Notes from the Marian Eucharistic Conference: Part II Family and Confession by Fr. Larry Richards

Father Larry Richards – I bought BE A MAN for Max when he began high school. He is nearly there. And now he gets SURRENDER. Do yourself a favor and get his books and CDs for the men in your life.

 

 

No Bible, no breakfast; no Bible, no bed. Pull out your Bible – it is your instruction for life. Love one another. You are not a disciple of Christ if you pray and fast but don’t love one another. But love isn’t just a sweet feeling. Jesus didn’t tiptoe through the tulips. He spoke the Truth even if people left him. Padre Pio wasn’t a nice guy. But he loved fiercely. Enough to make you want to change your sinful ways. The saints are people who are in love with God and their love overflows to others.

 

Fr. Larry gave a beautiful lecture on FAMILY, the place where love begins.

F is for faith and forgiveness. Also fasting on bread and water on Fridays for your kids, for the difficult members in your family, for your friends, for conversion. Dads, be St. Joseph to your kids. Be a man of prayer. Pray or be damned. Prayer is how you protect your wife and kids. When St. John Paul II was a little boy, he walked in on his dad in the middle of the night to find him on his knees in prayer. CS Lewis says, “we must forgive one another or be damned.” Forgiveness is an act of the will. It’s not about feelings. On the cross, nobody asked for forgiveness, but Jesus forgave them all anyway.

A is for affirmation. Tell every person you love that you love them. We need it. Every day a kid dies inside because of lack of affirmation.

M is for making memories. Spend time together. Eat dinner together. Take joy together. Family is more important than anything else. Our problems in the US are because we let everything else take the place of family.

I is for intimacy (into me see). If people don’t have it at home, they will seek it elsewhere.

L is for Love. Read Ephesians. Wives are to be submissive to their husbands. She should ask: how can I serve my husband. Husbands are to sacrifice themselves for their wives. He should ask: how can I die for my wife. You are to be slaves to one another. He shared a very personal story that’s in his book, so I won’t repeat it here, but even so, I get teary-eyed thinking about it. Love – it’s powerful. Remember love is not a feeling, but an act of the will. It is to will the good of the other.

Y is all about you. Forget about me; it’s all about you. Remember, God first, others second, me last.  
 

Father Larry gave a good lecture on confession for adults. So if you have little kids reading over your shoulder, you should probably send them off to play.

“You shall name Him Jesus because He will save them from their sins.” ~ Matt 1:21

People are afraid to go to confession. Don’t be. The biggest problem is that people don’t talk about the sins of omission.

To be in a state of mortal sin, three things have to be present: it’s a serious matter, you have full knowledge, and you consent to the will.

The closer you are to God, the more you realize how bad you are. All the saints believed they were terrible because they could see even their minor imperfections.

You’re sorry because you’re scared to go to hell. This is imperfect contrition because it has an element of selfishness. You should be sorry because you love Jesus and hurt Him.

Final question Matt: 25:35-40. For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in ...  Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me.  

Pray that you might love well.

We are saved by grace. But we need to cooperate with God’s grace. We can’t earn salvation – that’s Pelagian heresy – because then Jesus didn’t have to die. Neo-Pelagians think it’s 50/50. Wrong. Jesus redeems us but we still have to cooperate.

So, the Examen.

Go through the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes.

1. Love God above all things. You love what you give your time to. Really examine whether you love God with your whole heart.

2. Don’t take the Name of God in vain. All those OMGs have to go. The name of God is holy. Use it appropriately.

3. Keep holy the Sabbath. Sunday Holy Mass is an obligation. It is a mortal sin not to hear Mass on Sunday. Yup. Serious matter. You owe this to God.

4. Honor your father and mother. Do you call them? Do you pray for them? Do you take care of them?

5. You shall not kill another human being. Abortion is murder. Do you know whether you had a boy or girl? Name them. Ask for forgiveness. And you don’t need to confess it over and over because you are having a difficult time forgiving yourself. Your feelings don’t matter when it comes to confession. God forgives the repentant.

6. Don’t commit adultery. That is sex outside of marriage. Sex is holy and reserved only for the married (to each other!) for loving and giving life. Do not use birth control. It is not part of God’s plan. Do not masturbate. It is self-focused. Same-sex attraction – do not act upon it. Fornication is sex before marriage. Don't act upon your sexual feelings. This includes oral sex. In marriage, it is fine, if both husband and wife agree. No part of the body is unkissable. However, it has to end in intercourse so that it can be life-giving. Couples should pray together before having sex. Right now the greatest addiction is pornography and it starts young – 6^th grade. Protect your children. If you have a sexual thought, let it fly. Don’t let it make a nest in your head. If you see a beautiful woman, thank God for her beauty. Don’t turn her into an object for your pleasure.

We never got to 7, 8, 9, 10 because people fall into sexual sin very easily now given the permissive culture. We could’ve talked about sex all day long. LOL.   

Jesus pays the price. The priest, in persona Christi, sets you free from your sins. Go to confession. 

 

Notes from the Marian Eucharistic Conference: Part 1 Museum and Divine Mercy

What a week! I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to go to the Marian Eucharistic Conference in Greenville for the third time. This time, both kids had commitments so Michael and I went by ourselves. I fretted over leaving them, esp. Dagny, but the minute we headed out, we prayed the rosary and all my worries dissipated. Dagny did terrific job taking care of the household chores and pets; Max had football and work, but after work they went out to dinner and a movie. It is a great grace to have responsible children.

 

We went to Bob Jones University first to enjoy their amazing collection of Catholic art. They have so many altar-pieces and paintings they collected as America and Europe were discarding these for a plainer look. I’m not sure why people would choose to dismantle such beautiful things because the great beauty of the churches points to heavenly things. But that’s a topic for another day. If you are ever in Greenville, SC, take the time to visit the museum at Bob Jones Univ. I could spend days there. I am thankful they have preserved all this art. I would’ve enjoyed having a book with all their art, instead I splurged on a little calligraphy book. My friend Colleen did beautiful calligraphy and taught me the basics but how I long to do much more. I am grateful to have a bit of my calligraphy published in a book (I can’t say any more, so don’t ask … it’s hard keeping secrets).

 

The conference started on Friday evening with Mass by Fr. Bill Casey. He is a powerful speaker -- bold and courageous and like a good father, unafraid to speak the truth. He spoke how the Jubilee Year of Mercy is coming to an end and to take advantage if we haven’t yet, to walk through the Holy Doors for ourselves and our dearly departed loved ones. He quoted extensively from Saint Faustina’s diary. He lamented over our culture that has become increasingly pagan. And we’ve sat back and watched it, giving up our nation, our families, and our children to it. He tells a story of a woman shopping in NYC at a jewelry store. She was looking for crosses. The attendant asked, “Do you want the plain one or one with the little man.”

Ouch.

Fr. Casey said this is the tragedy of our times. God is being driven out of the public life, schools, courts, hospitals, etc. The separation of Church and State was never meant to separate God from life. When God is driven out, all hell breaks out: loss of faith, breakdown of family, immoral laws, and the culture of death. He quoted the prophet Hosea 8:7 “For they shall sow wind, and reap a whirlwind.”

He exhorted us to not wring our hands and say, “There is nothing we can do.” We can pray, go to Mass, Adoration. We can sacrifice. Catholics, 68 million of them, can make a difference if we live our faith. He said, “If this conference brings only person closer to Christ, it is of infinite value.” And so I say, if sharing my notes brings one only person closer to Christ, it is of infinite value. Thank you for reading.  

Fr. Casey gave another interesting lecture, and this time I wrote the quotes from St. Faustina's diary :)

Prayer of St. Faustina. Jesus, I trust in You.

He told her: Those who venerate the image will not perish.

You will prepare the world for My second coming.

I will come first with mercy before I come as a judge.

Souls have time for everything except Me.

If they run away from my merciful heart, they will see my justice.

AD 2017 is a significant year for the Church and the world. Oct. 2017 will be the 100^th anniversary of the final apparition at Fatima, the 100^th anniversary of Red October, and the 500^th anniversary of the Protestant schism. There is no such thing as coincidence when it comes to Divine Providence.

Pope Leo XIII had a vision at Mass where the devil asked for a 100 years to destroy the Church. God gave him free reign. Reminds me of the Book of Job. So when did these 100 years begin? Nobody knows. But some people think it might be Oct. 1917. Regardless, the devil is raging. The whirlwind is here. We must keep our souls in a state of grace. God’s mercy is our only hope. And we have Christ’s promise that not even the gates of hell will prevail against the Church.

Christians are once again the most persecuted minority in the world. It is an age of apostasy. You must choose between the Church and the anti-Church; the Gospel and the anti-Gospel. Eschatology is the study of the end times. People mistakenly believe that the Church will rise. But the Catechism says the Church will suffer.

So enter through the door of mercy otherwise pass through the one for judgement. Be in God’s grace. We don’t know the hour of our death. There is no contradiction between God’s mercy and His justice. God’s love is unconditional. But God’s mercy is conditional – it requires our repentance. We must cooperate with Him.

St. Colombiere was the spiritual director of St. Margaret Mary to whom the Sacred Heart was revealed. “Behold the Heart Who has loved so much and so little loved in return.”

St. Faustina knew a nun who suffered from scrupulosity. Jesus told her: Tell her that her lack of trust wounds My Heart far more than her sins.

The source of our peace is assurance that God’s love is real. Get over your sin. Your sin isn’t bigger than God’s mercy. However, if you die in a state of mortal sin, unrepentant, you will go to hell. Padre Pio said, "you'll believe in hell when you get there." That’s not God’s will for anybody. The remedy is confession. This sacrament renews you. Christ works in your soul.

“Immerse yourself in My mercy. My mercy is greater than your sins and that of the whole world.”

God did not have to create us, redeem us. It’s totally gratuitous, merciful. God could’ve cast us off, left us to our sins. But His Love would not allow it. God came to earth. He could’ve redeemed us in any way possible, with a snap of His fingers, a drop of His Precious Blood. But Jesus redeems us through obedience and suffering. Why the Cross? Why the Blood? Because suffering -- passion -- is the ultimate test of true love.

And He is with us even now in the Holy Eucharist.

Go to confession. Pray. Meditate upon the Face of Divine Mercy.

 

 

We had the opportunity to venerate the relics of St. Faustina and St. Padre Pio. Print out the black-and-white picture. Stare a the four vertical dots for about a minute (they said 30 seconds is enough but it took me four tries and 3 Hail Marys to get it). Then close your eyes while turning your face towards a light source. Do you see something amazing? Let me know.

 

I think this is going to be a 3-parter. Bear with me :)

Stretching and Winning

Tooting my own horn here:
From the web archives: Stretching and Winning

I’d never won anything in my life – the lottery, a door prize, or even the booby prize. I’ve come close in contests. When I was in graduate school, I won an honorable mention for my poster. The judges enjoyed playing with my removable model of a protein twisting and folding with the help of another protein. How I longed to win.

My days of scientific pursuit are long gone. I exchanged them for children and children’s literature. To stretch my writing this past year [2004], I have been entering the Institute of Children’s Literature (ICL) contests. I tried writing a mystery story, but failed because I only had some dead chickens, a couple of dogs and a boy. I had no plot, no motivation; therefore, no story. I’m definitely not a mystery writer. But I tried. In other categories, like picture books and nonfiction, I thought I submitted a good story, but when I read the winning entries, I knew I wasn’t even close. When the sports stories came up, I thought, I am not athletic, never have been and don’t know a thing about sports except how to play with ropes and sticks and stones. But I took the challenge, writing about a game that I played with sticks as a child in India. It placed in the top twenty. [And was published in Fun for Kidz in 2006.] Wow! I was stretching. Getting better. Perhaps I should draw more upon my own experiences.

I bought Writing from Personal Experience by Nancy Davidoff Kelton. It made me examine my own life and draw upon it for emotional truths. I suppose I’ve always done this instinctively – all my stories have some element of truth in them. But I didn’t dig too deep. Too emotional. Too painful at times. But I’m learning that there’s gold deep down. For one of the writing exercises, I wrote about the time I taught my mother to drive. It made me laugh. And cry. I miss my mother, even now, after she’s been gone from this world for twenty years [now 30 :( ]. 

When I saw the ICL contest for contemporary young adult fiction, I knew I could write a story about a girl teaching her mother how to drive. It felt fresh – it’s not the typical teenage experience – the tables were turned. I anchored it in Pullman, WA, where I spent many years, and the details made the story come alive. Perhaps because I was missing my mother so much, the story, which started out funny, took a sharp turn with the mother heading to her grave. I drew upon those memories when I knew my mother would die. I cried when I wrote the first draft. Two Advils later (I always get a headache when I cry), I knew I could shape it into a story that was cohesive. It took me a month to polish and I submitted “Driving Lessons” to the ICL contest, with all my hope.

The day that the Caldecott and the Newbery winners were announced, I got an email as well. Sandy Stiefer was one of the ICL judges. I knew then, that I was in the top five. Why else would she want to talk to me? But imagine my happiness and inflated ego when she told me that I won! I cried again. Quietly and quickly. After all, this was going to be my first time to be interviewed as a writer. Sandy told me that there were over a thousand entries. And my story stood out the very first time she read it! My kids peeled me off the ceiling. I carried this wonderful secret inside me for a few hours. That night, I wrote to my family and friends. I wished and wished that I could talk to my mother. She would’ve been proud of me. I dug deep, stretched a bit more, and won my first writing contest.

I have stories to tell. You do, too.

"Stretching and Winning" was first published in June 2005 issue of Kid Magazine Writers.

 

Update: Oddly enough, Driving Lessons story hasn't sold. There aren't many markets for YA short fiction. But this may become a chapter in a book (it's half baked right now). Too many ideas, not enough time. LOL.

Catch a Judge's Eye

It's only fitting I post a picture of myself with my best helper. Hmmm, I think here I was judging a school writing contest.

From the web archive: Catch a Judge's Eye

Last year (2007), I had the pleasure of serving as one of the judges for the Magazine Merit Awards to recognize outstanding works of writers and illustrators published in 2006. Over Christmas vacation, after the deadline for nominations had passed, I read by genre, made notes and concluded that all stories aren’t created equally.  Some were merely competent.  Many were good.  But there were the exceptional few that stayed with me, transformed me, wowed me.  It was truly an educational and eye-opening experience for me as a writer.

What caught this judge’s eye?  Stories and articles that surprised, educated, and entertained me.  Poems that begged to be read out loud and illustrations that leaped off the page and into my imagination.  Let me give you some examples.

FICTION

What separates a good story from an award-winning one?  Voice.  It’s seems so elusive, but voice is how you or your characters say things, see the world, choose what to pay attention to, and ignore. 

Consider Rosie the dog, narrator of “Stinky Treasure” by Jacqueline Adams (Highlights, Apr. 2006).  Rosie’s (mis)interpretations drive the story.  She thinks: “Garbage is so special that no one is allowed to touch it.”  In the end Rosie concludes: “A dump must be a place where people store their garbage after it gets stinky.  So a dump is ... the most wonderful place of all!”  You’ll have to agree that Rosie’s voice is unique, fresh and funny. 

Highlights for Children editor, Marileta Robinson, remembered this piece fondly.  “It was our fiction contest winner, which means that it rose to the top amongst 1,500 entries.  We all enjoyed the sly good humor of this lovable character.”

There are no new stories, right?  Only old stories told in a new way.  Consider folktales.  What makes them fresh?  Evocative language.  A new setting.  A different viewpoint.  In Patricia Bridgman’s retold Chinese folktale, “One Thousand Dragons,” (Cricket, July 2006), a young girl discovers her power and uses it to escape an evil emperor.  I literally felt ten thousand dragon wings flap as they came to life when Ling painted their eyes.  Deborah Vetter, Editor at Cricket, said, “It reflects a powerful folktale motif in which the character brings a painting to life and escapes death or slavery.”  She added, “At Cricket we love folktales, and we love seeing the same motifs crop up in stories from all over the world.”

“The Wednesday Club” by Anna Levine (Cicada, Jan./Feb. 2006) touched all of our hearts with its honest and hopeful portrayal of a young girl whose mother battles cancer.  Later, I discovered that Levine’s sister had passed away from breast cancer.  The story was written in her honor. Vetter said, “Anna was determined to get it right.  She and I worked through several revisions, and I was so proud of her when she nailed it.  She poured herself into the story.”

Passion.  It’s the heart of a story.  Revision.  It’s work that lets the reader feel your heart.

NONFICTION

The best nonfiction articles were highly focused.  “Treasures in a Pinecone” by Jan Black won my heart (Highlights, Dec. 2006). The author wondered, like a child, why pinecones are sometimes closed and sometimes open. It was a personal account, simply told, a great introduction to science and to the power of observation.  Melanie Hope Greenberg, my co-judge said, “Lovely visual language, calling seeds ‘treasures’, hearing pinecones ‘crackling’ open.”  Robinson summed it up in one word: “enthusiastic.”

Children enjoy reading about famous people.  And little-known facts about them make great magazine articles.  Both Trish Early and Barbara Kerley wrote focused articles about famous people: “Ben Franklin: Fit for Life” (Highlights, July 2006) and “Josiah, the White House Badger,” (Highlights, Apr. 2006) respectively.  Both articles were meticulously researched, evidenced by their vivid and telling details.

Many articles started off with a bang, then lost steam and momentum shortly afterwards.  Compelling nonfiction grabs you by the throat and reels you in with every tasty morsel.  Two outstanding articles that succeeded in keeping my interest to the very end were “Libby or Liberty” by Tracey E. Fern (Cricket, July 2006) and “The Town Underground” by Claudia Cangilla McAdam (Cricket, Apr. 2006).  Cricket’s Vetter remembered these pieces vividly.  “Tracey Fern is an author who knows how to find the ‘story’ in ‘history’,” said Vetter who also commented on how astounded everybody was by the idea of an underground town.  She said, “What ingenuity, what novelty, what an exotic life in the Australian desert!”

A great magazine piece keeps the excitement, the sense of awe and discovery, no matter its length.  Vetter said, “We look for a premise, excellent research, the ability to explain difficult concepts, and a creative approach that will bring the topic alive for young readers.” 

ILLUSTRATION

Pictures that jumped off the page were my favorites.  I could literally feel “Winter Clothes” (poem by Karla Kuskin) that Mary Bono illustrated (Highlights, Jan. 2006).  It had texture.  Robinson remarked that Bono had knitted all the adorable little clothes herself.  

Judge Greenberg, herself a visual artist, said of Karen Lee’s cover art for Highlights for Children: “Delightful characters that are alive, everything is in motion, not static.”

POETRY

Anna Levine’s “Saxophone Summer” (Cicada, May/June 2006) sizzled.  We loved the syncopated rhythm that sounded like red hot jazz.  In contrast, Cynthia Porter’s “How Many Moons?” (Spider, Feb. 2006) was quiet and reflective.  Natalie Rosinsky, my co-judge said, “A small gem, where every word is aptly chosen and emotions of awe, appreciation, recognition of fleeting time, and a sense of place are conveyed so vividly and economically.”

Both Robinson and Vetter confirmed our gut reactions.  Poetry is the shortest, most precise form of writing, and you either get it or don’t.  There seems to be no middle ground. “Editors tend to disagree wildly on any manuscript submission.  Poetry is especially subjective; so is humor.  What makes me laugh out loud can leave my Editor-in-Chief scratching her head – and vice versa!” said Vetter.

WINNING STORIES

My favorite pieces stayed fresh even after repeated readings.  The passion for the topic shone through.  Months later, I’m still thinking about them.  So, write what you love, what piques your interest, and publication and recognition will surely follow.

 
"Catch a Judge's Eye" was first published in the Jan-Feb. 2008 Bulletin.

Cover art by Thacher Hurd.

Story Genius by Lisa Cron

 STORY GENIUS: howto use brain science to go beyond outlining and write a riveting novel* [*beforeyou waste three years writing 327 pages that go nowhere] by Lisa Cron is a gem of a craft book. I think it’s the first book I’ve read where I’ve been privy to the actual process because Lisa Cron gets her friend Jennie Nash to work on her new novel. That itself was fascinating to see. The Story Genius is built on the foundation that what we write is the second half of the story, that everything the characters do is based upon who they are (this seems obvious but so often goes missing) and their motivations. The thing that has hit pay-dirt for me is the notion of the “misbelief.”

Cron says, “all protagonists stand on the threshold of the novel they’re about to be flung into with two things about to burn a hole their pockets:

1.       A deep-seated desire – something they’ve wanted for a very long time.

2.      A defining misbelief that stands in the way of achieving that desire. This is where the fear that’s holding them back comes from.

Taken together, these two warring elements will become your novel’s third rail, the live wire that everything that happens must touch, creating the emotional jolt that forces your protagonist to struggle as he tries to figure out what to do.”

The SG method is organic. This is sort of how I write a big book. I usually write an outline AFTER I write a first draft. And this is where SG comes in handy as well. The scene cards that Lisa Cron has developed make sure that your plot will follow a logical progression of events. Not predictable. Logical.

I could make a template to show you her scene card but it’s best if you get yourself a copy of this book. I highly recommend it both for developing your story and for revising it.

Some criticisms. I wish Lisa Cron wouldn’t call this brain science because it isn’t. Just because you can measure some dopamine does not make this science. This is art folks. And I wish artists would own up to it. Also, she spend the first part of the book dismissing other methods like writing by the seat of your pants or outlining. The craft books I have sitting on my shelf all have something that resonates. The Story Genius method is about getting to know your characters first and a lot of that happens by the seat of your pants and the structure comes from outlining. Normally, I'll dock off a star for something like this but I make an exception here because the merits of the book far outweigh these quibbles. I’ve already marked my copy extensively and will use not just to revise but to write new books. Thanks Lisa for writing a wonderful craft book and to Jennie for sharing her work-in-progress. And thanks to Blogging for Books for sending me a review copy. I've cross-posted this review on Amazon.

On Generational Spirits

I spent a most enjoyable hour petting the kittens as I listened to Fr. Chad Rippenger (sorry, but I can't seem to make a direct audio link)expand upon the article he'd written a couple of years ago in the Latin Mass Magazine on generational spirits through the last hundred years. It's a fascinating account of both social and spiritual history, and a reasonable explanation of how we've managed to sink so low. Here's a summary as part of Fr. Anderson's homily.

The generation that came of age during WWI suffered a great deal but did not express it, especially talking about the virtue of embracing the cross. Their children, who grew up during the Great Depression and fought in WWII are called the Greatest Generation (remember Tom Brokow's book?) and although they did what had to be done, they lacked a "spirit of mortification." They never wanted their children to suffer as they had and so they indulged their children. These are the Baby Boomers (Michael and I are both in this generation and the way we spent our 20s and 30s reflects what follows). Their parents “did not pass on the traditions of their fathers which required discipline and self-denial," which led to lack of temperance. This made them indocile (not following authority, people who know more, their betters). Yup. That was definitely us: we were our own gods. 

 

The children of Baby Boomers are known as Generation X and Y (born in the 70s and 80s), also called the 'me-generation' because they are noted for sense of entitlement. They are not necessarily immoral, but rather, amoral. Their children are known as Generation Z (our children fall in this category given that we had our kids later). "It is the generation that has gone without a coherent moral code, religious doctrine, or societal norms." This describes our children up until the time of our conversion and in fact, it was the lack of anything authoritative beyond us that made us realize we needed God desperately. Thank GOD! However, we still suffer from all the generational sins because it is very difficult to uproot what you've sown. Only by the grace of God are we growing in faith and virtue. And we hope and pray to keep the faith until the very end.

I will never forget this pivotal moment in our lives: Michael and the children receiving baptism and with it sanctifying grace. Tears of joy!

The Sixth Generation is the one being born now. “This generation will have a spirit that is not like any of the other generations. It is a spirit of paganism, fueled by the licentiousness and depravity passed down from the last couple of generations."

Depressing, no?

As you can see, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree for a reason, and the sins are compounded. From a "spirit on non-communication" we have reached a "spirit of depravity." Note that not everyone is affected by these. Those who try to live a sacramental life, doing their duty in their state of life, obedient to God do not succumb to the spirit of the ages.

Have hope.

Fr. Anderson says: "The Holy Spirit is at work among the young generation today. Many who are coming of age today recognize the truth and beauty of the Catholic faith in all its richness. They readily see how the rejection of traditional, orthodox Catholicism has deprived them of their spiritual inheritance, but they are claiming it back. Each generation is called by God to accomplish certain tasks, to fight off certain evils, and to achieve certain perfection. The Holy Spirit is now giving this generation what was not passed down to them. They are receiving Catholic tradition and they love it."

 

I have copied a prayer from Sensus Tradionis website. They have others as well.

 
Binding Prayer

Spirit of N., I bind you in the Name of Jesus, by the power of the most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ and by the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Michael the Archangel, the blessed Apostles, Peter and Paul and all of the saints, and I command you to leave N. (Name of person or object) and go to the foot of the Holy Cross to receive your sentence, in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

I like to sing St. Patrick's Breastplate and I hope someone will sing it for me when I die.

Three generations of Bodachs -- Greatest, Baby Boomers, and Gen X, Y, Z. Parce Domine! 

On Voting, Conscience, and Holy Communion

I have refrained from discussing politics here mostly because I found a new avenue: Facebook :) But I want to share a homily from a Catholic priest, who concerned with our souls, tells us not to present ourselves to receive the most Holy Body and Blood or our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ if we vote for certain political party that promotes abortion. This is serious folks. Listen to him.   

Today is the 100th anniversary of Planned Parenthood's existence, which is responsible for the majority of abortions in the US. And our tax dollars fund this. We are all complicit in this evil. It is the leading cause of death (not heart disease). Each day 3,000 babies are slaughtered in our abortuaries under the guise of women's rights and choice. We should weep.

What we sow, we reap. Now the children are killing the parents. It's called euthanasia. Mercy killing. "And if we accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another?" asked Mother Teresa, now a canonized saint! Indeed. The entire transcript of her speech given at the National Prayer Breakfast in 1994 is worth reading.

Even if abortion were the only non-negotiable item, what many people think amounts to single-issue voting, you have to consider that the right to life precedes any other right. The Catholic Church has listed five non-negotiables because they are intrinsically evil. This means we cannot support any political party that advocates abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research, cloning, and same-sex "marriage." The DNC espouses all of these. One has to wonder whether the leaders of the DNC are sleeping with the devil himself.

Wake up Catholics! We can make a difference. We can change the course this country has taken. Remember there is a vacant Supreme Court seat and several of the justices are old. Whom you vote for will have consequences that will last many decades. Even if you have voted for the DNC in the past, it's time to take a hard look at the issues now and awaken your conscience. Don't be a bad Catholic.

I have made my choice. I will vote for Trump/Pence. From the time I turned 18, I have always voted for the GOP because of their policies: pro-life, pro-family, fiscally conservative, smaller govt., stronger military. But now, as a convert I find it even more important to do my part in defeating the DNC.

But above all, I pray for our country. I know that whoever is elected reflects the will of the people. May God help us. Parce Domine.

Football

About a month ago, fathers and sons gathered for a meal. They each shared letters with one another. Yesterday evening, mothers and sons shared dinner catered by Iacofanos.

I am so proud of Max for sticking with football. I still remember the year he began, when he was nine, how worried I was given the football injuries I'd read about. I told him: protect your head. A year later after our conversion, I quit worrying and placed him under Mary's protection. I am so thankful to the wonderful coaches and teammates he's had throughout the years.

Many of my friends are surprised to learn he plays because he's more known for his brains. But he loves the game and has grown so much, both in stature and character. I love you Max and I hope you will always use your strength, both moral and physical, to care for the ones who are weaker.

Tonight: Homecoming. Bishops are undefeated. Pray they are victorious!