Happy are they . . .

Back when I was a catechist the fifth grade teacher taught a lesson on the Sermon on the Mount.  She had the kids in her class draw pictures to illustrate what Jesus was trying to teach.  On one of the pictures, a student wrote the heading:

The Beautitudes

There was something so perfect about the malapropism that it has stuck with me all these years later.  Happy are the poor in spirit,  Happy are they that mourn,  Happy are the persecuted. . .   how beautiful it is to follow after the will of the Lord.

As I am working on the difficult changes that God has asked of me in my life:  my husband's job, the death of my mother,  changes at my beloved parish, my daughter moving so far away from home,  learning how to parent young adult children into healthy whole lifestyles;  I continue to remember the lesson I learned all those years ago from that wonderful young girl.  

Following after the Lord, wherever He leads me is all part of the Beautitudes.  My life is beautiful and I am happy in my surrendering to the will of God, even when it means I will mourn, or be meek,   misunderstood, or persecuted .  

In my weakness I will find the strength I need, because He has promised it to me. 

Have a Beautiful day.

Pax

The Lie of Choice

I know women who have had abortions.

Each one of them felt at the time  that there was no support from family, or the father of the child for them to do anything else.

They did not make the decision lightly.

They felt trapped.

They made the decision to abort because they had no other choice.


To a woman,  each and every one regrets what they did, and mourns the life of the child they killed.

Not one of the women I know was offered any kind of post-abortion counseling from the clinic which "provided" them with the service.

A few truths to ponder.

Pax

Living In The Light

Darkness hides things.  Illumination brings knowledge.  Knowledge is power and truth.

One of the tactics of the Pro-life movement that has been reviled by many is the use of images of both pre-born infants by way of ultrasound, and pictures of the tiny dead bodies of aborted babies.  

In many states Pro-life workers have tried desperately to make the viewing of an ultrasound of the "product of conception" a part of the pre-abortion appointment.  This is because we are sure that once a mother sees her child it will be less likely that she will "choose" to kill that child for any reason. 

The other side fights desperately to keep this image from having to be revealed to the mother.  Keeping the mother in the dark, and allowing her to continue to think of her baby as "products of conception"  is a way to depersonalize the baby.  That will make it easier for the mother to "choose" to take action against it without thinking about it as a person who will die by her actions.

The womb is supposed to be a safe place.  Safe passage for the developing baby, not a place where the child is in danger of being ripped to pieces because he or she is an inconvenience.  Many women (and some men) who experienced abortion feel crushing regret, and trauma from the experience.

If we keep showing the pictures of the pre-born, and help the parents to see their child as a child and not something less than human we can't but help to become a more compassionate society.

We need to let the light shine in (or in this case sound waves shine their light).  

Pax

Teacher Watches as Second Graders Perform Oral Sex in Class

I am rendered practically wordless at the profound wrong that was done to the children in this classroom. Our society is sick and if we don't do something really quickly, the epidemic will have too much of a stronghold.

What really bothers me is how the principal tried to almost downplay the harm done in her letter home. What is happening?

Teacher Watches as Second Graders Perform Oral Sex in Class

Pax

This is Indiana!

This is why we are fans through thick and thin.

Pax

Dealing With Change

Our parish is grieving this weekend because our beloved Pastor announced at the Masses this weekend that he will be leaving us in less than a month for a new assignment with the Archdiocese.  The Archbishop has asked him to become the Moderator of the Curia which in layman's terms means he will in effect be the CEO of the Diocese.

This is a huge job and he is well qualified but when he spoke to us at Mass you could hear in his voice that it was only out of obedience to the Archbishop that he is able to leave us.  He asked to come to us four years ago, and he has cherished his role as pastor and parish administrator, something he was never allowed to do before because of his duties within the Chancery.  We were his first official parish assignment, and he really loved being here.

So, while we are all saddened to lose our pastor, maybe we should take a page from his book.  Obedience is part of what we believe about being members of this church.  If Fr. Bill can do this out of obedience to the Bishop, then we can accept the new interim pastor who will serve from February till July and welcome a new pastor in July, just as humbly as Fr. Bill is accepting this move to the Chancery that he must make in the next four weeks.

I know for my part, my prayers go with him.  And I will remember every lesson I learned from him while he was our pastor.  How arrogant would it be not to be willing to share his amazing gifts with the greater church of south central Indiana?

For the next month I am really going to cherish his homilies, and his hugs.

Pax

More on Our New Auxiliary Bishop

Here is a video from Fox 59 news on the Press Conference announcing Fr. Coyne as the New Auxiliary Bishop:

http://www.fox59.com/news/wxin-pope-benedict-xvi-appoints-ind-01142011,0,6670957.story

"It is what it is"  I really like him now.

Pax

Interesting News

It was announced today that Fr. Christopher Coyne of the Archdiocese of Boston has been appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.  Rocco at Whispers in the Loggia has the news.   Rocco has done a much better job than I ever could of explaining the ins and outs of the possible reasons why the diocese received an Auxiliary Bishop when in fact our Archbishop asked for a coadjutor.

If you want to know a little about Fr. Coyne,  happily he is a blogger.  You can read his blog here. 
I have been reading through it since I heard the news and like what I have read.  I also like that Fr. Coyne is a Liturgist.  (Bless my loving liturgical heart.)

I do know that Archbishop Buechlein has had a very rough couple of years health-wise, and has been in our prayers as he struggles with his cancer diagnosis and treatment.  His asking for a coadjutor is proof of his concern and care for the diocese.

Welcome to Indiana, Fr Coyne.  Here's hoping we can turn you into a Colts fan really quickly,  because I don't know what I will do if I have to follow a Bishop who is a Stinkin' Cheatriots fan.

Pax