David Ancell / Wednesday, September 08, 2004 / Comments(0)
I’ve been following articles on the New Jersey rice “Communion” story lately. Apparently, a priest decided to offer a young girl with celiac disease a rice wafer because she couldn’t receive under the species of bread otherwise. The diocese ruled that this was not valid matter, and, therefore, all the young girl got was a mouthful of rice. Naturally, some people in the media have or will plug this as a case of some “rigid” or “uncaring” bishop placing “the rules” or “tradition” before “sensitivity” to the girl’s condition.
I find this extrememly irritating. Do these people really think that a bunch of old men got together and made arbitrary rules and strictly enforced them for the sheer heck of it? Do they think that our hierarchy likes being involved in these situations? It seems that common decency would tell them to give the benefit of the doubt until they investigated the matter. Then again, when it comes to the Catholic Church, common decency is often thrown out the window.
If someone reports on this story, they should at least take the time to check this out, get the facts straight, and find that there are reasons for what the Church does. It would have been far more convenient to just declare the rice wafer valid. The bishop won’t do so because he cannot. Rice cannot be consecrated and become the Body of Christ any more than a bridge can be constructed out of paper towels. It simply isn’t the correct material. The Church does not have the power to consecrate it because Christ didn’t give it to her.
Category: Posts imported from Danger! Falling Brainwaves, Uncategorized
David Ancell / Sunday, September 05, 2004 / Comments(0)
I just went to the home page of the Diocese of Memphis to find they’ve redesigned the page. It’s not too bad, but I have to wonder about putting a link to a “Strategic Plan” on the front page. In fact, too many areas rely on statements of goals and objectives without saying what they are actually doing.
Category: Posts imported from Danger! Falling Brainwaves, Uncategorized
David Ancell / Sunday, September 05, 2004 / Comments(0)
Normally, the New York Times is way off-base, but this time the blind squirrel has found an acorn. No doubt there are companies taking shortcuts and trying to “do more with less.” They do so without counting the human cost. This has been going on for ages.
There’s also another element that isn’t considered here. As the Baby Boomers age, there will be fewer people to take over thanks to contraception. This will mean more work for us to support them in their retirement. I also know how life can be in a profession that is in short supply. Pharmacists are few and far between. This does give us higher salaries, but it does mean more work and more stress.
One thing that will help all of us, including myself, is to put more trust in God. This applies also to those executives who are only concerned with the bottom line. We must remember that all that we have is not for us. It is useless for us to gain the whole world and lose our souls.
Category: Posts imported from Danger! Falling Brainwaves, Uncategorized
David Ancell / Saturday, September 04, 2004 / Comments(0)
If you are a reader of This Rock, be sure to look for Jeff Miller’s conversion story. I can’t wait to see it. I’ve been a subscriber to This Rock for some time, and, if you aren’t one, then I’d highly recommend it.
Category: Posts imported from Danger! Falling Brainwaves, Uncategorized