Are You Informed ?

I can remember during the time after 9/11 when we found out the details of how detainees from Al Qaeda were being waterboarded as torture – along with what it actually involved – and how people were horrified that human beings could be treated in such an inhumane way. There was immense pressure put on the Bush administration and military to stop this barbaric practice. Do you remember that?

I cringe when I see the ads on TV for the SPCA on how some of these poor animals are left to die in the heat or when they are abandoned by their owners on the side of the road. Sometimes I have to switch channels or walk out of the room it is so heartbreaking.

I remember reading an article from my vet on why cats should not be declawed because it was inhumane to do that to them and was extremely painful – and so when I got my little rescue kitties, no declawing for them.

I could never knowingly support anyone who would make waterboarding an acceptable practice, or tell me that we should just leave those dogs to die, or that I would be required to declaw my cats, could you? And I know I could not because I took the time to find out what these procedures or practices involved.

So let me ask you this. If you are choosing to vote for Joe Biden, are you fully informed about what you are, by your vote, consenting to when it comes to the unborn? Have you done your research to find out how these abortions are actually done? If you haven’t, why not? If you are providing your consent through your vote, you should know what you are consenting to, shouldn’t you? Most of you who are voting for Biden are opposed to waterboarding and animal abuse, which is admirable. To be honest, the gritty details of what happens in an abortion are far worse then those SPCA ads. Please be informed. Please be brave enough to be educated about what happens to that human life during an abortion.

I encourage you to listen to Dr. Anthony Levatino, a former abortionist, who describes in a very factual manner, the way different abortions are performed. Know what you are consenting to through your vote. You can find the information here https://www.abortionprocedures.com/.

Another resource to inform you is the 1984 documentary, The Silent Scream, narrated by Dr. Bernard Nathanson, also a former abortionist who became pro-life. But be warned, this documentary is not for the squeamish. If you are going to watch it, have a bucket nearby. Do not let children watch it. https://www.silentscream.org/.

Do you have the courage to watch what you are actually consenting to?

After you have been fully informed about what happens to the victim, please ask yourself again if you are willing to consent to this through your vote and eventually, with your taxes.

The Chemistry of Hope

I’ve struggled the last couple of months to write. There has been such negativity, it seems, everywhere I look that I didn’t know what I could possibly write about without anger seeping into my paragraphs!

So, the subject of hope has been waking me up at night, talking to me throughout the day and just nagging at me.

The chemistry of hope. Hope actually has an effect on the brain, and is so powerful that it can change the way a person feels and acts. Studies have shown that the emotion or feeling of hope can cause the brain to release neurochemicals called endorphins and enkephalins which actually mimic the effects of morphine. The result is that the brain can overcome hurdles and move to a place of recovery. In the study of positive psychology, “Hope helps us remain committed to our goals and motivated to take action towards achieving. Hope gives people a reason to continue fighting and believing that their current circumstances will improve, despite the unpredictable nature of human existence” (positivepsychology.com).

What is the opposite of hope? Despair. The APA defines this as “the emotion or feeling of hopelessness, that is, that things are profoundly wrong and will not change for the better. Despair is one of the most negative and destructive of human affects, and as such it is a primary area for psycho therapeutic intervention.”

Can a person be manipulated into despair? Absolutely. It can be done through constant or persistent fear, lack of control over decision making or even freedom. How? By creating conditions that directly impact people in a negative way, such as taking away their home, not allowing them to go to work or leave their home with a feeling of safety. Taking away their freedoms under the guise of protecting them, instilling fear using all methods possible. It may be using individuals or groups of people as examples of what will happen if there is no obedience. We have seen throughout history the manipulation of how humans can be thrust into despair. You can read about it in the Old Testament. Hitler and Castro were experts at this kind of manipulation, with the intent of taking people to the lowest possible place in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and then telling them: ‘I can save you’. ‘ I am the one that can give you hope’.

The manipulation happens when every time there is a glimmer of hope in a bad situation, that hope is immediately snuffed by those who wish to maintain control. When there may be some optimistic treatment for a disease that could actually save lives, and as soon as there may be some hope about it, it is squashed. Any group that wishes to maintain control over people or country, or school, will not allow hope to enter the picture because that emotion, that wonderful feeling, will cause an individual or many individuals to start questioning those in charge. The other side effect of losing hope is that in many cases, faith also is lost, or is misdirected.

Many people who are in an emotional state of despair don’t see it in themselves. If you find yourself using the word ‘but’ whenever some good or optimistic information comes out about a crisis, you may be in despair. If you focus on the number of cases vs. the number of deaths and remain paralyzed by fear, you are in despair. You may find that your view of reality is no longer what is ‘real’ but rather what is manufactured. Despair can be as damaging as hope can be uplifting and healing.

So, what is the remedy to despair? Oh I know, every psychologist or psychiatrist will say it takes Zoloft or Zanax or some other drug. Not necessarily so. I believe that true, authentic faith is what can help bring you back to possessing hope. Authentic faith is not just a belief, but an unconditional trust in someone. Put your faith in a person? No. Believe in them, yes. Have confidence in them, yes. But faith? No. That should be reserved for Jesus Christ alone. Don’t waste your faith on humans regardless of what words come out of their mouths. The only one who will not abandon you is Jesus Christ. Turn to Him. Talk to Him. Cry to Him. Start with Him to climb out of the pit of despair.

Hebrews 11:1: “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen…”

Romans 12:12: “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”

The Death of George Floyd and Why BlackLivesMatter is Nothing More Than a #

If nothing else, I am hoping the title of this entry can garner some attention. It will probably get some nasty comments and I’m ok with that.

I hope that you keep reading on to give me a chance to explain that hashtag thing.

I can think of few people who have not seen the murder of George Floyd on TV, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook. As I watched it on Twitter, I could not stop watching, horrifying as it was – my eyes were watching it but my mind could not comprehend why, why, why didn’t that officer ease up. How can this be happening? He knows what he is doing to this human being.

No surprise at the outrage and anger that arrived on the heels of George’s death. Considering that the residents of many cities have been locked down for months, and the stress that many have been suffering; combine that that with the viewing of the murder of a black man by a white officer – or maybe officers – and the recipe is perfect for an explosion.

George’s life mattered. It mattered to his mother, children, girlfriend. It mattered. But I ask you, do BlackLivesMatter, really? I do not think so and please, don’t stop reading now, hear me out.

If you look up BlackLivesMatter, you can find the website. The organization is not a non-profit and offers nothing that will help the black person who is seeking a way to connect with a productive community or learn new things. The organization exists for the sole purpose of anarchy, organizing marches and selling shirts to those who go to those marches to incite hate and anger. Let’s contrast that with an organization called Black Life Matters. This organization is a non profit and appears to be robust with opportunities for the young or old black person to be part of a community and learn how to be the change that is needed. Check it out. Decide for yourself which one will give the despondent black man or woman a positive lift up.

Let’s look at The Innocence Project, an organization that has worked tirelessly to exonerate innocent people – mostly black men who have been incarcerated without justice – and bring equity to the justice system for all. Decide which ones you think will drive change for this country. If neither of those float your boat, there are a lot of other authentic organizations in the US that are supporting our black brothers and sisters and committed to being part of the change. But BlackLivesMatter/BLM is not one of them. And any ‘philanthropic’ foundation that supports Planned Parenthood does not think black lives matter.

Here are some statistics that support my belief that black lives don’t really matter to many who profess that they do – even if you use the hashtag or make your profile picture a black box or circle or do blackout Tuesday or any other day of the week.

In the state of Georgia, blacks constitute approximately 32.2% of the population. Yet, 62.4% of the abortions in Georgia are committed on black babies. No protests. No marches. Crickets.

The Guttmacher institute – bed buddy to Planned Parenthood – admits that black women are 5 times more likely to abort their baby than a white or Hispanic woman.

The state of Michigan reports that in 2018, 12,815 of the 25,554 abortions were committed on black babies. That is greater than 50%. No protests. No marches. Crickets.

Blackgenocide.org reports that since 1973, over 15.5 million black babies have been killed by abortion. In addition:

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Let that sink in.

There is no outrage from the liberal media, from the progressives, or even from BlackLivesMatter. Sadly, many of our black politicians have radical view on abortions – perfectly fine killing off their own future generations. Generations of black families have been decimated through abortion. And yet, no outrage. No marches. Crickets. Nothing. Turn heads the other way. Not even our clergy will talk about this. It is shameful.

How is it that we will watch, over and over, the murder of George Floyd and let our anger burn brighter, and at the same time justify killing innocent babies with ‘my body my choice’ mantra, never willing to acknowledge the truth about how these babies are murdered?

So for those you who say that black lives matter, and concurrently will post something about ‘I support Planned Parenthood’, or ‘my body my choice’, or you shame and mock anyone who prays peacefully outside one of these places, I ask:

Why won’t you watch what happens in an abortion procedure? Something that you support? That choice to kill a baby?

Why won’t you watch the movie, Unplanned or Gosnell?

Why won’t you look at the facts on how these living, moving, heart-beating black babies, completely vulnerable and innocent, are ripped apart limb by limb?

Why won’t you protest about the fact that 15 million black babies have been tortured and murdered – premeditated murder – since 1973? Why aren’t you marching on Planned Parenthood, the biggest and wealthiest abortion business in existence? Have you seen a BLM protest march in front of a Planned Parenthood lately?

Why aren’t you asking why black women are 5 times more likely to have an abortion than a white or Hispanic woman?

Why are you outraged by George Floyd’s murder if you are not outraged by the fact that an average of 1300 black babies are killed every day in the US? Why? George might have had a fighting chance – those babies did not. Why are you not angry about that?

Those of you who preach about privilege- why are you not angry that those 15 million black babies never got a chance at any opportunity or even a privilege? Why are you silent?

I am blessed to be part of a pregnancy center that helps care for those who have been discarded by the radicalized progressive, liberal culture in this country. It is amazing what can happen when a despondent, desperate black woman decides to visit a pregnancy center to find out if she is pregnant – and if she is, will tell you up front she will abort that child. When she learns there is help. When she learns there is love. That there is support. That she is strong and beautiful. That no matter what, she is a child of God. That there are resources she will never hear about from Planned Parenthood. And it will not cost her a penny. When she learns that she will be supported through her pregnancy and until her child is a year old, if she needs it. Do you know what happens? She starts to hold her head a little bit higher. She smiles. She gains confidence. She starts to have hope for the future. I have seen it.

Please stop the lip service. Start supporting organizations that walk the talk by providing a chance for our black brothers and sisters and those yet to be born. Volunteer at a pregnancy center – help others achieve their dreams and walk with them on the journey.

How about you stand outside a Planned Parenthood or abortion center in your city with your BlackLivesMatter signs. Or you might want to carry a BlackBabiesMatter sign. If you are black and you do this, the change you can make will be astounding. Participate in a peaceful 40 Days for Life vigil.

Consider teaching adults to read. Mentor a young person who is without a supportive family unit. Be present for them. Let them know their value as a human being.

Want to open up the door for opportunity? Help someone get the their GED. Teach them computer skills that are marketable. Help them get aid for education or trade school. Expose them to the beauty of music and art – things that have been ignored as essential for too long now.

Do something that makes you move out of your chair, get out of your house and help people. Be authentic in what you say and do. Do something that puts you out of your comfort zone and places you where the other person is coming from. Learn to serve your brothers and sisters. Don’t expect that it is someone else’s job. And don’t expect to be paid money for it. Do it because you know it is right and true.

The Real Presence

If you follow Catholic news agencies, or Bishop Robert Barron, you’ve undoubtedly read about the statistics on how many Catholics, or a percentage of Catholics, do not believe in the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.

I’m saddened by the volumes of Catholics who believe the Host and Wine are just symbolic, but I cannot say that I am surprised.

I can recall many years ago, the pastor at my parish lectured us before Mass that ‘we in the United States do not kneel for Holy Communion’, and chastised women who chose to do so in spite of his lecture. Hm. He also did not believe that we should bow or make the Sign of the Cross before receiving Holy Communion. Hm. Did that ever happen to you?

As I sat in a front pew yesterday morning at Mass, I watched as people came up to receive the Body and Blood of Our Lord. Many received the Host on the tongue, many in the hands. Some that received in the hands took the Host from the EM rather than receiving it. I saw many young people receiving the Host with love and tenderness and taking great care to consume it carefully. And then, I saw many women who, with the Body of Christ still not consumed, but in the mouth, stop to talk with others. I was mortified.

In my non-expert opinion, from watching and observing over the last 40 years or so, respect for the presence of the Eucharist has diminished in many forms. The awe that we used to have, just knowing that this was the Body of Christ – where did that go? Why, oh why, did the ringing of the bells stop? How about we bring that back? There is not a care for catching a host on a paten should it fall. Why? Why is there not an altar server holding a paten under that hand or tongue? How can people think it is ok to talk while still consuming the Host? How is it that after receiving the Body and Blood, people feel free to carry on conversations as though they are at a restaurant?

I understand some parishes, including my own, are having special sessions to talk to parishioners about the real Presence of Christ in that little Host. Maybe our priests could consider taking a pause when the EM’s are coming on to the altar, to remind people to be reverent, respectful, prayerful – that they are holding Jesus!

I would love for this to be shown at Mass, on a regular basis , “Jesus is on the floor”, https://youtu.be/YVjVNb4bSnU.

Lord, to whom would I go?

Every day, more news comes out about abuse in the Catholic church all the way from cardinals to parish priests.  We hear about the ‘nones’ who don’t believe in any kind of religion, or being part of a parish community. Supposedly, Catholics are leaving the Church in droves, disgusted with the lack of the hierarchy’s grasp on reality.I gave up once on the Catholic Church in the 1970’s after the loss of a child and a failed marriage.

Yep, I blamed God.  My pastor refused to let me receive Holy Communion after my divorce – this was the parish I grew up in! This guy knew me from the time I was 3 years old.   I loved the Mass, the Eucharist and even went to Mass during the week most of the time.  When I was told I could not receive the Eucharist (which I only found out later, he was wrong), I lost my desire to go, and decided to just be pissed at God.

Move ahead 10 years and God put a man in my path in the form of a hippie priest who befriended me on my daily lunch walks at work.  I did not know he was a priest, just that he was pretty friendly, unassuming and didn’t talk my ear off.   I learned he was a priest one day when we were chatting about work – he asked me where I worked and I pointed to the 7-story building tucked away on a side street.  I asked him what he did and when he told me he was a Catholic priest at the Catholic church next door to my company’s building, I just stopped in my tracks.

Thus started our conversation about the Church, my situation, my anger and the fact that my pastor at home would not help me get an annulment. The hippie priest told me that he would be my advocate.  He and I met at least once a week to talk, and although I attended Mass every day at noon with him, I would not receive the Eucharist; I did not feel reconciled with the Church. Maybe She wanted me, but I was not ready to want Her.  After 3 months, he had secured a Church annulment and 8 months later, I received the Eucharist for the first time in over 12 years.

I will never leave again.  I will stay and be a part of fixing what is broken, which the laity in the Catholic Church should have been doing all along . The laity is as much at fault for the problem with our clergy as the Church leadership.  For too many years, priests, bishops, cardinals were put on pedestals, treated like royalty.  In fact, we lay members of the Church do need to be compassionately challenging our clergy on a regular basis when it comes to concerns in our society today.

Even with the bad news coming out every day, I will never leave. This Church is our Church. It’s not a building that a mortgage is paid on, cooled in the summer or heated in the winter.  It is our Church. It does not belong to a single person other than Jesus Christ, our founder.

Please do not abandon our Church in times of trouble. Stick with it and help fix Her. Where else will you go to be able to received the Body and Blood of Our Lord?  Isn’t this why you participate in the un-bloody sacrifice? It is the only Church founded by Jesus Christ. There is no other like it.  Stay with it because you love our founder, Jesus Christ.

Surrender!

If you have seen the movie, Breakthrough, you might recall the scene where the mom is yelling at God to save her son. She is throwing up her hands and is really angry at God that her son is still unresponsive, and being kept alive by machines. Can you imagine, this is a woman who is full of faith, does all kinds of good works for her church, family and community – why isn’t God giving her what she is praying for?

And then….she has a deep exhalation of breath and says (paraphrased), “All right God, I surrender! It is all in your hands, I totally surrender to you.” I won’t spoil the outcome at that moment in the movie for those of you who have not seen it, but it was a game changer.

I started thinking: What was this total surrender? What did it feel like? Have I done this? If not, can I do this? I know the Blessed Mother did this. I know that Jesus did this. I think I do this sometimes, but I don’t think I am totally surrendering to God.

After much thought for the last couple of weeks, here is how I imagine this feeling of total surrender to God’s will and plan in my life. I picture myself in an operating room, getting ready for some major surgery where I’ll get general anesthetic. And you know, they give you that ‘relaxing’ potion ahead of time to relax. That to me would be the first stage of total surrender to God – totally relaxed and not even thinking about what comes next. And then the good stuff where you count backwards from 10 and only get to 8.5. THAT feeling.

Is this what it feels like, to totally surrender to God? To trust that He’s got this?

What does it feel like to you?

 

More than a building was demolished

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Yesterday, my dear friend and sister in Christ, Julie Dumois, and I made a visit to the former Planned Parenthood location on Tampa Avenue in Orlando, FL. We have both done our share of praying on the sidewalk at this location over the years when the building was standing.   I can remember one of the first times I went to pray at this location, about 9 years ago, I happened to be there on a day when the Stericycle truck arrived.  Barrel after barrel was loaded into the back of the truck. Barrels filled with the bodies of murdered babies.   What a reality check.

We had heard the bulldozer had done its job of ripping apart the construct of the building and felt compelled to go there, pray for the babies murdered there and to sprinkle Holy Water on the foundation and underlying dirt.  When we arrived, we thought about hanging in the parking lot and doing our prayer there, but decided to walk around, onto the foundation of the old building.  Instantly, we both felt as if we would vomit, and both of us were lightheaded.  We started with a prayer for aborted children, composed by Jim Harrison.    The tears were abundant throughout this prayer – just thinking about what had been demolished at this location of the last 20 years or so.

We followed by praying the Divine Mercy, in a not so quiet way. The more we prayed, the better we felt.  We walked the foundation, sprinkling Holy Water on the ground and I remembered that I had a Miraculous Medal in my wallet (I actually carry a lot of them). Julie found a deep hole that went into the ground, and I placed the medal there.  Last was prayer to St. Michael the Archangel.

While I don’t have an exact number of how many innocent lives were lost at this location, over 150,000 surgical abortions have been done in Orange County FL since 1999. I can promise you that there was not one single mammogram done in this building.  There is not a single Planned Parenthood in the USA that is licensed to do mammograms. You can find this information online through state and federal licensing agencies.  I can also promise you that not one mother saw the ultrasound of her living baby before that innocent life was taken.   Because the truth is that when mom sees her child in the warmth and safety of the womb, her heart and mind are changed.

Throughout the last 20 years, hardly a day would go by when you did not see people praying on the sidewalk, offering help and hope to the women walking in. Dedicated, loving people who sacrificed lunch hours, weekends, and stood in 95+ degree heat without complaint. You know who you are, and thank God for you.

For those of you who want to know about the image of Jesus, holding the bodies of aborted babies, this is what abortion is.  Return To Sender.   The artist is Denise Fisher and she has some beautiful works. She created this piece of art after New York State decided that babies could be killed up to 9 months, – and maybe even after.

Let us keep praying for those who are so desperate that they see no other option.

 

 

 

 

The Week of the 2019 March for Life

 

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I just returned from the March for Life in Washington D.C. I have attended other March for Life events but nothing like this!  I heard reports that there were 650,000 people there. I don’t know how accurate that is, but there were at least 400,000.  Hard to believe? I know.   When you wait in the street, shoulder to shoulder, toe to toe, with other marchers for over 1 hour, waiting to get into the queue, you do feel like it could be 650,000 people strong.  I will be doing this again!

I was blessed to share experiences with friends.  We went to the Holocaust Museum Thursday.  If you have never been, go. Take your teenagers. Your middle-schoolers.  Never forget this horrible time in history.

Friday, of course, was the March and the Rose dinner that night – with surprise speaker Vice-President Mike Pence.

Saturday we decided to make it a busy day.  First stop, the Bible Museum.  Some outstanding displays – if you have a full day to go, I suggest it.  It’s not free and some of the exhibits require an additional ticket (which we did not do).

Next was the Pope John Paul II Center, near Catholic University.  It. Is. Beautiful.  There is a relic of Saint John Paul (vial of blood) and one of Saint John Vianney (his heart) displayed in the reliquary.

Small chapel altar close-up at JP2 Shrine
Vial holding the blood of Saint John Paul

Kneeling at the relics, and being able to touch a piece of jewelry I wear all of the time to the relic of Saint John Paul was peaceful and surreal, at least to me it was.  What a blessing that I was able to be in this place!

jp2 relic
St. John Vianney’s heart is to my left.

We planned to attend the 5:15 Mass at the Basilica of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, a 10 minute walk from the JP2 Center.  We arrived close to 5pm and found it challenging to find a place to sit! To my dismay, we had to sit in the very back and I did not get a good view of the altar. After Mass, we went downstairs to see the gift shop and the Crypt Church, along with all of the Chapels dedicated to our Blessed Mother. There must be 30 or more Chapels on the lower floor. When I go back, I will dedicate one full day to just the Crypt level!

It was close to 7pm when I decided to go upstairs to get a closer look at the altar, and one of the women in our group went with me, a beautiful, fun 78 year-old lady. There was a Mass so we did not go in. When we got into the Narthex, we could hear a lot of noise outside – yelling and drums beating.  First, we thought it was some of the college kids having fun. But we started to see people rushing in the door, asking to come in. Some of them looked terrified, some just relieved.  I peeked out the door to see 30-40 people at the bottom of the steps, coming up, drums pounding and yelling in a war call-like sound. The guards came in and told us to get into the Sanctuary immediately while they bolted the doors shut and called the police.

We had no idea what was happening, but went quietly into a nave.  We could hear loud pounding on the doors.  One of our group asked a guard if we could leave and he suggested we go back downstairs.  He told us that these people were here because a Catholic boy disrespected a tribal elder of their tribe and they wanted the Catholics to be disrespected.  Little did we know the complexities of this story and how some young men would be judged by one single video and a narrow – minded left leaning media.   Along with some hypocritical Bishops in Kentucky who condemned before even knowing the truth. Dear Bishops, as the saying goes, people in glass houses should not throw stones.

A guard helped us to a door that let us out on a side of the Basilica where the crowd was not gathering.  While we waited for our Lyft ride, we decided to say a prayer for the protesters who were trying to get into the church.  All in all, it was a week I will never forget!

It’s important to remember that we do not march to get media coverage.  It does not matter if the major news outlets cover it – those of us who were there know the truth of what was said and how many were there.  Bring it on 2020!

 

 

 

What I miss at Mass

A book that I read at least once a year is ‘This is the Mass’, described by Henri Daniel-Rops and celebrated by Fulton J. Sheen. The book was published in 1958 and describes in a most beautiful and holy way, each part of the Liturgy, what it means, what the priest is doing and at times, feeling.  The book was handed down to me by my mother, who inherited it from her mother, my grandmother.

If you were Catholic, and growing up in the 1950-1960’s decades, you watched “Life is Worth Living”, hosted by the Most Reverend Fulton J. Sheen. It was televised on Sunday nights, and we watched on the black and white 13 inch tv. My grandmother, Mary Aube, had a friendship with Fulton J. Sheen and the two of them corresponded through letters, of which I still have a few.  Most of the time, my grandmother was asking him to pray for her family, especially her children who had left the Church.

It was after my most recent reading of this book that I realized there were things I missed at Mass.

The Communion Rail

I will never forget when as a 7 year-old I made my first Communion and how nervous I was to kneel properly at the rail, waiting for the priest to say those words: “Corpus Christi”.  Yes, I was nervous and I still am today! The rail had a significance where you had time to kneel in reverence, pray your prayer before communion and be prepared to receive the Body of Christ.   I have been in some Catholic churches where the parish has installed a kneeler at the altar for those who wish to kneel while receiving Christ.

I miss the Communion rail.  And if I could kneel and get up by myself, I would kneel.

The Paten

Why isn’t a paten used anymore, especially with people taking the host in the hand?  I have seen so many times when even the priest or EM drops the body of Christ on the floor.  Before it was accepted in the US to have communicants receive in the hand, the paten was used all of the time.  The altar boy held it under the host from the time the priest took it from the chalice until it was on the tongue. I so appreciate a priest who holds the chalice under my chin when I receive.

Please bring the paten back during Communion so that the Body of Christ is not disrespected.

The Bells

It seems the only time we hear bells at Mass anymore is at the Easter Vigil when the Gloria is sung the first time since Lent. But really, the bells were supposed to be rung during the Consecration – a tribute to the Holy Presence. Those bells were a signal – Jesus Christ is here, present in Body and Blood right now! And what now might you hear? A cell phone ringing. Ushers talking in the narthex.

Sacred Silence

I can remember being chastised by my mother for whispering in the sanctuary while waiting for Mass to begin – or anytime the Blessed Sacrament was present.

Is there a Catholic Church anywhere that does not sound like people are waiting for a sporting event or performance to begin? I am sure there is but I have not found one in Florida. I’m not talking about children or babies making noise or talking.  These are adults – older adults who greet each other in the Sanctuary as if they were in the shopping mall or grocery store.

I wish people would not find it so difficult to stop conversation once entering the Sanctuary.

Modesty

Skirts to the knee, no sleeveless blouses or dresses. No slacks. Cover your head. This was the unspoken rule when I was growing up.  At least today, slacks on women are not seen as ‘improper’.

But women and girls, I have to tell you  – no one is coming to Mass to see your buff body.  No one cares about seeing your skin showing or worse, your private parts when you wear those very short denim shorts, tank tops, tube tops, strapless dresses. I’m not saying that you have to wear a sackcloth, but have some care about who’s house you are going to!  Would you think about going to a wedding dressed this way? A nice restaurant? Guys, you are not excluded. Please get rid of the baseball caps, the T-shirts and the sandals with socks.

I miss seeing those at Mass dressed for the occasion – to go into the house of Our Lord.  To receive his Body and Blood.

What do you miss?

 

 

Kissimmee’s Medical Arts District

The City of Kissimmee is publicizing the Kissimmee Medical Arts District, big time.  They’ve put banners up on light poles, painted the traffic control boxes in nice colors with the ‘Kissimmee Medical Arts District’ logo, improved Oak Street, and wow Osceola Regional has expanded to the point where I am wondering when their building is going to just sink into the sand.

The Medical Arts District is filled with healers and innovators.  There are dialysis clinics to help diabetics, hospitals to help people, eye doctors, neighborhoods where people can get physical therapy, cardiac care – you name it, the place is filled with those who heal.

It made me wonder – how does a business that gets more than 30% of its income from killing babies end up being in a Medical Arts District?  How does a business that only has a physician available when a woman is coming in for an abortion end up being in the middle of a Medical Arts District? How does a business that gives a woman a pill to take so she can miscarry her baby at home – while across the street physicians are working to save that pregnancy – end up in a Medical Arts District? How does a business in Kissimmee, part of a the bigger corporation that has murdered twice as many innocent human beings every week as died in the terror attacks of 9/11/01, end up in a Medical Arts District?

 

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How absurd, I thought.  How absurd that this one, 8000 square foot mega abortion center is in the middle of a Medical Arts District. All of the other offices in this district save lives, help people become well, help them recover from injuries, help them heal.  But this one – this one is in the business of taking the lives of baby boys and girls.

How does that happen? When did the killing of baby boys and girls become a ‘medical art’?