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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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David Ancell / Monday, August 30, 2004 / Comments(0)
A priest e-mailed the Frassati Society a few days ago asking about the miracle that led to the beatification of Blessed Frassati. I pulled out my copy of this book, and there it was. To my surprize, I also found that the book has, in its listing of web sites, the URL of our group in Memphis. I never knew we were that visible. Now, maybe if more people in the Memphis area read the book, they would join us.
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David Ancell / Monday, August 30, 2004 / Comments(0)
When I pre-ordered The Passion of the Christ on DVD from Ignatius Press, I wondered if I’d get it on time. Well, it came today even though it isn’t supposed to go on sale until tomorrow. I’m glad to see they shipped it for me to receive on time.
This evening, I did some shopping and couldn’t help but notice the advertisements for the movie on the window of the local Lifeway book store. Lifeway is a Southern Baptist bookstore. I wonder if they realize just how Catholic that movie is. Do they notice the place given to Mary? Did they notice St. John’s “Now I get it!” when he recalled the Last Supper during the crucifixion? My guess is that these scenes go right past them.
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David Ancell / Monday, August 30, 2004 / Comments(0)
Please pray for the repose of the souls of three Ole Miss students who were killed in a fraternity house fire last week. For those who remain (now without a place to live on campus), there has been enormous generosity locally. Let us keep them in our prayers.
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David Ancell / Tuesday, August 24, 2004 / Comments(0)
I guess we need to make sure we come dressed to our computer, thanks to this virus. It takes over your web cam, records you, and sends the recording back to the virus writer. I have to wonder, though, how that much data gets out without someone realizing something is wrong. Oh well, I don’t have a web cam.
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David Ancell / Monday, August 23, 2004 / Comments(0)
I’ve been wanting a picture of this for some time. Now I want to share it. Of all things to offer a discount on . .
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David Ancell / Monday, August 23, 2004 / Comments(0)
I have been reading Frank Sheed’s To Know Christ Jesus. Of all things to get my interest, I found the following concerning the Sabbath Rest:
There were extremists who would not allow bowels or bladders to violate the Sabbath rest.
Seriously, though, that entire chapter makes for some great reading about the Jewish view of God at the time of Christ. It seems as though there was much written about what God demands of us at the time, but there was little on who God is. One thing that was so revolutionary about Jesus Christ (besides the fact that he died for our sins) was that he revealed this. Indeed, though we still have Divine Law, the truth is no longer viewed merely as something, but as someone.
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