I had an amazing conversation with my eldest nephew who is six years old. I was explaining to him that the seminary I go to will close next year (for financial reasons) and so I might be going to live in a different town. He looked disappointed because he likes to see me a lot, and so he had an idea: "Hey, uncle Johnny, why don't we save up our money and give it to the seminary? That way they won't have to close!" I could have cried! Then he said, "I'm going to start saving my money right now! Then next year we can give them...like...two thousand dollars!"
I explained to him that they aren't out of money, but that we just don't have enough seminarians to efficiently keep a seminary open. "Oh," he said, thinking. "Are you a seminarian?" I said yes. "Oh. Well, maybe I could be a seminarian. But..." He was thinking hard. "...I don't know. Because then I'd have to tell my friend Javanna that we can't get married."
18 April, 2010
10 April, 2010
Names of Patented Vegetables
Do you grow your own vegetables? I hope you do. Anyway, I received a few seed catalogs this year and I think the cutesy names for the whizbang varieties they develop are the tops! Here is my own step-by-step process for making a vegetable name:
Step 1: Begin with the name of a Southern U.S. OR English city/place.
Step 2 (optional): Add a really off-the-wall noun or adjective, such as Zesty, Incredible, Cherry, Candy, Lemon, Magic, Cream, Butter, Electric, Honey, or Hefty. (This will make the vegetable sound like something it is not.)
Step 3: Use anthropomorphic or other unexpected noun. Partial list: Lady, Girl, Boy, Big Boy, Beauty, Keeper, Wonder, Prize Winner, Zipper, Sweetie, Cutie, Cutey-Pie, or Baby.
A few examples: Mobile Electric Boy (fava bean), Tuskaloosa Lemon Cutey Pie (gourd), Devonshire Candy Keeper (daikon radish), Carolina Hefty Wonder (raspberry).
Step 1: Begin with the name of a Southern U.S. OR English city/place.
Step 2 (optional): Add a really off-the-wall noun or adjective, such as Zesty, Incredible, Cherry, Candy, Lemon, Magic, Cream, Butter, Electric, Honey, or Hefty. (This will make the vegetable sound like something it is not.)
Step 3: Use anthropomorphic or other unexpected noun. Partial list: Lady, Girl, Boy, Big Boy, Beauty, Keeper, Wonder, Prize Winner, Zipper, Sweetie, Cutie, Cutey-Pie, or Baby.
A few examples: Mobile Electric Boy (fava bean), Tuskaloosa Lemon Cutey Pie (gourd), Devonshire Candy Keeper (daikon radish), Carolina Hefty Wonder (raspberry).
06 March, 2010
Are You Scrupulous?
Here's a great homily on scrupulosity. I have scruples. It almost always coincides with forgetting to take an antidepressant for a week or more, or when I'm trying to wean off of them. But that physiological thing somehow triggers the problem of scrupulosity which must be both psychological and spiritual. It is spiritual in that when someone is paralyzed by worries and scruples, they don't focus on Christ's Mercy and Love or place their trust in Him.
Read the article:
http://catholicexchange.com/2010/03/06/127831/
I was just thinking it would be funny to make a tabloid-style questionnaire about scruples. It could be ten or so questions long, and depending on how you answer it you'd fall into maybe three categories:
Ignatian Whizkid: You are very balanced. You strive for true holiness, not just avoiding sin. You probably pray often, placing yourself in the arms of your loving Father and the Blessed Mother.
Whippersnapper: You aren't rejoicing in the Lord as much as you rejoice in having fun. You take venial sins lightly at times. You tend to be rash in the way you relate to others.
Scrupulous Kiddo: You are often afraid to make choices. You may be unhealthily afraid of other people and of God's justice. Ignatius Loyola is the man for you. Trust in your spiritual director and in the Lord. Many of you are afraid that you're Whippersnappers.
Also, for the delicate of conscience: Look around http://mission.liguori.org/newsletters/scrupanon.htm for helpful advice. I especially recommend the original and revised "Ten Commandments for the Scrupulous." Great Stuff!
Read the article:
http://catholicexchange.com/2010/03/06/127831/
I was just thinking it would be funny to make a tabloid-style questionnaire about scruples. It could be ten or so questions long, and depending on how you answer it you'd fall into maybe three categories:
Ignatian Whizkid: You are very balanced. You strive for true holiness, not just avoiding sin. You probably pray often, placing yourself in the arms of your loving Father and the Blessed Mother.
Whippersnapper: You aren't rejoicing in the Lord as much as you rejoice in having fun. You take venial sins lightly at times. You tend to be rash in the way you relate to others.
Scrupulous Kiddo: You are often afraid to make choices. You may be unhealthily afraid of other people and of God's justice. Ignatius Loyola is the man for you. Trust in your spiritual director and in the Lord. Many of you are afraid that you're Whippersnappers.
Also, for the delicate of conscience: Look around http://mission.liguori.org/newsletters/scrupanon.htm for helpful advice. I especially recommend the original and revised "Ten Commandments for the Scrupulous." Great Stuff!
04 March, 2010
Traditional Anglican Communion in America to enter Catholic Church???...!!!...?...: )
According to their website, their bishops met in Florida and resolved to do just that, in response to Pope Benedict's Anglicanorum coetibus (is it called a pronouncement or a decree or....) which they said was "extremely generous and pastoral."
This is great news for the Universal Church. On a personal note, I have a friend who described himself as either "Traditional Anglican" or maybe "Traditional Episcopalian." When he said that, I was thinking to myself, 'Traditional Anglican...you're just this close to being a Catholic.' Since then I've hoped that he and his family would become Catholic. They would be great Catholics and good examples for current Catholics. They even homeschool! They're cool.
Lord, we ask You to give the Traditional Anglican Communion the grace to continue this process of union with Your One, Holy, Catholic and Apostilic Church. I beg You to guide my friend's family so that they may follow their fellow Christians into Your Church. AMEN!
This is great news for the Universal Church. On a personal note, I have a friend who described himself as either "Traditional Anglican" or maybe "Traditional Episcopalian." When he said that, I was thinking to myself, 'Traditional Anglican...you're just this close to being a Catholic.' Since then I've hoped that he and his family would become Catholic. They would be great Catholics and good examples for current Catholics. They even homeschool! They're cool.
Lord, we ask You to give the Traditional Anglican Communion the grace to continue this process of union with Your One, Holy, Catholic and Apostilic Church. I beg You to guide my friend's family so that they may follow their fellow Christians into Your Church. AMEN!
06 February, 2010
I'm Kind of A Big Deal
Isn't the internet ridiculous? The way it connects people is unprecedented. I never thought I'd actually be praising the good aspects of the world-wide-interweb but come on...I got an E-MAIL from Mark Shea. I'm kind of A Big Deal. Mark Shea and I are tight. And just the other day I became FACEBOOK FRIENDS with a leading distributist blogger. HE knows Fr Mitch Pacwa and Archbishop Vinny Flynn. I'll be working on them...(you laugh...?)
Okay, okay, so the internet makes for shallower relationships because so many of us are talking to so many people at once. The connection is still good, though. Yet I don't want to simply be a "collector" of friendships and connections with so-called famous people.
I hardly blog at all, and I've made two very minor "connections" with people I admire. Think of all the people like me, and all the people who blog and network more than me, who are rubbing digital elbows with hundreds of people, well-known or otherwise. It does benefit the world. But the internet is also making the world seem smaller and less mysterious. It's not unusual to "know" a couple rockin' writers or activists or celebrities online. I just took a sociology intro class, and I can tell you that...this...is...sociological.
Okay, okay, so the internet makes for shallower relationships because so many of us are talking to so many people at once. The connection is still good, though. Yet I don't want to simply be a "collector" of friendships and connections with so-called famous people.
I hardly blog at all, and I've made two very minor "connections" with people I admire. Think of all the people like me, and all the people who blog and network more than me, who are rubbing digital elbows with hundreds of people, well-known or otherwise. It does benefit the world. But the internet is also making the world seem smaller and less mysterious. It's not unusual to "know" a couple rockin' writers or activists or celebrities online. I just took a sociology intro class, and I can tell you that...this...is...sociological.
14 January, 2010
Fast For Haiti
The world needs to pray right now for everyone affected by the eathquake in Haiti, especially for those who have died or will die. I plan to pray and fast in the spirit of www.fastforhaiti.com and then I will donate money to Catholic Relief Services. I tried to upload a picture from their website but it doesn't seem to be working...
May the Father hold these poor children in His loving arms!
May the Father hold these poor children in His loving arms!
22 December, 2009
Flattered!
Big thanks to the illustrious Mark Shea (http://markshea.blogspot.com) for mentioning me in a post. I just wanted to email him to tell him I thought he was "cool." Not like I want to ride on the success of others, but if that ride is offered, I will gladly hop on.
On a completely unrelated topic, I'll have you know that I bear a slight resemblance to a young Paul McCartney. Maybe we're related, hmm? Any Beatles or Wings fans...?
On a completely unrelated topic, I'll have you know that I bear a slight resemblance to a young Paul McCartney. Maybe we're related, hmm? Any Beatles or Wings fans...?
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