Archive for April, 2008

Should We Leave Mylie Alone?

theophilus April 30th, 2008

I’m watching Extra last night and the story about Miley Cyrus and her Vanity Fair photo shoot came on.  I heard about the story earlier in the day.  Being the father of a kindergarten girl who idolizes Miley/Hannah, I went on the Vanity Fair website to read the story and see the photos in question.

Wow, I have to admit I was deflated by what I saw.  Not only were some of the photos with just her questionable, but so too were the ones with her and her dad.  What horrible judgement by Billy Ray.  When I got home, my wife and I asked our daughter if she saw the photos.  She said that she had seen them on Good Morning America (so much for letting her watch a news program).  We quickly had a little talk with her – a learning moment.

But, why are we surprised about the photos?  The stories on Extra following the Mylie Cyrus story were about a hot dress that Gywneth Paltrow was wearing, video footage of Britney Spears clad only in a towel at the gym, and how a very pregnant and unwed (but engaged) Jessica Alba is guest starring with Elmo.

We have sexualized our society to such a degree that we really shouldn’t be shocked when things like these photos come out.  The good news is that people seem to be drawing a line - enough people appear to be genuinely upset about the photos.  But too much of the story is about whether Mylie is jeopardizing her billion dollar machine – not whether she is jeopardizing her childhood.

For her sake, I hope this story gets off the front page quickly.  I hope she and her parents have learned a lesson and her parents protect her with every fiber of their being.  I hope they realize that something that starts innocently enough can escalate into something salacious without them realizing it.  I hope Miley doesn’t try to grow up too fast.  I hope the photographer and the folks at the magazine – all of whom knew what they were doing – think twice before again exploiting a teenager.  I hope people don’t rush out to buy this garbage.

And I hope my daughter and her peers realize that growing up too fast is just not the way to go. 

But even if Miley stays away from any more questionable photography sessions, our girls are still going to have to deal with a highly sexualized society that too often fails to draw the line in the messages we send those who don’t know better.

In the meantime, I’m going to go and find some books about female saints for my little girl to read.

St. Catherine – Now That’s a Woman!

theophilus April 29th, 2008

I knew nothing about St. Catherine of Siena until I decided to do some reading last night knowing that today is the her feast day.  What I learned floored me.  This woman was incredible!  Just read this short synopsis of her life achievements from Catholic.org -

The 25th child of a wool dyer in northern Italy, St. Catherine started having mystical experiences when she was only 6, seeing guardian angels as clearly as the people they protected. She became a Dominican tertiary when she was 16, and continued to have visions of Christ, Mary, and the saints. St. Catherine was one of the most brilliant theological minds of her day, although she never had any formal education. She persuaded the Pope to go back to Rome from Avignon, in 1377, and when she died she was endeavoring to heal the Great Western Schism. In 1375 Our Lord give her the Stigmata, which was visible only after her death. Her spiritual director was Blessed Raymond of Capua. St, Catherine’s letters, and a treatise called “a dialogue” are considered among the most brilliant writings in the history of the Catholic Church. She died when she was only 33, and her body was found incorrupt in 1430.

She was born the youngest of 25 children - she died at 33.  In between, she did enough to do justice to five long lifetimes.

We should all read again what she accomplished – and think hard about what we are doing this day.  St. Catherine had to live every day with such incredible focus to accomplish what she did, that there was absolutely no time for distractions or meaninglessness.  And even better, she thought she could accomplish anything – come on, trying to heal the Great Western Schism! – while in her early thirties!

Let us live every day with that focus – that intensity – that drive.  We all have a brilliance at something – let us use that gift to do whatever God wants us to do.  St. Catherine never gave in to excuses and difficult challenges – let us go around every obstacle in our way and just do God’s work for us.

Let us pray to St. Catherine to help us achieve what we believe to be the impossible – but what God nevertheless expects us to get done.  No excuses – no regrets of time ill-spent and talents wasted.

What Would You Do?

theophilus April 28th, 2008

I decided to watch Desperate Housewives with my wife last night.  And we had a conversation about a scene in the show that hopefully none of us will ever have to have in real life.

As I don’t watch the show regularly, my wife had to bring me up to speed to understand the scene.  Evidently, one of the desperate housewives was tempted by a guy who moved into town.  He made a move on her, she refused – reluctantly.  Her husband found out and was jealous.  The other guy opened a restaurant next to the husband’s restaurant.  The husband threw a brick through the window of the other guy’s restaurant.  Next thing you know, the other guy’s restaurant burns down and matches of the husband’s restaurant are found at the scene.  There are recriminations, accusations, fights and alibis.

In any case, the couple’s three grade school aged boys had overheard them talking about the wife, their mother, being tempted by the other guy.   In last night’s epsiode the whole matter came to a head when the boys disclosed to their mother that they overheard their parents’ conversation and thought the other guy was going to take their mother away from them, so they were the ones who had set the fire to drive the other guy away.

If you were their parent, what would you do? 

Turn them into the police?  Keep the deed hidden?  Ground them for life?  Quietly find a way to repay the other guy?

Seriously, who knows what we would do?  They were only trying to protect their family.

Thank goodness, it only comes up in a pseudo-soap opera.  But it is an interesting question to ponder.  What is the right thing to do?

A Tragedy So Wrong, On So Many Levels

theophilus April 27th, 2008

Last night in Cincinnati was a gorgeous Spring night.  A young woman was out for walk with her four children – when she was shot and killed.  Her 6-year old and 4-year old were seen draped over her body trying to get her to wake up.  The four children were sent to stay with their grandmother.  People were outside and saw the shooting – no one will come forward.  Two other kids – both witnesses – are now missing.

This tragedy is so wrong on so many levels.  I’m usually hardened by the news that comes out of certain communities in Cincinnati – this particular neighborhood seems to be in the news a great deal.  But, this story has me a little shaken. 

What are we doing to these children?  We are failing them in so many ways.  Six children - all of whom just had their innocence blown away.  Who knows how many other kids saw the shooting and are now being told to just shut up.  A neighborhood so full of fear that they cannot even respond to a tragedy of this degree.

We have some kids in desperate need of some prayers.  

Mother Mary, please watch over them and keep them in your protection and care.  Comfort them in this hour of need.  Lead them to the warm embrace of your Son. 

Juno

theophilus April 26th, 2008

I usually don’t recommend movies because there are so few to recommend.  But my wife and I watched Juno last night and I was pleasantly surprised.  It may be one of the best pro-life and pro-family movies to come out of Hollywood in a long time.

The lead character comes off very well as she struggles with the “choices” presented to her as a pregnant teen.  There is a scene in an abortion clinic that is probably more real and less heroic than what the abortion industry would like us to think.  There is a clumsy pro-life “protester” out front of the clinic who nevertheless delivers a powerful message.  The parents (lead character’s father and stepmother), while flawed, nevertheless come off acting like we would hope parents would act in such a situation.  Even the boyfriend is a sympathetic character as he tries to figure out his role in this whole thing. 

Juno does decide on adoption.  If I have a beef with the film, it’s the characterization of the couple who want to adopt the baby.  The husband especially comes off as a jerk.  But the wife is redeemed at the end.  The adoption situation portrayed isn’t ideal but it does show the adoption having a happy ending. 

As an adoptee who is active in advocating on behalf of adoption, I’m glad to see a decent movie involving adoption.  I’m also glad to see that many of the consequences of teenage sex are realistically portrayed.  The movie isn’t perfect but it’s good enough, especially considering some of the garbage that gets on our movie screens nowadays.

I also want to know how much Sunny Delight had to pay to get its product placement at the beginning of the movie.  See the movie and you’ll have the same question.

OK, I’m done as a movie critic. 

Snapshots

theophilus April 25th, 2008

An American hero comes home this weekend.  Sgt. Matt Maupin, from Cincinnati, was missing in action in Iraq for the past four years.  His remains were finally found last month.  His body arrives in Cincinnati tomorrow morning.  There will be a 20-hour visitation at his community’s civic center.  The funeral is Sunday at Great American Ballpark (the Reds’ park) and is expected to draw a packed house.  All Cincinnati stations are covering it, as is the Armed Forces Network.  Thousands are expected to line the 15 or so miles to the cemetary.  Sgt. Maupin is being escorted home by his brother, Marine Sgt. Micah Maupin.  This family is all-American – we owe them the deepest of our gratitude.  They have paid a steep price for our freedom and continue to put it on the line.  May God bless them and comfort them.

Back in October, an Ohio state representative from northern Ohio was giving a presentation on how a bill becomes a law to a high school class when a photo of a topless woman appeared on the screen.  HE BLAMED IT ON HIS TEENAGE SON!!  It has now come out that he lied, and also that he knew the woman and the other women whose pictures were on the memory stick he was using for the presentation.  What’s worse? – that he was getting these women to take their clothes off for him, that he was dense enough to put the photos on the memory stick he was using for presentations to high school students, or that HE BLAMED IT ON HIS SON!!  Jeez!  In any case, the House Minority Leader asked him to resign.  He is now history.

Today is the Feast of St. Mark – check out this summary of his life and writings at Catholic Culture.  Did you know that it is believed that the “Upper Room” referred to in Acts 12 was the home of St. Mark’s family?

How do we get lapsed Catholics to come back home?  Check out Catholics Come Home especially these videos – Epic and Movie.  If you haven’t already seen these videos, you should.  In fact, every Catholic should watch them – jaw-dropping.  Here is a good summary of the good work they are doing.

I’m not sure there is a right answer to the question of what to do about the kids involved in the Texas polygamist sect - but they need our prayers.  May Mother Mary take special care of them.

Padre Pio’s remains are on display and being venerated in San Giovanni Rotondo in Italy.  Hundreds of thousands are expected to come.  St. Pio was a man of our times who led his life completely and perfectly for the Lord.  If you don’t know much about him, google him and start reading.  Inspiring!

Fr. Kyle at Called by Name wrote about a recent experience at Barnes & Noble’s where he noticed that there was a table in the main walkway of the store titled “Thought Provoking.” The table had books on it which are supposed to, I guess, provoke our thoughts.  In any case, there wasn’t one book about Christianity on it, but there were several books from atheist and other anti-religious authors.  Fr. Kyle cornered some poor guy and inquired into the lack of Christian selections on the table.  His answer shouldn’t be surprising – “the list comes to us from New York.”  I had a similar experience during the last election cycle when I noticed that a B&N “Political Issues” table had selections from only one side of the ideological spectrum (can you guess which one).  And some of the selections were quite crass and insulting at that.  When I inquired about the one-sidedness of the selections, I too was told that “the list comes to us from New York.”

The Holy See’s First Decision

theophilus April 24th, 2008

Anyone who thinks the Church is rife with dissension in modern times should really contemplate today’s first reading (Acts 15). 

During the early days of the Church, there was a great debate whether the Gentile converts would have to become circumsized like the Jewish converts.  There were folks on both sides of the debate.  There were apostles on both sides of the debate.  Paul and Barrabas even returned from their missionary journeys to discuss the matter with the church leaders in Jerusalem.

And St. Peter, the first Holy Father, listened to all sides, then he decided and spoke.  For the sake of this discussion, it doesn’t matter what he decided, what matters is that he in fact decided and did so in what he thought was in the best interests of the faithful.

There are too many in the Church that forget that the Pope has to make decisions that are in the best interests of the Church – not just in the best interests of today’s faithful, but for tomorrow’s as well.  While he may do Christ (and us) a disservice if he makes decisions without following the Holy Spirit and without gathering input from those who have something to add to his deliberations, the truth is that he must ultimately make a decision.

Unfortunately, the Church’s history is rife with those who couldn’t accept that they might be wrong or that they might just be on the losing end of a debate. 

One of the Holy Father’s themes last week was that we must have unity in the Church.  We can still disagree on issues – we can debate – we can argue – but when it comes to a high-level decision, it’s ultimately up to the Holy Father – and it’s up to us to discern why he made the decision he made.

The alternative is for us to be weighed down by bickering and lose sight of what is important – Christ our Lord and bringing ourselves and others to him. 

A Day in the Life of the Pope

theophilus April 23rd, 2008

I’m still caught up in the immense spiritual wave left by the Papal Visit, so I spent last night surfing different Papal Visit websites trying to make sure I’m catching everything there is to catch from this past week.  In my web travels, I came across this photo essay on National Catholic Register detailing a typical day in the life of the Holy Father. 

I always like knowing how the successful live their typical day, especially considering that I always seem to waste so much of mine.  So, I’ve detailed below the Holy Father’s typical schedule.  As you are reading it, keep in mind the Holy Father is 81-years old.

5:00am – Lights go on.  Meditation and prayer in his private chapel.

7:00am – Mass in his private chapel with his two private secretaries, four consecreated laywomen who are in charge of the papal apartments, and his valet.

8:00am – Breakfast.

8:30am – In his private study (with his thousands upon thousands of books).  Gets through newspapers, mail and his daily agenda.  BTW, he has a cell phone – wouldn’t we love to have that number.

11:00am – Public audiences.

1:30pm – Lunch with his two secretaries (and a rare guest), walk and siesta.

3:30pm – Back at his desk.  Reviews homilies, speeches, documents needing signature, and more mail.

6:00pm – Meetings with his top aides.

6:45pm – Walk in the Vatican Gardens – prays the Rosary.  (4:00 in the winter)

7:30pm – Dinner.

8:00 – Watches news and unwinds.  Night prayer in private chapel before retiring to bed.

9:00pm – Retires to his bedroom.  Reads and writes.

11:00pm – Lights out.

Notice the time spent in prayer and learning.  Notice the time of intense activity and the time of relaxation and contemplation.  He somehow fits the Mass, the Rosary, the Liturgy of the Hours and mental prayer into his life.  There is no part of his day that is wasted.  Every moment is spent bringing himself and others closer to Christ – every moment is spent sanctifying his work and building Christ’s kingdom.

Now, I know what many are thinking and they’re right – he doesn’t have kids needing his attention in the morning and at night.  He doesn’t have a spouse with whom he must share his life and his time.  He has a job where he can call the shots.

But, all of that aside, we shouldn’t make excuses for wasting our days on pursuits unworthy of the precious resource of time that God has given us.  We shouldn’t make excuses on why we can’t work hard, have a great conversation with Christ and our Holy Mother throughout the day, and take time to unwind in ways that refresh us and allow us to be better servants of Christ.

We must discern what Christ wants us to do and order our day accordingly.  Life is just too short. 

Ritual v. Relationship

theophilus April 22nd, 2008

Sunday night, I went to one of Cincinnati’s large non-denominationals to hear someone speak.  While I was waiting, I overheard a conversation between three members of the congregation who were sitting next to me. 

One of the members is married to a Catholic who “insists” on going to Mass on Sunday and doesn’t want to go this particular church.  She on the other hand is a cradle Catholic who occassionally goes to Mass with her husband but prefers this church.  Catholicism just “doesn’t do anything” for her.

The couple she was speaking with had their own journey to this church but weren’t Catholic.  As I was passively listening to this conversation (I wasn’t eavesdropping, I just couldn’t help overhearing), one of the non-Catholics asked a very poignant question – did the lapsed Catholic’s husband fall into the same trap as many Catholics?  Did he sacrifice ritual for having a relationship with Christ?

And I sat there thinking - so, that’s what others think of us?  They perceive us as using ritual as a crutch instead of having a full-blown relationship with Jesus.  And, I guess the question is – do we?

I know my answer to this question – I believe I take the body and blood of Christ physically within me each and every Sunday and sometimes on Friday.  He becomes a part of me and I become a part of him.  I believe he is walking with me every moment of every day.  I believe he loves me so completely that at times his love overwhelms me.  I believe he heals me when I go to him through Reconciliation and that I am made anew.  I believe that he gives me the protection and patronage of his own mother so that she is my mother as well.  I believe that he gives me the saints to emulate and the angels for protection.  I believe he is speaking directly to me when I read the scriptures and the other spiritual writings that have been handed down to us over the past two-thousand years.

I have a conversation with Christ everytime I pray the rosary, my daily prayers, the Liturgy of the Hours.  I know I am in His presence when I go to Mass, Eucharistic Devotion or just pay him a visit in the Tabernacle.  And there is something mystical and beautiful about knowing that how I worship is the same throughout the nation and throughout the world.  That I can walk into any Catholic Church in this vast world and feel right at home.  And I know that it was this way a thousand years ago and will be this way a thousands years from now.   

Is my relationship with Christ intimate enough?  Or am I just focused on the ritual?

And that’s why I lament our fellow Catholics who have gone away.  They are seeking an intimate relationship with Christ but you can’t get much more intimate than the Real Presence, with being physically in his presence through Holy Communion and Devotion.  You can’t get much more intimate than having a relationship with his mother or those of us who have given their lives to him in service.  You can’t get much more intimate than knowing that you are part of a flock that encompasses all peoples and the ages.

Yes, there are rituals – but the rituals are meant to bring us into a more intimate union with Christ – heck, not a “more” intimate union, the “most” intimate union. 

And it is sad that many Catholics cannot find this intimacy - and they either go through the motions or leave altogether. 

Last week, we were reminded that our faith and the Church is special.   What other religious leader could command such respect and attention?  The Holy Father reminded us that this Church is something real, something eternal.

I just hope that lapsed and detached Catholics were paying attention last week (and I know that some were) and that the Holy Father reawakened in them the need to have this intimate relationship with Christ – an intimacy that can only be found in the one, true, Catholic and apostolic Church. 

A Perfect Summation

theophilus April 21st, 2008


To paraphrase Abraham Lincoln – no words of mine could add or subtract from the following call to action issued by the Holy Father in his homily at the Mass at Yankee Stadium.  I bet even the Babe was stirred to action.  Let us read it – internalize it – take strength from it – and resolve to act on it!

“Each day, throughout this land, you and so many of your neighbors pray to the Father in the Lord’s own words: “Thy Kingdom come”. This prayer needs to shape the mind and heart of every Christian in this nation. It needs to bear fruit in the way you lead your lives and in the way you build up your families and your communities. It needs to create new “settings of hope” (cf. Spe Salvi, 32ff.) where God’s Kingdom becomes present in all its saving power.

Praying fervently for the coming of the Kingdom also means being constantly alert for the signs of its presence, and working for its growth in every sector of society. It means facing the challenges of present and future with confidence in Christ’s victory and a commitment to extending his reign. It means not losing heart in the face of resistance, adversity and scandal. It means overcoming every separation between faith and life, and countering false gospels of freedom and happiness. It also means rejecting a false dichotomy between faith and political life, since, as the Second Vatican Council put it, “there is no human activity – even in secular affairs – which can be withdrawn from God’s dominion” (Lumen Gentium, 36). It means working to enrich American society and culture with the beauty and truth of the Gospel, and never losing sight of that great hope which gives meaning and value to all the other hopes which inspire our lives.

And this, dear friends, is the particular challenge which the Successor of Saint Peter sets before you today. As “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation”, follow faithfully in the footsteps of those who have gone before you! Hasten the coming of God’s Kingdom in this land! Past generations have left you an impressive legacy. In our day too, the Catholic community in this nation has been outstanding in its prophetic witness in the defense of life, in the education of the young, in care for the poor, the sick and the stranger in your midst. On these solid foundations, the future of the Church in America must even now begin to rise!

Yesterday, not far from here, I was moved by the joy, the hope and the generous love of Christ which I saw on the faces of the many young people assembled in Dunwoodie. They are the Church’s future, and they deserve all the prayer and support that you can give them. And so I wish to close by adding a special word of encouragement to them. My dear young friends, like the seven men, “filled with the Spirit and wisdom” whom the Apostles charged with care for the young Church, may you step forward and take up the responsibility which your faith in Christ sets before you! May you find the courage to proclaim Christ, “the same, yesterday, and today and for ever” and the unchanging truths which have their foundation in him (cf. Gaudium et Spes, 10; Heb 13:8). These are the truths that set us free! They are the truths which alone can guarantee respect for the inalienable dignity and rights of each man, woman and child in our world – including the most defenseless of all human beings, the unborn child in the mother’s womb. In a world where, as Pope John Paul II, speaking in this very place, reminded us, Lazarus continues to stand at our door (Homily at Yankee Stadium, October 2, 1979, No. 7), let your faith and love bear rich fruit in outreach to the poor, the needy and those without a voice. Young men and women of America, I urge you: open your hearts to the Lord’s call to follow him in the priesthood and the religious life. Can there be any greater mark of love than this: to follow in the footsteps of Christ, who was willing to lay down his life for his friends (cf. Jn 15:13)?

In today’s Gospel, the Lord promises his disciples that they will perform works even greater than his (cf. Jn 14:12). Dear friends, only God in his providence knows what works his grace has yet to bring forth in your lives and in the life of the Church in the United States. Yet Christ’s promise fills us with sure hope. Let us now join our prayers to his, as living stones in that spiritual temple which is his one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. Let us lift our eyes to him, for even now he is preparing for us a place in his Father’s house. And empowered by his Holy Spirit, let us work with renewed zeal for the spread of his Kingdom.

“Happy are you who believe!” (cf. 1 Pet 2:7). Let us turn to Jesus! He alone is the way that leads to eternal happiness, the truth who satisfies the deepest longings of every heart, and the life who brings ever new joy and hope, to us and to our world. Amen.”

Creative Minority Report has a post with a NY Post article by Peggy Noonan about the euphoric scene at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Saturday.  Peggy is her usual brilliant self but it’s Matthew Archbold’s summation that I think is a good exclamation point on the Holy Father’s visit -

“This is the kind of story that gives hope to us all, isn’t it? I feel like the Pope’s visit has closed a door on an era of the Church and we have started a new one.”

Starting a new era of the Church indeed!

God Bless America!

Viva il Papa!

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