Hypocratic toast

The other night over dinner with some friends, the conversation some how came around to my experiences finding a good Catholic doctor and they wanted me to blog about it. Considering the difficulties I had with my two pregnancies, the "finding of the doctor" part seemed pretty tame in comparison.

Here's what I wrote on my genealogy website years ago before my son was born, with some editing and slight revision:

"In December my mother-in-law finally retired from work and was moving out of our house after staying with us during the week for the better part of three years. We had a retirement party for her in early December and I began to feel tired...just thinking it was due to the hectic schedule I had been keeping. Christmas came and I still wasn’t feeling well. Driving back from the Christmas party at my parents-in-law's was awful as my stomach hurt and I was generally uncomfortable. A few days later I caught hubby’s cold. Both of us were sick and spent the next few days in bed recuperating.

As New Year’s approached, the cold was going away, but my stomach hurt and I felt awful. I figured I would give it a few days to see if things got better. On New Year’s Eve I couldn’t stand it anymore and went to Urgent Care. (Since we had recently moved back to Minnesota from Washington State, and because I typically don't get sick, and was also busy with taking care of my father who had cancer, I hadn't gotten around to finding a family doctor. After 14 years of marriage with no children, the thought of pregnancy and needing an OB-GYN was not even on my radar.) The pain in my stomach was localized on my left side just below my ribs. To lay on my left side made me completely nauseated. I thought it was an ulcer.

Hubby went in with me to the doctor. The doctor went through all the standard questions but the only symptom I was describing was the pain on my left side. He asked if I could be pregnant. Of course I could be pregnant, even though it was highly unlikely based on prior experience. The doctor set down the clip board and pen, stopped asking any more questions and had me do a pregnancy test.

The urine test confirmed it, I was pregnant.

It was late on New Year's Eve and I was thrilled, but felt so sick that I wasn’t bouncing off the walls with joy. The doctor had me lay on the exam table and felt my stomach. He asked me how far along in the pregnancy I thought I was. About five weeks I thought. Feeling my uterus, he said he thought I was more like 20 weeks. Since the timescale didn’t make sense, he wanted to do a more thorough (internal) exam. This just made things worse since he wasn’t able to find my cervix! The doctor then used a Doppler to see if he could hear a heart beat from the baby but had no luck. He sent me to the lab for blood tests. All those tests did was confirm I was pregnant. At this point everyone was concerned and wondering what was wrong. The doctor said he thought I had a molar pregnancy, which would’ve explained the enlarged uterus, and scheduled me for an ultrasound later that week. We went home, still incredibly sick, but now not knowing what was going on.

At home, things got worse. I couldn’t eat anything, couldn’t sleep, and was incredibly sick. After a few days of this we decided to head to the Emergency Room at Regions Hospital. I went through the whole story with the doctor who decided to do her own exam and then got a portable ultrasound to see what was going on. Urine test again confirmed a pregnancy, but we didn’t know what that meant at this stage. There were so many things unanswered about what was going on that the head of the ER was summoned. In the meantime, they had given me an IV because I was severely dehydrated and also gave me something for the nausea. For a few minutes I started to feel better.

The head doctor tried to make something out of the ultrasound, but had no luck. At this point they decided to call the ultrasound technician in to do a thorough ultrasound on a “real” machine in the OB-GYN area. They wheeled me down the dark corridors of the hospital...it was now about 2am. The unlucky “on-call” technician was waiting for me. The ultrasound showed the egg sack, but you couldn’t see the tell-tale “grain of rice” that indicated a baby. The head of the ER showed up and watched the last half of the ultrasound. Instead of a molar pregnancy, it showed I had a really large fibroid tumor. At least this was better news than a molar pregnancy.

I was wheeled back to the ER and an OB-GYN specialist was called. She came in to talk to me about the pregnancy. She told me that I had a non-viable pregnancy. It was just an empty egg sack. I was in shock over the whole situation. I asked her if she was sure that it was non-viable. Absolutely, was her response. After more discussion I inquired again, was she certain it was non-viable? Absolutely. Discussion then centered around what to do. I could either have a D&C or “go home and let nature take its course.” There was no way I wanted a D&C, but wasn’t looking forward to waiting around for a miscarriage either. The entire situation was sad and disappointing. I was so sick I just wanted to be someone else, somewhere else, anywhere but dealing with this. Again I asked about the viability and what I should expect from a miscarriage. Again I was told it was non-viable and a miscarriage was imminent.

I told the doctor I would let “nature take its course” and went home.

Later that day I was still very, very sick but now was having horrible chills that I couldn’t get under control. I was shaking badly from being both hot and cold and felt so awful I wanted to die. I called hubby at work and he brought me back to the ER. Here they gave me another IV with two liters of saline because I was completely dehydrated and hadn’t eaten or drank much in a week or more (I lost thirty pounds). They gave me some more drugs for the nausea and I actually fell asleep on the exam table...I was totally exhausted.

I was sent home with anti-nausea medication and was optimistic I would feel better, but was haunted by the anticipated miscarriage. At this point I asked hubby to call my aunt and let her know what was going on and to call the Carmelite Brothers because I wanted their prayers. I still couldn’t eat and only slept a few minutes at a time.

When Monday arrived I called around to find an OB-GYN who would be able to see me that day. We had to find out for certain what was going on. Hubby finally found a doctor that could see me. This doctor said it was too early to have made the non-viable determination because I was barely six weeks along. He scheduled me for another ultrasound on Friday to take another look. He also determined that the baby was conceived around Thanksgiving, something we hadn’t even thought about. We went home and waited for the next ultrasound.

I was still very sick, not sleeping and not eating. My aunt kept bringing over food because I was losing quite a bit of weight, but I just couldn’t eat. As hard as I tried, I couldn’t eat or drink because even the sight of food made me more nauseated. The anti-nausea medication only worked for a short period of time and I could only take so much of it. After two days, I gave up taking it altogether since it wasn’t really impacting how I felt. Plus, I am typically reluctant to take medications and thought, what if I really am pregnant...didn’t want to take something that could harm the baby.

On Friday, we finally had a nurse at the doctor's office do the ultrasound and it was incredible. Here was a baby, you could see its heart beating(!) and the nurse said everything looked fine, except the large fibroid!! Hubby and I somehow knew in our hearts that this would be the answer. I was so relieved and felt so blessed. We went home happy and optimistic about the pregnancy. It was still early, so we were concerned, but it certainly seemed like things were heading in the right direction. My mind was now occupied with the knowledge that I was pregnant, really pregnant.

We had another visit with the doctor the next week and he did an ultrasound himself. Here was the baby and its heart beat was strong, right in the range it should be. The large fibroid (size of a football) concerned him, but he said it wouldn’t cause complications for the baby. What I thought was an ulcer was really the baby. The doctor remarked he hadn't ever seen a baby so high up in the uterus and so far to one side. At least we knew what was going on. I was still so sick that he ordered batteries of tests. All of them showed I was fine, just really sick. I was on disability leave from work and still losing weight. More doctors visits, more ultrasounds and more tests all showing the baby was fine, I was fine just really, really sick. Unfortunately, the doctor said the large fibroid would necessitate a C-section. I was fine with that since he was so insistent about it.

Despite being the first doctor to determine it was a viable pregnancy, I wasn’t comfortable with him. I ran his name on the internet and found he was an abortion provider -- big time abortion provider. Now I was very uncomfortable with him and had to find another doctor. I guess it made sense that he had talked to us on several occasions about abortion (telling me, matter-of-factly, that I could have an abortion at any time, and if I changed my mind about carrying the baby, it was my option) and undergoing tests that I refused because I thought they were too risky and increased the risk of miscarriage. He didn't seem to like that I didn't merely rubber-stamp his choices, openly disagreeing with him. I no longer trusted him with my care and certainly not my baby’s.

I spent quite a bit of time calling around and got the name of another doctor, a Catholic doctor, who remained the doctor we had for delivery. He was more balanced in his description of tests and procedures, explaining both pros and cons instead of only presenting the position he wanted us to agree with. He was less concerned about the fibroid and had a “wait and see” attitude about things as they could change as the pregnancy progressed."

[end of website entry]

The first time I was there for an appointment, he walked in the room and said, "I understand you're with child." A child, not a choice. Despite the kind of corny greeting, I knew I had my doctor.

The abortion-provider doctor was quite beloved and his office was completely shocked that I was leaving his care. When I asked for my records to be sent to the other doctor, they were not very kind or pleasant.

In retrospect, if I had stayed with the first doctor, I doubt I would've had my second child. I doubt I would still have my uterus. The first doctor had no respect or understanding of my position and my desire to do what was necessary to carry the baby to term AND retain my uterus. The second doctor understood my fear of having a hysterectomy and was more than willing to do what was necessary (reconstruction and time in the OR) to do the utmost to preserve my uterus and increase my chances of having more children.

This doctor didn't get offended when I opted out of tests and didn't pressure me to have them in the first place. I don't think he even got offended that I was actively involved in my care and all decisions (actually, I think he was amused). For example, when we discussed the potential scenarios for the C-section, I asked if I could bank blood because there was a chance I could experience significant blood loss. Even though he had never considered it, he enabled me to do this and it turned out to be a good idea, really speeding up my post-operative recovery (seems a transfusion of my own blood brought my hemoglobin and other vitals back to where they needed to be quite quickly) and decreasing the time I spent in post-op before I was able to be reunited with my husband and newborn son. (Although only one blood bank was willing to bank the blood of a woman who was eight months pregnant!).

Finding a good family doctor was equally as challenging. It took some time, but I finally found Dr. Mary through the "One More Soul" website. Honestly, it shouldn't be so hard to find a pro-life doctor.

Unfortunately, things are only going to get worse with FOCA on the horizon. The only "choices" allowed are the unilateral ones of the patient. No longer will the health care provider be able to practice as they had, following their own conscience. If doctors can't even act on their own conscience, then what kind of people will be taking up this profession?

Just right

The other day, as we were leaving a birthday party, my son told me he was a "kid kid."

I replied, thinking he misspoke, "You're a kid."

He was adamant, "No mom, a KID KID!!"

"What's a kid kid?"

"A kid that isn't really good or really bad...a kid kid."

Yes, I'd agree with that. If you balance the good and the bad, I guess it averages out to being a "kid kid."

No droids allowed

It's ladies night this evening at Mos Eisley. Vincenzo wanted a picture...here's one from the last outing that Cathy took.

Maybe I'll order a drink this time because the Coke they served was from Mexico and it was made from cane sugar...strange tasting. Kind of like importing Guinness to Ireland or Stoli to Russia. Nonsensical.

[Yes, I know what V will do with this picture, but at least it isn't the one of dogs sitting around a table playing poker.]

Thank you for your service

THANK YOU VETERANS
FREEDOM ISN'T FREE
A shout out to my brother who is currently serving in Iraq.

And, a remembrance of all my family members who served in the military...from my Pennsylvania and Maryland ancestors who served in the Revolutionary War (still trying to document this sufficiently) and the War of 1812, all the way down to the Vietnam War and Iraq.

My father enlisted in the Navy in WWII and served in the Pacific. His carrier, the USS Princeton, was sunk at the Battle of Leyte Gulf. He barely survived. All of my uncles, save one, have been in the military and so have a few of my aunts and even a great aunt (Philippines pre-WWII).

USS Princeton, sunk 24 Oct 1944

Hee man homemaking

I made some pumpkin bread with my son on Friday. My daughter helped too by doing some of the mixing, but I had my son do most of the work. Showed him (again) how to read a recipe, use the oven, grease the pan, etc.

He loved it. He loves to help in the kitchen. And the bread turned out great...it has already been devoured.

I was raised to help out around the house. My brother and I each had chores to do, but they were more your stereotypical things, like he did garbage and the lawn mowing, and I did everything else, be it laundry, cooking, cleaning, or dishes. In my husband's family, where my MIL thinks that it "isn't fair to have children and turn them in to indentured servants," she didn't teach her kids to cook, clean, do laundry, plan a meal, balance a check book, etc. No wonder, by comparison, they think I'm Martha Stewart.

When my husband and I got married, we lived in an apartment in Seattle. It had a washer and dryer stashed away conveniently behind two sets of bi-fold doors. In a splash of dramatic flare, I walked hubby over to the doors, threw them open and introduced him to, "Mr. Washer and Mr. Dryer." Despite washing a navy blue silk dress of mine and turning it into doll clothes, things have gone well in that department. Hubby's an Eagle Scout, he does well with these things.

I don't want my son to be housework challenged. I sure don't want to be doing his laundry when he's 30 because he has no clue about such practical things.

My daughter will learn to take out garbage and how to cut the grass. She will also learn how to change a tire, check oil and fend for herself in case she finds only frogs instead of Prince Charming.

Irish luck

It was about six years ago this November that hubby and I took a trip to Ireland with my aunt. My aunt and I had recently done a great deal of genealogy research on several of our Irish lines and she was eager to see Ireland.

And I thought travelling with children was bad.

One of our stops was to see where my Irish grandfather's family was from outside of Newport, County Mayo. Since it was off season, there weren't any B&B's available in Newport, so we drove to the next town, Westport.

In 1846, my great-great grandfather left the area with his wife and newborn daughter.


Although I had returned to the area previously, this time, in 2002, we went all the way back to my ancestral homeland and brought home a little souvenir...my son. Westport is literally my son's homeland!

After dinner and a few beers at the well-known Matt Molloy's, the luck o' the Irish struck.

Above photo is of the Linden Hall B&B where it all began.

Hot on the heels

of the last quiz, comes this one on Zombies...



What does it mean?

Your party was wiped out and you were almost killed right before the government came to the rescue. Consider yourself lucky. Hopefully that bite doesn't turn out to be infected...

Comforting to know that the government would come to my rescue. Since my taxes are likely to kill me, it's so nice to know they will be put to good use! Just hope my bite doesn't make them euthanize me.

However, I knew I wouldn't score very high :( The quiz question about running ability kind of did me in...I used to be able to run long distances quickly, but was never a good sprinter. Now, in my dotage, I'm lucky if I can run to the phone.

As seen on V's blog, who got it from Father Erik.

Dun my teacher proud

Back in high school, for some unknown reason, I took a grammar class. Mrs. Femrite's very prim and very proper class. She always had her hair pulled back in a bow, without a solitary hair out of place. Every day we started class with her salutation, "Please open your notes to the page upon which you are taking notes."

Every day that's what she said. I think she'd be proud to see that she really did learn me somethin'! She's was a sweet, straight-laced lady who never knew that Nick P. ALWAYS copied my paper. I wonder how ol' Nick is doing these days and if he ever figured out the difference between who and whom?

Your result for The Commonly Confused Words Test ...

English Genius
You scored 100% Beginner, 100% Intermediate, 100% Advanced, and 93% Expert!

You did so extremely well, even I can't find a word to describe your excellence! You have the uncommon intelligence necessary to understand things that most people don't. You have an extensive vocabulary, and you're not afraid to use it properly! Way to go!

I think I know which one I got wrong...I won't say what it is in case you plan to test your own grammar...wouldn't want to give you a heads-up on what's coming!

H/T to Laura the Nobamamama

Biding time

In the past few days I've had several people comment to me about the position of those who support contraception, abortion, and gay marriage. The comments being, like Cathy posted about just a few days ago, that these folks don't quite understand Darwin. They are living and promoting choices and lifestyles that don't bode well for their posterity.

Many of these folks champion the notion of survival of the fittest, but don't see the contradiction in the fact that they aren't positioning themselves to survive. Ah, but those of us who profess a belief in a higher being are too strung out on our opiate...is that guns or religion...to know what is necessary to prevent having so many children or to even think for ourselves.

Religion is a crutch for the weak-minded, so said the sage Mr. Ventura, even though the Church, along with its blind minions, has been instrumental in the arts and sciences (see Thomas Woods', "How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization.")

But who is clinging to a faith and providing for their posterity? Well, the families in my homeschool group are a good example. In the short time I've belonged to this group, nearly every family, within the last two years, has had a baby. Two dozen families committing the societal sin of having more than one or two children. Actually, many of them are well beyond the "more than two" stage.

These children are raised in homes where the Faith will be handed down.

So, while the rest of the world clamors for all that is contrary to life, a remnant remains of strong Catholic families filled with children -- children that will populate our seminaries, run for elected office, staff our hospitals and teach in our universities.

As I said on Cathy's blog, the Catholic motto should be like that of CBS' Survivor...Outwit. Outplay. Outlast.

Or, like Doritos..."We'll make more."

Congrats to all the families who recently had new little blessings and to those moms in the group (currently four!) who are expecting in the next few months. You are a blessing to us all. May God bless your families abundantly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There's a sad sort of clanging
From the clock in the hall
And the bells in the steeple too,
And up in the nurs'ry an absurd little bird
Is popping out to say "cuckcoo".

Regretfully they tell us,
But firmly they compel us
To say goodbye to you.
~"So long, Farewell," from The Sound of Music

Undecided?

Although the choice should be clear-cut, if you're a fence-sitter, this might help you decide.

(Apologies to Kit!)

If one's stand on abortion and infanticide weren't enough...
If the Freedom of Choice Act didn't scare the beejeezes out of you...
If you can't figure out that socialism would further damage the economy...

Then this should make things quite clear :)

Halloween Kneeler Caption Call

It's Halloween...woo hoo!! Happy Halloween!!

Seems the election has been weighing heavily on everyone. In between your novenas and chaplets, take a moment for some levity (God is good!) and try your best shot at coming up with a caption for this pic. Place your captions in the com box.

If this had food in it, I'm sure Vincenzo would have something to say :)

There's more than an election coming

I know our thoughts on the election and rightly so. It seems everyone I know is praying, saying novenas and chaplets and going to Adoration. Our homeschool group is doing a novena for the election and my bible study group is doing a Patriotic Rosary and we all signed up for a state to pray for. I have Oregon. Think what you will about blending patriotism into the rosary, it's clear our country can use all the prayers it gets. Father Corapi has been quite vocal in calling for prayers. May God have mercy on us. Our Lady of Victory, intercede for us.

The Poor Souls and the Catechism
As I posted last year, November is also the time to remember the Poor Souls in our prayers. Here's what the Catechism has to say about prayers for the Poor Souls:

956 The intercession of the saints. "Being more closely united to Christ, those who dwell in heaven fix the whole Church more firmly in holiness.... They do not cease to intercede with the Father for us, as they proffer the merits which they acquired on earth through the one mediator between God and men, Christ Jesus.... So by their fraternal concern is our weakness greatly helped."

"Do not weep, for I shall be more useful to you after my death and I shall help you then more effectively than during my life." ~St. Dominic, dying, to his brothers.

"I want to spend my heaven in doing good on earth." ~St. Therese of Lisieux, The Final Conversations

957 Communion with the saints. "It is not merely by the title of example that we cherish the memory of those in heaven; we seek, rather, that by this devotion to the exercise of fraternal charity the union of the whole Church in the Spirit may be strengthened. Exactly as Christian communion among our fellow pilgrims brings us closer to Christ, so our communion with the saints joins us to Christ, from whom as from its fountain and head issues all grace, and the life of the People of God itself" (Eph 4:1-6):

We worship Christ as God's Son; we love the martyrs as the Lord's disciples and imitators, and rightly so because of their matchless devotion towards their king and master. May we also be their companions and fellow disciples (Martyrium Polycarpi, 17: Apostolic Fathers II/3, 396)

958 Communion with the dead. "In full consciousness of this communion of the whole Mystical Body of Jesus Christ, the Church in its pilgrim members, from the very earliest days of the Christian religion, has honored with great respect the memory of the dead; and 'because it is a holy and a wholesome thought to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from their sins' she offers her suffrages for them." Our prayer for them is capable not only of helping them, but also of making their intercession for us effective.

Charity for the Poor Souls - Indulgences
You are also able to receive an indulgence for the Poor Souls. I've been doing this as best I can since my mother passed away over 20 years ago and my father over eight years ago. Plus, I have a huge family that has gone on before with few to remember them. From the Catholic Culture site:

It is during November that the Church meditates on the Communion of Saints, which is the charitable link with the faithful who have already reached heaven (Church Triumphant), the faithful departed who are still expiating their sins in Purgatory (Church Suffering) and of the pilgrim faithful here on earth (Church Militant). "In this wonderful exchange, the holiness of one profits others, well beyond the harm that the sin of one could cause others. Thus recourse to the communion of saints lets the contrite sinner be more promptly and efficaciously purified of the punishments for sin." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1475).

On November 1st the Church celebrates the Solemnity of All Saints, a holyday of obligation (not in our diocese this year), honoring all those faithful in heaven. On November 2, and throughout November, the Church remembers our faithful departed on the Feast of All Souls. The need and duty of prayer for the departed souls has been acknowledged by the Church at all times. It is recommended in the Scriptures of the Old Testament: "It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins."(2 Macch. 12, 46). This duty has found expression not only in public and private prayers but especially in the offering of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for the repose of souls.

During November the Church especially prays for all who are in the purifying fires of Purgatory, waiting for the day when they will join the company of the saints in heaven. The celebration of Mass is the highest means the Church can provide for charity for the dead, but we can also relieve their sufferings through our prayers, sufferings and penances. We an also help the Poor Souls by doing acts and prayers that have indulgences attached to them. There are many indulgences, applicable only to the souls in Purgatory, that can be obtained during the month of November.

An indulgence is "the remission before God of the temporal punishment due for sins already forgiven as far as their guilt is concerned." To obtain this remission there are proper dispositions and certain conditions predetermined by the Church that must be met by the faithful. The remission is acquired through the intervention of the Church, who has the power to loose and bind granted through Jesus Christ. "As minister of the Redemption, authoritatively dispenses and applies the treasury of the satisfaction won by Christ and the Saints" (Enchiridion of Indulgences).

To understand this practice of indulgences, the Catechism explains:

It is necessary to understand that sin has a double consequence. Grave sin deprives us of communion with God and therefore makes us incapable of eternal life, the privation of which is called the "eternal punishment" of sin. On the other hand every sin, even venial, entails an unhealthy attachment to creatures, which must be purified either here on earth, or after death in the state called Purgatory. This purification frees one from what is called the "temporal punishment" of sin. These two punishments must not be conceived of as a kind of vengeance inflicted by God from without, but as following from the very nature of sin. A conversion which proceeds from a fervent charity can attain the complete purification of the sinner in such a way that no punishment would remain.

The forgiveness of sin and restoration of communion with God entail the remission of the eternal punishment of sin, but temporal punishment of sin remains. While patiently bearing sufferings and trials of all kinds and, when the day comes, serenely facing death, the Christian must strive to accept this temporal punishment of sin as a grace. He should strive by works of mercy and charity, as well as by prayer and the various practices of penance, to put off completely the "old man" and to put on the "new man." (1472, 1473)

An indulgence can either be partial or plenary. It is partial if it removes only part of the temporal punishment due to sin, or plenary if it removes all punishment.

To be able to gain an indulgence, one must have the intention to gain them, and perform the works at the time and in the manner prescribed.

To attain a plenary indulgence, three conditions must accompany the prescribed act:

the faithful must receive the sacrament of confession, either eight days before or after the pious act is performed,
receive Holy Communion on that day and recite prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father (one Our Father and one Hail Mary is the minimum, but any other additional prayers may be added).
All attachment to sin, even venial sin, must be absent. If one's disposition is less than perfect or if some of the above conditions are not fulfilled, the indulgence becomes partial.

One must also remember that only one plenary indulgence a day can be acquired.

Indulgenced Acts for the Poor Souls
A partial indulgence can be obtained by devoutly visiting a cemetery and praying for the departed, even if the prayer is only mental. One can gain a plenary indulgence visiting a cemetery each day between November 1 and November 8. These indulgences are applicable only to the Souls in Purgatory.

A plenary indulgence, again applicable only the Souls in Purgatory, is also granted when the faithful piously visit a church or a public oratory on November 2. In visiting the church or oratory, it is required, that one Our Father and the Creed be recited.

A partial indulgence, applicable only to the souls in purgatory, can be obtained when the Eternal Rest (Requiem aeternam) is prayed. This is a good prayer to recite especially during the month of November:

Requiem aeternam dona ei (eis), Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei (eis). Requiescat (-ant) in pace Amen.

Eternal rest grant to them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Many families add to the "Prayer Before Meals" the second half of the "Eternal Rest" prayer:

Bless us, O Lord, and these thy gifts, which we are about to receive, from Thy bounty, through Christ, our Lord, Amen. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Other families recite the "Eternal Rest" prayer in between decades of the rosary, or after praying the Angelus.
It is a good devotion to pray for the departed all through the year, not just November. After these Souls in Purgatory are in heaven, they will intercede for us. We should all develop prayerful habits, such as praying the "Eternal Rest" prayer when passing cemeteries, to remind us of our eternal destiny.

For more information on the Church's teachings on indulgences, read the Enchiridion of Indulgences given by the 1968 Decree of the Sacred Apostolic Penitentiary.

Also see The Catechism of the Catholic Church section on Indulgences, Part 2, Section 2, Chapter 2, Article 4, Subsection 10, 1471-1479.

Prayer of St. Gertrude the Great
Another good thing to do for the Poor Souls is say the Prayer of St. Gertrude.

Our Lord dictated the following prayer to St. Gertrude the Great to release 1,000 Souls from Purgatory each time it is said.

"Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen."

Shakespeare the Catholic

Back in May, when I attended the Chesterton conference, I hadn't heard of Joseph Pearce. I knew only a little more of Shakespeare than I did of Pearce, and I knew little of British history. For me, reading Shakespeare's plays were painful exercises done in my college prep writing class. Being completely ignorant of most history not tied to my own country, the plays were read not knowing or appreciating the context and richness of their setting. For that matter, I don't think any attempt was made to place Shakespeare's work in time and I can't recall that Queen Elizabeth was mentioned, or even if she had been, I knew so little of her it would've made as much impact as hearing that Zu-Zu was president of Mars...just a name associated with a place I knew nothing about.

When I got to college, I found how worthless my college prep history and college prep writing classes had been.

At the Chesterton conference, I met up with Ray who raved about hearing Joseph Pearce speak at a prior conference, so we grabbed a good seat with me hoping Pearce would be done soon so that I could hear Father Longenecker speak on Chesterton.

I was caught off-guard, pleasantly so, by Pearce's speech on Shakespeare. Previously, Shakespeare had been a subject I cared little about, with British history coming in close behind, but now I was so intrigued I couldn't wait to get my hands on Pearce's book, "The Quest for Shakespeare."

Being on a limited budget, I finally was able to get the book through interlibrary loan. In the interim, I had the time to read some of the reviews of Pearce's book and also the not-so-nice review in First Things. Robert Miola, in his review of, "The Quest for Shakespeare," criticizes Pearce for not relying on or citing primary sources and for considering Shakespeare a Catholic merely "by association." Another review I read criticizes Pearce for looking at history with rose colored glasses.

I see their arguments, but still loved Pearce's book despite them.

In this day and age, I think most people have learned the dangers of relying on secondary sources when they have regrettably forwarded on e-mails that have later turned out to not be true. Even grade school kids know they can't use Jimmy's opinion about sharks in their book reports. Whenever a primary source is available, it should be used.

But, IMHO, what is known about Shakespeare from primary sources has been poured over, rehashed, and analyzed from just about every conceivable angle, except possibly from the Catholic perspective. What is known about Shakespeare's life from primary sources probably fills a scant page and is limited to things like birth, marriage and death records. Maybe the strict academics get giddy with that information, but these common denominator facts can be found at Wikipedia and don't do much to further anyone's understanding of Shakespeare or fire up anyone's interest, especially the interest of someone like me who always considered Shakespeare to be a snoozer. Though I may be going out on a limb, I suspect Pearce has checked out the primary sources. I don't think regurgitating what was already known was what Pearce was trying to do.

I've been an amateur genealogist for decades. I want to "get to know" my ancestors, understand what brought them to this country, know what hardships and challenges they encountered and gain some insight about their lives. I spend a lot of time learning the history of the area, finding out about what life was like during that time period and trying to "crawl into their lives" as best I can. To me, this is far more interesting than having a huge family tree full of names along with birth, marriage and death information.

For one of my Irish branches, the family that I associate most closely with, I tracked my great-great grandfather and his family back to Ireland. Despite having the birth, death and marriage information, I've walked through the cemeteries, spent countless hours looking through records in court houses, read local histories, gone to local historical societies and libraries, and talked to people in the area all in my own "quest" to understand my ancestors a bit better. I've visited the places this family had lived in Wisconsin, areas outside Toronto (and learned what life was like for Catholics in Victorian Canada), places in Washington State and in Ireland. When I finally "found" my great-great grandfather's grave in an old cemetery in southern Wisconsin, I felt like I knew him and would recognize him on the street.

I've learned about my Scottish ancestors, their possible ties to the Gowrie Conspiracy and the Knights Templar and visited their still standing homes just outside Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace. I've walked through the small alpine town and climbed through the hills where my Swiss great-grandfather pastured his cows and sat in a pew of the church he attended. The northern German towns where my family lived and suffered during the 30 Years War would be unrecognizable to them today. The home another branch of Irish ancestors lived with their 16 children before being evicted during the famine, is now a garage. These things are what make history, my family history, interesting, not the cold, hard, impersonal dates. Anyone can dig those up, but to bring some amount of "life" to a long dead ancestor is much more of a challenge.

That's what I believe was Pearce's aim in his book. He gathers all the "circumstantial" evidence of Shakespeare's life and tries to help us understand him. It's not "guilt by association" to posit that Shakespeare was a Catholic. That Shakespeare's parents were Catholic and his daughter was Catholic says a great deal, from my genealogical perspective, because one way to track people is by their religious affiliation. Once a person changes faith, it is extremely rare that their children will adopt the faith of their grandparents. Although it may be a small sampling, I've never seen it happen in my family. And, given the persecutions that were happening at the time, it is hard to imagine that Shakespeare's daughter would've become a Catholic. It makes much more sense that Shakespeare was a recusant Catholic and handed down the Faith to his daughter.

It's not revisionist to consider Shakespeare a Catholic if so much points to that conclusion and away from everything else. I think Pearce knew a great deal about Shakespeare before writing his book and this information then led him to believe Shakespeare was Catholic. Pearce merely went back through all the information again to show the reader how he came to the conclusion that Shakespeare was a Catholic. His book is a vivid and interesting "thinking out loud" telling of the story of Shakespeare's life, some things slightly speculative (association with Campion), other points far more plausible.

And, as Pearce shows, a reading of Shakespeare's work with a Catholic understanding of Faith and theology will illuminate a good deal of what would be missed if the reader didn't have that grounding.

Weekend Kneeler Jeopardy

Last weekend of going up to the cabin. Actually, we already closed up the cabin since it didn't make any sense to heat the place all winter, so we are staying with my PIL. The beach club on the lake where my PIL live is having it's Halloween party and my MIL wanted us to attend.

Here's something I recently learned since I know little of British History. It's probably obvious to most Brits, but I never learned this stuff this stuff in school...I barely learned about the Pilgrims, the Revolution, Churchill and Thatcher!

CATEGORY: British History

What convert to Catholicism was known for being eloquent, elusive, educated, courageous, bold and daring, and is known for his Brag. He was a Jesuit priest and martyr, now a blessed, a biography of his life was written by Evelyn Waugh and his example strengthened the resolve of the persecuted Catholics of the day?

St. Alex says to put your answer in the form of a question in the combox, say a chaplet for the election while you wait for the answer to be revealed. Demerits for using a search engine, but educated guesses are welcome and encouraged.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Knights who say ni

Michael PALIN as a Knight who says Ni in Monty Python and the Holy Grail
How incredibly disappointing. I hardly could believe it when I heard that there are some Knights of Columbus that are breaking ranks and speaking out against their leader who was critical of Biden, and have gone so far as to create their own website, Knights for Obama.

I don't know what it is they are sworn to defend if it isn't the Church, which strongly supports the right to life. May Our Lady knock them off their high horses and break the spell of Obama the Enchanter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A great scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail...at least this is fiction

TIM: To the north there lies a cave -- the cave of Kyre Banorg --
wherein, carved in mystic runes upon the very living rock, the last
words of Ulfin Bedweer of Regett [boom] proclaim the last resting
place of the most Holy Grail.
ARTHUR: Where could we find this cave, O Tim?
TIM: Follow! But! follow only if ye be men of valor, for the entrance
to this cave is guarded by a creature so foul, so cruel that no man
yet has fought with it and lived! Bones of four fifty men lie strewn
about its lair. So, brave knights, if you do doubt your courage or
your strength, come no further, for death awaits you all with nasty
big pointy teeth.
ARTHUR: What an eccentric performance.
[clop clop whinny]
KNIGHT: They're nervous, sire.
ARTHUR: Then we'd best leave them here and carry on on foot. Dis-mount!
TIM: Behold the cave of Kyre Banorg!
ARTHUR: Right! Keep me covered.
KNIGHT: What with?
ARTHUR: Just keep me covered.
TIM: Too late!
[chord]
ARTHUR: What?
TIM: There he is!
ARTHUR: Where?
TIM: There!
ARTHUR: What, behind the rabbit?
TIM: It is the rabbit!
ARTHUR: You silly sod! You got us all worked up!
TIM: Well, that's no ordinary rabbit. That's the most foul, cruel,
and bad-tempered rodent you ever set eyes on.
ROBIN: You tit! I soiled my armor I was so scared!
TIM: Look, that rabbit's got a vicious streak a mile wide, it's a
killer!
KNIGHT: Get stuffed!
TIM: It'll do you a trick, mate!
KNIGHT: Oh, yeah?
ROBIN: You mangy Scot git!
TIM: I'm warning you!
ROBIN: What's he do, nibble your bum?
TIM: He's got huge, sharp-- he can leap about-- look at the bones!
ARTHUR: Go on, Boris. Chop his head off!
BORIS: Right! Silly little bleeder. One rabbit stew comin' right up!
TIM: Look!
[squeak]
BORIS: Aaaugh!
[chord]
ARTHUR: Jesus Christ!
TIM: I warned you!
ROBIN: I peed again!
TIM: I warned you! But did you listen to me? Oh, no, you knew it all,
didn't you? Oh, it's just a harmless little bunny, isn't it? Well,
it's always the same, I always--
ARTHUR: Oh, shut up!
TIM: --But do they listen to me?--
ARTHUR: Right!
TIM: -Oh, no--
KNIGHTS: Charge!
[squeak squeak]
KNIGHTS: Aaaaugh! Aaaugh! etc.
KNIGHTS: Run away! Run away!
TIM: Haw haw haw. Haw haw haw. Haw haw.
ARTHUR: Right. How many did we lose?
KNIGHT: Gawain.
KNIGHT: Hector.
ARTHUR: And Boris. That's five.
GALAHAD: Three, sir.
ARTHUR: Three. Three. And we'd better not risk another frontal
assault, that rabbit's dynamite.
ROBIN: Would it help to confuse it if we run away more?
ARTHUR: Oh, shut up and go and change your armor.
GALAHAD: Let us taunt it! It may become so cross that it will make
a mistake.
ARTHUR: Like what?
GALAHAD: Well,....
ARTHUR: Have we got bows?
KNIGHT: No.
LAUNCELOT: We have the Holy Hand Grenade.
ARTHUR: Yes, of course! The Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch! 'Tis one
of the sacred relics Brother Maynard carries with him! Brother Maynard!
Bring up the Holy Hand Grenade!
[singing]
How does it, uh... how does it work?
KNIGHT: I know not, my liege.
ARTHUR: Consult the Book of Armaments!
MAYNARD: Armaments, Chapter Two, Verses Nine to Twenty-One.
BROTHER: "And Saint Atila raised the hand grenade up on high, saying,
'Oh, Lord, bless this thy hand grenade that with it thou mayest blow
thy enemies to tiny bits, in thy mercy.' And the Lord did grin, and
people did feast upon the lambs, and sloths, and carp, and anchovies,
and orangutans, and breakfast cereals, and fruit bats, and large --"
MAYNARD: Skip a bit, Brother.
BROTHER: "And the Lord spake, saying, 'First shalt thou take out the
Holy Pin. Then, shalt thou count to three, no more, no less. Three
shalt be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting
shalt be three. Four shalt thou not count, nor either count thou two,
excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out. Once
the number three, being the third number, be reached, then lobbest thou
thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thou foe, who being naughty
in my sight, shall snuff it.'"
MAYNARD: Amen.
ALL: Amen.
ARTHUR: Right! One... two... five!
KNIGHT: Three, sir!
ARTHUR: Three!
[boom]

Origins

I was going to post on November being the month to remember the Poor Souls, but heard Dr. Ray talking about Halloween yesterday as I was driving home from dropping hubby off at the airport.

Looking back, it's kind of curious how life takes you different places. I was raised in the post Vatican II world and was poorly catechised. My poor parents were very devout but also were of the generation where no one imagined their children would not obtain a good grounding in their Faith if they received instruction at the parish.

During my junior high years, I was deeply immersed in the Charismatic Renewal. The meetings were at a Catholic Church with the parish priest in attendance, but there were many things that weren't Catholic. For example, I was taught that the Rapture was fact and our youth group regularly got together to watch, "Like a Thief in the Night." I've posted previously about my experiences with the Charismatic Renewal, but have been told there are some faithful Catholic Charismatic groups around. Personally, I would be very cautious on many levels.

Despite my parents' wonderful example, there was a time I was outside the Church. Not that I disagreed with the Church, but I had just slowly drifted out of the Church, knowing in my heart that I was in a state of mortal sin that would need to be resolved some day. When I started attending Mass regularly again, we were living in Seattle and there were no parishes that I felt comfortable at.

We looked all over the Seattle area and finally found a Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic parish that we attended. As beautiful as that Rite was, it was also a rigorous way of life that most Western Rite (Roman Catholics) have a difficulty adjusting to, at least I did. And, since we were Roman Catholics, there was a rub with the priest who was antagonistic to the West.

That led us to a parish with the ancient Dominican Rite. Completely different than the Byzantine Rite, but incredibly beautiful and close to the TLM. The Mass was said in Latin by an elderly priest, it was a wonderful place for us until the Dominicans ordered that the priest cease and desist from saying the Mass because they were no longer teaching this, one of the most ancient Rites, any longer in their seminaries and, they claimed, it wasn't fair to offer this Mass for people today if the Rite might not be around tomorrow. A complete tragedy.

Soon after that, we moved back home to Minnesota. I had been back a year when my father passed away. A close friend of the family, a very rad trad, stepped into my life. Despite the diversions in my path, I had always been a pretty traddy Catholic. The influence of this friend started to pull my beliefs into the rad trad world. It was not a good place to be either, full of conspiracy theories and a lack of compassion, along with a smattering of judgmentalism.

Last year I was torn about what to do with Halloween. There were friends telling me how it was bad, very bad, while the rest of the secular world was out buying costumes and planning parties.

Some bloggers lament about "why they blog." In the past year of blogging, I may not have imparted much to others, but I have learned a lot. I have sort of come full-circle, moving to the middle of the road instead of hanging at the fringe (referring to Charismatics and rad trads, not Byzantines or Dominicans!).

I have found outward appearances can be deceiving and it's not for me to judge. It's what's in the heart that matters and that's where I need the most work.

So, we come to Halloween. My rad trad friends would be horrified to find that my kids are dressing up as a Power Ranger and a cute pink alien creature. My parish always has a "Saint Party" for Halloween where the kids dress up as their favorite saint. That's all fine and good, but I don't think we will be able to attend many of those parties because my kids aren't dressed as saints. I'm not saying that people that take their kids to these parties are rad trads, not at all. All I'm saying is that my not taking my kids to these parties doesn't make us any less Catholic or mean that I'm sacrificing chickens in my basement.

Check out the following article by Father Augustine Thompson, O.P. that Dr. Ray mentioned on his show entitled, "The Truth About Halloween."

And, check out Ma Beck's great post from last year. It's a must read!

Two left feet

Momentary diversion.

Received this in an e-mail awhile back and discovered it again when I was cleaning out my inbox. It's not really "newsworthy," but with the local media coverage of how much Sarah Palin's handlers spent to outfit her and her family during the Republican Convention, it seems anything is fit to print!

How smart is Your Right Foot?
Just try this. It is from an orthopedic surgeon. This will
boggle your mind and you will keep trying over and over again to see
if you can outsmart your foot, but you can't. It's preprogrammed in
your brain!

1. While sitting where you are at your desk in front of your computer,
lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles.

2. Now, while doing this, draw the number '6' in the air with your right
hand. Your foot will change direction.

Try it on your loved ones...

Salt and light

My daughter in the wheel of a combine
A group of us spent the day with Father K (who used to be the assistant priest at St. Agnes before heading off to greener pastures) visiting his family farm, a nearby dairy farm and some wind mills. It was a great day, the kids had a wonderful time and they were thoroughly exhausted before we even made it out of town. My 83 year-old aunt was along for the ride and even she had a good day on the farm.

My mother was raised on a farm and I grew up visiting the farm quite often. I never anticipated that there would come a day when there wasn't a farm in the family. But, farming is not an easy way of life in some respects, even though my aunt and I agreed it provides for a close family since you typically are with each other most of the day, take all your meals together, pray together and are there for each other through thick and thin. Granted, a little too much togetherness isn't good, but my mother's family, like Father K's, is very close and I am blessed to have been raised in this atmosphere.

Over the weekend, I spent a good deal of time with my MIL and then my PIL came to the Fall Festival at St. Agnes to get some of the booya (when I lived in Washington, no one knew what booya was -- it's kind of like a stew). I know I bash my poor MIL, but having spent the weekend with her and then spending the day with my aunt and Father K's family, it was quite a contrast.

Father K and his family were so gracious to share their day and their farms with us and to provide us with a wonderful meal. Mrs. K is so warm and welcoming, and was so happy to provide a lovely, warm dinner for about 40 strangers. Her joy was infectious and aside from the fun of seeing the farms and sharing the experiences with my children, the thing I took away from the day is how she was truly happy serving others.

This really boosted my spirits after a weekend of political grumblings between my husband and my MIL. My MIL plans to vote for Obama because of his stand on abortion, saying as a justification, "Not everyone has had the opportunities that you have had." I was so weary of the discussions by the end of the weekend, thoughts of not wanting my kids to be around her were flitting through my head. I know staying away from her isn't the solution and I didn't like feeling this way...just illustrating my complete frustration and utter dismay and sadness at her position.

I said to my husband that my MIL should spend just one hour with Mrs. K and I think she would, at least, see a little bit of the joy that was so evident in Mrs. K's life, a mother of nine who couldn't do enough to go out of her way for others.

A breakdown of the day
I had to get the kids up early to get on the road and head to southern Minnesota with a few other homeschooling families. We first stopped at a dairy farm and learned a little about the operation: 1000 cows milked three times a day, 365 days a year. Aside from the owners and some of their adult children, they have 20 other farm hands that help milk the cows all day long in three shifts. ALL DAY, EVERY DAY. I remind my husband of this every time he gets the romantic notion to become a farmer. We also got to see a bunch of cows in their feeding area and go through the calf barn and see two calves that had just been born that morning. Pretty amazing.

Next was Mass at the church where Father K was baptised and grew up attending. Then to his parents' house for a lunch of ham, au gratin potatoes, baked beans, etc., etc., etc., and oodles of cookies and treats. Such hospitality and graciousness!

Almost lost the kids when Father K took us downstairs to show us the chapel. The kids were all outside in the backyard playing. When we were done with the tour, I returned outside to find my kids as our group was packing up to head to the pig farm. My kids weren't playing with the other large group of kids any longer. They were no where. There was a wooden bridge over a small creek in the well wooded backyard and that's the only place I figured my kids would've gone. Just as a search party was about to be deployed to look for my kids, other moms realized some of their children were missing and then someone mentioned that the saintly Mrs. K had taken some of the children on a nature hike into the woods. All returned safely and we were off to the pig farm.

First, we stopped at one of the MANY wind mills in the area for a closer look. My husband is very interested in wind energy and keeps looking into getting a wind mill for our cabin. Can't imagine we could ever get a permit for such a monstrosity...shucks. But, the real kicker is the farmer across the road from the wind mill saw our group out in the field looking at the wind mill and happened to have a key. He came over and let us all into the base of the wind mill, which I knew would make hubby jealous that he wasn't there to experience it.

Then we were off to the pig farm where our noses were assaulted by the smell of pigs. We saw a few new mothers with their babies and my kids got to hold one of the piglets. Then onto the older pig barn and then the really big pig barn. All so stinky that it gave me a slight head ache. And, my husband said he could smell it in my son's hair when he was putting him into bed!

Then the kids got a tour of the farm and some of the equipment, and then got to ride in a combine and a tractor as they made a very long pass through the corn.

My son was asleep as soon as he got in the car and my daughter was asleep as soon as we drove out of town. We skipped the group dinner at a restaurant because it was getting late and my kids were completely exhausted. Waking them up to stop for dinner wouldn't have been a wise or prudent course of action considering how tired they were! Made it home around 8:30pm, just in time to get the kids into bed.

Thoroughly enjoyable and thoroughly exhausting. It was a beautiful day with good friends and gracious hosts. My son has asked me at least three times when are we going to go back!

Fertile plantings

O Lord, you see how everywhere the winds have burst forth, and the sea is convulsed with the great violence of the rising waves. Command, we beseech you who alone are able, both the winds and the sea. Restore to mankind the true peace of your name, that peace which the world cannot give, and the calm of social harmony. Under your favor and inspiration may men return to due order, and having overthrown the rule of greed, bring back again as ought to be, the love of God, justice, charity toward neighbor, temperance in all desires. May your kingdom come. May all recognize that they are subject to you, and must serve you who are truth and salvation; that without you they labor in vain. In your law is reason and fatherly kindness. You are ever at hand with your strength and your copious power to help man to keep it. Life upon earth is a warfare, but you watch the contest and aim man to conquer. The weak you sustain; the victor you crown.
~Pope Leo XIII


My neighbors planted a Peace Pole in their front yard yesterday while they strongly support abortion, gay marriage, euthanasia and embryonic stem cell research.

How can we have peace when we turn a blind eye to, or even actively support, what is happening to the unborn, the infirm or the disabled? Or work to break down the family? Peace is something (nearly) everyone wants. All the Popes in recent history have been quite vocal about striving for peace. Many times the Pope's message falls on deaf ears, even among Catholics who should be living our Faith by caring and protecting life from conception to natural death.

What happened to life's share in, "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?" Are we too busy pursuing our own ideals of happiness to care for the plight of others?

This election period, the State of Washington, much like it's neighbor Oregon voted on and passed while I was living there, has an assisted suicide law on the ballot. Already, Oregon's law limits chemotherapy treatment for patients but will provide the means for assisted suicide. How compassionate is that? And, Washington's law is even more loosely written.

Queen of Peace, ora pro nobis, be with us this election period and always.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pope Says Abortion, Gay Marriage Are 'Obstacles' to World Peace
by Francis X. Rocca
Religion News Service

VATICAN CITY (RNS) Nuclear arms proliferation, environmental pollution and economic inequality are threats to world peace -- but so are abortion, birth control and same-sex marriage, Pope Benedict XVI said in a statement released by the Vatican Tuesday (Dec. 11).

"The Human Family, a Community of Peace" is this year's papal message for the World Day of Peace, which will be observed Jan. 1.

Presenting the nuclear family as the "first and indispensable teacher of peace" and the "primary agency of peace," the 15-page document links sexual and medical ethics to international relations.

"Everything that serves to weaken the family based on the marriage of a man and woman, everything that directly or indirectly stands in the way of its openness to the responsible acceptance of new life ... constitutes an objective obstacle on the road to peace," Benedict writes.

Regarding actual military conflicts, the pope laments unspecified African civil wars and violence in the Middle East.

Condemning what he describes as a global "arms race," Benedict calls for a "progressive and mutually agreed dismantling of existing nuclear weapons."

At a press conference held to present the document, a top Vatican official criticized the U.S. for its handling of Iran's suspected nuclear arms program, saying that Washington's rhetoric had fomented international tensions.

"All these threats, all these worries, these threats of war and invasion ... harm the international atmosphere because they can provoke worries and the reinforcement of security with the production of new arms," said Cardinal Renato Martino, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, and a former Vatican envoy to the United Nations.

In his message, the pope also endorses greater cooperation on environmental protection, writing that "further international agencies may need to be established" for the purpose. He also calls for an "equitable distribution of wealth" in a globalized world.

O Holy Spirit

This year in bible study we are saying the Holy Spirit prayer in our small groups before we begin our discussions. I don't know this prayer. I learned all the standards as a child, mostly the prayers that are good enough to get you through the Mass or say a rosary, but I had never heard of THE Holy Spirit Prayer. I assumed that there had to be one, but I had never said it and I certainly wasn't familiar with it.

It wasn't until I took a J-term class at St. Thomas (Sin and Sinners in Dante's Purgatory) from Father Welzbacher that I learned the Memorare. Nothing like standing up at the beginning of class and saying this prayer out loud in front of 25 other students to imprint it on you rather quickly. There are some other prayers I didn't learn until fairly recently, but the Holy Spirit prayer wasn't even on my radar. Even though I was a little ashamed to not know the prayer, I was so curious about it that asked my group leader, who is a bit older, if this Holy Spirit prayer was something her generation used to say with any regularity. She said that in Catholic High School they used to recite this prayer every morning.

Even with my great big Catholic family, this prayer was not handed down to my generation. I couldn't even find the same prayer with a Google search. There are many Holy Spirit prayers, but I couldn't find the same one.


When I attended a Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic Parish, they sang a prayer, as most of the Mass is sung, to the Holy Spirit. Carju Nebeshyj is the name in Slavic, and translated into English in my liturgy book it is called "O Holy Spirit," but an internet search gives the title as O Heavenly King. I don't know Slavic at all, but they are two different songs. The song I know was sung at the Preparation of the Gifts. To hear it sung in Slavic, this almost haunting tune is very moving. I've been trying to find a recording of it for years as it is easily one of my favorites.

Sing (recite) this before Communion and see if it doesn't put you in the right frame of mind.

O Holy Spirit
Mighty Defender
To all who love You
Comfort You give.
Everywhere present
Fountain of Virtues
Without Your kindness
No one could live.

O Holy Spirit
Treasury of Blessings
Come, as was promised
Live-giving Flame
Come, dwell within us
Quicken our cool hearts
Strengthen our purpose
To praise Your Name.

Christendom

Last week, during bible study on Revelation, the priest on the DVD was making a distinction between Christendom and Christianity. He said that Christ came here -- suffered and died -- to establish His kingdom. It was not His intent to have a band of groupies or hangers-on or to create "Christianity."

I thought it was an interesting point.

Previously, I had envisioned Christendom as what knights fought to preserve and see come to fruition. Kind of a romanticized medieval ideal. It seems many people adhere to this notion, some promoting the idea that the Crusades are an example of why the papacy or Roman Catholicism is intrinsically corrupt. Others use it as a stepping stone to argue for the separation of Church and State. An example::

To me, Christendom is characterized by forced conversions, inter-denominational fighting, political power-plays by church leaders, and heads of state trying to usurp the authority of the Church to cement their own positions. All you have to do is study the history of the Middle Ages to see this drama play out. If Rome didn't like what your King was doing, they had the power of interdiction, they could deny you sacraments, effectively denying you access to the grace of God. The Pope supported insurgents in countries whose ruler opposed Rome and the Church, starting war in the process. The conflict between England and Spain was fueled in this way, Catholic Spain trying to put a Catholic ruler back on the throne in England, while Protestant England fought for its spiritual life. Of course, had Henry VIII not wanted a divorce, the Reformation might have taken a LOT longer to get to England. A big reason that Wycliff's attempt at reform in England didn't work was that the political situation wasn't right. The Spanish Inquisition was caused by this concept of Christendom. So were the Crusades (ALL of them, not just the ones against the Muslims). International disputes, fought in the name of Christianity, were the result of rulers striving for this ideal government. They failed to realize that man cannot bring the kingdom of God into existence, only God can do that.

A lot of people think that we in America can usher in the Kingdom of God by voting in good politicians (what an oxymoron THAT is). We forget that when Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire, the first attempt at creating Christendom, one of the first things he did was force all his troops to convert. This isn't an option now. The world is vastly different now than it was in the fourth century, or the seventeenth. And the United States, for all our posturing, was not created to be a Christian nation. It was founded on basic Christian ideas, but it was founded to give comfort, refuge, and representation to all. Our government is not designed to create a Church-State. We should not want it to.

Crusades and Inquisition aside, here at home I know that it does not say in the Constitution that there needs to be a separation of Church and State...that was in a letter Thomas Jefferson wrote to the Danbury Baptists. However, constitutional lawyers will be debating what is meant in the Constitution for some time.

As far as not wanting a Church-State, I would point to how St. Peter is treated in the bible. He is made the prime minister of Christ's kingdom (see Jeff Cavins' Bible Timeline for a great explanation). St. Peter is also given the keys to bind or loose and is the rock that the Church is built on.

But, why do Christians champion Christianity but not Christendom? If we are imperfect at holding up the walls of Christendom, then how much poorer will we be left to devise our own kingdom?

This week's project

Today was a messy day with clay, rolling pins, Trival Pursuit pie pieces and tooth picks. Here is a sample of what we learned...we wrote our names in cuneiform (this is one I did for my aunt). When we get to the next lesson on Egyptians, we will try this again with hieroglyphics...maybe.

I don't know which is harder to spell or pronounce: hieroglyphics or cuneiform?

Kids had a good time. Mark actually worked on writing his name in cuneiform before tossing the idea and just making shapes in the clay. We used the trivial pursuit pie shapes to make the triangles and it worked pretty well. I don't know what the kids learned, but I learned that our alphabet is much, MUCH, simpler to use than making all these triangles and lines. Takes forever to make one letter! And a lot of space!

At the cabin this weekend to close it up for the season. Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Against the wind

The stars of my childhood, aside from Robert Conrad in Wild Wild West, don't come any more handsome than James Garner. He was Maverick.

And, they don't come much more liberal than him.

I have to admit, this whole "Mavericky" course that the McCain-Palin ticket is pushing makes me nervous. McCain was never my first choice for the Republican nomination. Although his record on abortion seems to be consistent, which you can't say was the case with Romney, I would prefer my candidate to be a true conservative instead of a RINO.

Being a maverick is kind of a two-edged sword. Surgeons have to be mavericks to do their job, so do military pilots. It's a god-complex that provides them the confidence to perform at the level necessary to save lives or fight a battle. Mavericks in business are willing to take on a good deal of risk in order to reap the rewards. Entrepreneurs are mavericks, possessing the belief that they can do it, their ideas are better than the rest and will succeed, and they have what it takes.

At the college I worked at in Seattle, the president was hailed as a maverick, the pride of staff, students and faculty. He opened a branch campus in Japan and numerous international programs thrived under his tenure...until he was arrested for bribery and extortion. A similar thing is currently happening with home-town maverick, Tom Petters, who is chilling in jail while federal investigators gather what they can about how Petters managed to bilk investors and non-profits out of hundreds of millions.

It does take a healthy dose of confidence to be a maverick, probably even a good dab of arrogance. I don't know where McCain or Palin fall on that scale. Maybe I'd be more comfortable if they called themselves contrarians, "against the grainers", or "out-of-the-box-thinkers" (I won't mention what we wanted to do the "teachers" at Boeing who were brought in to show us all how to think outside the box.) I just hope they keep their noses clean and remember the Hebrew proverb, "Pride goeth before the fall."

Out of touch capitalism

OK, this is kind of a ranty post, but what's up with Barnes and Noble. I kind of like GK Chesterton's idea of distributionism, but don't see it happening in the US unless our economy totally tanks...possible, yes. But, since we are entrenched in this consumer, materialistic, big box store mentality, you'd think the big box stores would get with the program.

Barnes and Noble is completely, in Obama-speak, out-of-touch with the middle class. BN sells books, it's their bally wick, their business plan, their bread and butter. With capitalism running rampant, why can't a book seller of their size sell books cheaply? Isn't this Econ 101? Quantities of scale buying, enabling them to sell books cheaply...or at least, at least, competitively with Amazon?!!

My dilemma is that my aunt received a gift card to BN. She doesn't buy books very often. She's a big magazine gal. She regularly drops off stacks of magazines she's read that just sit on my porch. At least she no longer bothers to send me Oprah. Yuck. Although I do rifle through Martha Stewart.

Back to the gift card. My aunt gave the gift card to me because she knows I love books and now with homeschooling, I could use whatever help in the purchasing department I can get. I have had this gift card for months and months, unable to use it because I can get EVERYTHING cheaper at Amazon. BN isn't even close, not even with a 10% discount, not with a $5 coupon. It's hard to believe that the same book at Amazon is $10 CHEAPER than at BN!!! I can't justify using my gift card when I feel like I'd just be wasting it. Below are some examples from my Amazon wish list:

A Little History of the World, by EH Gombrich. BN price: $25; Amazon: $16.50
The Quest for Shakespeare, by Joseph Pearce. BN price: $19.95; Amazon: $13.57
Literary Giants, Literary Catholics, by Pearce. BN: $27.95; Amazon: $20.40
Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding: A Science Curriculum for K-2, by Bernard J Nebel. BN: $25.95; Amazon: $22.45
Settlers of Catan. BN: $41.95; Amazon: $33.60

Just a few of the items on my list and BN is so much higher on everything. I almost bought the Quest for Shakespeare book just to use the gift card, but then the book wasn't $25 to qualify for free shipping, so I would have to buy something else with an inflated price just to save on the shipping!!

Maybe I should just go buy a few $4 cups of coffee with the gift card and be done with it...except I hate coffee. Always somethin'!!

[photo source]

Reading lists

A little over a year ago I posted about this -- the Supreme Court rulings on partial birth abortion. About a week ago, I did a meme about the books I have or haven't read. With the election fast approaching, there are a few things everyone should have read looking ahead to who will have the opportunity to nominate the next few justices to the Court:

2000 Supreme Court ruling on Partial Birth Abortion, aka Stenberg v. Carhart

Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003

As I said then, I'll say again: Strong warnings apply. Sit down. Hug your kids and be prepared to be nauseated.

And, when you're through with reading those, try reading:
PASTORAL CONSTITUTION ON THE CHURCH IN THE MODERN WORLD
GAUDIUM ET SPES
PROMULGATED BY HIS HOLINESS, POPE PAUL VI ON DECEMBER 7, 1965

that helps illustrate how abortion is intrinsically evil and tempers the other social and cultural issues of the day in light of the right to life. Then go read about the Born Alive Infant Protection Act that Senator Obaalma doesn't support, nor does he seem to really have any grasp on what the *&$$ it is he is against or what the legislation is about. (You can read about this at Kit's too)

And, if you still haven't had enough, go read Gianna Jessen's story.