Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Monday, June 29, 2015
The Worst Generation?
Someone told me the day the SCOTUS marriage ruling came down:
"Father, on behalf of all the older adults in our country, we need to apologize to your generation because the country we're handing you; we are probably the first generation that has left this country worse than we found it. Our parents lived through the depression, fought in World War II etc. and my generation spit on soldiers coming home from Vietnam, worked for abortion, saw drug use jump astronomically, and now have capped things off with the destruction of marriage.
If our parents were indeed the greatest generation, perhaps we are the worst generation."
"Father, on behalf of all the older adults in our country, we need to apologize to your generation because the country we're handing you; we are probably the first generation that has left this country worse than we found it. Our parents lived through the depression, fought in World War II etc. and my generation spit on soldiers coming home from Vietnam, worked for abortion, saw drug use jump astronomically, and now have capped things off with the destruction of marriage.
If our parents were indeed the greatest generation, perhaps we are the worst generation."
Quick thoughts on same sex marriage decision
So I just returned from a lovely vacation out in Colorado and I left my cell phone in Indiana and didn't get online for two weeks, and it was glorious!
Of course, as I've been away, the SCOTUS came down with it's marriage decision.
A few quick comments:
1) I can't help but chuckle at the comments I've received from some that say "where's your comments about gay marriage - are you sulking and hiding?"
This is so fascinating because these same people say that I talk about same sex marriage and am obsessed with the topic, but they run here and wonder where my comments are when something like this happens? So would you like me to talk about the topic or not?
2) 150 years ago the Supreme Court said an African American could not be a citizen of the United States. 50 years ago the Supreme Court said a woman has a right to an abortion. The Supreme Court gets things wrong, and just like Roe. v. Wade, Catholics will continue to work to overturn this terrible piece of jurisprudence.
3) The result certainly doesn't surprise me. Can anyone produce any substantial evidence of the Catholic Church making a serious effort to explain its teaching to the American people on this topic? Of course not.
4) Tolkien is very poignant on this topic: "Actually I am a Christian, and indeed a Roman Catholic, so that I do not expect ‘history’ to be anything but a ‘long defeat’— though it contains some samples or glimpses of final victory."
Of course, as I've been away, the SCOTUS came down with it's marriage decision.
A few quick comments:
1) I can't help but chuckle at the comments I've received from some that say "where's your comments about gay marriage - are you sulking and hiding?"
This is so fascinating because these same people say that I talk about same sex marriage and am obsessed with the topic, but they run here and wonder where my comments are when something like this happens? So would you like me to talk about the topic or not?
2) 150 years ago the Supreme Court said an African American could not be a citizen of the United States. 50 years ago the Supreme Court said a woman has a right to an abortion. The Supreme Court gets things wrong, and just like Roe. v. Wade, Catholics will continue to work to overturn this terrible piece of jurisprudence.
3) The result certainly doesn't surprise me. Can anyone produce any substantial evidence of the Catholic Church making a serious effort to explain its teaching to the American people on this topic? Of course not.
4) Tolkien is very poignant on this topic: "Actually I am a Christian, and indeed a Roman Catholic, so that I do not expect ‘history’ to be anything but a ‘long defeat’— though it contains some samples or glimpses of final victory."
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Even Non-Christians are Fascinated By St. John the Baptist
Blessed Solemnity of the Birth of John the Baptist!!!
Sunday, June 21, 2015
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Sunday, June 14, 2015
They were pressuring her to do things she didn't want to do...and I said nothing
I had been baptized. I had been confirmed. But even if God is pouring gifts out on us, if we don't know about the gifts, or we're too afraid to open them, then they can't do us any good.
Come Holy Spirit!!!
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Sunday, June 7, 2015
6 Years a Priest
 |
| My chalice, refurbished by my parents 6 years ago |
From the "Blessing of a Chalice and Paten by a Bishop":
"O Lord our God, be pleased to bless 
this chalice (these chalices), made by your devout people for your holy service. Bestow that same blessing which you bestowed on the hallowed chalice of your servant, Melchisedech. And what we cannot make worthy of your altars by our craft and metals, do you nonetheless make worthy by your blessing; through Christ our Lord."
this chalice (these chalices), made by your devout people for your holy service. Bestow that same blessing which you bestowed on the hallowed chalice of your servant, Melchisedech. And what we cannot make worthy of your altars by our craft and metals, do you nonetheless make worthy by your blessing; through Christ our Lord."
Having put on the mitre, he dips the thumb of his right hand into the holy chrism and anoints each chalice on the inside from rim to rim In the form of a cross, while saying the following formula:
"Lord God, may it please you to consecrate and to hallow this chalice by this anointing and our blessing, in Christ Jesus our Lord, who lives and reigns with you forever and ever."
in Christ Jesus our Lord, who lives and reigns with you forever and ever."Thursday, June 4, 2015
VIDEO from RFRA panel discussion
Here are my snippets:
Here is the full length video discussion:
ACLU RFRA full version from John Hollowell on Vimeo.
Here is the full length video discussion:
ACLU RFRA full version from John Hollowell on Vimeo.
Some thoughts:
1) Oddly, the person who I would
describe as most attacking toward the Catholic position was the other person
representing "Christianity". I don't recall the fellow's name
nor denomination, but he was the one who voiced the generic things like
"God is compassion" "we have same sex marriage at our
Church" "The Bible says to welcome everyone" etc.
2) There were 5 panelists. I
was the only for the original RFRA. If you want to paint the picture that
RFRA was a bad idea, then I would set the panel up the way it was set up.
A few legal people, a few government people, a christian against RFRA and
then have a celibate Catholic priest be the only one for RFRA, that way even if
he makes good points, well, he's one of those priest types.
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
The Sisters of Providence and the ACLU Panel on RFRA
Today I sat on a panel for RFRA that was put on by the ACLU. It was respectful and tolerant and pleasant enough. I figured it wouldn't be "home turf" for a Catholic priest but the panelists were kind.
I would say the only thing that was truly upsetting to me about the whole experience was that on top of our stack of papers that every person found sitting on their chairs (panelists and attendees alike) was a statement on RFRA from the "Sisters of Providence Leadership"
The statement from the Sisters DIRECTLY contradicts the statement of the Bishops of Indiana by noting "we strongly support such a revision" The Bishops of Indiana released a second statement noting that they were opposed to the revision.
So,
Bishops - for RFRA. Sisters of Providence are against it
Bishops - against the RFRA "fix". Sisters of Providence are FOR the "fix"
Literally..."MY GOD!"...how does this happen?
I literally go in front of a firing squad on this VERY important topic (that a lot of Catholics believe will lead to our eventual persecution) and I'm confronted with a statement from the Sisters of Providence that directly contradicts the Church?
I will publicly promise this - I will not be stepping foot on their campus for ANY reason until their statement is retracted. No sign from the Sisters of Providence will ever hang in the narthex of any Church I'm at, and I will never, in any way, do anything that could even be potentially viewed as supporting the Sisters of Providence unless their statement is corrected.
The Bishops of Indiana on the Original RFRA:
I would say the only thing that was truly upsetting to me about the whole experience was that on top of our stack of papers that every person found sitting on their chairs (panelists and attendees alike) was a statement on RFRA from the "Sisters of Providence Leadership"
The statement from the Sisters DIRECTLY contradicts the statement of the Bishops of Indiana by noting "we strongly support such a revision" The Bishops of Indiana released a second statement noting that they were opposed to the revision.
So,
Bishops - for RFRA. Sisters of Providence are against it
Bishops - against the RFRA "fix". Sisters of Providence are FOR the "fix"
Literally..."MY GOD!"...how does this happen?
I literally go in front of a firing squad on this VERY important topic (that a lot of Catholics believe will lead to our eventual persecution) and I'm confronted with a statement from the Sisters of Providence that directly contradicts the Church?
I will publicly promise this - I will not be stepping foot on their campus for ANY reason until their statement is retracted. No sign from the Sisters of Providence will ever hang in the narthex of any Church I'm at, and I will never, in any way, do anything that could even be potentially viewed as supporting the Sisters of Providence unless their statement is corrected.
The Bishops of Indiana on the Original RFRA:
The Bishops of Indiana on the RFRA "Fix"
The Sisters of Providence on RFRA:
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