Readers of my blog know well that even though I've never had him or met him, I think Fr. Reggie Foster is an absolute riot. I listen to his program on Vatican Radio and I just laugh out loud. Well, via Zadok, there's a blogger taking his summer Latin course and he gives a great description of the Magister that made me chuckle. I hope to be as good of a teacher as Fr. Foster apparently is!
Robin Williams has decided that he won’t pay any consequences for ridiculing the Church in public, says The Catholic League. On Monday night’s Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Williams equated all priests with pedophiles and mocked confession.
Leno invited the actor on to his show to plug his upcoming movie “License to Wed,” in which he plays a Protestant minister who forces a couple to go through marriage preparation courses. However, the experience of portraying a minister didn’t seem to engender any respect for the clergy in him.
Williams pretended to play a game with Jay Leno where a pedophile is hidden under a cup. “Here we go. Find the priest, find the pedophile. Find the priest, find the pedophile. Here you go right now. Move ‘em around, move ‘em around. Oh, you found the pedophile.”
Williams then put his hand over his groin, saying, “You have to realize that if you are a Catholic priest, you have retired this. That’s it—no more sex.” Then he took a shot at confession: “But they are going to put you in a small dark box and people are going to tell you the nastiest sexual stuff they have done.”
Bill Donahue was angered by the fact that, “Isaiah Washington lashes out at one gay person in private, and he is banished from ‘Grey’s Anatomy.’ Robin Williams lashes out against all priests in public, and he suffers no consequence.”
Pointing out that the actor has calculated the risks of targeting the Church, Donahue quoted an interview with MoviesOnline in which Williams recently said, “‘you can’t poke fun at certain religions,’ but ‘we just made major fun of the Catholic Church but hey, they don’t blow you up.’” Donahue said this makes Williams not just “a bigot and a liar” but also “a coward.”
I don't have much interest in this myself. From AsiaNews:
The Great Wall Of China could be chosen as one of the 7 new wonders of the world. Together with the Coliseum in Rome and Machu Picchu in Peru it is among the chief contenders in the vote, which ends July 6th.
The massive poll to decide on the “the new seven wonders of the world” enters its final month with votes already cast by more than 50 million people world wide via text messages and e mail. Also in the top 10 are Greece's Acropolis, Mexico's Chichen Itza pyramid, the Eiffel Tower, Easter Island, Brazil's Statue of Christ the Redeemer, the Taj Mahal and Jordan's Petra.The Great Pyramids of Giza, the only surviving structures from the original seven wonders of the ancient world, are assured of keeping their status in addition to the new seven after Egyptian officials said it was a disgrace they had to compete. The winners will be announced on July 7 in Lisbon, (Portugal).
...
The “competition” begun in 1999, with almost 200 nominations coming in from around the world. The list of candidates was narrowed down to 21 by the start of last year. Since organisers started a tour to each site last September, the competition has been heating up.
Tia Viering, campaign spokeswoman, comments “It's the first ever global vote”, on “something which interests everyone”. At the moment, most of the voting is coming from Latin America and Asia, via internet, while Americans and Europeans have the lowest participation so far.But the organisers are confident the campaign will draw more attention in the US and Europe in the final phase, with an increase in hits on the internet site, http://www.new7wonders.com.
Various stories I've seen today that are worth a quick mention:
Lawrence Cunningham writes a wonderful review of Pope Benedict's Jesus of Nazareth over at dotCommonweal. Of course, I think it's wonderful because I agree with it, although I'm only halfway through the actual book.
Dawn Eden has a great post on the Sisters of Life. She links to a YouTube video that is a part of a documentary on them and she also links to some MTV stuff. I'm going to keep this in mind for National Vocation Awareness Week next year... something the kids might like to see.
A sad note from the north: another mock ordination of some women. The woman who calls herself a bishop that ordained them believes herself to be in the line of succession with the apostles, even going so far as to say that she's Catholic to her toenails. A compelling argument, but hardly worthy of totally disregarding the mandate of Christ.
As a solution to this problem, the AP has an interesting report. Diogenes pokes a little fun in a post called "Conversion of the Genitals."
Kevin Russell found out it's not easy trying to cash a check from God. The 21-year-old man was arrested Monday after he tried to cash a check for $50,000 at the Chase Bank in Hobart that was signed "King Savior, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Servant," Hobart police Detective Jeff White said.
Russell was charged with one count attempted check fraud and one count intimidation, both felonies, and one count resisting law enforcement, a misdemeanor. He could face prison time.
Police were called to the bank after Russell tried to cash the check, which was written on an invalid Bank One check with no imprint, White said. Russell had several other checks with him that were signed the same way but made out in different dollar amounts, including one for $100,000.
Russell struggled with police as they tried to detain him, White said, and then threatened police as they transported him to the Hobart Police Department.
"I've heard about God giving out eternal life, but this is the first time I've heard of him giving out cash," White said.
No court date has been set for Russell. He was being held Wednesday at the Lake County Jail on a $1,000 bond.
Jimmy Akin has a post on the Our Father in Aramaic. He links to a media file so you can listen to it and he also has an image file so you can see the script and the transliteration. Interesting to say the least!
Via the Curt Jester. This is a letter from Fr. Greg Shaffer (Archdiocese of Washington) whom many of you know:
As you may or may not know, we started a basketball team of Washington priests and seminarians two years ago called “DC ‘Hood” (short for DC priesthood). We have played 11 games against 8 different parish teams of coaches, teachers, and teens. Thanks be to God, it has been growing and growing, averaging about 200 fans a game. The games have been great nights of fun for families while promoting vocations.
The Catholic Standard wrote an article about DC ‘Hood a few months ago. The sales manager of the Washington Wizards read the article and generously called the Archdiocese to see if DC ‘Hood ever wanted to play at the Verizon Center after a Wizards game. Umm, yeah! Thanks, Wizards!!
So DC ‘Hood will be playing at the Verizon Center (against CYO coaches after the Wizards 3:30 pm game versus the Chicago Bulls) on Sun., April 15. After our game, there will a game b/w CYO 11th and 12th grade co-ed all-stars; the winners of the two (16 minute) games will play in a “championship” game.
This event is intended to a) promote vocations, and b) raise funds for the CYO / OYM (Catholic Youth Organization/Office of Youth Ministry). We are helping CYO to sell tickets to the Wizards game; they receive a generous portion of the proceeds.
I personally will be purchasing a large amount of tickets the week of Feb. 11. Can you help me? The tickets are $ 25 (Upper Level B), $30 (Upper Level A), and $85 (Lower Level). Buying two $25 tickets, for example, would help greatly! Even if you’re not able or interested in going, can you make a donation to our cause? The more tickets we sell, the more we promote the priesthood and raise funds for our youth.
You can order tickets online at www.verizoncenter.com/cyo or, for donations only, mail a check to me directly at: Fr. Greg Shaffer, St. Andrew Apostle parish, 11600 Kemp Mill Rd., Silver Spring, MD 20902 (I will give your tickets to kids in the school or parish).
Even though I wasn't blessed with a nomination, do remember to vote for this year's Catholic Blog Awards. These people must be amazingly dedicated... it looks like a lot of work!
Well, I was reading the Ceremonial of Bishops in the john earlier and I came across this... here's one I never knew. This is from the section dealing with cathedrals.
49. It is recommended that the tabernacle, in accordance with a very ancient tradition in cathedral churches, should be located in a chapel separate from the main body of the church.
Anyone ever heard of this before? To what ancient traditions is the text referring?
Read this in the Globe this morning made me nervous about the March!
"It looks like we're going to have one more mild spurt this weekend, but by early next week, it should be dramatically cold, and that will likely last through a good chunk of February," said Carl Erickson, a meteorologist for AccuWeather, a national weather forecasting service.
I checked Weather.com since the March is now 10 days away and in range for its 10 day forecast: they're predicting partly cloudy skies with a high of 43 and a 10% chance of precipitation. We'll see how much this changes over the course of next week, but I wouldn't mind if it didn't!
I have noticed that many people refer to you as “Your Eminence.”
I trust and hope that you are urging people to stop addressing you in this manner.
Meaningful Catholics think it’s ridiculous. After all you are but a servant leader, not a king in a castle.
Sincerely,
Paul Kendriick
OK, I'm not sure where to start on this absolutely absurd and unthinkably disrespectful letter. It is amazing to me how people have lost all sense of decorum. I am so disgusted by this man's attitude, that I will say but one thing: I am a thoughtful, meaning, intelligent Catholic. Many of you who read my blog have known the cardinal personally, as have I. He has been in my car! I was even privileged to accompany him as his Master of Ceremonies to Martha's Vineyard a few years ago for a Confirmation. (The rickety little plane ride we took over there is quite the story, but I'll save it for now. ) He is a man who has accomplished so much and tries each day to lead a largely ungrateful flock with integrity.
From now and until the day I die, I will call him "Your Eminence" unless, of course, it would be more proper to call him by the title "Your Holiness" some day. As far as I'm concerned, he's earned every last bit of that title and is yet still a servant. For this doofus to think that he speaks for "meaningful Catholics" shows a tremendous lack of activity in the frontal lobe not to mention a total disregard for the millions of our brothers and sisters who have, through trial and persecution, preserved our great faith.
His comment is posted on the December 29th entry on Cardinal Sean's blog if you feel the need to register your disgust.
The digital newspaper has articulated as its mission “to speak out against the false gods and idols of the day – materialism, hedonism, consumerism, narrow nationalism... holding up for all to see a body of moral truth based on human dignity and rights... and unconditional respect for all human life from conception to natural death.”
1. The Red Sox World Series win was, and will always be, one of the greatest moments in your life. 2. The guy driving in front of you is going 70 mph and you're swearing at him for going too slow. 4. You went to Canobie Lake Park or Water Country as a kid 5. You actually enjoy driving around rotaries. 7. Your social security number starts with a 0. 9. You know what a "regular" coffee is. 10. You keep an ice scraper in your car year-round. 12. Springfield is located "way out west." 14. You know how to pronounce the names of towns like Worcester, Billerica, Gloucester, and Haverhill. 15. Anyone you don't know is a potential idiot until proven otherwise. 16. Paranoia sets in if you can't see a Dunkin Donuts or CVS within eyeshot at all times. 17. You have driven to New Hampshire on a Sunday just to buy alcohol. 18. You know how to pronounce Yastrzemski. 23. You know what they sell at a Packie. 32. You're sick of the Kennedy's, but you vote for them anyway. 39. You've been to Fenway Park several times. 40. You've gone to at least one party at U Mass. 41. You own a "Yankees Suck" shirt or hat. 42. You know what a Frappe is. 50. You never go to "Cape Cod," you go "down the Cape". 51. You think that Roger Clemens and Johnny Damon are more evil than Whitey Bulger. 52. You know who Whitey Bulger is. 53. You went to the Swan Boats, House of Seven Gables, or Plymouth Plantation on a field trip in elementary school. 65. The Big Dig tunnel disaster wasn't really that much of a surprise. 94. You drive 45 minutes to New Hampshire to save $5 in sales tax. 95. You've pulled out of a side street and used your car to block oncoming traffic so you can make a left. 96. You've bragged about the money you've saved at The Christmas Tree Shop. 100. You remember Jordan Marsh, Grants, Bradlees, Caldor, Zayres, or Ann & Hope.
Pray for me... this afternoon is the Lessons and Carols performance in Fall River. Rehearsal yesterday was rough for me, although a page-turner today will solve many of my problems.
Rocco has a post up about the new archbishop of Toronto. Seems like a character (I think I would like him). He tells people his phone number from the pulpit so that they can call him if they have an issue! And apparently Pope Benedict was auditioning him for the job at his recent ad limina visit. Interesting stuff!
Cardinal Sean's post this week has his homily from this past week's episcopal ordinations and pictures from it also. Well worth a look.
I've begun posting audio files for a Christmas novena. Check that out.
Between practicing, the performance, and the ride back west, not sure what else I can do today, but God bless you all and have a pleasant Sunday!
