Marian Brother JL
Thursday, October 30, 2003
There is a bunch of conversion stories (to the Catholic faith) on Stephen Ray's website. That guy is in "full effect" these days, releasing books and videos almost continuously now.
The school I attend has been featured on Zenit! We call it the D-house. It's not all that big a school, but it's a good one (if at times demanding).
Must study for theological virtues class.....
Tuesday, October 28, 2003
I've noticed some blogs tell what music the blogger is listening to. You may not have guessed that recently I've been listening to a bluegrass-playing priest. This is most definitely not everyone's cup of tea, but if you like bluegrass, give a listen to some of the samples from Fr. Richard's CD.
Click here to listen to a new Vatican Radio story on consecrated virginity, and how it's a growing trend... (just too radical, dude).
The feast of St. Jude! He's helped me over the years, as my mother will attest. St. Jude, pray for us!
Following a previous post on violence in film... In meditating on the passion of Christ, I think about how I am meditating on violence, but this is the most meaningful violence of all, and the upcoming movie will be, in fact, violent. Mel Gibson said that if he really showed everything of the passion of Christ, people wouldn't be able to take it. Yet, people go in droves to see meaningless, fictional violence. Maybe watching the upcoming movie may help people to realize that their attraction to meaningless violence is not proper to what is means to be human--it's a result of original sin. We are called to face reality, thorns, nails, and all.
Monday, October 27, 2003
Youth and Call to Action.
I don't want to be too harsh here. I could easily "go off" and be uncharitable. I will simply share some news that, I must admit, I'm happy about. Call to Action, the "progressive Catholic" group, has a yearly retreat for the younger members of the organizion (Next Generation--ages 18-42). In 2002, they had "nearly 40" attend. This year there were "about two dozen."
Meanwhile, about 30,000 teens attended Franciscan University of Steubenville youth conferences this year, and there are 51 women in initial formation at the Nashville Dominicans (Not to mention Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist having 8 postulants and 12 novices). Encouraging numbers.
True, it's not about numbers. We shouldn't gloat that orthodoxy is doing so well, that the "New Faithful" are growing. The gift of faith is a gift, and CTA, well, there but for divine providence go I.
Sunday, October 26, 2003
"The truth is that Christ with his Divine Knowledge saw all the sins of mankind in all times and all places. The sight of our sins and the rejection of His grace by hardened sinners brought such anguish upon His soul at Gethsemani that the bloddy sweat began to drip from His Body on the ground and He fervently prayed, 'Father, if Thou art willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will but Thine be done' (Luke 22: 42). Then He willingly offered Himself as a victim of propitiation to His eternal Father that we might be cleansed from our sins and saved. Should even one sinful soul exist to be saved, He would willingly suffer all torments of the Passion and Death in order that that soul might be saved." from God's Infinite Mercy by Fr. Julian Chrosciechowski, M.I.C., 1957, pg. 70.
The process for the beatification of Fr. Patrick Peyton continues...
There's usually some great Cardinal Newman homily quoted at Quenta-Narwen's blog, and this one is 'specially good (talking about Mater Dei).
Saturday, October 25, 2003
I really can't ignore the whole Terri Schiavo story any more. Other Catholic blogs are jam-packed with info, especially Envoy Encore. The most personal and informative story in a blog I've seen is this one from Fr. Rob Johansen.
Going from the sacred to the profane, Michael Medved gives a scathing critique of the new movie, Kill Bill. Of course, I'm not going to see it, but I find it interesting that it is doing very well. Is meaningless violence really that entertaining? I like Mr. Medved's comments in comparing it to movies that are actually more violent yet show violence for a purpose. If we become numb to meaningless fake violence, it's only a matter of degrees to become numb to the real thing (or at least to have a decreased sensitivity to the suffering of others). Mr. S. King (famous author) said that people read his books because they would secretly like to do the awful things he talks about... and if you read the Bachman books, such as Rage in which a teen takes over a classroom and kills the teacher, some of the events in King's books have become reality... By the way, Rage is a book that King now wishes he never wrote...
Ok, I used to read King about 15 years ago, but, guess what? Once I became serious about knowing, loving and serving God, I had no interest in continuing to read King's books.
Thursday, October 23, 2003
"One simple phrase 'The Word was made Flesh,' challenges every member of the human race to love the Blessed Christ. These words accurately render the great mystery of Divine love... Even when He became man, He was not bound in any way to take upon Himself the conditions of mortality. Yet as an Exile of Heaven he donned the raiment of human flesh for His earthly pilgrimage and became a wayfaring Man, most abject and despised." Rev. V. F. Keinberger, O.P., "The Hour of Adoration," Emmanuel, November 1938, pg. 336.
The "Our Father" paraphrased by St. Peter Julian Eymard.
An article by Amy Welbourn called Nonsense Detection has some good advice for younger folk (at 33 I'm fading out of that category).
Brazil has the largest number of Catholics of any single country, and I guess that's how a Catholic heavy metal band could come about. Actually, I think there's more than one. NOTE: "Nosso som" means "our sound." It's the MP3 page.
Tuesday, October 21, 2003
I know a monk at Quarr Abbey, although I haven't talked to him for at least a year. He always did seem like a monastic kinda guy. Quarr Abbey has both medieval ruins and a more recent (but classic) monastary. It's on the Isle of Wight off the coast of England. Maybe I'll get there someday...
Monday, October 20, 2003
Are you aware of the promises connected with the 3 o'clock devotion mentioned in the Diary of St. Faustina? Click here to find out more.
Sunday, October 19, 2003
Watch the Beatification of Mother Teresa archived at ktotv.com. Commentary in French, but some parts that are in English are clearly heard under it. It's a nice clear picture, but you better have a high-speed connection. The audio is silent at the beginning, but it comes in soon enough.
From what I've watched so far, it was an awesome liturgy.
Saturday, October 18, 2003
Tonight most of the Marians went to a Holy Hour at the Gift of Peace house of the Missionaries of Charity. It was beautiful, with the Joyful mysteries prayed slowly and meditations modeled on the life of Mother Teresa. I was reminded of a time in that chapel back in 1996 when I got to meet Mother Teresa. I volunteered at the house briefly while I was a postulant, and she came during that time. Each person passed in a line by Mother. She put her hand on my head and prayed silently. I didn't know what to say. I said "Thank you," softly and shook her hand. As I continued around I was given Miraculous Metals blessed by Mother.
I still remember that experience well, and I am especially reminded of it on the eve of her beatification.
The story in this particular blog (transcribed from a Fulton J. Sheen TV show) is not new to me, but it may be to you.
The Cardinal Ratzinger fan club? I almost want to start a Fr. DiNoia fan club (currently the undersecretary at the CDF and the priest who introduced me to dogmatic theology here at the Dominican House of Studies). I had him for two classes.
Were radio dramas of lives of the saints ever done? (Ok, maybe it wasn't on your mind.) Of course! Two of my favorites are on this tape. St. Genesius has such a quick conversion and martyrdom that he doesn't have time for any RCIA!
Lots of live coverage of Mother Teresa's beatification coming up, including Relevant Radio.
Thursday, October 16, 2003
Wow. This past Monday I heard Jim Caviezel give a talk at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception here in D.C. He was on fire! He's had a number of incidents in his life that show Our Lady's intercession.
Speaking of cinema, there is a group trying to put together a movie about St. Faustina. They haven't gotten very far at this point--little money. The site is mainly for fund-raising.
Happy 25th Anniversary, Pope John Paul II! The Pope had an audience this morning, and there will be a big Mass at 6 PM Roman time.
Join in praying for the Roman Pontiff.
Thursday, October 09, 2003
If you go to the Vocations page of my religious community, you can see a brief vocation video that was taped (mostly) in 1999. Things have changed somewhat since then--more guys wear a collar regularly, and some of the brothers in the video are now priests. I'm somewhere in this video.
At the Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii, a youth ralley occured in May. You can read about it in an English translation (understanding that sometimes it doesn't flow smoothly because of literal translation). This is of course the shrine that the Holy Father just visited. Ok, when I last check the site it was down, but maybe it will be up when you try it.
A Bro. John movie trailer recommendation: if you've never seen it, look at the Winged Migration site and watch the trailer! You will probably also want to check out the "production" link to see how they did this...
Today's feast day: St. John Leonardi. Also, St. Denis.
I'll once again mention the book Amazing Grace for the Catholic Heart. A member of my community is written-up in this book. The back cover says: "How a renegade teenager randomly picked up a book about Mary and experienced an instant, radical conversion to Christ." He just had an article in last month's Homeletic and Pastoral Review also. Just look for the initials M.I.C. That's our community's initials.
Tuesday, October 07, 2003
An archived video of the Pope's visit to Pompeii is online. However, it helps greatly if you know French to watch this, and you need a connection that can handle the 220 kbps file. The actual visit doesn't start until about 30 min. into the video, and then the Luminous Mysteries are prayed in a most splendid and grand way at about 50 min. into the clip, with music, meditation, different continents represented, and a few words between "fruit of your womb, Jesus" and "Holy Mary" that represent the mystery (a classic way of praying the Rosary mentioned in the back pages of Secret of the Rosary). The Pope looks quite tired, but I would be too!
Movies about St. Bernadette and Lourdes: sooner or later I had to write this post.
The most well-known and widely available is the classic Song of Bernadette. However, this movie is not the most accurate. When it was being made, WW II was going on and getting information from France was not easily done. It is based on a novel, which in many ways stays close to the actual events, but includes its own drama to keep the story interesting. Franz Werfel, who wrote the novel, was a Jew and never converted to Catholicism, yet he helped tell the story of Lourdes perhaps more than anyone else.
Concerning the movie Bernadette of Lourdes (original French title: Il suffit d'aimer), well you can read my comments at the link.
You can also read my comments at the links for the 1988 Bernadette and the 1989 Passion of Bernadette (a sequel which covers her life in the convent).
There have been other movies made, but they are more obscure. I've been to Lourdes, and I hope to return there someday. Our Lady is still powerfully present there.
So, what about some good Catholic wallpaper for your computer? There's some good screens from PhatMass. I can't say I'm the craziest about that name, but they have some great wallpaper.
Monday, October 06, 2003
The Indiana Jones of Catholicism? Well, it seems that Stephen Ray's website makes him look that way. Quite an imaginitive idea. His daughter teaches here at Catholic U (but I go to Dominican House of Studies). The Ray family story is interesting in that the whole family converted together.
Sunday, October 05, 2003
Today would have been the feast of St. Maria Faustina. Well, here's another quote from her Diary (I'm just copying off this page.)
The next day, I felt very weak, but experienced no further suffering. After Holy Communion, I saw the Lord Jesus just as I had seen Him during one adoration. The Lord's gaze pierced my soul through and through, and not even the least speck of dust escaped His notice. And I said to Jesus, "Jesus, I thought You were going to take me." And Jesus answered, My will has not yet been fully accomplished in you; you will still remain on earth, but not for long. I am well pleased with your trust, but your love should be more ardent. Pure love gives the soul strength at the very moment of dying. When I was dying on the cross, I was not thinking about Myself, but about poor sinners, and I prayed for them to My Father. I want your last moments to be completely similar to Mine on the cross. There is but one price at which souls are bought, and that is suffering united to My suffering on the cross. Pure love understands these words; carnal love will never understand them. (324)
By the way, Archbishop Sheen's cause for sainthood now has its own website. I'm all for it. Ask the Servant of God Fulton Sheen for some help sometime... and you might want to read some of his books too. Fortunately you can often find at least one Fulton Sheen book, if not more, at your local library, public or private.
Saturday, October 04, 2003
Joan of Arcadia beats other shows opposite it, and Vatican Radio pays attention to the show. The Paper Chase page (a program on Vatican Radio) has some stuff about it. (Note: The Paper Chase link changes often, so if you click it may not have anything about Joan of Arcadia.)
Also, an article about an interview with Mother Teresa in 1996 is quite intriguing. If you've ever heard stories about people going to see Mother Teresa in Calcutta, they seem to have a common thread... she immediately put them to work serving the poor.
Papal stats, get those papal stats, from my congregation's Marian Helper magazine. Of course, they aren't totally up-to-date because they are constantly changing. Pope day is almost upon us.
Washington, D.C., is unseasonably cold right now.
Thursday, October 02, 2003
Guardian angels, be with us this day. Today is not a day to write so much as it is a day to ask things of our guardian angels. You can always send your guardian angel to someone else's guardian angel with a message for that person. Sometimes it causes that person to think of you and perhaps even get the message. This is, of course, dependent on how selfish your request is, I suppose, and the overall purpose. Angels of course only do what is within the will of God.
Also, I think there's a bit of rejoicing among the guardian angels over this news.
