David Ancell / Friday, June 20, 2003 / Comments(0)
I am reading in the NYT that the Senate is introducing an anti-spam bill. Rather than totally prohibit unsolicited commercial e-mail, it targets the tactics of sleazy spammers like deceptive subjects, fake return addresses, etc. It also requires that people be allowed to opt out. My only complaint is that I don’t want to make an effort to stop getting something that I never opted in to.
I will be glad to be rid of that spam. I have already shut down one address because it got too much spam. Now, I’m getting hit at another address.
Category: Posts imported from Danger! Falling Brainwaves, Uncategorized
David Ancell / Thursday, June 19, 2003 / Comments(0)
We are having a heated discussion now at Busted Halo. One of the people who works for them has started a post with a statement that it depends on how you define Catholicsm. Here is my latest endeavor. Read the full discussion here:
Herein lies the issue. The Gospel is not about us. It is about Jesus Christ who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. It is about what he said and taught and how this has been handed down from generation to generation. Those in authority are not so much rulers as guarantors. Their job is to protect the teaching of Jesus Christ from being “redefined.”
The documents defining the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption of Mary are readily available. They contain such language as “if anyone denies this or calls it into question, be it know that he has fallen away from the faith.” As for the ordination of women, Pope John Paul II stated that the position that the Church has no authority on earth “must be held as definitive for all the faithful.” If belief in any of these three things is not required, then why in the world would the Pope use such strong language?
Either the Pope has the authority to issue such statements which bind all believers, or he does not. We cannot have it both ways. If he does not, then he sure has a lot of gall issuing these statements. If he does, then we are bound to obey.
Category: Posts imported from Danger! Falling Brainwaves, Uncategorized
David Ancell / Tuesday, June 17, 2003 / Comments(0)
I just love the exchange going on in the HMS blog about a beloved priest and his penances. Take a look at this and this. I have had a few discussions about really light penances that do not make sense in light of our sins. Granted, I have had a priest tell me to say a Rosary, but several of us in my parish remember being given a penance to “Receive Holy Communion.” by a visiting priest.
Category: Posts imported from Danger! Falling Brainwaves, Uncategorized
David Ancell / Monday, June 16, 2003 / Comments(0)
Want to quit your job? Try using The Resignation Server. (Note to the humor impaired: This is just for fun. Don’t use these in real life unless you plan on spending the next ten years in jobs that do not depend on your references.)
Category: Posts imported from Danger! Falling Brainwaves, Uncategorized
David Ancell / Monday, June 16, 2003 / Comments(0)
I’m sure that this is old news by now, but I really liked Deal Hudson’s article on the claims that we should be able to answer.
Category: Posts imported from Danger! Falling Brainwaves, Uncategorized
David Ancell / Sunday, June 15, 2003 / Comments(0)
In case you missed this, here is an article by George Wiegel on Magnificat. I prefer a bound Missal as it is non-disposable, but this is a great resource for daily prayer and the Mass.
Category: Posts imported from Danger! Falling Brainwaves, Uncategorized
David Ancell / Sunday, June 15, 2003 / Comments(0)
Many of my generation have grown up with a poor understanding of the Catholic faith. So much of our catechesis was bland psychology. I don’t even want to mention what the campus ministry was like (ok, I will mention the first campus minister who couldn’t just use the pronoun “he” to describe God). Then, somewhere on the line, we have discovered the authentic faith, or at least some part of it. We are fascinated with the beauty of it.
However, with that fascination comes some anger. I’ve felt that way, and I’ve heard someone else say that before. We are angry that those responsible for passing on the faith gave us a cheap substitute at best and a downright falsification of the faith at the worst. I know that felt that I had wasted much of my life.
I am writing because I am beginning to feel the same way about Sunday Mass. I’ve studied a bit on the Mass, and I’m not done. I’ve have become increasingly dissatisfied with the way it is celebrated. It seems that we are presented with something that has been cheapened somewhat. The Vatican II Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy says that Mass is where the work of our redemtion is accomplished and that it is the greatest act of the Church. Why don’t we act like it?
Let me just name some problems I have recently experienced. I won’t name the parish(es):
1. When I arrive in Church, there are often people talking. In fact, the last time I came to Mass early to pray, I realized that I was in the last place that I would be able to pray.
2. Marty Haugen’s “We Remember” was used as the memorial acclamation. Where in the book is that?
3. The Mass was set to Marty Haugen’s “Mass of Creation.” I don’t remember when the last time was that I went to a Mass where something else was used. This happens at my parish, but I noticed that some of the worst parts of that music setting are not used. For example, “Lamb of God” is the only title my parish will use for Jesus in the Agnus Dei.
4. There is some soprano soloist singing during Communion in such a loud, high-pitched voice with incomprehensible diction that one can just forget about praying.
5. The text is altered for “inclusive language.”
6. The first reading for Pentecost was read in French. Hello, that reading is about people having heard the Gospel in their own languages. We don’t have a large French-speaking group in our parish.
7. Some of the things that people wear to church are things that I would not let my daughter out of the house with if I had one.
8. Fluff homilies. Do I need to say anymore?
9. Various lyrics sung to the tune of “Alleluia Sing to Jesus.” Can we please just sing “Alleluia Sing to Jesus?” It’s a great song.
10. Just about anything else that distracts prayer.
I really would like to see a Mass that promotes a sense of the sacred and a sense of the transcendant. While I know that the Mass is not private prayer, this simply means that everyone should be praying.
Category: Posts imported from Danger! Falling Brainwaves, Uncategorized
David Ancell / Saturday, June 14, 2003 / Comments(0)
This is my latest entry in a dissent and faithfulness forum on Busted Halo:
I would caution anyone who wishes to say that “differing views expresses” are no more than a “diversity of opinion.” Indeed, I get a sense that there has been a denial of the existence of true evil in the world. Let us not forget that the Devil is a gentleman. He did not threaten Eve and force her to commit an act of violence. Instead, he told her how great the forbidden fruit was. A mistaken notion of compassion that drives some away from certain teachings could well be attributed to the same source.
Even God cannot contradict himself. He is omnipresent in all times, and therefore cannot be subject to change. To believe such is not to put him in our box but rather to “limit” him to what he himself has told us of himself. How can such an all-powerful God be powerless to create timeless truth?
Many believe false teachings, but may not be held morally accountable. However, in many cases there was someone who was supposed to teach them who will be held accountable. If a priest, bishop, CCD teacher, parent, or other person placed in charge of formation does not teach the truth, then such a person will be held accountable. Some have deliberately rejected what God has told them. St. Paul wrote about them in 2 Timothy 4:3-4.
The important thing to understand is that we are not dealing with mere opinions but with things revealed by God. To have faith is to believe those truths. When we are given a message contrary to revealed truth, we have the assurance that it is not the Holy Spirit speaking but a very unholy spirit. God has given us that assurance. Let us be thankful for the gift, even when it is difficult to accept.
Category: Cathechesis, Catholic, Posts imported from Danger! Falling Brainwaves, Response
David Ancell / Saturday, June 14, 2003 / Comments(0)
The City of Memphis inspects all cars before they allow for license renewal. I had to do this yesterday. As I was driving up to the station, there was a sign just before the entrance that said “Inspection of smoking vehicles is prohibited.”
Category: Posts imported from Danger! Falling Brainwaves, Uncategorized
David Ancell / Saturday, June 14, 2003 / Comments(0)
Many of you know that I own two domains. I bought cdavidancell.com because davidancell.com was taken at the time. Later, davidancell.com became available again, and I bought it. However, I have noticed that I get all kinds of spam on some plain awful things on my old domain.
Because of this, I have programmed all mail going to my old cdavidancell.com address to bounce. You will have to fill out my mail form (see the link on this page to contact me) to get in touch with me. I now receive no spam at my davidancell.com domain, and I want to keep it that way. The e-mail address is not published.
I noticed an increase in spam when I started to use free blogging and commenting tools. Has anyone else noticed that? Now that I have everything on my server, I don’t get spam on my new addresses.
Category: Posts imported from Danger! Falling Brainwaves, Uncategorized