"Liturgical Changes" Webinars

The journey into the hi-tech world continues! Beginning Sunday evening, February 7, 2010, I will begin hosting a series of webinars (seminars on the web) examining the changes to the Order of Holy Mass recently approved by the USSCB and the Holy See, tentatively scheduled for implementation in Advent 2010 (possibly later...maybe Lent or Easter 2011). Check the parish website often for updates on times, dates, and topics. In the meantime, check the parish website ("Home Page") for computer system requirements to be able to join in the webinars.

"Twilight" Brings Anything But Light

Have you wondered at all about the phenomenal success of the "Twilight" vampire books and movies? Michael O'Brien has written a fascinating article that may be a bit long but well worth reading.

An excerpt from the article:

"A number of authors have pointed out in their studies of this genre that the thirst for the life-blood of others is a metaphor of lust. It is important to note in this regard that the vampire of legend only sometimes kills his victim; just as often, he infects the victim, turning him or her into a vampire. E. Michael Jones has written that at the root of the phenomenal rise of horror culture is suppressed conscience. Tracing the pattern from Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein (first published in 1818) through to Ridley Scott’s film Alien (1979) and its sequels, Jones argues that the denial of moral law produces metaphorical monsters that arise from the subconscious of creative people and spread into society through their cultural works. The monster in the Alien

films, for example, is a ghastly abomination of the feminine, and salvation is possible only through expulsion of the offspring it implants and incubates in humans—a subconscious eruption of internal conflicts (and guilt) over abortion.

As Jones points out:

'By following our illicit desires to their logical endpoint in death, we have created a nightmare culture, a horror-movie culture, one in which we are led back again and again to the source of our mysterious fears by forces over which we have no control.'"

I highly recommend the entire article!

Deacon Joe A. Machacek's Ordination

Yesterday our parish and, indeed, the entire Diocese of Victoria in Texas celebrated with great joy the ordination of four men to the permanent diaconate. I offer my personal congratulations to all four of the ordinandi but especially to our parish's new deacon, Deacon Joe A. Machacek.

The program provided to all of us at the ordination liturgy had this to say: "Ordination brings an outpouring of the Holy Spirit that transforms the deacon, enabling him to minister with a distinct identity and integrity in the Church that marks him as neither a lay person or a priest, but one designated to a diakonia, namely, a service to God's people in communion with the bishop and his body of priests."

Deacon Joe, ad multos annos in your ministry of service to God's people!

Arriverderci, Roma!

Well, it's been an amazing 12 weeks of sabbatical in the Eternal City...surely the opportunity of a lifetime...but, as they say, "all good things must come to an end." So, tomorrow morning I'm headed back to Shiner and truly looking forward to being home! This will most likely be my last posting from Rome...at least until the next sabbatical!

Ciao, bella Roma...and I'll see you Shinerites very soon!

A Wake-Up Call for America's Catholics

I couldn't have said it better myself! Read Mr. S. E. Cupp's op-ed piece at FOXNews.com.

Ave Maria, Gratia Plena!

"Hail Mary, full of grace!"

December 8 is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. Under this title, declared dogma of the Roman Catholic Church by Pope Pius IX in 1854 (as depicted above in the Immaculate Conception Chapel of the Papal Apartments in Vatican City), the Blessed Virgin Mary is the patroness of the United States of America. Pope Pius IX proclaimed ex cathedra: "that the Blessed Virgin Mary "in the first instance of her conception, by a singular privilege and grace granted by God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved exempt from all stain of original sin."

"Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of death. Amen!"

St. Gianna Molla Ministry for Life and the Manhattan Declaration

The parish has begun a new ministry, the St. Gianna Molla Ministry for Life. I am so happy that we have done this since, without trying to be overly-dramatic, we are truly in the fight of our lives. Our culture, seemingly daily, continues to spin out of control, headlong into the deep, dark chasm of the culture of death.

Here is what our new ministry seeks to accomplish (from its Mission Statement): In gratitude to God, the author of life, we combine our efforts to protect all of His created life made in His image and likeness from conception to natural death. We pledge to further the joyful culture of life by our positive words and example. We will educate others on the beauty of life, the horror of abortion and the shining happiness that a chaste and virtuous life will bring. In this, our mission, we humbly ask the Holy Spirit’s inspiration and guidance, and the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Gianna Molla.

I am also thrilled that 15 leading US bishops joined in signing an ecumenical "call to conscience" last week that not only decried the "impulse to redefine marriage," but likewise repented "as we have too easily embraced the culture of divorce." Released Friday at a Washington press conference, the "Manhattan Declaration" emerged from a group of 150 Catholic, Orthodox and Evangelical leaders, ordained and lay alike. For its part, however, the American hierarchy was represented by a veritable A-list flank that included Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia, Archbishops Donald Wuerl of Washington, Tim Dolan of New York, Charles Chaput of Denver, Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, John Myers of Newark, John Nienstedt of St Paul and Minneapolis, Joseph Naumann of Kansas City in Kansas, and Bishops Thomas Olmsted of Phoenix, Salvatore Cordileone of Oakland, David Zubik of Pittsburgh, and Richard Malone of Portland, who spearheaded Maine's successful repeal of a law allowing homosexual marriage. Among others, the prelates were joined by several leading lights of the Catholic right, including Ignatius Press chief Fr Joseph Fessio, First Things editor Joseph Bottum, papal biographer George Weigel and Fr Robert Sirico of the Acton Institute. Beyond its treatment of marriage, the signers pledged their energies to "to roll back the license to kill that began with the abandonment of the unborn to abortion," to "not comply with any edict that purports to compel our institutions to participate in abortions, embryo-destructive research, assisted suicide and euthanasia, or any other anti-life act; nor will we bend to any rule purporting to force us to bless immoral sexual partnerships, treat them as marriages or the equivalent" and "to embrace our obligation to speak and act in defense of these truths."

I encourage, as heartily as I can, each of our parishioners to sign the Manhattan Declaration at their website and to continue to pray and fast for a renewal of the culture of life in our country and in our world; and to wholeheartedly support the efforts of the parish's St. Gianna Molla Ministry for Life!