Cosmos-Liturgy-Sex

Dappled Things announces:

Our feature for this issue is Dappled Things President Bernardo Aparicio García’s “A Man of Culture: Reflections on the Papal Visit”, a eloquent and timely reflection on Pope Benedict XVI’s April visit to the United States. What did the Pope actually say? What did his visit mean for American Catholics? What did his visit mean for the world today? Finally, there is this burning question: did Benedict XVI really endorse Dappled Things? Here’s a taste of Mr. Aparicio’s analysis of the media response to the visit:

How is it, they wonder, that this strict disciplinarian-this former Panzerkardinal-now seems more interested in talking about love and hope-as he has at length in his two first encyclicals-than in hunting down heretics, sinners, and unbelievers? Has he gone soft? Is it a public relations move? So far the media refuse to imagine that the caricature of the pope they themselves created upon his election may have been mistaken in the first place.

The final installment of Eleanor Donlon’s “Magdalen Montague” is here at last! In Part V: The Triumph of Magdalen Montague, you will read the conclusion of this complex story of redemption, spanning forty years of correspondence. Learn the fates of the loquacious letter-writer “J”, his virulently anti-religious recipient “R”, the silently holy Domokos Juhász, and the long-absent Magdalen. As fitting a collection of letters, a belated Prologue and corresponding Epilogue now appear-but only the former can be found online. Fear not! Instructions for obtaining a copy of the printed issue are included below.

The exquisite workmanship and extraordinary imagination of author Grace Andreacchi are resoundingly showcased in “Lawrence: A Mystery Play”. Ms. Andreacchi unites the traditions of the Medieval mystery play, the beautiful form and style of classical drama (particularly in her use of the chorus), and the story of this beloved saint. Listen to this chilling exchange:

EMPEROR
And is this Jesus not a dead Jew?

LAWRENCE
He is the living Christ
The living Bread come down from heaven,
And whoever eats of this Bread
shall live forever.

EMPEROR
Will you live forever, young Lawrence?
I think you may die tonight.

Other important features include a chilling monologue and poignant expression of human suffering, a vivid and unflinching poetic exploration of modern dreams of progress, the adventures of a half-pint cowboy hero, a thought-provoking essay on love, sex, and our “second selves”, two meditations upon the Providential benevolence and beauty of the sacrament of marriage, and a striking array of black and white photography, principal amongst them Patrick Anderson’s image of the concrete Angel, terrible in its beauty (now gracing the cover of the print issue), as well as many, many more excellent fiction pieces, essays, poems, book reviews, and works of art. I hope you will enjoy this powerful new issue!

As noted above, the final chapter of “Magdalen Montague” will not be available online while the author seeks a publisher for the series in book format (discerning publishers, take note!), so if you are aching to finish the series, and have, in the blind innocence of prosaic distractions, allowed your subscription to lapse-fear not! Today you can purchase a retroactive subscription or a single copy of this issue (at the astonishing rate of $8!). You will find our mailing address in our subscriptions website. Make sure you mention the vital necessity of finishing the Montague series, and let us know that you want to begin your subscription with the SS. Peter & Paul 2008 edition. And send your cheque today (payable to Dappled Things Magazine)-supplies are limited and demand is high!

Wishing you many blessings in these waning summer months,

The Editors

For those who might be interested in St. John’s Catholic Newman Center’s new facilities, allowing it now to house almost 600 students and minister to thousands, here is a preview of the new and the renovated facility (its has a 12 min run time):

‘It is a great mystery that providence should permit diabolical activity, but “we know that in everything God works for good with those who love him.”‘ – Catechism of the Catholic Church

Dr. Richard E. Gallagher, the only American psychiatrist to have been a consistent U.S. delegate to the International Association of Exorcists, writes his experience with a present-day Demoniac, in the New Oxford Review.

The case of Julia illustrates a number of the classic signs of possession. The venerable Roman Ritual (Rituale Romanum of Pope Paul IV, 1614) lists as strongly suggestive signs, prominent among others, hidden knowledge, the ability to speak an unknown language, and abnormal physical strength. Other elements traditionally associated with possession were evident as well, including, invariably, expressions of hatred of the sacred, blasphemous and vituperative language, the ability to discern (and recoil from) blessed objects, the phenomenon of levitation, and, most importantly, a trance-like state interrupted by the presence of what appears as an independent, intelligent entity (or entities), and the expressed desire of this intelligence not to leave the afflicted.

Here’s a website on exorcism facts.

“Among thousands of people, there are not a hundred who will arrive at their salvation, and I am not even certain of that number, so much perversity is there among the young and so much negligence among the old.” - St John Chrysostom

Fr. Kimel of pontifications did an interesting piece on questions surrounding how many souls will be saved and how many will be damned.

I have omitted one important fact: as decent as most people I know may be, I have to admit that every person I know is also selfish, even the nicest ones. My experience, in other words, confirms a fundamental teaching of the Catholic Church—the doctrine of original sin.

… Every human being is born into a world dominated by Satan and corrupted by death and sin. And in a mysterious way which I at least cannot explain, these three elements—spiritual alienation from God, oppression by Satan, and deformation by a sinful world—coincide….

A couple of years ago, I came across a piece called, Cry of A Lost Soul , which is a powerful record of events that led a young woman to ultimately lose her soul. The sobering document has been previously printed with imprimatur, and describes the vision of a young, single catholic woman after learning of her friend from work who had recently died as a result of an automobile accident. Right from the beginning of the ghoulish narrative, it was evident how many times I took on the nature of the damned.

When I was jealous of others, wanting them to share in a misery of failure.

“I should like to see you to come to this state where I must remain forever.”

When I did things for others based not in the spirit of charity, but with self centered motivations – doing it out of obligation or out of fear of rejection by saying no.

“Our wills are hardened in evil – in what you call evil. Even when we do something ‘good’, as I do now, opening your eyes about hell, it is not because of a good intention”.

When life seemed so unfair, and I found solace in a state of self-pity and anger.

“We look appalled at our ruined life, hating and suffering. Do you hear? We here drink hatred like water.”

When deep down inside, I secretly took delight in the misfortunes of others of whom I was either jealous of or held in disdain.

“I hate the devil too. And yet I am pleased about him, because he tries to ruin all of you; In truth every time they drag down here to hell a human soul their own torture is increased. But what does one not do for hatred?”

We never know when our time will end, but be assured that God is a the perfect judge.

“Deep down I was rebelling against God. You did not understand it; you thought me still a Catholic. I wanted, in fact, to be called one; The lost Catholics suffer more than those of other religions, because they, mostly, received and despised more graces and more light. He who knew more suffers more cruelly than he who knew less. He who sinned out of malice suffers more keenly than he who sinned out of weakness. But nobody suffers more than he deserves.”

For he even has mercy on those whose souls are eternally destined for hell.

“God was merciful to us by not allowing our wicked wills to exhaust themselves on earth, as we should have been prepared to do. This would have increased our faults and our pains. He caused us to die before our time, as in my case, or had other mitigating circumstances intervene. Now He shows Himself merciful towards us by not compelling a closer approach than that afforded in this remote inferno.”

Humbling.

“Enter by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many there are who enter that way. How narrow the gate and close the way that leads to life! And few there are who find it.” (Matt. 7:13, 14)

From an early age, we like to formulate our own identities from the world around us and create appearances of how we would like to see ourselves, and we go about making ourselves “seen” in the world through our own personal images reflected back to us through the perceived notion of others. This process of “seeing” ourselves reflected in the world as an adolescent or adult has its problems, based on the premise that we want to see ourselves based on the things which appeal to us in the world, so it’s certainly possible that an undesirable type of self-serving and vanity driven social identity could develop. True encounters in life can’t be manufactured, and since so much of our lives are affected by the subconscious and unexpected, it’s only a matter of time until one is faced with the conundrum of either fighting for or fleeing from one’s own real self.

If our values and motives are based on nothing more than imitations of our own projected self, then in moments of crisis and conflict, we’ll find out (quite shockingly) how empty and impotent we really are. If our values are nothing more than a conformity to peer pressure and vanity, then we find out how easily our desires propel us down into the realm of self-destruction. When unexpected situations force us to look deep within ourselves, what can be revealed can be quite ugly and difficult to accept; and consequently, be the basis for trauma. For those who refuse to re-expose themselves and deal with their own darkness, emptiness and misery will ensue while they hopelessly try to seek fulfillment among the addictive and vain attachments to the world.

Some of the afflictions of those who deny the realities of their true selves will typically confuse pride with love, where they “give” with the expectation of receiving a commodity of greater value with the like of authority, positions of power and vain glory. They may cling to what they fear losing and feel unsatisfied regardless whatever is given in return. They may typically act as pure-bred victims, feeling totally dependent and exploited according to the whims of the world. Some may fantasize that sexuality has some sort of mysterious secret which will somehow relieve their social emptiness and ultimately release them of their fears in life and of their own mortality in death. Among all, is the deep loneliness which accompanies everyone who experiences the spiritual pain of losing one’s true-self.

Image Credit

“I am grandiose because I feel unlovable and hateful, and I fear I cannot be loved unless I am perfect and omnipotent.” – unknown

How many narcissists does it take to change a light bulb?

(a) Just one — but he has to wait for the whole world to revolve around him.

(b) None at all — he hires menials for work that’s beneath him.

Narcissism is a personality disorder, and for the joyless men and women who cannot and/or will not love anyone, will live out all the days of their lives desperately seeking out admiration and attention to numb the painful feelings of emptiness inside. Those with NPD or Narcissistic Personality Disorder develop an extreme form of paradoxical self-love to compensate for the reality of an internalized anger and hatred they have for themselves. Slaves of their own grandiosity, they have an illogical sense of self-importance, uniqueness or beauty and are easily humiliated when their superiority is not acknowledge or respected as they care only for themselves and things that affect them personally. Once crossed, these creatures who have no empathy, project the cruel and ruthless internal hatred they have for themselves unto others.

While browsing the Roman Catholic Blog , I found a link (link found on very bottom of RCB’s post but fair warning – McKenzie’s art work is offensive, disgusting and immoral) to a disturbing art exhibit called Spent that is simply – off the charts. Apparently this 40 year old “artist” named Jordan McKenzie is the apple of his own eye because all of his work is done by, on and for Jordan McKenzie . His so-called diary of ejaculations which would be normally seen as a sickening display of perverted pathology, is the the artist’s heartfelt and delicate extension of himself. I don’t think it’s beyond of the realm of possibilities that many more of us struggle with varying degrees of self-love but ONLY through grace comes the opportunities correct our own little works of art.

I’m not a psychiatric professional nor do I stay at Holiday Inn Express – I am not diagnosing Mr. McKenzie with NPD, but expressing my opinion of his lewd act as being a act of self love.

Credit for image on artist website

With the 40 Days For Life coming to a close last night, it was announced we will soon have our very own, local Coalition for Life. The Pro-Life movement has been sorely lacking in S.A., as evident by our dubious distinction of having the highest abortion rate in the state of Texas along with a growing number of abortion clinics, which is particularly disturbing since we also have the highest percentage of Roman Catholics. I’m optimistic that Archbishop Gomez will be instrumental in promoting the authentic pro-life culture within the local Church which can subsequently bring Planned Parenthood and other abortion clinics in this city to it’s wicked knees.

The half way point of the 40 Days for Life has just passed and a part of me feels a sense of relief where I am really ready for this thing to end, while the other side of me knows that this may be a beginning of which I should never return to where I once was a little more than three weeks ago. I’m not exactly sure why so many of us have chosen to use the word “addicted” when referring to a strange phenomena of being drawn to stand in front of an abortion clinic for hours at a time, day after day only to hear the exhaustible noise of car horns blowing for support, mixed in with an occasional inaudible pro-abortion blurb and a glimpse of the infamous middle finger salute. Where I stand today, the best reason or explanation I can give for being drawn into the pro-life movement CANNOT be described as a noble act of personal sacrifice or an offering of myself to the pro-life movement, BUT more of a means of fulfilling a spiritual hunger and emptiness that has always been.

A couple weeks ago, a hand full of us were interviewed by the local paper, as was planned parenthood. I was disappointed but not surprised by the fact that the article largely reinforced a stereo-typical integrity and character issue of people involved in the pro-life movement.

Yvonne Gutierrez, vice president of community affairs for Planned Parenthood of San Antonio and South Central Texas, disputes organizers’ claims that the protest has been free of harassment. She said there have been flare-ups that have required staffers to call police.

“What bothers us is the yelling and screaming at the patients,” Gutierrez said.

Gutierrez said the clinic called police on a recent Saturday when a protester was harassing a patient. Authorities did respond, but no arrests were made. She also said some material that’s handed out contains erroneous information, meant to “scare” patients — a claim protesters deny.

Where there is no crisis, just lie and invent one. Planned parenthood’s 911 trigger finger was evident from day one, when they called the police for no other reason than people gathering for a rally in a parking lot across the street from their clinic. There have also been multiple calls to police by phantom pedestrians who were allegedly blocked from using the sidewalk by pro-life advocates.

Unfortunately, the Planned Parenthood play book not only relies on slander to blunt the effectiveness of the pro-life movement, but also employ tactics of intimidation and manipulation against their own customers. You can read here how a planned parenthood escort referred to our literature as trash and would not physically allow an interested woman to take our material. Last Saturday a mother, whose daughter had changed her mind about getting an abortion after spending 30 minutes with a counselor and making an appointment with the pregnancy crisis center, was denied a refund of her money until she physically brought the girl inside of the clinic. They both went inside the clinic with the assurance of refund, but were never seen leaving the clinic up to 3 – 4 hours after the fact.

To date, there have been success’s including at least 4 who have decided against abortion after being processed through the pregnancy center, one of which who has decided to heroically carry her baby to term despite a very poor prognosis for a very sick baby, may God bless all of them.

LifeSite article on 40 Days for Life halfway point.

The first week of Forty Days For Life has past it’s midpoint and as we head into our first Monday we’ve come to the realization that we do not have nearly enough volunteers to fill our many open time slots. We are blessed with some modern day saints who have agreed to cover the 1am – 5am for the entire 40 days as well as a few others who have adopted an hour. So far, in the 7th largest city in the United States, which has a growing number of abortion clinics to feed it’s demand- there are about a dozen or so individuals who have committed to making this thing work.

While I’m in no way a seasoned expert in the pro-life movement, my initial reaction is somewhat of disillusionment and disappointment towards what I sense to be a disinterested attitude towards taking an active role in the pro-life movement. I mean, I believe most Catholics are pro-life but am wondering if there is an underlying issue to why a majority of parishes and individual parishoners do not wish to support this initiative. In mean time, I know it’s an opportunity for me to suck it up and do more.

I made a poll to fill my own curiosity only. Also, we are open to any ideas or suggestions and of course prayers.

Some happy news from some of our blogging friends on the side bar! Here’s a list in no particular order.

A new baby (#14) on the way with a bonus video track of Paul Anka.

A “retired” blogger mom who is sharing brand new pictures of her brand new baby.

Someone just got ranked as the 7th most influential political blog in the state of Wisconsin.

I’m looking forward to seeing this blogging Padre on “The Journey Home”, on October 15th.

Finally, someone survived the surgery and fast and is now down 18 lbs.  Try 12 days of a water only diet.

As is often the case, for every joyful heart there are also broken hearts that need mending,  so I ask that you please keep Tara, Jim and their daughter in your prayers.

With over 500 hundred total votes. The most popular “dead blog” with 16% of the vote is …….

The 4 runner up blogs in order of votes were:

Thanks to every one who participated, and a special thanks to all of you who linked to our little poll.

H/T to Dappled Thoughts.

The ancient cult of Santa Muerte, which has found it’s niche in recruiting poorly catechized Catholics in Mexico, got creative in it’s pursuit to increase membership and to regain it’s official religion status in Mexico.  It has  introduced a new and improved diety: “white lady”, replacing the darker character of the “grim reaper.”

The new incarnation appeared to a woman in a dream in December and instructed her to ask for the commissioning of a statue so devotees could see her new look. In the words of a cult member:

Worshipers will continue praying to the grim reaper, but now also to the new image which will help the group gain respectability. “Everyone still loves the skeleton, but now there will be no reason to criticize” the Death Saint, said Ceron, who was among the hordes filing past the new statue.

Standing nearby, Mabel Gonzalez, agreed. “It’s a lot better,” she said. “She’s not as scary now.”

What; warm and fuzzy in death cults? What took them so long?!

*** Reason number 328: Why homilies matter, even for those who can’t handle the truth.

A couple weeks ago, Amber had successful LASIK surgery which improved her vision to 20/15 – the best she’s ever had – making it well worth the money we spent, or so I thought. Come to find out, we could’ve saved a bundle, except for the fact that I was a day late and dollar short in finding this more affordable option.

Far be it for me to put a price tag on anyones eyesight, let alone my own wife’s, but for the sake of arguement – suppose I found the above mentioned web site with it’s 4000% savings off the traditional office based sticker price? Just think about that, everything being designed and endorsed by trained professionals AND it’s all over and done with in four easy steps. Do you actually know of anyone who can do any job 4000 times better than anybody else, in anything? Just a thought, but what’s done is done.

Maritza Tamayo, a high school principal, was fired yesterday from her $133,000-a-year job held since 1997. According to sources, she was accused of performing Santeria rituals which included white robes, mystic headdresses, splattered chicken blood, burning incense and tarot cards in an effort to “cleanse the building of bad spirits that caused students to act up.” In her defense, she claims to be no more than a victim of circumstances who likes to adorn her home and office with lots of plants, primitive and religious art work from South America, black history month dolls and sessions of burning sage incense.

My understanding is that Santeria is a pagan practice brought from Cuba which blended West African religious traditions with elements of Western Catholic culture.

Living in the finer neighborhoods of Tucson and Tampa Bay has forced my three nephews to grow up hard, really hard.. I learned this while we were kicking it with the pasty gangstas at the Universal Studios earlier this year.

It reminded me of the fact that there are times when the character of our being will be tested. It’s during these times that we must make the tough decisions of either standing our ground and staying the course in the pursuit of the person we want to become or compromising all that has been worked for, in exchange for a few moments of guilty pleasures.

Tagged by Tara at Loved Sinner for a family style meme:

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Not that I know of.
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? When I was stuck on the tarmac at Newark liberty airport for 3 hours, sitting in the middle seat at the rear of the airplane.
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? My handwriting is schizophrenic, depending on the situation, my mood, pen and the writing surface. Over all, I would say no.
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Man, I rarely eat it, but I would have to say smoked turkey.
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? None yet, but have been committed to do my part for as long as it takes.
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? I think I would because I am so darn nice.
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Me sarcastic? never.
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? No, they were taken out when I was three years old.
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? I used to do it years ago, but have no desire to do it again.
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Don’t eat it.
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? No, I slip them off and untie them right before I put them back on.
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Not to the point I believe I should be.
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Plain, boring vanilla.
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? It would have to be their heads.
15. RED OR PINK? Red.
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR SELF? Procrastination.
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My father, who died 9 years ago today.
18. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Blue jeans and black deck shoes.
19. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? An Almond cookie.
20. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Fox news, for the 3rd time during the last year. Which reminds me I need to switch over to something else.
21. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Peach, because it’s used to color skin in coloring books.
22. FAVORITE SMELLS? Cinnamon. Fresh bed sheets right when I get into the bed. Amber
23. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Amber.
24. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Professional football, college football, San Antonio Spur basketball.
25. HAIR COLOR? Dark brown
26. EYE COLOR? Hazel.
27. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? No.
28. FAVORITE FOOD? Sweet potato fries.
29. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings.
30. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?. The Astronaut farmer, on that dreadful flight from Newark. Was that movie even in theaters?
31. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? White t-shirt.
32. SUMMER OR WINTER? It’s not even close, Winter!
33. HUGS OR KISSES? Hugs.
34. FAVORITE DESSERT? Apple cobbler.
35. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Mother Teresa – Total Surrender.
36. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? I use the red thing in the middle of keyboard of laptops.
37. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT? No television last night.
38. FAVORITE SOUND? Velcro being pulled apart.
39. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles, the later stuff.
40. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Karachi, Pakistan.
41. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? Magnetic attraction by people who need help moving.
42. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Malone, New York

Tagged by Alan/Sheepcat, here are my top five things I love about Jesus.

1. He is no respecter of persons.
2. He provides mercy to the merciful and comforts those who mourn.
3. I love how we are consumed by Him when we receive Him in the Eucharist.
4. Many sins are forgiven to those who love much.
5. He makes it possible for me to love Him through the perfected heart of His blessed mother.

I tag Kris, Tara and Catholic mom of 10 to list 5 things they love about Jesus and tag three others.

** Bonus – NFP vs. contraception videos by the seminarians 1, 2 and 3

12 years ago yesterday, Amber and I originally exchanged marriage vows outside of the Catholic Church on June 10th 1995 by a Methodist minister, and subsequently had our union officially recognized through a Convalidation of Marriage by the Church on August 29, 1999. Looking back, I think I may understand how tough it must be for some parents whose adult children have abandoned the faith and painfully want to do what is best to ensure the salvation of their children’s soul. For many years in my early adulthood years, my father and I – who were so very much alike – had a somewhat of a contentious relationship which placed a burden on him to maintain a relationship with his son who was not typically open to inconvenient truths and, at the same time, protect him from his own ignorance. He did the best he could. Despite the fact that I had not darkened a Catholic Church in 10 years at the time, because of my father – I actually went to confession and spoke to a priest prior to the wedding. Not that it would have made a difference, but the priest told me since it was only weeks away from our wedding, that we could just to go ahead with the wedding and return to the Church in 6 months (which I never did) to have it recognized – just what I wanted to hear but not correct (correct response here).

My favorite wedding picture of Amber who told me once, in no uncertain terms, she would never be a Catholic!

The exchange of our wedding vows which were not recognized by the Church, not because the Catholic Church sees Herself as the only Church capable of performing a valid marriage but because as a Catholic I should and must follow Church law.

We had our union officially recognized by the Church through a convalidation of marriage at Our Lady of the Atonement by Father Phillips. My father died prior to this and Amber’s conversion to the Catholic faith, but grace through his patience and words that he spoke to me shortly before he died, along with David and Tricia brought me and Amber home.

Our Holy Land experience in a 3:35 video.

Windows Media player (better quality video). If it doesn’t download right away, you can just click the link which will launch your personal media player.

Download link

or from youtube.