Is My Phylactery Showing?: October 2007

My Special Intention and the Result

I requested prayers for a special intention of mine last week, and I received a response very soon after posting. Some of you will think it strange that I needed guidance on this particular subject, but for me, there were some strong feelings about whether I should make a particular commitment. Anyway, the die is cast.

I was asked to join the music ministry for the Lifeteen Mass, and I accepted the job. I'll be playing bass and singing. Now, I'm much more of a traditional choir guy, and I like chant. I tend to think that those musical expressions are more appropriate for the liturgy. However, I've had several indications that this might be where I'm needed and where my daughter's faith will thrive (at least for the time being).

Oct

Catholic Minority Report Points out the Obvious

Some organ of the United Nations recently castigated the Catholic Church for its positions on the use of condoms to "prevent AIDS." Patrick at CMR has helpfully illustrated to absurdity of this charge with a short script.

Mark Shea's commentary is a bit more terse.

Oct

Music—The New A-tonists

Elliot has a link to this post by millinerd concerning the next new protest.

Oct

Bleg

I have two requests. First, if you could pray for a special intention of mine, I'd appreciate it greatly.

Second, I'm trying to find a good interlinear bible (or possibly two good interlinear bibles), but most that I've come across are based on the Protestant "canon." I have found a CD version of the Septuagint and Greek NT, but I'd much prefer a hard copy.

Oct

Paper 1 IN!

Yes, I've been working on my first paper of the semester, which of course means endless agonizing about what the instructor is expecting. If you want to feel sorry for anyone, don't waste your pity on me. Adoro has it much harder (God bless her) trying to hold down a full-time job and attend grad school full time as well.

Anyhoo, I can't promise more frequent posts, but I'll try to be more consistent... for the 20 or so people who apparently have an RSS feed to me.

Oct

A Catholic Dad: You Think?

If this doesn't qualify me for the title, I don't know what will.

I've been attending the games at my daughter's junior high lately to watch her cheer and offer my support. I also want to support the girls on the volleyball team because Kellina played with them last year (and actually wishes she were playing with them this year). I've also attended one 8th-grade football game, and I tend to keep a close eye on the kids and what they do.

Oct

Your monitor might shatter...

...but here's a picture of me that my wife took today. We're updating a flier for a boxing circuit class that I just took over a few weeks ago. It's a combination of bag work, classical boxing training, and some mixed martial arts technique. Since I don't have some of the more impressive credentials that our previous instructor Gordon had (like this), I have to resort to cheap props (like my embroidered belt).

Oct

Kennady at Six Weeks

Here's the latest. Kennady is about six weeks old now and weighs 11 pounds. We're making arrangements for baptism and are trying to talk Hannah into having her uncle and aunt (good solid Catholics) as Godparents.

My wife says Kennady smiles whenever she tells her that Jesus loves her.

Oct

The Know-Nothings Within

Matthew at CMR has a recent example of anti-Catholic bashing in student news, from a self-confessed Catholic no less.

You can read the editorial here.

Here was my response:

Dear editors,

I highly recommend that your editorialists read some primary source material before launching off on a tirade like the one written by Andrew Ragni in your October 5, 2007 issue.

Oct

On the Road Again...

This time, in Hershey, PA. I'm staying at the Hershey Lodge, which beats the place I stayed last year hands down. They give away chocolate at every opportunity, and they stock cocoa soap in all the rooms. I was half way through my second bar before I realized that was all I had to wash with!

Okay, maybe not.

Paper #1 for the semester is still brewing in my head. I'm not sure if there's enough there to ferment yet.

Is My Phylactery Showing?

Faithful Catholic or modern-day pharisee? Sometimes I might be a bit of both.