Lives of the Saints Index
Lives of the Saints
by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. edition
[1894]
This is the Benziger Brothers edition of Alban Butler's Lives of the Saints. Butler (1711-1773), was an English Roman Catholic priest. This, his principal literary work, was published between 1756 and 1759. Lives of the Saints has hundreds of capsule descriptions of Catholic saints, organized by the saint's day of the year. The 1894 Benziger Brothers edition, originally published in 1878, was heavily edited by John Gilmary Shea (here uncredited. Source: MELVYL). The 'Reflections' were not in the original Butler text, and were probably added by Shea.
The full text of Alban Butlers' work, which occupies over 1,200 pages of two-column small type, will have to wait for another time. However this imprimatur edition was apparently widely used by American Catholics at the turn of the 20th century, and remains accessible to contemporary readers.
Click on the link above to go to the site with this wonderful resource. Stick around and explore the site to read the Church Fathers, Encyclicals, and more...
Monday, February 26
Thursday, February 22
The Way of the Fathers � Baby Names of the Early Christians
The Way of the Fathers � Baby Names of the Early Christians
Click on the link to read the rest. This is a fascinating article about our roots and, of course, the link to Lent for all of us.
Baby Names of the Early Christians
Monday February 12th 2007, 3:06 am Filed under: Patristics, Books, Archeology
Last week I mentioned a promising new book, The Christian Catacombs of Rome: History, Decoration, Inscriptions, co-authored by three members of the Pontifical Commission on Sacred Archeology. Over the weekend I was able to borrow a copy from Lea Ravotti, the great contemporary Christian artist and premiere interpreter of ancient Christian art. The book is the stuff of which obsessions are made. I could blog on it for a year and never want for good material. I hope, at some point, to do a more in-depth review for Touchstone magazine. In the meantime, I’ll post occasional bits from this lavishly illustrated coffee-table volume.
Certainly the book benefits from the, um, depth of the knowledge of its authors. They’re in situ, living, teaching, noting correspondences in the many miles of underground corridors. From their intimate knowledge of thousands of inscriptions, artifacts, bone fragments, and artworks, they’re able to give us brief and brilliant glimpses of the ordinary lives of the early Christians. What kind of work did they do? Were they poor? rich? middle-class? How old were they when they married? What did they value in their spouses? In their children? In their priests? How did they die? Answers to all these questions arise from the epitaphs in the Catacombs.
Click on the link to read the rest. This is a fascinating article about our roots and, of course, the link to Lent for all of us.
Baby Names of the Early Christians
Monday February 12th 2007, 3:06 am Filed under: Patristics, Books, Archeology
Last week I mentioned a promising new book, The Christian Catacombs of Rome: History, Decoration, Inscriptions, co-authored by three members of the Pontifical Commission on Sacred Archeology. Over the weekend I was able to borrow a copy from Lea Ravotti, the great contemporary Christian artist and premiere interpreter of ancient Christian art. The book is the stuff of which obsessions are made. I could blog on it for a year and never want for good material. I hope, at some point, to do a more in-depth review for Touchstone magazine. In the meantime, I’ll post occasional bits from this lavishly illustrated coffee-table volume.
Certainly the book benefits from the, um, depth of the knowledge of its authors. They’re in situ, living, teaching, noting correspondences in the many miles of underground corridors. From their intimate knowledge of thousands of inscriptions, artifacts, bone fragments, and artworks, they’re able to give us brief and brilliant glimpses of the ordinary lives of the early Christians. What kind of work did they do? Were they poor? rich? middle-class? How old were they when they married? What did they value in their spouses? In their children? In their priests? How did they die? Answers to all these questions arise from the epitaphs in the Catacombs.
Thursday, February 15
Insight Scoop | The Ignatius Press Blog: He's surprised. But why?
Insight Scoop The Ignatius Press Blog: He's surprised. But why?: http://www.typepad.com/t/trackback/16146070
Greg Kandra spent nearly 25 years working for CBS News and is now an editor for "Couric & Co.," the CBS News blog. Kandra is Catholic and will soon be ordained a permanent deacon. In a blog entry titled "The Last Acceptable Prejudice," Kandra comments on the John Edwards' Catholic-Bashing Bloggers Fiasco:
Greg Kandra spent nearly 25 years working for CBS News and is now an editor for "Couric & Co.," the CBS News blog. Kandra is Catholic and will soon be ordained a permanent deacon. In a blog entry titled "The Last Acceptable Prejudice," Kandra comments on the John Edwards' Catholic-Bashing Bloggers Fiasco:
But the episode has drawn attention to an issue that strikes close to my own
life – and the lives of about 60 million other Americans. It involves a
particularly insidious form of bigotry, and the nagging suspicion that there is
one remaining permissible prejudice in America. It is anti-Catholicism.I say this as a person who has spent a quarter of a century working in network
news, and as a man who, in three months, will become an ordained member of the
Catholic clergy. (On May 19th I’ll be ordained a permanent deacon.) Straddling
these two worlds, I’ve seen my share of controversies, scandals and public
outcries over the Church and how it is treated by both the public and the media.
But the Edwards debacle is something I never quite anticipated.I would not have believed that a candidate for President (and a previous candidate for Vice President) would have hired a writer, Melissa McEwan, who had described
President Bush’s supporters as a “wingnut Christofacist base.” I did not think a
person of Edwards seriousness and experience would condone welcoming onto his
payroll a second writer, Amanda Marcotte, who wrote on her blog “the Catholic church is not about to let something like compassion for girls get in the way of using the state as an instrument to force women to bear more tithing Catholics.”This is also the writer who wrote: “What if Mary had taken Plan B after the Lord filled her with his hot, white, sticky Holy Spirit? You’d have to justify your misogyny
with another ancient mythology.” (And then there’s this pearl of wisdom: One thing I vow here and now–you motherf*** who want to ban birth control will never sleep. I will f*** without making children day in and out and you will know it and you won’t be able to stop it. Toss and turn, you mean, jealous motherf****. I’m not going to be “punished” with babies. Which makes all your efforts a failure. Some non-procreating women escaped. So give up now. You’ll never catch all of us. Give up now.”)I certainly would not have imagined that a serious candidate for President would
have kept on his payroll people who write things so blatantly, outrageously
hateful towards a particular religion.
Monday, February 12
Why God is Father and Not Mother (Part 1) | Mark Brumley | IgnatiusInsight.com
Why God is Father and Not Mother (Part 1) Mark Brumley IgnatiusInsight.com
Why God is Father and Not Mother Mark Brumley IgnatiusInsight.com
"The Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man" is how the 19th century liberal Protestant theologian Adolph Harnack once summarized the Christian faith. Nowadays Harnack would find his brand of reductionist religion dismissed as hopelessly sexist and exclusive by many feminist theologians. The "brotherhood of man" might be reworked into "the family of humanity" or its equivalent. But what would they do about the Fatherhood of God? Can we replace the allegedly "sexist" language of Divine Fatherhood with so-called gender-inclusive or gender-neutral terms such as Father/Mother or Heavenly Parent without further ado?
Click the link to see the rest of this article:
Why God is Father and Not Mother Mark Brumley IgnatiusInsight.com
"The Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man" is how the 19th century liberal Protestant theologian Adolph Harnack once summarized the Christian faith. Nowadays Harnack would find his brand of reductionist religion dismissed as hopelessly sexist and exclusive by many feminist theologians. The "brotherhood of man" might be reworked into "the family of humanity" or its equivalent. But what would they do about the Fatherhood of God? Can we replace the allegedly "sexist" language of Divine Fatherhood with so-called gender-inclusive or gender-neutral terms such as Father/Mother or Heavenly Parent without further ado?
Click the link to see the rest of this article:
Wednesday, February 7
Beatification cause opened for courageous Argentinean mother who rejected abortion
Mother delayed cancer treatments in order to save her daughter
Buenos Aires, Feb 6, 2007 / 12:45 pm (CNA).- Archbishop Guillermo Jose Garlatti of Bahia Blanca has opened the cause for beatification of the Servant of God, Maria Cecilia Perrin de Buide who refused cancer treatments in order save her unborn daughter Augustina.
The tribunal that will investigate the heroism of Cecilia Perrin, who was a member of the Focolare movement, will include Father Marino Giampetruzzi, Father Elio Ricca and Alejandra Belfoire.
Cecilia Perrin died on March 1, 1985 at the age of 28, when she gave up her life for her daughter and refused to undergo an abortion. In February of 1984, while already pregnant, Perrin was diagnosed with cancer. Her daughter Agustina was born in July of 1984. By the time she gave birth, however, the cancer had already progressed to an untreatable stage, and Cecilia died eight months later.
Her remains are interred at the Mariapolis Lia Cemetery in the Buenos Aires province and hundreds visit the place each year, especially pregnant women who pray for her intercession. On November 10, 2005 the Holy See declared Perrin a Servant of God, thus paving the way for the opening of her cause for beatification and canonization.
Buenos Aires, Feb 6, 2007 / 12:45 pm (CNA).- Archbishop Guillermo Jose Garlatti of Bahia Blanca has opened the cause for beatification of the Servant of God, Maria Cecilia Perrin de Buide who refused cancer treatments in order save her unborn daughter Augustina.
The tribunal that will investigate the heroism of Cecilia Perrin, who was a member of the Focolare movement, will include Father Marino Giampetruzzi, Father Elio Ricca and Alejandra Belfoire.
Cecilia Perrin died on March 1, 1985 at the age of 28, when she gave up her life for her daughter and refused to undergo an abortion. In February of 1984, while already pregnant, Perrin was diagnosed with cancer. Her daughter Agustina was born in July of 1984. By the time she gave birth, however, the cancer had already progressed to an untreatable stage, and Cecilia died eight months later.
Her remains are interred at the Mariapolis Lia Cemetery in the Buenos Aires province and hundreds visit the place each year, especially pregnant women who pray for her intercession. On November 10, 2005 the Holy See declared Perrin a Servant of God, thus paving the way for the opening of her cause for beatification and canonization.
Monday, January 29
Salute to Catholic Schools Scheduled Jan. 28-Feb. 3, 2007
Theme is "Catholic Schools: the Good News in Education"
Washington, D.C. -- The nation’s nearly 8,000 Catholic schools will celebrate Catholic Schools Week, Jan. 28 through Feb. 3. This year’s theme is “Catholic Schools: the Good News in Education.”
The theme was chosen because of its appeal to Catholic schools and for the strong message it sends to parents and supporters.
Catholic Schools Week is an activity of the National Marketing Campaign For Catholic Schools, a joint project of NCEA and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
Dr. Karen M. Ristau, president of the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA), said, “Catholic Schools do good work all year around. But on this week we want to focus everyone’s attention on the fact that Catholics schools are good news. In addition to learning reading, writing and arithmetic, students also learn responsibility—and how to become persons of character and integrity.”
Father William Davis, a priest of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales and interim secretary for education at the USCCB, said “High achievement rates, high retention rates, high moral values and high student and parent satisfaction are the distinctive marks of a Catholic school. That’s the good news and we want to share it.”
National Appreciation Day For Catholic Schools will be observed Wednesday, Jan. 31. National Appreciation Day was established to encourage supporters nationwide to showcase the great accomplishments and contributions of Catholic schools to our country. In Washington, a delegation of more than 150 Catholic school students, teachers and parents will visit Capitol Hill to meet with congressional leaders to promote Catholic schools. They will hand-deliver letters from chief administrators of Catholic education to their representatives and provide a background package on Catholic schools to every congressional office.
Schools in other parts of the country are encouraged to carry their message of good news to local and state officials.
Washington, D.C. -- The nation’s nearly 8,000 Catholic schools will celebrate Catholic Schools Week, Jan. 28 through Feb. 3. This year’s theme is “Catholic Schools: the Good News in Education.”
The theme was chosen because of its appeal to Catholic schools and for the strong message it sends to parents and supporters.
Catholic Schools Week is an activity of the National Marketing Campaign For Catholic Schools, a joint project of NCEA and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
Dr. Karen M. Ristau, president of the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA), said, “Catholic Schools do good work all year around. But on this week we want to focus everyone’s attention on the fact that Catholics schools are good news. In addition to learning reading, writing and arithmetic, students also learn responsibility—and how to become persons of character and integrity.”
Father William Davis, a priest of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales and interim secretary for education at the USCCB, said “High achievement rates, high retention rates, high moral values and high student and parent satisfaction are the distinctive marks of a Catholic school. That’s the good news and we want to share it.”
National Appreciation Day For Catholic Schools will be observed Wednesday, Jan. 31. National Appreciation Day was established to encourage supporters nationwide to showcase the great accomplishments and contributions of Catholic schools to our country. In Washington, a delegation of more than 150 Catholic school students, teachers and parents will visit Capitol Hill to meet with congressional leaders to promote Catholic schools. They will hand-deliver letters from chief administrators of Catholic education to their representatives and provide a background package on Catholic schools to every congressional office.
Schools in other parts of the country are encouraged to carry their message of good news to local and state officials.
Tuesday, January 23
Why Communion Could Be Denied to Anti-Life Legislators
Zenit News Agency - The World Seen From Rome
Click above to read the whole article:
Code: ZE04042622
Date: 2004-04-26
Why Communion Could Be Denied to Anti-Life Legislators
Interview With an American Theologian in Rome
ROME, APRIL 26, 2004 (Zenit.org).- Moves by the Church to deny Holy Communion to staunchly pro-abortion Catholic politicians are growing. At a Vatican press conference last Friday, Cardinal Francis Arinze said that politicians who unambiguously support abortion must not go to Communion and priests must deny them the sacrament. Last January, then Bishop Raymond Burke of La Crosse, Wisconsin, issued a decree forbidding Catholic legislators who support abortion or euthanasia from receiving Communion. To learn more about the canonical and pastoral implications of these declarations, ZENIT interviewed American theologian Father Thomas Williams, dean of the School of Theology of the Regina Apostolorum Pontifical Athenaeum.
Q: Is the Church beginning to adopt a hard-line stance regarding the reception of Holy Communion?
Father Williams: The Church has always taken this issue seriously. In very strong terms St. Paul admonished the Church in Corinth: "Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup." That's in 1 Corinthians 11:27-28.
The 1983 Code of Canon Law, echoing the teaching of the Council of Trent, Canon 11, states that, without a very serious reason, a person who is aware of having committed a mortal sin should voluntarily abstain from Communion. "A person who is conscious of grave sin is not … to receive the Body of the Lord without prior sacramental confession," says Canon 916 of the 1983 code.
Q: But isn't there a big difference between encouraging those in a state of sin to abstain from Communion and forbidding Communion to determined persons?
Father Williams: Yes, of course. Whereas anyone who is aware of having committed a grave sin of any sort, hidden or public, should willingly abstain from Holy Communion, only grave sins committed overtly or publicly provide grounds for non-admittance to Communion on the part of priests and bishops. The pertinent reference in canon law can be found in Canon 915. In its entirety, this brief canon reads: "Those who are excommunicated or interdicted after the imposition or declaration of the penalty and others who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to Holy Communion." This canon treats two instances where members of the faithful are not to be admitted to Communion. The first deals with excommunication and interdicts -- ecclesiastical censures forbidding participation in the sacraments -- and the second refers to obstinate persistence in manifest grave sin.
Q: So in the case of pro-abortion politicians we would be dealing with a situation of manifestly grave sin? What does this mean?
Father Williams: The technical language of the code which refers to those who "obstinately persist in manifest grave sin" must be carefully parsed. Four essential elements come into play, all of which are necessary to fulfill the conditions laid out in Canon 915.
The first element is "gravi peccato," or grave sin. This can only be taken to refer to the matter of the action -- or omission -- without necessarily implying a judgment of subjective culpability. "Grave sin" in this case simply means objectively evil conduct of a serious nature.
The second requirement specified by Canon 915 refers to the "manifesto," or overt, character of the sin. This stipulation limits the sanction to sins of a public nature, and reiterates the public and ecclesial dimension of Holy Communion, which signifies moral, spiritual and doctrinal union with Christ and with his Church.
Thirdly, to be refused Communion a person must persist -- "perseverantes" -- in this openly sinful behavior. To say that a person persists in a public sin means that he somehow makes it known that he plans to continue engaging in his sinful behavior.
Finally, the code speaks of obstinate persistence. The Latin adverb "obstinate" here means that the person has been duly informed of the evil of his behavior but deliberately chooses to persist in it anyway. There is such a thing as inculpable persistence in evildoing, when a person is unaware that a certain habitual activity is sinful. But once the evil of his actions has been brought to his attention, his persistence qualifies as obstinate.
Judging from the foregoing considerations, it seems clear that a politician who votes in a way that fails to defend innocent human life on a consistent basis and gives every indication of his intention to keep doing so despite warnings from ecclesiastical authorities can be said to obstinately persist in objectively evil behavior of a public nature. And in this regard he fulfills the requirements of Canon 915.
Q: In Bishop Burke's Notification, made public this past January, he speaks of scandal. To fail to "uphold the natural and divine law regarding the inviolable dignity of all human life," he writes, "is a grave public sin and gives scandal to all the faithful." How does scandal fit into the equation?
Father Williams: Though in common language "scandal" often refers to something shocking or disgraceful, the word comes from the Greek "skandalon" -- a stumbling block -- and properly means "an attitude or behavior which leads another to do evil," as the Catechism says in No. 2284. Because of their high public visibility and moral authority, politicians can, by their example, lead others to good or to evil.
According to the Catechism, No. 2285: "Scandal is grave when given by those who by nature or office are obliged to teach and educate others." We further read in No. 2286 that "they are guilty of scandal who establish laws or social structures leading to the decline of morals."
Along with its practical role of making certain actions punishable or permissible under the law, civil legislation has a pedagogical role as well and thus contributes to the formation of public opinion and private conscience. The criminalization or legalization of determined activities influences the way people view the morality of such activities since it represents a social judgment on this sort of behavior. Thus legislators, even more than other public figures, are called to a higher standard of accountability because of their moral authority and the influence that their decisions have on others.
Click above to read the whole article:
Code: ZE04042622
Date: 2004-04-26
Why Communion Could Be Denied to Anti-Life Legislators
Interview With an American Theologian in Rome
ROME, APRIL 26, 2004 (Zenit.org).- Moves by the Church to deny Holy Communion to staunchly pro-abortion Catholic politicians are growing. At a Vatican press conference last Friday, Cardinal Francis Arinze said that politicians who unambiguously support abortion must not go to Communion and priests must deny them the sacrament. Last January, then Bishop Raymond Burke of La Crosse, Wisconsin, issued a decree forbidding Catholic legislators who support abortion or euthanasia from receiving Communion. To learn more about the canonical and pastoral implications of these declarations, ZENIT interviewed American theologian Father Thomas Williams, dean of the School of Theology of the Regina Apostolorum Pontifical Athenaeum.
Q: Is the Church beginning to adopt a hard-line stance regarding the reception of Holy Communion?
Father Williams: The Church has always taken this issue seriously. In very strong terms St. Paul admonished the Church in Corinth: "Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup." That's in 1 Corinthians 11:27-28.
The 1983 Code of Canon Law, echoing the teaching of the Council of Trent, Canon 11, states that, without a very serious reason, a person who is aware of having committed a mortal sin should voluntarily abstain from Communion. "A person who is conscious of grave sin is not … to receive the Body of the Lord without prior sacramental confession," says Canon 916 of the 1983 code.
Q: But isn't there a big difference between encouraging those in a state of sin to abstain from Communion and forbidding Communion to determined persons?
Father Williams: Yes, of course. Whereas anyone who is aware of having committed a grave sin of any sort, hidden or public, should willingly abstain from Holy Communion, only grave sins committed overtly or publicly provide grounds for non-admittance to Communion on the part of priests and bishops. The pertinent reference in canon law can be found in Canon 915. In its entirety, this brief canon reads: "Those who are excommunicated or interdicted after the imposition or declaration of the penalty and others who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to Holy Communion." This canon treats two instances where members of the faithful are not to be admitted to Communion. The first deals with excommunication and interdicts -- ecclesiastical censures forbidding participation in the sacraments -- and the second refers to obstinate persistence in manifest grave sin.
Q: So in the case of pro-abortion politicians we would be dealing with a situation of manifestly grave sin? What does this mean?
Father Williams: The technical language of the code which refers to those who "obstinately persist in manifest grave sin" must be carefully parsed. Four essential elements come into play, all of which are necessary to fulfill the conditions laid out in Canon 915.
The first element is "gravi peccato," or grave sin. This can only be taken to refer to the matter of the action -- or omission -- without necessarily implying a judgment of subjective culpability. "Grave sin" in this case simply means objectively evil conduct of a serious nature.
The second requirement specified by Canon 915 refers to the "manifesto," or overt, character of the sin. This stipulation limits the sanction to sins of a public nature, and reiterates the public and ecclesial dimension of Holy Communion, which signifies moral, spiritual and doctrinal union with Christ and with his Church.
Thirdly, to be refused Communion a person must persist -- "perseverantes" -- in this openly sinful behavior. To say that a person persists in a public sin means that he somehow makes it known that he plans to continue engaging in his sinful behavior.
Finally, the code speaks of obstinate persistence. The Latin adverb "obstinate" here means that the person has been duly informed of the evil of his behavior but deliberately chooses to persist in it anyway. There is such a thing as inculpable persistence in evildoing, when a person is unaware that a certain habitual activity is sinful. But once the evil of his actions has been brought to his attention, his persistence qualifies as obstinate.
Judging from the foregoing considerations, it seems clear that a politician who votes in a way that fails to defend innocent human life on a consistent basis and gives every indication of his intention to keep doing so despite warnings from ecclesiastical authorities can be said to obstinately persist in objectively evil behavior of a public nature. And in this regard he fulfills the requirements of Canon 915.
Q: In Bishop Burke's Notification, made public this past January, he speaks of scandal. To fail to "uphold the natural and divine law regarding the inviolable dignity of all human life," he writes, "is a grave public sin and gives scandal to all the faithful." How does scandal fit into the equation?
Father Williams: Though in common language "scandal" often refers to something shocking or disgraceful, the word comes from the Greek "skandalon" -- a stumbling block -- and properly means "an attitude or behavior which leads another to do evil," as the Catechism says in No. 2284. Because of their high public visibility and moral authority, politicians can, by their example, lead others to good or to evil.
According to the Catechism, No. 2285: "Scandal is grave when given by those who by nature or office are obliged to teach and educate others." We further read in No. 2286 that "they are guilty of scandal who establish laws or social structures leading to the decline of morals."
Along with its practical role of making certain actions punishable or permissible under the law, civil legislation has a pedagogical role as well and thus contributes to the formation of public opinion and private conscience. The criminalization or legalization of determined activities influences the way people view the morality of such activities since it represents a social judgment on this sort of behavior. Thus legislators, even more than other public figures, are called to a higher standard of accountability because of their moral authority and the influence that their decisions have on others.
Monday, January 15
Wow! Look at all the ICE!
Well, the ice storm gave us an extra day for the Martin Luther King holiday weekend! All the kids are having a blast, (photo from KOTV web site) though us parents and teachers are just getting blasted by all the ice! I know, that was not a great pun but it works in a pinch (I think). This was Not the Winter Wonder Land that we looked forward to, it was a solid sheet of ice that is horrendous to get around in!
The devestation is terrible for people in McAlester (where no one has power), the ice has taken down trees, power lines, etc. Our prayers are with those that are without power in McAlester, Muskogee, and all across the state of Oklahoma.
Tuesday, January 9
Rest In Peace Joe Cummins
Born: 10-31-1911
Died: 1-03-2007
It is with sadness and joy that I write this new news item for our family. The first of 2007, it is also the end of an era. Joe Cummins passed from this world to the next, joining his beloved wife, Mary. Funeral services were Monday, Jan. 8th, 2007. Joe was buried next to Mary, his wife of 60 years in Nowata, Oklahoma.
Linda worked with Joe for the last 4 years and had the joy of spending time with him, playing Skip-Bo, visiting, learning about his life. Joe was 95 years old and is survived by children, grandchildren, great-grand children and friends too numerous to count. He looked forward to joining his wife and Savior after a long, fruitful, fulfilling life. What Joe gave Linda, and I, is the love that cannot be measured. He was like a grandfather to Linda and the hole that is left behind with his passing is indescribable.
Our actions have a tongue of their own; they have an eloquence of their own, even when the tongue is silent. For deeds prove the lover more than words.
– St. Cyril of Jerusalem
We will all miss Joe.
Friday, January 5
Prayer Intentions of the Pope for Jan, 2007
Pope Prays for Peace and for the Church in Africa
Vatican City, Dec. 29, 2006 (CNA) - The Vatican released the prayer intentions of Pope Benedict XVI for January, this morning. The Holy Father will offer his first general intentions of 2007 for a renewed commitment to peace in the world and for the Catholic Church on the African continent.
The Pope prayed, "That in our time, unfortunately marked by many episodes of violence, the pastors of the Church may continue to indicate the way of peace and understanding among peoples."
Announcing his mission intention he prayed, "That the Church in Africa may become a constantly more authentic witness of the Good News of Christ and be committed, in every nation, to the promotion of reconciliation and peace."
Vatican City, Dec. 29, 2006 (CNA) - The Vatican released the prayer intentions of Pope Benedict XVI for January, this morning. The Holy Father will offer his first general intentions of 2007 for a renewed commitment to peace in the world and for the Catholic Church on the African continent.
The Pope prayed, "That in our time, unfortunately marked by many episodes of violence, the pastors of the Church may continue to indicate the way of peace and understanding among peoples."
Announcing his mission intention he prayed, "That the Church in Africa may become a constantly more authentic witness of the Good News of Christ and be committed, in every nation, to the promotion of reconciliation and peace."
Friday, December 29
Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!
Well, 2006 is coming to a close and the Arroyo Family have had a wonderful, blessed year thus far. From Rainee coming over and making Reindeer cookies with Grandpa (pictures of this are in the web album which is clickable below) to the new puppy for Grandma, it has been a fun holiday season.
Paul and his family experienced tragedy this year and our prayers are with him, Jonathon, his girlfriend and family.
J. is halfway through the year at All Saints. I have to say a huge THANK YOU to the parents and kids at All Saints. I am humbled by the well wishes and Christmas giving of the parents. That is not the reason that I just LOVE teaching but it makes me feel so Blessed to be there. Thanks to all the kids, the parents, my co-workers, for all of their blessings!
Joe Cummins went into the hospital a few weeks ago and it looked so bleak but he is back home now. At 95, Joe continues to hold onto life and continues to bless us with his presence. Linda works for Joe and, over the years, it has become much more than a 'job' but has become a investment of her heart.
Paul and his family experienced tragedy this year and our prayers are with him, Jonathon, his girlfriend and family.
J. is halfway through the year at All Saints. I have to say a huge THANK YOU to the parents and kids at All Saints. I am humbled by the well wishes and Christmas giving of the parents. That is not the reason that I just LOVE teaching but it makes me feel so Blessed to be there. Thanks to all the kids, the parents, my co-workers, for all of their blessings!
Joe Cummins went into the hospital a few weeks ago and it looked so bleak but he is back home now. At 95, Joe continues to hold onto life and continues to bless us with his presence. Linda works for Joe and, over the years, it has become much more than a 'job' but has become a investment of her heart.
 |
| The Arroyo Family |
Sunday, December 17
A Christmas Puppy for Linda
Frances, Landon and J. gave Linda an early Christmas gift, "Baron"! Merry Christmas to Linda and our new addition to the Arroyo Family!
Tuesday, December 12
All Saints Guadalupe Pilgrimage
All Saints 7th and 8th Grade's participated in a pilgrimage to St. Thomas More Catholic Church and the Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine in Tulsa on December 12th. This was my first ambitious field trip and over 50 people participated. Eight wonderful parents and two teachers helped make this pilgrimage a resounding success. Special thanks to Deacon Jose' Perez and Father Carl K from St. Thomas More for the celebration of the Eucharist and presentation about St. Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Monday, December 11
Knights of Columbus continue campaign to ‘Keep Christ in Christmas'
New Haven, Dec. 08, 2006 (CNA) - The Knights of Columbus have continued with their North American media campaign to “Keep Christ in Christmas”.
Public service announcements (PSAs) in English and Spanish will air on television and radio, encouraging people to remember the real religious significance of the Christmas season and to celebrate it in various meaningful ways, including by helping the less fortunate.
"In the midst of an increasingly materialistic and secular society, it is all too easy to lose sight of what Christmas really means. We give gifts to each other because it is the day on which we celebrate the ultimate gift: the Christ child, the savior of mankind," said Supreme Knight Carl Anderson. "Even those who do not share the Christian faith can and do appreciate the message of peace and hope that this Christian holiday – holy day – brings to the world."
The Knights have been producing the PSAs since the 1980s. The radio and TV spots can be accessed at www.kofc.org
Last year, the PSAs reached more than 43 million television viewers and 37 million radio listeners. Hundreds of billboards with the same message were also posted around the country.
This month the Knights kicked off the Christmas season with the "Light up for Christ" program. Councils were encouraged to hold a Christmas tree or Nativity scene lighting ceremony on the first Tuesday of December to commemorate Christ's birth.
Public service announcements (PSAs) in English and Spanish will air on television and radio, encouraging people to remember the real religious significance of the Christmas season and to celebrate it in various meaningful ways, including by helping the less fortunate.
"In the midst of an increasingly materialistic and secular society, it is all too easy to lose sight of what Christmas really means. We give gifts to each other because it is the day on which we celebrate the ultimate gift: the Christ child, the savior of mankind," said Supreme Knight Carl Anderson. "Even those who do not share the Christian faith can and do appreciate the message of peace and hope that this Christian holiday – holy day – brings to the world."
The Knights have been producing the PSAs since the 1980s. The radio and TV spots can be accessed at www.kofc.org
Last year, the PSAs reached more than 43 million television viewers and 37 million radio listeners. Hundreds of billboards with the same message were also posted around the country.
This month the Knights kicked off the Christmas season with the "Light up for Christ" program. Councils were encouraged to hold a Christmas tree or Nativity scene lighting ceremony on the first Tuesday of December to commemorate Christ's birth.
Friday, December 8
Immaculate Conception
The Immaculate Conception is a Catholic dogma that asserts that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was preserved by God from the stain of original sin at the time of her own conception. Specifically, the dogma says she was not afflicted by the lack of sanctifying grace that afflicts humankind, but was instead filled with grace by God, and furthermore lived a life completely free from sin. It is commonly confused with the doctrine of the incarnation and virgin birth, though the two deal with separate subjects. According to the dogma, Mary was conceived by normal biological means, but her soul was acted upon by God (kept "immaculate") at the time of her conception.
The Immaculate Conception was solemnly defined as a dogma by Pope Pius IX in his constitution Ineffabilis Deus, published December 8, 1854 (the Feast of the Immaculate Conception), and consecrated by Pope Pius XII in 1942.
The Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary had been established in 1476 by Pope Sixtus IV who stopped short of defining the doctrine as a dogma of the Catholic Faith, thus giving Catholics freedom to believe in this or not; this freedom had been reiterated by the Council of Trent. The existence of the feast was a strong indication of the Church´s belief in the Immaculate Conception, even before its 19th century definition as a dogma.
The Catholic Church believes the dogma is supported by scripture (e.g. her being greeted by Angel Gabriel as "full of Grace"), as well as either directly or indirectly by the writings of many of the Church Fathers, and often calls Mary the Blessed Virgin ( Luke 1:48). Catholic theology maintains that since Jesus became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, she needed to be completely free of sin to bear the Son of God, and that Mary is "redeemed 'by the grace of Christ' but in a more perfect manner than other human beings" (Ott, Fund., Bk 3, Pt. 3, Ch. 2, §3.1.e).
In the Catholic Church, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on 8 December is generally a Holy Day of Obligation, and a public holiday in countries where Catholicism is predominant. Prior to the spread of this doctrine, December 8 was celebrated as the Conception of Mary, since September 8 is the Feast of the Nativity of Mary.
Click here for more on the Immaculate Conception...
Thursday, December 7
Volleyball Awards
The Volleyball Awards were last night and the pictures are available through the link above. I was priviledged to be the coach for the 6th and 7th grade boys and look forward to next season!
Saturday, December 2
Let it Snow....
Well, the weather outside was frightful...
School was out this past week, Thursday and Friday saw first sleet then snow cover the ground with upwards of 10 inches of snow. I know, those that are not from Oklahoma would say, "So?" but, here , that is alot of snow!
Wednesday morning was over 70 degrees and I was wondering what the real reason that I brought my coat was. Then I found out as the temperature dropped more than 40 degrees in less than 24 hours!
Click the link above to see more pictures of the fun in the snow!
Wednesday, November 29
Thanksgiving
 |
| From Thanksgiving |
Happy Thanksgiving! More pictures from this holiday feasting to come! CLick on the picture below to see pictures from both of our Thanksgiving celebrations.
New pro-abortion Congress Will Try to Ratify Dangerous UN Treaty….
The following message is from the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute:
================
SIGN THE PETITION TO STOP RADICAL UN TREATY
New pro-abortion Congress Will Try to Ratify Dangerous UN Treaty….
Pro-abortion Catholics to lead the fight…
Your help needed right now…
November 29, 2006
Dear Friday Fax Reader,
There is a real and immediate danger that a radical UN treaty may be forced through the US Senate. The treaty is called CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women).
If ratified by the United States government, Roe V. Wade MIGHT NEVER BE OVERTURNED. Why? Because the CEDAW Committee at the UN has determined that abortion on demand is a part of the treaty and therefore binding on states that ratify it.
Here is the further problem. With the impending change in Senate leadership, pro-abortion Democrats will soon be running the Senate Committee that has the power to send CEDAW to the Senate floor for ratification. And the pro-abortionists now hold power in the Senate…..
Pro-abortion Catholic Joseph Biden of Delaware is chair of that committee. Sitting with him on the committee is radical pro-abortion Catholic John Kerry. Sitting with them is the equally pro-abortion Senator Diane Feinstein.
As a Friday Fax reader you know about the CEDAW Treaty. What you also know from reading the Friday Fax is that this innocuous sounding treaty has been used by UN radicals to force pro-life countries to change their laws on abortion. It has been used to coerce governments from listening to religious leaders.
The CEDAW Committee has…
…directed Ireland to legalize abortion…
…directed China to legalize prostitution…
…directed Krygystan to legalize lesbiansism…
…directed Belarus to cancel Mother's Day…
(because it "perpetuates" a negative cultural stereotype)
…criticized Ireland for allowing the Catholic Church to great a voice in public policy…
Almost alone the US has stood firm against ratifying this crazy treaty…but now I am worried….
I HAVE RECEIVED WORD THAT PRO-ABORTION FORCES ARE ABOUT TO LAUNCH A WAR-LIKE PUSH TO RATIFY CEDAW IN THE US SENATE….
The coming weeks are absolutely crucial to putting a stop to this treaty and so I come to you for help.
As you know the Friday Fax has been a beacon of learning and of hope for thousands and thousands of social conservatives all over the world but especially in the United States. The Friday Fax is the only weekly source of pro-life and pro-family news coming out of the UN.
The Friday Fax has alerted the pro-life and pro-family world to literally dozens of impending crises at the UN and elsewhere. The Friday Fax has literally gathered hundreds of activists at UN conferences in New York and elsewhere.
Once more the Friday Fax is going to be a crucial warrior in this fight against ratification of CEDAW by the US Senate. The Friday Fax stands at the crucible of this fight.
Over the next few weeks I will outline our plan to fight back against CEDAW. To start, we are asking you to go immediately to www.c-fam.org/apetition.htm and sign the "Petition to Stop CEDAW". While you are there I urge you to also make a much needed contribution to this campaign and to support the Friday Fax.
I fully expect that in the coming few weeks we will garner upwards of 50,000 signatures that we will HAND DELIVER to the members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Yes, we will march across town, knock on their doors and hand the petitions to them.
While you are signing the petition I also humbly ask you to donate to this "Friday Fax Campaign to Stop CEDAW." You can sign the petition at www.c-fam.org/apetition.htm and right there is a menu button which will take you to our secure donations server!
In order to fight CEDAW we have an immediate need of $150,000. And we need it in the next 37 days (and counting)! We began this campaign last week and have raised $35,000, a very nice start.
I know $150,000 sounds like a lot but is it really that much when we are talking about defending the sovereignty of the United States and defending the defenseless unborn from pro-abortion radicals at the UN?
I urge you to go to www.c-fam.org/apetition.htm, SIGN THE PETITION and give as much as you can to help the Friday Fax stop CEDAW.
Remember, that the US stands almost alone in not ratifying CEDAW. The US remains a beacon to all those countries who want to change their minds on CEDAW. We have to give them hope by making sure the US NEVER SIGNS OR RATIFIES THIS RADICAL TREATY.
Can you make a sacrificial gift of $1000 to keep the Friday Fax fighting for the unborn and for the family? What about $500? Or even $100. Send whatever sacrificial gift you can afford!
Go to www.c-fam.org/donations.htm right now and give. There are four ways to give.
1. Credit card, by using our SECURE CREDIT CARD SERVER.
2. Calling 1-866-353-2326
3. Mailing your donation to:
C-FAM/Friday Fax
1413 K Street, NW, Suite 1000
Washington DC 20005
4. Sending a donation by wire transfer
All of these methods of helping us are explained at www.c-fam.org/donations.htm
Go there now and give us as much as you can. With your help we can use the Friday Fax to stop CEDAW and to protect the unborn.
Yours sincerely,
Austin Ruse
President, C-FAM
Editor, Friday Fax
PS If we do not stop CEDAW no one will. Help us stop this radical treaty aimed like an arrow right at the heart of unborn babies. Go to www.c-fam.org/donations.htm and give now.
PPS And it does not matter if you are not American; these Democrats always make a big deal about how the US must pay attention to global opinion. Well, give it to them!!!
SEND THIS LETTER TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY….
===========================
End of email alert
================
SIGN THE PETITION TO STOP RADICAL UN TREATY
New pro-abortion Congress Will Try to Ratify Dangerous UN Treaty….
Pro-abortion Catholics to lead the fight…
Your help needed right now…
November 29, 2006
Dear Friday Fax Reader,
There is a real and immediate danger that a radical UN treaty may be forced through the US Senate. The treaty is called CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women).
If ratified by the United States government, Roe V. Wade MIGHT NEVER BE OVERTURNED. Why? Because the CEDAW Committee at the UN has determined that abortion on demand is a part of the treaty and therefore binding on states that ratify it.
Here is the further problem. With the impending change in Senate leadership, pro-abortion Democrats will soon be running the Senate Committee that has the power to send CEDAW to the Senate floor for ratification. And the pro-abortionists now hold power in the Senate…..
Pro-abortion Catholic Joseph Biden of Delaware is chair of that committee. Sitting with him on the committee is radical pro-abortion Catholic John Kerry. Sitting with them is the equally pro-abortion Senator Diane Feinstein.
As a Friday Fax reader you know about the CEDAW Treaty. What you also know from reading the Friday Fax is that this innocuous sounding treaty has been used by UN radicals to force pro-life countries to change their laws on abortion. It has been used to coerce governments from listening to religious leaders.
The CEDAW Committee has…
…directed Ireland to legalize abortion…
…directed China to legalize prostitution…
…directed Krygystan to legalize lesbiansism…
…directed Belarus to cancel Mother's Day…
(because it "perpetuates" a negative cultural stereotype)
…criticized Ireland for allowing the Catholic Church to great a voice in public policy…
Almost alone the US has stood firm against ratifying this crazy treaty…but now I am worried….
I HAVE RECEIVED WORD THAT PRO-ABORTION FORCES ARE ABOUT TO LAUNCH A WAR-LIKE PUSH TO RATIFY CEDAW IN THE US SENATE….
The coming weeks are absolutely crucial to putting a stop to this treaty and so I come to you for help.
As you know the Friday Fax has been a beacon of learning and of hope for thousands and thousands of social conservatives all over the world but especially in the United States. The Friday Fax is the only weekly source of pro-life and pro-family news coming out of the UN.
The Friday Fax has alerted the pro-life and pro-family world to literally dozens of impending crises at the UN and elsewhere. The Friday Fax has literally gathered hundreds of activists at UN conferences in New York and elsewhere.
Once more the Friday Fax is going to be a crucial warrior in this fight against ratification of CEDAW by the US Senate. The Friday Fax stands at the crucible of this fight.
Over the next few weeks I will outline our plan to fight back against CEDAW. To start, we are asking you to go immediately to www.c-fam.org/apetition.htm and sign the "Petition to Stop CEDAW". While you are there I urge you to also make a much needed contribution to this campaign and to support the Friday Fax.
I fully expect that in the coming few weeks we will garner upwards of 50,000 signatures that we will HAND DELIVER to the members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Yes, we will march across town, knock on their doors and hand the petitions to them.
While you are signing the petition I also humbly ask you to donate to this "Friday Fax Campaign to Stop CEDAW." You can sign the petition at www.c-fam.org/apetition.htm and right there is a menu button which will take you to our secure donations server!
In order to fight CEDAW we have an immediate need of $150,000. And we need it in the next 37 days (and counting)! We began this campaign last week and have raised $35,000, a very nice start.
I know $150,000 sounds like a lot but is it really that much when we are talking about defending the sovereignty of the United States and defending the defenseless unborn from pro-abortion radicals at the UN?
I urge you to go to www.c-fam.org/apetition.htm, SIGN THE PETITION and give as much as you can to help the Friday Fax stop CEDAW.
Remember, that the US stands almost alone in not ratifying CEDAW. The US remains a beacon to all those countries who want to change their minds on CEDAW. We have to give them hope by making sure the US NEVER SIGNS OR RATIFIES THIS RADICAL TREATY.
Can you make a sacrificial gift of $1000 to keep the Friday Fax fighting for the unborn and for the family? What about $500? Or even $100. Send whatever sacrificial gift you can afford!
Go to www.c-fam.org/donations.htm right now and give. There are four ways to give.
1. Credit card, by using our SECURE CREDIT CARD SERVER.
2. Calling 1-866-353-2326
3. Mailing your donation to:
C-FAM/Friday Fax
1413 K Street, NW, Suite 1000
Washington DC 20005
4. Sending a donation by wire transfer
All of these methods of helping us are explained at www.c-fam.org/donations.htm
Go there now and give us as much as you can. With your help we can use the Friday Fax to stop CEDAW and to protect the unborn.
Yours sincerely,
Austin Ruse
President, C-FAM
Editor, Friday Fax
PS If we do not stop CEDAW no one will. Help us stop this radical treaty aimed like an arrow right at the heart of unborn babies. Go to www.c-fam.org/donations.htm and give now.
PPS And it does not matter if you are not American; these Democrats always make a big deal about how the US must pay attention to global opinion. Well, give it to them!!!
SEND THIS LETTER TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY….
===========================
End of email alert
Monday, November 27
Raising Children of Character: 10 Principles THOMAS LICKONA
Parenting is arguably the hardest job there is and the one for which we get no training. Here are ten principles of parenting that can guide us in the demanding work of raising children of character.
Raising a civilized child takes 20 years of constant teaching and another 10 of review.
- Judith Martin (Miss Manners)
One of my college students, reflecting on her character development, wrote: “I was an only child, and my parents let me have my own way most of the time. I know they wanted to show how much they loved me, but I have struggled with selfishness my whole life.”
We need to view our children as adults-in-the-making. What kind of character do we want them to possess as grown men and women? Will they be generous and responsible adults? Will they make loving husbands and wives, and capable mothers and fathers? How is our approach to parenting likely to affect these outcomes?
2. Be an Authoritative Parent
Parents must have a strong sense of their moral authority — their right to be respected and obeyed. Psychologist Diana Baumrind's research has identified three styles of parenting: authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive. Authoritarian parents use a lot of commands and threats but little reasoning. Permissive parents are high on affection but low on authority. By contrast, authoritative parents are high on authority, reasoning, fairness, and love. The authoritative parent "explains reasons behind demands, encourages give and take, and sets standards and enforces them firmly but does not regard self as infallible." Baumrind finds that at all age levels, the most self-confident and socially responsible children have authoritative parents.
To establish an authoritative parenting style, we should have a zero tolerance policy for disrespectful speech and behavior. When kids engage in disrespectful back-talk, they need immediate corrective feedback (“What is your tone of voice?”, “You are not allowed to speak to me in that way, even if you’re upset.”). Allowing our children to speak to us disrespectfully will quickly erode their respect for our moral authority, our rules, our example, and our teaching.
3. Love Children
When kids feel loved, they become attached to us. That attachment makes them receptive to our guidance.
One-on-one time. We need emotionally intimate time to keep any relationship strong and growing. To protect one-on- one time with our children, we should plan it. I know a school superintendent, a father of four, who can show you in his appointment book which child he’ll be spending the coming Saturday afternoon with. “If I didn’t schedule that time,” he says, “it wouldn’t happen.”
Love as communication. Good communication doesn’t happen automatically. We often need to do something deliberate to bring about a meaningful exchange of thoughts and experiences. When our older son Mark was 13, I became frustrated with the fact that our exchanges typically consisted of my asking questions and his giving monosyllabic answers. (“How was school?” “Fine.” “How’d the game go?” “Great.”) One day, in exasperation, I said: “It would be great if you asked me a question.”
He said, “Okay, Dad, how are your courses going this semester?” It was the first time I ever talked to him about my teaching. After that, even if we had only five minutes in the car, we’d do “back-and-forth questions”: I’d ask him one (e.g., “What was the best part and the worst part of your day?”), he’d ask me one (often the same question), and so on. It became a family tradition.
Love as sacrifice. About a million children see their parents divorce each year. Marriages fail for many reasons, including violence, alcoholism, and infidelity. Researcher Judith Wallerstein's book, The Unexpected Legacy of Divorce (2000), documents the often lasting repercussions of family breakdown for both kids and adults. Given such evidence, both secular and religious marriage counselors are now urging married couples having problems to do everything possible to try to save their marriage.
Click here for the rest of this article
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