David Ancell / Friday, January 24, 2003 / Comments(0)
St. Joseph Communications has recently released their first DVD entitled Testimony to Truth. It contains videos of Scott Hahn and Alex Jones telling their conversion stories. I got my copy yesterday.
Those guys should be proud of themselves for putting together a fine production. The DVD is of good quality, including the menus on it. I watched the Alex Jones portion last night and enjoyed it a lot. Alex Jones is just amazing.
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David Ancell / Friday, January 24, 2003 / Comments(0)
Today is the feast day for St. Francis de Sales. This great saint and Doctor of the Church taught us that holiness is possible in every state of life. If you haven’t read Introduction to the Devout Life, you need to read it soon. I read it last Lent, and I think I’ll use it again this year.
This day I am reminded of a priest who came to speak to our Frassati Society who seemed to think that, before Vatican II, lay people weren’t really called to holiness (or at least it wasn’t taught). I think I stumped him when I asked about St. Francis de Sales.
St. Francis de Sales was also a great missionary. He converted thousands upon thousands of Calvinists back to the Catholic faith. So, not only was he a great spiritual leader, but he was also a great apologist. The article that I linked to above says that he was the inventor of the religious tract. You can find these tracts in a book publshed by TAN named The Catholic Controversy.
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David Ancell / Friday, January 24, 2003 / Comments(0)
I found a more complete article than was blogged earlier about the aforementioned statement by Bishop William Weigand that California Gov. Gray Davis should not receive the Eucharist unless he renounces his pro-abortion views. I do hope Gov. Davis repents before he stands before God. How can he argue his case after this statement:
“As your bishop, I have to say clearly that anyone — politician or otherwise — who thinks it is acceptable for a Catholic to be pro-abortion is in very great error, puts his or her soul at risk, and is not in good standing with the church,” Weigand said. “Such a person should have the integrity to acknowledge this and choose of his own volition to abstain from receiving Holy Communion until he has a change of heart.”
Sadly, this is the reply:
Russ Lopez, a spokesman for Davis, said the bishop was “trying to make an example and that’s sad. But Governor Davis has said repeatedly that he is proud of the legislation he has signed giving women the right to choose. He will not back down.”
Lopez criticized the bishop for “telling the faithful how to practice their faith.”
Lopez said that Weigand’s comments could alienate members of the Catholic Church who support abortion rights. “There are a lot of Catholics who are pro-choice. Does the bishop want all Catholics to stop receiving Holy Communion?” asked Lopez. “Who’s going to be left in church?”
Please pray for Davis and Lopez. Russ Lopez doesn’t seem to understand that if you are pro-abortion, you have already separated yourself form the Church. I can assure Mr. Lopez that there will be plenty of people who are pro-life left in the Church.
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David Ancell / Thursday, January 23, 2003 / Comments(0)
It’s nice to see a judge use common sense on the bench. Having seen our society lately, I figured you were required to remove your brains before you were allowed to sit at the bench. It has been ruled that McDonald’s is not liable when people get fat eating their food. Here is an excerpt from Judge Robert Sweet’s ruling:
“If a person knows or should know that eating copious orders of supersized McDonald’s products is unhealthy and may result in weight gain … it is not the place of the law to protect them from their own excesses,” Sweet wrote in the 65-page ruling issued Wednesday. “Nobody is forced to eat at McDonald’s.”
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David Ancell / Thursday, January 23, 2003 / Comments(0)
The Archbishop of Newark, NJ banned eulogies from funerals in the church. Some may see this as a mean rule made for no apparent reason, but I find it to be a good idea. I have much pity for the person in this quote:
“I think its the stupidest thing I’ve heard of,” said Linda Boland-Abraham, who will be attending the funeral of her father, Edgar Boland of Rutherford, at St. Mary’s Church there on Friday. “It goes against everything the church should stand for,” she said, adding defiantly, “They’re going to have to stop us.”
One wonders exactly what Ms. Boland-Abraham thinks the Church should stand for. I think that this is nothing more than an emotional reaction in a time of grief. However, it may well be indicative of what a lot of other parishoners think when they read new rules like this.
At its heart, this law is simply ensuring that the funeral is Christ-centered instead of person-centered. Many liturgical abuses are abuses because they place undue focus on ourselves at a time when we should be worshiping the Lord. However, I do believe that catechesis is in order before such laws as these take effect. The problem with strange liturgical practices is that uncatechized people like them. They react strongly when the tide is turned back. Better education in liturgy is in order.
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David Ancell / Thursday, January 23, 2003 / Comments(0)
I must admire those who braved the cold to march in Washington. I’m not much for this weather. It’s about 15 degrees in Memphis right now. That isn’t normal here.
In any event, here are some things I found while looking around St. Blog’s:
Here is a recap of Victor Lams’ posters mocking Planned Barrenhood.
If you go to this series of news briefs and look at the second article, you’ll see that Bishop William K. Weigand of Sacramento, inspired at least in part by the recent statement by the CDF, preached that Catholic politicians who are pro-abortion should not receive the Eucharist. He named the governor personally. I read an article from another source that said that a spokesperson was disappointed in the Bishop for “telling Catholics how to practice their faith.” I’m assuming I don’t need to comment on that one.
I picked up a link to this article as well. WARNING: This one is graphic.
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David Ancell / Thursday, January 23, 2003 / Comments(0)
I was starting to pray my Rosary this morning, and I am praying the Luminous Mysteries since it is Thursday. I started with the Baptism of the Lord in the Jordan. The scene came to mind:
John the Baptist told people that one was coming after him. He said he was not worthy to do the lowliest servile task of untying his sandals. However, Jesus came to John and asked John to baptise him. This was much to John’s surprise as John said that he ought to be baptised by Jesus.
John the Baptist was humble. Jesus elevated him, giving him the task of Baptising the Lord. In such humility, we can be exalted by the Lord.
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David Ancell / Wednesday, January 22, 2003 / Comments(0)
I just found this story of Gerard Serafin’s blog about a man suing a seminary for throwing him out because of his orthodox views. I’m not sure what legal principle he can work with, but I hope he wins. Well, I doubt he will win, but if he does, just imagine the legal precedent. The Church could sue dissidents.
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David Ancell / Tuesday, January 21, 2003 / Comments(0)
The NY Times has reported on court cases involving people having been banned from using a computer after release from prision. Quite honestly, I don’t know how they could possibly enforce this. All an offender has to do is go to Kinko’s somewhere and get on a computer. The other problem is that complete avoidance of computers is nearly impossible in this day and age.
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David Ancell / Tuesday, January 21, 2003 / Comments(0)
I have often admired the insight of Emily Stimpson on the HMS blog. Her latest great ones can be found:
Here, as a question as to why the Internet makes people think they can insult total strangers. I suspect the answer is that they do it because they can. The Internet is a basically anonymous form unless the user wishes otherwise, so the usual inhibitions are out.
This insight on how modern British and American people are not pagans is also well worth a read.
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