of the Malotte version of the Our Father, or any others which omit the "Deliver us, Lord....".

-- If more than one priest resides at a parish, make sure Mass is offered daily -- no excuse for Communion Services!

--Make sure confession time is available weekly (I know of one pastor who did this immediately on assuming his duties).

--No gimmickry -- no sand-filled fonts during Lent, no Dancing Waters during Easter, no dancers at all.

--The Preparation of the Gifts is to go "by the book" -- again, no gimmickry, such as the giftbearers lifting up the bread and wine and placing it on the altar.

--If the altar is "off-center", it gets moved to the center axis.

--If the bread used for Mass is illicit or doubtful, it will no longer be used.

--Certain music may no longer be used, such as "Sing a New Church".

--No more fits of greeting each other or lineup announcements before Mass. The only exception to this is when the celebrant is particularly important, for some reason (new priest, missionary, bishop, etc.).

Gradual Changes

--If the vestments, paraments (altar and lectern hangings), and sanctuary furnishings are of an inferior and/or faddish nature, repace them as finances allow.

--More chant and traditional hymns should be introduced over time. By Flowing Waters is an excellent resource for this.

--More Latin than just Taize. Explain the wherefores and whys to the congregation beforehand.

-- Make the choral Mass more solemn, with multiple servers, incense, and chant.

--If possible, make the earliest Mass more simple, with no music and a minimum of Eucharistic Ministers (if, indeed, they are needed at all).

-- If there is a "Director of Liturgy" separate from the Music Director, do not renew the contract and abolish the position.

-- The Music Director may have to be replaced as well, if he or she is not enthused about the new regime.

--If there are too many female altar servers, institute a quota policy to get some equality in numbers.

--If possible, move the tabernacle back to behind the altar.

--A Corpus Christi procession shouldbe organized and made into a tradition.

--Eucharistic Adoration at a set time each week.

Things not to be changed

--Do not fire all the female altar servers. They are permitted now, and any pastor who would do that would create a lot of enemies.

--Communion under both kinds. It may be done for only one Mass, or done away with for the earliest Mass, or administered as intinction, but it should not be done away with entirely.

Any other suggestions?

2003-08-03T10:53:00.000-05:00

State Fair

Had a good time at the Fair last Thursday. Visited the animal barns, which hadn't yet acquired their customary ripe aroma. Rode the sky lift -- Dad does not want to repeat that experience. Ate a venison burger and drank honey-flavored lemonade at the Agricultural Products Building, while Dad had his usual duck fajita. Ordered the traditional creampuffs to go this year.

And, of course, we visited the Exhibition Hall, with its variety of vendors and informational booths. It seems that there is at least one pickles-and-sausage vendor, one miracle-cleaner, and one cookware demo in each aisle. Scattered throughout are various causes and societies -- Free Thought (staffed by the glummest looking people you ever saw); Republicans, Libertarians, and Constitution Parties; Right to Life (they do a great job every year); the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (were I a man of ample means, I might rent the booth opposite and dress like Tetzlaff); and various Evangelical/Fundamentalist groups.

Two groups were missing this year: Planned Parenthood (no loss) and Catholics. An elderly gentleman used to sell "traditional" Catholic goods, but hasn't been there for years. I think it's past time to have a Catholic Apologetics booth at the State Fair. Any takers out there?

2003-07-30T20:38:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow

I'm blogging from my parents' house tonight -- staying here and going to the opening of the State Fair, just a few blocks away. Going to get up early, go there with Dad, tour the animal barns, eat lots of stuff, eat a cream puff, and go home exhausted. Lots of fun to be had.....

2003-07-30T19:04:00.000-05:00

Alas, not true

A rumor has gotten around that the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia were about to start up operations in Milwaukee. Unfortunately, that's not happening -- not yet anyway. I called the Motherhouse, and found that out. But they are in touch with the Archbishop, apparently, so maybe someday.....

2003-07-21T22:35:00.000-05:00

Improv Stuff

My workshop show is now on August 11 at 7:30. If you live in the Milwaukee area, come on by and see my class show off their stuff. Instead of a standard match with teams and a referee, we might be doing an ensemble showcase. I hope we do that -- the chemistry has been getting good.

2003-07-21T22:24:00.000-05:00

What Karen Said

We've got a place and a date, and a couple of possible speakers. Ideas are always welcome......

2003-07-16T18:30:00.000-05:00

THERE'S POO IN MY BLOG!!!!!

Actually, Poo Bear, aka Phil Abramoff, made a comment in my previous post. We worked together at IBM and went to the same prayer group, driving people crazy with our insane brand of humor in both places. A few examples:

--Totus Tuus (that was the prayer group) used to conclude its meetings with a song. Phil would do impressions of me during the singing, after which I would beat him up with a pillow. He'd laugh through it, naturally.

--We call Mormon missionaries protein.

--The Happy Clown Day Care Center,l and its curious childrearing methods.

--The Alternative Elmos. Most of them are unprintable/and or disturbing. But hilarious.

-- Beer (root beer, in Phil's case), cigars, and electronic violence.

Love eventually made Phil move to Southern California, where he met the woman of his dreams. (I can imagine Phil being the man of someone's dreams, but of the sort which requires therapy to remedy.) He invited me to be a member of the wedding party. I couldn't be flower girl liked I had requested (I had even picked out a nice muslin dress for the occasion), so I settled for being a mere groomsman. Phil & Jeannine were married
in this lovely place, with many of his friends at hand to witness the apocalyptic event.

I should warn you all: Phil's got a lot of stories about me. Some may pop up in the comments boxes if he visits again. You have been warned.

2003-07-12T09:06:00.000-05:00

Now appearing on the WWW......

....is a picture of yours truly. Let's see if you can guess which one I am in this motley crew. Please don't answer if you've actually met me, since it'll spoil the fun for everybody else.

2003-07-08T20:52:00.000-05:00

Catholic Without Qualifications

In no particular order:

1) Karen Marie and I both agree that the proposed spring conference should be "Just Plain Catholic". Should we pull this off, we will be sending invites to local religious communities to set up booths and attend. Many of them will make "conservative Catholics" uncomfortable. They will likely make me uncomfortable. But I'm planning on inviting some "conservative/traditional" groups to come in as well. And then there are groups which transcend any labels -- the way it ought to be.

2) I wonder why some things are labelled "liberal" or "progressive" or "conservative" or "traditional". Properly understood, "peace and justice" issues are extremely traditional. We just called them "The Corporal Works of Mercy" way back when.

3) Catholicism means not confusing your party affiliation with your theology.

4) Problems arise when "peace and justice" issues are shoehorned into absolutely everything. At the very least, it gives the impression that we should just turn the parish into a social services agency or a collective. At the very worst, "peace and justice" becomes just one of a host of superficial terms for your average suburban Catholic.

5) Problems especially arise when our central act of worship is politicized and categoricized. Sacrifice, meal, pledge, sign, journey bread, Viaticum, Passover, adoration, sharing, community, intimacy, "becoming what we receive", Great Thanksgiving, etc. -- the Eucharist incorporates all these things, and you can't have one aspect without the others.

6) Daniel Baker is absolutely right about BeliefNet's quiz. I'll address that in another post.

7) Getting late, and I'm getting tired. More tomorrow or Thursday.

2003-07-07T22:35:00.000-05:00

Lies, Damnable Lies, and Senator Kennedy

When I get up in the morning, I listen to this syndicated program called America in the Morning. One of their segments is called "Face Off", featuring Senators John McCain and Ted Kennedy debating some topic. This morning's dealt with the DC Voucher Bill. Senator McCain was for it, and (surprise!) Senator Kennedy was against it, asserting that the voucher programs in Milwaukee and Cleveland "failed".

That came as news to me. The Choice program here is alive and well -- no thanks to the Democrats, who shout "it's failing!" as they do everything in their power to keep it from ever becoming completely successful.

2003-07-02T22:06:00.000-05:00

Thanks, all!

I've gotten a good number of replies regarding my proposed conference. Thanks to all, especially Karen Marie. We'll be getting back to you soon.

But I still need help on logistics and ...sigh....fundraising. No, I'm not asking for money. But I'm still at a loss as to how to get the needed capital. Please email me privately if you have any knowledge of such things. Thanks!

2003-07-02T22:00:00.000-05:00

Prayer Request

I'm not at liberty to say much publicly, but I'd like to ask your prayers for a friend who is experiencing severe depression. Please remember her. Thank you.

2003-06-29T21:40:00.000-05:00

Help Wanted

I got this crazy idea a few days ago. I'd like to organize a Catholic conference in Milwaukee for the spring of 2004. Get some excellent speakers (this man automatically comes to mind), a chance for vendors to sell their wares, something for the kids, at least one Mass, maybe an Adoration Chapel, get some priests to hear confessions....you know, the usual deal.

Thing is, I don't know where to begin. My parish sponsored an Evangelization 2000 conference a few years back, and I can always ask for help from the people who organized that. I also realize that it takes money to do this.

Any ideas? Tips? Contacts? All would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

2003-06-22T16:11:00.000-05:00

I agree 99% of the time, but.....

The most recent Adoremus Bulletin features an an article by Lucy Carroll about modern renditions of traditional hymnody. She's spot-on about the emasculation of texts (the hatchet job on Faith of Our Fathers comes to mind) and on the insipidness of some modern translations, but I disagree on two points:

1) The use of thou when addressing God and His Saints. This is not meant to be a formal form of address, but a familiar one. In archaic English, the second-person formal pronoun is you, used in formal situations and when addressing one's "betters". Thou is the second-person familiar pronoun, used for equals and inferiors. Read Shakespeare, and pay attention to the pronoun usage. Also, look at prayers in German, Italian, and Spanish. All customarily use the familiar pronoun when addressing God.

2) A modern translation is not necessarily a bad one, nor is a "traditional" rendition necessarily good. I've seen at least one archaically worded translation of Adoro te devote which was really a poor paraphrase. Conversely, I think Fr. Peter Scangelli has done a good job with the Easter and Pentecost sequences.

2003-06-22T15:57:00.000-05:00

God Help Me

The Female Parental Unit (aka Mom) now has this blog address.......

2003-06-22T15:15:00.000-05:00

The Past Week

Came down with a cold Monday. Seem to be getting them more often. Not enough Vitamin C?

And if that wasn't enough, I was stricken with severe gastritis on Tuesday. I didn't know it could be that painful.

Still a tad congested, but I think I've recovered from both maladies.

2003-06-15T12:33:00.000-05:00

This is a demonstration

Showing my Dad how a blog is done.

2003-06-15T10:54:00.000-05:00

Report from the Parents' House

My folks now have a computer, so I'm making this entry from their place. Notice to my fellow bloggers: I will be introducing them to your sites. Should they choose to make comments, I wish to state that their opinions are their own.

Took my Dad out to a Mexican restaurant for breakfast this morning. Very good.

Have to get up and fetch my laundry. Happy Fathers' Day to all the Dads out there!

2003-06-15T08:37:00.000-05:00

They thought it was funny....

As many of you might know, my side job consists of donning a tutu and dancing people to their parking places at ComedySportz. Naturally, people ask me, "Do they pay you enough for this?" And I reply, "It's more than the money! This raises my self-esteem. I'm affirmed in my OKness here!" They laugh at that last line.....

2003-06-12T19:39:00.000-05:00

Many Thanks....

To Mr. Shea for linking my previous post from his blog. Also, thanks to all the people who came over from there. Please do come back!

2003-06-10T20:52:00.000-05:00

A Question

There are not over a hundred people in the United States who hate the Catholic Church. There are millions, however, who hate what they wrongly believe to be the Catholic Church—which is, of course, quite a different thing. -- Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

Does this still hold true today?

2003-06-07T12:13:00.000-05:00

Speaking of other discrepancies...

I visited a local religious-goods store during my morning errands, and discovered a children's book which gave a tour of a typical AmChurch Worship Space. What disturbed me the most about the book was its omission of any mention of the Real Presence. It referred to the Blessed Sacrament as a "holy meal" or "eucharistic meal"; the altar is called a "table" and in the pages focussing on the Eucharistic chapel, called the Most Holy "leftover eucharistic bread", with the lamp denoting the general Divine Presence, rather than the substantial Presence within the tabernacle.

This book has everything which gets me riled about contemporary religious education -- it distorts authentic teaching by presenting an incomplete picture. The quoted terms above are accurate in and of themselves, but it is only one aspect. You also need to focus on the sacrifice, since you can't have one without the other. The book also fails to explain why the Eucharist is reserved in a special place. How about talking more about the Real Presence and Adoration?

2003-06-07T11:50:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Tom Fitzpatrick...

...For pointing out the ads atop my site. And then there are the ads atop his site. One wonders why.....

2003-06-07T11:45:00.000-05:00

All Quizzed Out

Think I've got it out of my system......

2003-06-06T22:34:00.000-05:00

Gee, thanks.....

You're nothing, really. But you're nice.

What type of music are you?
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