I wanna Stop, and thank Him, baby

.
I love this arrangement (and I highly recommend this gal's debut), and for someone so bloody unlovable as this worthless ol' piece of blogshite, it truly is even sweeter somehow to know that Jesus loves me still (O:

Screwtape on Match.com

.

"If Horns are not a deal breaker"

About Me: Many tell me I look younger than I am, and am often called a "handsome devil". I like to stay busy and active (the gym,dining out, blogging, etc . . .no time to worry 'bout eternity and such), and I like to keep in shape and dress well ('cause outward appearance is everything). I have a very large group of friends, and while most of them are well educated, we're always up for the latest wine bar or urban fad (education is just a means to $$$). I get along with almost everyone, except stuffy pious types (although I count many a minster, and even a couple of priests, as friend) .

My Job: Trained as a Messenger, but that was beneath me , so I went into Advertising (I dabble in theater and music as well).

Exercise: Yoga is my favorite, as I like it's focus on self and teaching that we can all become God-like

Religion: Spiritual, not religious (all religions are fun, although those dogmatic papists annoy me . . .I can find god anywhere, even the mirror)

Politics: Independent, although I find a lot to like in both parties, and our new Prez rawks!!!

Favorite Authors: Philip Pullman, Dan Brown, and anything Oprah recommends

Favorite Music: "My Way" Sinatra/Sid, "It's My Life" Bon Jovi

Favorite Places: Well, DC has the most like minded people, but Hollywood and Manhattan always make me feel at home, and college towns are great for an easy getaway.

For fun: Although not religious, I am always up for helping folks interpret the Bible (have even helped found a few thousand denominations), and am pretty good at getting CINO's to think that "Catholic" is just an ethnic identity (instead of some kind of revealed truth).
I enjoy volunteering at various media outlets as an editor.
Guilty pleasure : Big into decorating for the holidays (love Santa and the Easter Bunny).

Personal Quotes: "There are many paths to God",
"Nobody has a monopoly on the Truth",
and "Do what makes you Happy"
.

A Better Question

.
One of the big questions we Catholics are often asked is
"Why do you people focus on Mary so much?

While I have amassed a nice little arsenal of answers,
me thinks the best answer is actually a question, as
"Why do Catholics focus on the Mother of God?"

isn't as curious as the real question of
"Why do Protestants ignore the brave lil' jewish girl
who sacrificed her life and her Son, for all Mankind?"
.

The Constipated Monk as a Dumb Blonde Joke

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An aging Martin Luther goes to the post office to buy stamps for Christmas cards
He says to the clerk, "May I have 50 Christmas stamps?"

The clerk says, "What denomination?"

The ex-Monk says, "God help us, what have I done?
Give me 26 Lutheran, 12 Presbyterian, 10 Baptists,
and oh heck, 2 Catholic"
(O:
.

Supernormal or Supernatural

.
The world tells our bothers and sisters with Homosexual tendencies that they can be married, they can be soldiers, they can be "normal"

The church tells them they can be Saints

It is one or the other, as sadly there is nothing "normal" about picking up your cross daily.

.

Scriptura Redundantia

.
Today's ponderings are about a certain aspect of that whole "Bible Alone" silliness that my Protestant brethren propose to believe in.

Seems the Bible-worshippers, regardless of that bothersome disunity among the 30,000+ denominations, are under the impression that the Holy Spirit will reveal to every single person the fullness of knowledge and truth in the scriptures.

If we are all given a Divine Download the second after we say the sinners prayer, than doesn't that actually make the Bible, or it's authority, irrelevant?

just thinkin'
.

Jesus - Mary = ???

Is it any wonder that the world has removed Christ from Christmas, as they are only following the example of the Christians who first removed His mother.
D'art

"If anyone does not wish to have Mary Immaculate for his Mother, he will not have Christ for his Brother."
St. Maximilian Kolbe

Wasted Resources

.
With the 30k plus denominations out there, you can guess I spot tons upon tons o' churches each day on varying routes. Big or small, traditional or modern, with or without a Starbucks (yes there are even a few mega-churches with coffee shops . . .no crosses or pictures of Christ, but lattes to go), and all I can think of is what a friggin' waste.

No, not just that most of these folks are being fed poor doctrine and soul damaging theology, but a true waste of resources this dying world so desperately needs. Building taxes, rent, electric, water, insurance, salaries, etc . . . .per building.

How much of this money could go to the sick and impoverish if there was only One church per town instead of twenty.
How much more prayer from those now freed from anxiety over the next church split.
How much more powerful the Christian voice would be if it was a unified One.
How much bigger the Christian heartbeat if it beat as One.

This is what He prayed for before His passion,
and what we should be striving to restore if we actually wanted to do our Lords will.

.

The Seeds of Cancer

.
Recently my boss asked me to read a new Christian health book, "Setting Yourself Apart from the Seeds of Cancer", by Morris Keller (and in this economy I'd put on a chiffon dress if my employer asked, so reading a book is easy enough). Both the medical and religious aspects of the book are all over the place, with both being anywhere from old school organic to new age weirdness (although the health aspects are fairly sound). Mr. Keller's theology is rather confusing, but it is enough to say that it does minic that of most non-denom Christians out there.

You know the "Jesus is Lord", whatever that means to you
You are "Saved", whatever that means to you
You should be a "servant", whatever that means to you

I do think that is really what denomination most modern Christians belong to,
the "Church of Whatever it Means to You".

While trying to get past the rather muddy theology of the book, I started to realize that if Keller, and most of his readers, would aim that same , and not without merit, distrust for the medical establishment towards their own church's teachings (or lack thereof), they might begin to realize that these unbiblical views are the very cancer trying to attach itself to Christ's body.

Protestantism really is very much like a cancer, in that it in many ways seems like a product of the original body, but is really a collection of mutations which mimic and weaken that which gave it life. A malignancy which constantly changes direction (over 30,ooo denominations!), selfishly growing uncontrollably due to our pride, bad habits and even worse lifestyles.

I am like Dr. Keller, in that I see that to make the body healthy and strong we must give it what God created it to receive, and stop pumping it with artificial ingredients that we've been marketed to desire .

"For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. "
John 6:55
As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew
and were not walking with Him anymore
John 6:66
yep, 666

.

Who are you really worshipping?

.
This tune so very much sums up one of the aspects of Protestantism that always left me knowing I was serving the right God, but the wrong church. The somewhat insincere , and very self-pleasing, "praise and worship" in a lot Evangelical churches (and sadly trying to invade Christ's church), that was always more vain and repetitive than any Catholic prayer.....and often ended with applause for the band (a "show" that made me almost physically ill).

If we go to church for the music, who are we going for?
If we go for a good "feeling", who are we worshiping?

Jon Foreman "Instead of a Show"

"I hate all your shows and pretense
The hypocrisy of your praise
The hypocrisy of your festivals
I hate all your show
Away with your noisy worship
Away with your noisy hymns
I stomp on my ears when you're singing 'em
I hate all your show

Instead let there be a flood of justice
An endless procession of righteous living, living
Instead let there be a flood of justice
Instead of a show"

Your eyes are closed when you're praying
You sing right along with the band
You shine up your shoes for services
There's blood on your hands
You turned your back on the homeless
And the ones that don't fit in your plan
Quit playing religion games
There's blood on your hands

Instead let there be a flood of justice
An endless procession of righteous living, living
Instead let there be a flood of justice
Instead of a show
I hate all your show

Let's argue this out
If your sins are blood red
Let's argue this out
You'll be one of the clouds
Let's argue this out
Quit fooling around
Give love to the ones who can't love at all
Give hope to the ones who got no hope at all
Stand up for the ones who can't stand at all, all
I hate all your show
I hate all your show
I hate all your show
I hate all your show

Instead let there be a flood of justice
An endless procession of righteous living, living
Instead let there be a flood of justice
Instead of a show
I hate all your show

The question - the answer . . .in song

K-LOVE - JJ Heller "Love Me" LIVE from K-LOVE Radio on Vimeo.

"Who will love me for me

Not for what I have done or what I will become
Who will love me for me
'Cause nobody has shown me what love
What love really means"
.

Saints or Salesman?

.

"What the Church needs,
which is what the world needs,
is more Saints
and less Salesmen
and especially less of salesmen
who have never tried the product"
D'art
.

Seeds of Moral Relativism

.
"But since the devil's bride, Reason, that pretty whore, comes in and thinks she's wise, and what she says, what she thinks, is from the Holy Spirit, who can help us, then? Not judges, not doctors, no king or emperor, because [reason] is the Devil's greatest whore."

Martin Luther

.

Cranky Convert Humour #27

.
Answer: a mega-group of chickens runnin' around with their head cut off?

Question: What's the another way to describe the theology(s)of the Protestant Reformation?
.

Go Ask Alice

.

"Drinking beer is easy.
Trashing your hotel room is easy.
But being a Christian,
that's a tough call.
That's real rebellion!"
Vincent Furnier
(Alice Cooper)

.

So Slow the Fast

.
"If the appetite alone hath sinned, let it alone fast, and
it sufficeth. But if the other members also have sinned, why
should they not fast, too?

... Let the eye fast from strange
sights and from every wantonness, so that that which roamed in
freedom in fault-doing may, abundantly humbled, be checked by
penitence.

Let the ear, blameably eager to listen, fast from tales and rumours, and from whatsoever is of idle import, and tendeth least to salvation.

Let the tongue fast from slanders and murmurings, and from useless, vain, and scurrilous words,
and sometimes also, in the seriousness of silence, even from
things which may seem of essential import.

Let the hand abstain from ... all toils which are not imperatively necessary.

But also let the soul herself abstain from all evils and from
acting out her own will.

For without such abstinence the other
things find no favour with the Lord".

St. Bernard of Clairvaux
.

Christ without Commitment

.

"Jesus, I think we should just be friends"

That's kinda how I translate someone who announces the trendy and very self-centered bromide

"I don't want religion, but relationship"

Seeing that the word religion actually means "to bind", it's as if this new bumper sticker theology is saying to our Lord

"you know, I still see other gods"
.

Fatal Distraction

Having a spinal tap does not generally lead to a restful sleep , so I caught a lot of bad TV while flippin' channels at 4 in the morning. Catching an Anne Archer scene from Fatal Attraction, I was reminded of one of the reasons I didn't like that film when I originally saw it in the theater . . . that Michael Douglas would choose Glenn Close over her was ridiculous !!!

Archer's character was not only absolutely stunning, but also warm and loving and faithful and true . . .and Stable!

Close's character, while not being particularly pretty, was flashy and trendy and very very easy . . .but not exactly stable.

Douglas's character's complete stupidity mimics that of cradle Catholics who have the most beautiful bride (are the most beautiful bride), one which is Loving and Faithful and True; and out of spiritual stupidity or moral laziness, leave her for something Flashy and Trendy and mind numbingly Easy . . . but not exactly stable.

. . . .sadly those that fall for the easy morality of the world or the flashy and trendy mega-church down the street, are putting there soul in the pot instead of a bunny.
.

Catholic Convert Bad humour #62

.
Catholics call bad dogma "heresy",
Protestants call it
"time to find an ol' 7/11 and build a new church" (O:
.

Love and Marriage

.
"This is in keeping with the very nature of love,

which may be defined as a mutual self-giving
which ends in self-recovery.

All love must be a giving,
for without a giving there is not goodness;
without self-outpouring there is no love.
In marriage, love is first a mutual self-giving
for love's greatest joy
is to gird its loins and serve."
Archbishop Fulton Sheen
.

I Need a New

.
I Need a new Auto Mechanic,
'cause mine says I can't use tap water instead of gasoline

I Need a new Boss, mine says he expects me to do work in return for my paycheck

I need a new Doctor, cause my current one says if I want my hands to stop hurting
I must stop hitting them with a hammer

I Need new Neighbors, cause mine seem annoyed by my parking my car in their living room

I need a new wife, 'cause mine says I have to live in the same house and only make love to her

I need a new Church, 'cause mine says I can't divorce my wife,

kinda silly, huh?

.

Silly Rick

.
Didn't somebody tell Rick Sanchez that if ya wanna get ahead in the news biz you insult Christians or the Pope
. . .just ask Joy Behar (O:
.

Tolerance leading to Despair

.

“In the world it is called Tolerance,
but in hell it is called Despair,
the sin that believes in nothing,
cares for nothing,
seeks to know nothing,
interferes with nothing,
enjoys nothing,
hates nothing,
finds purpose in nothing,
lives for nothing,
and remains alive
because there is nothing for which it will die.”
Dorothy L. Sayers
.

Some things never change

.
"Those who commit these types of scandals
are guilty of the spiritual equivalent of murder,
but I',
here among you to prevent something far worst for you.
While those who give scandal
are guilty of the spiritual equivalent of murder,
those who take scandal-
who allow scandals to destroy faith-
are guilty of spiritual suicide."
St. Francis de Sales
.

First I pray . . .

.

.

Nipsey does Theology of the Body

like an old record

a lil' framing job I'm quite fond of

That's Entertainment

.
All the fuss over some silly ol' preacher in Florida has proved once again we have given the all mighty media way too much power.
Me thinks if Shakespeare was alive today he would have good ol Dick the butcher shouting

"The first thing we do, let's kill all the media
. . .and than the lawyers"
.

.

Dan Brown's Hollywood Playbook

.

"The devil is no fool.
He can get people feeling about heaven
the way they ought to feel about hell.
He can make them fear the means of grace the way they do not fear sin.
And he does so, not by light but by obscurity, not by realities but by shadows; not by clarity and substance, but by dreams and the creatures of psychosis. And men are so poor in intellect that a few cold chills down their spine will be enough to keep them from ever finding out the truth about anything."
Thomas Merton - The Seven Story Mountain
.

Father Keroppi

This proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am as geeky, as I am Catholic (O:
.

80 years ago . . .or 80 seconds

.

"Fallacies do not cease to be fallacies
because they become fashions."
G. K. Chesterton
.

Dear Anne

.
Recently a popular novelist threw a lil' temper tantrum, where she huffed and puffed and did everything short of holding her breathe, in an attempt to make the Church change truth to please her. Anne Rice's short lived reversion to the Catholic church actually ended before it began, as even in her earliest interviews on the topic, spoke of her desire for her opinions to become Church dogma.

Dear Anne, a Christian isn't someone who loves the Jesus of their imagination, but worships the Truth that is Jesus, regardless if that Truth is not currently trendy or comfortable. You can kick n' scream n' even write silly books where 2+2=7, but the Truth that 2+2=4 will not change no matter how much you cry about it on Facebook.

Recently I wrote "I have come to realize there are only Two Doors in or out of Catholicism;
The Entrance is marked with the word "Truth"
The Exit is marked "Opinion"

and me thinks you tried to sneak in through the latter, but in reality never came in at all
....but yer still welcome of course, just leave yer pride at the door.
God bless,
D'art
.
.

More Free Lectures

Found another great Audio site full of interesting talks and lectures for free download. The Institute of Catholic Culture, based in Arlington VA, also lists upcoming events that those of us who are close by can attend.
I think I just may have to attend Dr. Timothy O'Donnell's upcoming Swords Around the Cross : Catholic Ireland & the Nine Years War on August 24 & 31st at Saint Ambrose Catholic Church in Annandale, VA.
.

Too Much Redbull Self Quote #64

.

"Catholics are not necessarily
anti-Evolution,

but we are
Pro-Creative "
(O:

.

I'll stick to Fruits and Veggies

"If lust and hate is the candy,
if blood and love tastes so sweet,
...then we give 'em what they want"

Natalie penned this tune even before Al Gore invented the internet, and before the vile "entertainment" so many of my Catholic and Evangelical Christian friends watch on cable or at the movies.

Me thinks if we prayed half as much as we waste time watching Sex in the City, Glee, or Dexter; than the world would be as peaceful as we "say" we want it to be.
.

Today's reading

.

"Then I heard the sound of their wings,
like the roaring of mighty waters,
like the voice of the Almighty.
When they moved, the sound of the tumult
was like the din of an army.
And when they stood still,
they lowered their wings.".
Ezekiel 1:24

Open for Biz

..
This is a shameless promotion for my new Picture Frame Shop, and me asking that if ya feel so inclined, go check out the shop's Facebook page (um, and tell yer friends),
Thanks and God bless,
D'art

NoBe Picture Framing
North Beach,Md
.

August Letter Recipient - Project Mustard Seed

.
The letter recipient for August 2010 is: STARWOOD. Operations: lodging (hotels/resorts: Aloft, Element, Four Points, Le Méridien, Luxury Collection, Sheraton, St. Regis, W, Westin).

Please write to:

Mr. Frits D. van Paasschen

President & CEO

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc.

1111 Westchester Avenue

White Plains, NY 10604-3525

WWW Address: www.starwoodhotels.com

Starwood Hotels has been on The Boycott List since July 2009. If you would like to obtain your own copy of the latest Boycott List, visit LDI’s website at www.fightpp.org. Thank you again for all of your effort on behalf of the unborn. Enjoy the rest of your summer!
.

Will the Real Rapist Please Stand Up!

.
D'art's favorite new quote otherwise known the mainstream media's mantra:

"let’s treat the Pope like a rapist, and treat a rapist like the Pope"

Cristina Odone in a brilliant post at the Telegraph UK on the mainstream media's hypocrisy, investigative laziness, and general ignorance of those things called facts in that they are viciously attacking the Church and our Holy Father, while sending warm fuzzies to child rapist Roman Polanski.
.

always and in everything

.

"Not the goods of the world, but God.

Not riches, but God.

Not honors, but God.

Not distinction, but God.

Not dignities, but God.

Not advancement, but God.

God always and in everything."

St. Vincent Pallotti

.

Steamed Rice

.

"As our Gay brothers and sisters
hold hands and jump into the abyss,
the world tosses rhetoric and rice,
while spitting on the Church
that is trying to save them both"

.

Tuesdays, this Fall on ABC "Our Islamic President" .

.
I heard some talking head going on yesterday about our Abortion Prez really being a Muslim, and all I could think was "Damn, I wish he was, than at least he'd be anti-abortion".
.

Two Doors

.
The more I chat with my fellow converts, as well as those cradle Catholics who have left the Church, I have come to realize there are only Two Doors in or out of Catholicism;

The Entrance is marked with the word "Truth"
The Exit is marked "Opinion"
.

Running the Race: Happy Fathers Day

.

“Run with endurance the race that God has set before you”

My lil' town was over run yesterday morning by DC types in spandex and testosterone, as we hosted some kind of Triathlon thingee. My first thought (after the "I gotta get in shape" thought) was that if theses folks spent half as much time in prayer as they do at the gym or the pool, we would be living in near paradise.

Than I spied one of those silly Lance Armstrong "Live Strong" shirts, and it reminded me that it was almost Fathers Day. While giving folks with cancer hope is a good thing, my views on the adulterous narcissistic Mr. Armstrong is another thing altogether, as I see only a despicable weakness in a man who betrays his wife and children.

As for running that race, Lance is clearly the loser . . .made worse because he brought others with him.

A father who is winning the race well might have a beer gut, but he also always puts his family's needs before his own.

A marathon dad might hafta turn down a his dream job, rather than add chaos to his family's life.

A track star in fatherhood might be one like my own pop who was left alone with 4 brats to raise (me being the worse), yet never said a bad word (to us anyway) about the woman who abandoned his children.

A father is one who sacrifices for his bride and his children, even if it means sending His only begotten Son to die a horrific death on a cross.

Abba Father,
Happy Fathers Day,
your unworthy son, mike

.

Why Camera Phones Rock

St John the Evangelist in Clinton,MD
.

A Priest Forever

Abortion Blackout

more than just a day off

Well, it's about time . . . and eternity

.

Catholic Radio comes to Washington D.C.!!!

The EWTN Global Catholic Radio Network announced

W-M-E-T 1160 AM is now on the air… serving our nation's capital — Washington DC!

Congratulations to Len Oswald, Toya Hall, Doug Pearson and all involved with Guadalupe Radio to help make this happen!

Washington DC is the number 9 ranked radio market in the country, and with a powerful 50,000 watts, the station will be available to an estimated 5 million people throughout the DC metro.

This is a great victory for Our Lord and His Church.... A big, big welcome to all our new listeners now hearing EWTN Radio on Guadalupe Radio in Washington, DC — WMET 1160 AM!
.

Mother of God, Mother for mothers

..

Remembering our much forgotten Easter present
on this Mother's Day,
as I pray for those of us like myself,
who never knew what it was like to have a mom.

"Here is your mother." John 19:27
.

Cool Catholic Cajuns . . .who nu'?

Sacrifice

.

"the most difficult sacrifice
is to not desire appreciation
for your sacrifice"
.

Hebrews 12:1

.
A clear sky is a beautiful thing, especially on a cold day, but a sunset is made all the more dramatic by a cloudy sky catching and transforming the light. The sun uses these once simple puffs of white as a floating canvases, with each stroke of wind making ever changing shades of blue and purple and orange and yellow. The sun is glorified in theses humble and unique clouds, and even the most ardent atheist can't help but say "praise God" at the sight.

As I watched the spectacle last night I started to separately name each one of these colorful works of light and water . . .that one is Saint Rose, and over there is Little Flower, and as Augustine and Aquinas bump into to each other Saint Catherine just laughs with Maximilian Kolbe. . . .oh, how I can't wait to join them this morning at Mass.

"Therefore,
since we are surrounded
by so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us rid ourselves
of every burden
and sin that clings to us"
.
.

Un-Comfort Zone

.
"And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make
the people holy through his own blood. Let us, then, go to him
outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. For here we do
not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that
is to come".
Hebrews 13:12-14
.

You Know Your Catholic . . .

. . . when you see the Blessed Sacrament in a moon rise over the Bay (O:
.

On the way home . . .

The Calling

Regret

.
"The tiresome devil begins to rage amongst the ungodly and to belch forth many wild and mazy beliefs and doctrines.
This man will have nothing of baptism, that one denies the Sacrament, a third awaits another world between this and the Last Day ; some teach that Christ is not God ; some say this, some that, and there are as many sects and beliefs as there are heads ;
no peasant is so rude but that if he dreams or fancies something, it must forsooth be the Holy Spirit which inspires him, and he himself must be a prophet." Martin Luther
(April, 1525, " Werke," Weim. ed., 18, p. 547 ; Erl. ed., 53, p. 342 " Briefwechsel," 5, p. 151).
.

Yep, this is how I'd do it (O:

The Protestant Passover

.
From today's reading

Jesus answered them and said,

“Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me

not because you saw signs

but because you ate the loaves and were filled."

One of the reasons for my becoming Catholic, was the dishonesty I often felt when passing over verses like this. "Deep in Scripture" host Marcus Grodi, with very special guest Steve Ray (both fellow converts), address this better in an episode of the Podcast entitled "Verses I Never Saw". You can read from the PDF or listen here.

"that they may be one"
.

All Pawns

.
Studying the history of the Protestant Reformation maybe a lil' too much lately, as well as half a pint of Haagen Dazs Rum Raisin while watching Harry Potter before bed time, lead to an interesting dream last night.

In this lactose and sugar induced fantasy I was part of a large Chess game, with one side all a dull White and made up of only Pawns surrounded a simple White King. The other side, which I was a Rook (well, I have gained a few pounds), was not black but filled with changing colors like a prism. Each Bishop was in Gold and Silver, with hints of red. The knights polished copper silver and bronze, with red Crosses on their shields, and had red and yellow ribbons attached to their lances. Us Rooks were more like Cathedrals, and were shiney white and taller than every piece except for Two. The Pawns, while in simple black and white, were polished as a mirror and reflected light in every direction.

Now the Queen and King were the most curious, as they were full of light so bright it was hard to look at them, yet impossible not to. The Queen was much smaller yet the king spoke through her when she said in a voice like a song "with love, bring them to Him", as she pointed to the white pawns.

Before our side could even begin to move forward the white team was in chaos, with all the pawns bumping into each other and some falling over, or worse, falling off the board entirely. The strange thing was that the few white pawns left standing seemed to turn into versions of our pawns once they were met by our Knights.

All the white pawns gone or transformed, our Bishops met their White King, and bowed before Him. They proceeded to break chains that were holding the King, while polishing and adorning Him in Gold,Silver, and Crimson. As they did this He slowly started to resemble our magnificent King . . .and than He was gone . . .and from the shadows outside the game, a creature with red eyes screamed in agony.

. . .than I woke up, and swore to switch to Edy's low-fat Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream from now on.
.

The Office, not the Man

.
Our friend Screwtape is again using his favorite tool, the media , to not only spread misinformation about the Church, but as a way to distract and prejudice our Protestant brethren.

Yesterday, an ol' Evangelical friend asked me if I had finally "seen the light" about the Church, and "how can you belong to a Church that trains (some) bad priests"

I answered "oh, I guess the same way we both follow a Savior who trained Judas as an apostle"

After 500 years, and 30,000+ splits in the church (denominations), you would think we might realize that Luther, more than Judas, was the great pawn of satan.

I do hope that the Prodigal Protestants will one day come back to the body of Christ, and that we all can live out Christ's final prayer;

"that they may be one, as We are one"

.

ideas before coffee

Just a lil' digital doodle as I try to think of names for my lil' busy-ness, although I am more inclined to name it

"Our Lady of the Twin Beaches
Custom Picture Framing"

but the image above did make me giggle (O:

Whatever the name,D'art is now taking yer Art, and is open for buisness !
.

Wonderful Site/Blog/Podcast

.
Called to Communion is a fairly new site with another bunch of my fellow converts at the helm, with their main goal to be to bring unity to the Body of Christ.

"We believe that Christ is calling His Church to be one, as He and the Father are one. This is the prayer and the desire of our Savior’s heart and therefore it is also our desire. Our aim is to effect reconciliation and reunion between Catholics and Protestants, particularly those of the Reformed tradition. We hope to accomplish this by removing obstacles founded upon misunderstandings as well as by engaging in charitable discussion of genuine disagreements, in a context of continual prayer for each other and for the unity of all God’s people. We believe that genuine unity comes through truth and never by forsaking or compromising the truth."
.

Theology of the Body Refuting Modern Psychobabble Thru Mimetic Theory and a Backbeat

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"There's a rip like a hole
In the heart, in the soul
Of the man who wants
Nothing to do with love

There's a girl like a hope
That she could never know
If you say you want
Nothing to do with love

If you can never be true, it's got nothing to do
It's got nothing to do with love
If there's a devil in you, he's got nothing to do
He's got nothing to do with love

There's a kid who was told
When you give you get sold
So he says he wants
Nothing to do with love

There's a prayer that will rise
From the fields to the skies
Don't you say you want
Nothing to do with love

If you can never be true, it's got nothing to do
It's got nothing to do with love
If there's a devil in you, he's got nothing to do
He's got nothing to do with love

Never be true, it's got something to do
With the words that you said or the hell you've been through
It's got nothing to do? It's got nothing to do?
It's got nothing to do? It's got nothing to do?

If you'll never be true, it's got nothing to do
It's got nothing to do with love
If there's a devil in you, he's got nothing to do
He's got nothing to do with love

It's got nothing to do, it's got nothing to do
It's got nothing to do with love
It's got nothing to do, it's got nothing to do
It's got nothing to do with love"
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He Is Risen!!!

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“Why do you seek the living among the dead? ⁶ He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, ⁷ saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’”
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Hope in the Waiting

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"The cross means
there is no shipwreck without hope;
there is no dark without dawn;
nor storm without haven."
Pope John Paul II

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Jesus, that Wacky April Fools Prankster

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Meditating on John 6:53 today, while realizing it is April 1st and I had not pranked anyone (or punk'd, as those youngens say), it dawned on me that Protestants treat Jesus' words here and at the Last Supper as some kind of divine "just kiddin'".

There is always the inevitable "it's just symbolic" that they have been taught by root, but have never actually studied (or if they did, I'd be calling them my fellow converts). Naturally it is the Protestant leaders and ministers who are at fault here, more than the lay people who have mistakenly put there trust in an authority without authority (although many might subconsciouly like that, as when a teaching is too tough they can always say "by what authority").

If only they were taught the Old Testament, as well as Jewish tradition and history, they would realize that the sacrificial lamb is not only slain, but the sacrifice isn't complete until the lamb is eaten. Jesus is the Lamb of God . . . do the math people!

Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you."

I missed the part where Christ says "naaaah, just messin' wit ya", because if we say His words are only "symbolic", than we are indeed making Him out to be a rather silly savior, and one you should avoid rather than follow . . . and many did stop following him after this saying (a foreshadowing of Protestantism?). If our Lord was only speaking symbolically, wasn't it rather cruel to let believers leave instead of explaning this?

Thankfully, it is the constipated monk, and those that came after him that are truly the fools . . .who's followers are even today being mislead. So we must pray as Christ prayed, that we all can one day become One (and how we could affect the world if Christians were united again).
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A little Flower for Holy Thursday

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"The eve His life of love drew near its end,
Thus Jesus spoke: "Whoever loveth Me,
And keeps My word as Mine own faithful friend,
My Father, then, and I his guests will be;
Within his heart will make Our dwelling above.
Our palace home, true type of heaven above.
There, filled with peace,
We will that he shall rest,
With us, in love."
St. Therese of Lisieux
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Palm Pilot

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The Feast of the Annunciation

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The Feast of the Annunciation where we celebrate the
"May it be done to me according to your word”
which gave birth to
"yet not My will, but Yours be done"

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Almost Catholic Answers

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As I recently posted, Rich Mullins, one of my heroes, was contemplating entering the Catholic church when our Lord took him home. God's timing on this, as most of His plans do, confused and bewildered me.

Why would you take him now?

Is this a sign you didn't want him to become Catholic?

Wouldn't his conversion helped the Church's message?

I got the best answer to this through Catholic Answers , and a show they did with another hero of mine (and fellow convert), Dr. Peter Kreeft. During the talk (What's Philosophy got to do with it?), Prof. Kreeft is asked a similar question, but on why he thought God took C.S. Lewis home before he could enter the Church (Lewis had been drawing closer to Rome, and much of his writing is quite Catholic, or at least lil "c" catholic). The good Professor's answer to the question was

"Because if he had been Catholic, Protestant's would never read him (Lewis), and Catholics already did"

Perfect!, and an answer easily adopted to my own questions about Rich Mullins. I myself only skimmed the Catholic authors until after my conversion began. Further, I went through my mental data base of famous Catholic converts (from G.K. Chesterton to Peter Kreeft to Scott Hahn ), and realized that all these folks did their major writings AFTER they converted, or like more recent converts like Newt Gingrich and Tony Blair, never wrote addressed theology much.

For example: I know that while I enjoyed reading earlier Thomas Merton, I rarely reccomend anything by him lest the other person pick up some of his later works.

listen to Dr. Kreeft's lecture and Q&A here
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How NOT to make friends, but influence people

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One of my nice new neighbors invited me to a St. Patty's Day gathering at their house recently, where silly me went and broke that social rule of not discussing religion or politics. First was my babbling on matters of faith, but mainly on the history of non-Irish Saint Patrick, as reading the lives of the saints if a hobby of mine. My info, as usual, might have made me seem a bit like Cliff from Cheers (ie. harmless, but a tad annoying).

Than came the double whammy of religion AND politics. One of the guests commented on my hobbling around (left my cane at home, as I still knock things over a bit),and while explaining my current condition, I also let it slip that I had no medical insurance. She foolishly said "well I'm sure Obama will get his bill passed soon", and I of course said "God, I hope not"

For better or worse, other guests overheard this and started listening "But wouldn't you like proper health care"

"Of course, I would love everyone to have access to responsible health care . . . but I'd rather be in constant pain for the rest of my life, than have our country keeps killing it's unborn".

well, there goes the neighborhood, and I do try to remember that it is a blessing that God made me as unlovable as I am, for if I thought for a second anyone, beneath heaven, could ever love this silly fool, I might learn to cater to the world in search of that love by making my rhetoric as pleasing as a sales pitch . . .but that's my day job (O:
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Pregnant Women Rock!!!

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following Jesus

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I only recently found out, although was not too surprised, that the late great Rich Mullins had taken RCIA and was walking towards Rome. Here is a quote from that time

"A lot of the stuff which I thought was so different between Protestants and Catholics [was] not, but at the end of going through an RCIA [Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults] course, I also realized that there are some real and significant differences. I'm not sure which side of the issues I come down on. My openness to Catholicism was very scary to me because, when you grow up in a church where they don't even put up a cross, many things were foreign to me. I went to an older Protestant gentleman that I've respected for years and years, and I asked him, "When does faithfulness to Jesus call us to lay aside our biases and when does it call us to stand beside them?"
His answer to me was that it is not about being Catholic or Protestant. It is about being faithful to Jesus. The issue is not about which church you go to, it is about following Jesus where He leads you".

Caitlin Jane "Unborn"

This Friday : A Bawlmer Gospel

Catholic Community of South Baltimore is hosting a spectacular and dramatic

presentation of scripture, light, and movement when Michael Reardon
prayerfully and powerfully proclaims
THE GOSPEL OF LUKE
directed by Patrick Lane.

This is a contemporary translation of scripture, proclaimed in the oral
tradition of the early church, designed with music, lighting, and costuming.
THE GOSPEL OF LUKE -

Friday, March 12, 2010
7:00pm

ST MARY STAR of the SEA
Roman Catholic Church
1400 Riverside Ave, Baltimore, Maryland 21230

A reception to meet the artists will follow the event
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Question o' the Day

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Q: What's the difference between a Protestant and the Pope?

A: The Pope doesn't think he's a Protestant

(O:
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Is it?

"When the dollar made with blood is spent,
When an enemy can't become a friend.
When the better man won't lend a hand,
Baby, this is how the world will end.

When a day of hope is a rarity,
Or a diplomat hasn't time to see
That a child lost is a true offense,
Baby, this is how the world will end.

CHORUS:
Bring a chair up to the table.
Bring a message to the crowd.
Where's a common trust to deliver us from the wretched and the proud?
Sing a tune about the promise.
Speak on that which we depend.
And if a certain light don't shine again,
Baby, this is how the world will end.

V2.
When the poorest kid is fending for himself,
Or the widow cries, but she gets no help.
When we know what's true, but we still pretend,
Baby, this is how the world will end.

CHORUS:
Bring a chair up to the table.
Bring a message to the crowd.
Where's a common trust to deliver us from the wretched and the proud?
Sing a tune about the promise.
Speak on that which we depend.
Now let that certain light come shinin' then,
Baby, we could change the world again.

But if that certain light don't shine again,
Baby, this is how the world will end."
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Treasure on Earth or in Heaven . . . Choose

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Jesus said to the Pharisees:
“There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day.
And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table.
Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.

When the poor man died,
he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.

The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,
he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.

And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me.
Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,
for I am suffering torment in these flames.’

Abraham replied, ‘My child,
remember that you received what was good during your lifetime
while Lazarus likewise received what was bad;
but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.":
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So that's what they're singin'