Category Archives: The Kitchen Sink

The Bells of Brookland

21 Tuesday Feb 2012

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In 1921, a student by the name of Anna M. du Brul penned a poem about life in Brookland, and how it is run by the bells.  I came across this poem while writing my Senior Thesis, and recently ran across it again.  I thought it would provide a nice reflection this day before Lent.

The Bells of Brookland

When dewdrops glisten in each flower
O’er earth the sun holds sway.
It is the Angel’s glad reveille
The birds are on the wing;
God gives us yet another day,
The Bells of Brookland ring.
 
And then again at high noon hour
They bid us stop to pray,
To thank God has His blessings shower
Upon us through westay.
O Come adore, twas at mid-day
They crucified the King,
And bend thy knee to homage pay,
The Bells of Brookland ring.
 
At eventide all wee things cower
Each deepening sunset ray
Reflects the Great Creator’s power
Brings rest from work and play.
The Angelus once more today,
And now ‘tis evening
And “De profundis, Domine”
The Bells of Brookland ring.
 
O monks, who mark the day
By Aves as you sing,
Reminders of His service may
The Bells of Brookland ring

Tu Es Petrus

18 Saturday Feb 2012

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N.B., this was a scheduled post, and I was surprised to see that His Holiness took his reflections this morning from the same gospel passage

In response to Jesus’ question, we hear that great Profession of Faith flow right out of Peter’s mouth.  This great profession of faith that we all need to profess every day.

Tu es Christus Filius Dei vivi. Thou art Christ, the Son of the Living God.

Who is Jesus?  He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.

respondens autem Iesus dixit ei beatus es Simon Bar Iona quia caro et sanguis non revelavit tibi sed Pater meus qui in caelis est.  And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona, because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven.

Who revealed this to Simon Peter?  God the Father.  This same Father whose Son will be killed on a CROSS for my sins.  Killed on a CROSS for your sins.  For the sins of the whole world.

Christus Vincit! Christus Regnat! Christus Imperat!

et ego dico tibi quia tu es Petrus et super hanc petram aedificabo ecclesiam meam et portae inferi non praevalebunt adversum eam.  And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Tu es Petrus.  You are Peter. Et portae inferi non praevalebunt adversum eam.  The gates of hell will not prevail against Her.  Holy Mother Church will prevail in the end.  She will rein.  We may lose the battle, but will win the war.

Predestination, and more

16 Thursday Feb 2012

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Yesterday, in my history class, we were, as you might remember, discussing John Calvin and his impact on the European Family.  Well, in order to accomplish this, we also had to go over some of his tenants.  One of the major ones is predestination.  Predestination uses biblical proof as support for Calvin’s claims that “many are called, but few are chosen.” Another claim is that because of predestination, there is no need to do works.

I then went to the 5:15 Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, where I had to fill in as the reader at the last second.  As I was reading the reading, which happened to be from the Epistle of James, I thought to myself how ironic it was that in class we discussed predestination and the protestant belief that because of predestination, works mean nothing, and then I was later reading James refuting this same idea.

Here is the reading, taken from James 1:19-27

Know this, my dear brothers and sisters:
everyone should be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger
for anger does not accomplish
the righteousness of God.
Therefore, put away all filth and evil excess
and humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you
and is able to save your souls.

Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves.
For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer,
he is like a man who looks at his own face in a mirror.
He sees himself, then goes off and promptly forgets
what he looked like.
But the one who peers into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres,
and is not a hearer who forgets but a doer who acts;
such a one shall be blessed in what he does.

If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue
but deceives his heart, his religion is vain.
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this:
to care for orphans and widows in their affliction
and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

So, its obvious here that we learn, from someone who was an apostle of Christ, one who walked the earth and learned directly from our King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, that faith without works means nothing!  Predestination, which is one of their main tenants, disproved!!!  [This is done more strongly later in the same letter, but to find that quote requires time which I don’t have right now.]

“Catholics for Choice”

11 Saturday Feb 2012

Posted by in Catholicism, Family, Politics, The Kitchen Sink

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As I was reading blogs and reflecting on the excellent lecture that His Eminence, Theodore Cardinal McCarrick, Archbishop Emeritus of Washington, D.C., I got thinking about why I haven’t posted on the debacle that is the Health and Human Services announcement like The American Papist, Thomas Peters, Rocco Palmo, and smaller bloggers, like my friend here, who took the time to examine specific statistics which have been thrown around a lot these past few days.  I, however, won’t be posting links to official statements, like Rocco or Thomas, or examining specific statistics that have been thrown around these past few days.  I will be talking about something else.  Something, while related, has a little following of itself.

There is a group that calls themselves “Catholics for Choice”.  This “choice” that they are talking about is not a good choice at all, for they claim that it is necessary to be able to not only have birth control, but abortions as well.  These Catholics, who say that they are for choice, do not understand that there is only one logical choice that they can be for.  That choice is that of life, and not using contraceptives and abortifacients, which is what this group pushes for.

Today, in the inaugural lecture on Faithful Citizenship, hosted by The Catholic University of America Knights of Columbus, in conjunction with the Catholic Apostolate Center and The Catholic University of America, His Eminence mentioned many things that stuck with me, and a few of them apply to this topic that I am speaking of here.

First off, His Eminence mentioned that “one cannot be authentically Catholic and not be pro-life at the same time.”  He then went on to say that not only are out consciences freeing things, even though it may not seem that way, and that being pro-life is not enough, it’s about the dignity of every human person.  These three statements really bring out that points about why Catholics cannot be for choice in the areas that these so called “Catholics for Choice” are calling for.

Number one, they have consciences.  While we may think that their consciences are poorly formed, they still have them.  Number two, we need to approach these people on the streets.  We need to talk to them.  With love.  None of this I’m right and you’re wrong.  Yes, we may be right in some respects, but we need to dialogue with them about these issues.  We need to sit down with them face to face, find out why they believe that it is right to have a choice in these issues,  and then, using nothing but love and care, explain why they hold the wrong positions.  This isn’t accomplished by yelling and screaming, or by denying communion.  For, how do we know that these “Catholics for Choice” didn’t go to confession 15 minutes ago, or have a change of heart 20 minutes ago before entering the Church for Mass?  There are issues that we need to turn to Rome to, and I believe that the one of invoking Canon 915 is one of them.  For, we, as Catholics follow the lead and example of His Holiness.  The fact that not only has he not denied anyone communion, but he has not said that it should be done either is a pretty clear sign that we shouldn’t either.

So, as Catholics, can we chose?  Well, to use contraceptives, abortifacients, and to have abortions- the answer is no.  These were spelled out very clearly in the encyclical letter of Pope Paul VI, Humanae Vitae.  He states very clearly the Church’s position on the issues regarding human life.  However, I come bearing great news!  There are things that you can choose!  You, as a Catholic can choose whether to go to a Mass that is sung or said.  You can choose to go to a Mass with incense or no incense.  You can choose to pray the rosary or the divine office, charisimatic or quiet prayer.  However, we cannot choose to use these evil contraceptives, abortifacients, or to have abortions.  That is clear.

Our Lady of Lourdes, Pray for us.

N.B. I refuse to link to the group Catholics for Choice.  They get enough traffic as it is, and I have no need or desire to increase that traffic.