Two Thumbs Up to Fr. Michael Taylor of Corpus Christi Mission

The Les Femmes Autumn newsletter is going to the Post Office today, and we generally don't post it on the website for several weeks. But in view of the current debate over altar girls in Arlington, I'm making an exception and putting it on the blog. The entire Autumn newsletter will go up on the website later, but for now we join the debate and thank those priests who have restored the age-old practice of boys only at the altar. Two thumbs up to Fr. Michael Taylor and his confreres who sustain the practice of using boys as "little clerics" at the altar.

 Back to the Future: Revisiting Girl Altar Boys
When Bishop Paul Loverde approved girl altar boys in 2006, he ensured that the fight over maintaining
the Church's long-term practice of male servers would be a perpetual one, at least in Arlington. Call to Action (CTA), a notorious dissent group demanding women's ordination, anything-goes sexual ethics, and other heretical positions, led the original fight in the mid 1990s with their "Let the lasses serve at Masses" mantra. Today, the issue is simmering again. A handful of disgruntled parishioners and ex-parishioners from Corpus Christi Mission in South Riding, VA, whose administrator, Fr. Michael Taylor, is phasing out altar girls, organized a letter campaign and a November 20th vigil at the chancery demanding "equity" for the girls. Not surprisingly, the issue is closely tied to dissent, as CTA joined the fray and sent out a press release advertising the chancery protest.1
Before discussing the current controversy, however, a recap of the history puts the issue in perspective. The previous bishop of Arlington, John Keating, was one of only two in the United States (Bishop Bruskewitz of Lincoln, NE being the other) to opt for boys-only when the Vatican first permitted girls to serve in 1994. Keating called the altar boys his "farm team" for the priesthood and, under his leadership and that of Vocations Director Fr. James Gould, Arlington was the envy of most dioceses in the country. Between 1993 and 1998, the year of Keating's death, while many dioceses ordained at most one or two men a year (sometimes none), Arlington welcomed at least 35 new priests.

How Many Priests Are Living Under a Cloud of False Accusations?

The hatred for the Church is widespread and vicious. While some priests did deplorable things and should be punished, what about the priests falsely accused for a single alleged act 30 years ago? Can anyone seriously doubt that there are false accusations? David Pierre, Jr. certainly doesn't and he's written a book to connect the dots between venal lawyers who hate the Church and are looking for an easy cash cow and false sex abuse allegation. You can read more about it by clicking on the link below. And pray for priests, both the guilty and the innocent.

A Book Every Priest Needs to Read: Catholic Priests Falsely Accused

Cross Macy's Off Your Shopping List!

Earlier today I blogged about a Macy's in Texas firing a female clerk because she told a cross-dressing man he couldn't use the women's dressing room. Well, it's been bothering me all morning and I decided just talking about it wasn't enough. After all, consumers still have the power of the purse. Even if homosexuals have more disposable income than most people, there aren't that many of them. If Macey's didn't have Mom and Dad, their kids, and Grandma and Pap-pap buying for themselves and others, they couldn't survive. So let's give Macy's a big Christmas wake up call. If you have a Macy's charge cancel it and let them know why. If you bought something recently, return it. And let's send lots and lots and lots of emails saying we won't be shopping at the store on 34th Street or any of the other Macy's this Christmas season. You can read my email below and send your own here:

Dear Mr. Lundgren:

I just heard about a Macy's in Texas firing a female clerk for telling a man he couldn't use the women's dressing room. I suspect that most of your shoppers are women. I know I would feel uncomfortable and intimidated going into a dressing room where cross-dressing men were engaging in their strange fantasies -- especially if I were accompanied by children.

I buy a lot of gifts for my five children, their spouses, and our 21 grandchildren. But Macy's is certainly off my list of stores for the Christmas season and the rest of the year as well.

As for Macy's being the "friendly store" of Miracle on 34th Street, you sure aren't friendly for Christian families who want to protect their children from bizarre and disordered behavior.

Merry Christmas and may your bottom line fall into the abyss.

Good News at Catholic University

“Same-sex dormitories do not constitute unlawful discrimination”:
Human rights agency dismisses complaint against Catholic University of America

See if you have this straight.... Macy's let's a guy, who lives in a virtual world where he's a girl, use the Ladies dressing room. (See previous post.) The D.C. human rights agency says same sex dorms are not discriminatory and points out the ludicrous results such a ruling would have, i.e., requiring same-sex bathrooms, locker rooms, sports teams, (dressing rooms?), etc. What's going to rule here? Common sense or politically correct nonsense?

It's not Kris Kringle's Macy's Anymore!

What do you think of this scenario? Your teenage daughters go shopping at Macy's for dresses for a special occasion. They take their little sister with them. When they go to the dressing room with their selections, lo and behold, a group of "transgender" guys are using the rooms and coming out to show each other their frilly selections.

Sound crazy? I agree. But that is the new reality at the LGBT friendly store. Macy's just fired a female clerk who told a man he couldn't use the female dressing room. Macy's says a "transgender" male can use any dressing rooms he wants.

This, of course, will end up in court. Now whose "rights" do you think will be upheld?

Macy's clerk fired for booting man from women's dressing room

Looks like a good movie for the Christmas season

My friend Martin Barillas at Spero Forum has put together a video review of Steven Spielberg's new film Tintin. It looks like loads of fun. Maybe this should be on your Christmas list for entertaining grandkids.

We Need More of These Flash Mobs

"May we see You one day face to face in heaven."

Pray for the Imprisoned: It's a Spiritual Work of Mercy

One of the spiritual works of mercy is to "pray for the imprisoned." A reader asked me a question about Corey Clagett, a soldier who killed two Iraqi prisoners following an unlawful order. He pled guilty and was sentenced in 2007 to 18 years as a result, a severe sentence compared to the officer who ordered the murders and the other two soldiers invovled who are all out. One of the soldiers returned to active duty. If you want to see more about Corey's case go here. But you really don't need to read about it to understand that this young man, who was 21 at the time of the incident and has mostly served in solitary confinement since then, is suffering severely for his lapse in judgment and his terrible act. He was abused in prison and his mental health has been affected by what happened.

We hear during Advent that "those in darkness have seen a great light." Corey is in darkness and needs the light of our prayers and encouragement. Will you send him a note or a Christmas card today? His Address is:

Corey Clagett 82477
1300 N. Warehouse Rd.
Ft. Leavenworth, KS 66027

All of us are sinners and would despair without the light of Christ. Be a light for Corey during this Advent season. When you light your wreath don't forget to remember him and all those serving in war zones (and all prisoners) who are languishing in prison cells, especially missionaries and those suffering unjustly out of religious persecution.

Reflection on Duty

I just read an article in Chronicles, one of my favorite magazines, and was shocked by it because of the audience the author was addressing. I'm not easily shocked I might add. But Jeff Minick described teaching a seminar for homeschoolers on the Civil War. They were discussing Robert E. Lee and he brought up Lee's commitment to duty. "For Lee duty was a sort of eighth virtue," he told the young people. They responded by expressing their dislike of the word for being "harsh" and "heavy" and "old fashioned." Minick was surprised by their antipathy, but says he missed a teaching moment by not pursuing the discussion. He went on to describe how the word duty has almost disappeared from our vocabulary, replaced by the word "responsibility" which has a different connation. Duty implies control from the outside; responsibility implies personal acceptance. Minarick believes the "semantic shift has consequences," not positive ones, both for individuals and the culture.

Minarick is a college professor. He tells us that "In my 25 years of teaching, I have never once heard anyone explain to students that learning is a duty. Parents and teachers extol the value of study...but to tell students they have the duty to study, just as soldiers have the duty of defendingt their country, never enters the discussion." And he goes on to describe how he is incorporating the idea of duty into his classes including Emerson's poem:

So nigh is grandeur to our dust,

So near is God to man,

When Duty whispers low, Thou must,

The youth replies, I can!

On reflection, I'm not all that surprised at the antipathy our modern society has toward duty. My generation grew up in the aftermath of World War II. Our fathers and uncles and neighbors had responded to the call to duty and fought at great personal cost. In a Catholic family, I often heard about our obligation to "do the duties of our state in life." And I told my husband I should have this epitaph on my gravestone. "She did her duty with gritted teeth."

Perhaps that explains why our entitlement culture would rather not think about duty. It's hard and sometimes even unpleasant. They would rather apply it to others than themselves. The government, in particular, has a duty to provide for them from cradle to grave. They, on the other hand, have no duties, only rights. Certainly, the Occupy movement reflects that as the spoiled kids with their I-phones, I-pods, and I-pads (Did you ever notice the narcissistic emphasis of those names?) call society to pour out more goodies into their open arms and mouths. In one humorous discussion on YouTube, a reporter asks a young man if he will share his I-pad with others and he says, no because it's his personal property. When she points out that he is demanding that others share their property, he goes through hoops justifying his inconsistent position. Greed, it seems, is in the eye of the beholder. Recognizing and doing one's duty takes grownups. Is it any wonder that a dependent generation of adolescent crybabies hates the word?

Reflecting on duty seems to me to be a good Advent preparation. Our Lord spoke to Sr. Lucy of Fatima in 1943 saying,  “The sacrifice required of every person is the fulfillment of his duties in life and the observance of My Law. This is the penance that I now seek and require.” We would do well to listen and obey Our Lord. What are the duties of your state in life? Are you fulfilling them to the best of your ability? We would all do well to examine our consciences this Advent on what God expects of us. We have moral duties and, like it or not, we will answer for the way we fulfill or  fail to fulfill them. Let us try to instill in our children and grandchildren the sense that doing your duty is a question of honor. Emerson's poem goes well with the final lines of Richard Lovelace's poem To Lucasta, Going to the Wars.

I could not love thee, dear, so much,

Lov'd I not honour more.

Duty and honor are closely linked and both are pretty much ignored by our narcissistic culture that puts personal pleasure above all. A truly Catholic world view, however, values both, seeking to live a virtuous life where faithfulness to duty helps define an individual's honor and integrity. One would expect homeschoolers to get this even if the larger culture doesn't. But, like the plant growing in an acid soil, students, even homeschoolers, are impacted by the cultural soil. In view of that, one important duty of Catholic parents is to emphasize and instill a sense of duty in their children: duty to God, to family, and to our neighbor. It isn't just a responsibility but a sacred duty. God help us if we fail to perform it.



A Novena for Healing: To Christ the Great Physician through the intercession of Blessed Vincenza Maria Poloni

I have a personal request for all my readers today. Will you please pray for my brother John? John is a retired Baltimore County police officer who had a stroke two years ago at age 54. It left him with an almost useless left side and his condition was complicated further when he contracted a disease called transverse myelitis. John is in constant pain and so far little has helped to relieve it. Doctors at Johns Hopkins pain clinic tried a temporary implant to send electric stimuli to block the pain, but it didn't work so they scrapped plans for a permanent implant. Meanwhile, John continues to suffer.

I recently came across a Blessed who is in need of a miracle for canonization and whose story is so full of providential connections to John that I decided to make a novena for his miraculous healing through her intercession. My husband and I will begin it this Sunday, the second Sunday of Advent. We will pray the daily rosary and the Prayer below asking Blessed Vincenza to intercede for John's complete healing. What a grace if through her prayers John could have his left side restored like the man with the withered arm.

In case you're interested in why I chose this Blessed, her name in religious life was the first attention-getter because John lives on Vincenza Dr. But there are other similarities. Blessed Vincenza Maria Poloni was one of twelve children, only three of whom lived to adulthood. We also come from a large family. My mom had eleven full term pregnancies and several miscarriages with ten children living to adulthood. Blessed Vincenza founded an order to care for the sick and infirm and devoted her adult life to praying for and serving them. I know she would be touched by my brother's difficult circumstances because she chose to found an order to help people like him. Finally, Blessed Vincenza was found dead November 11, 1855. I wonder if she too was the victim of a stroke. She was 53 almost the same age as John when he was struck down, and her death year was 100 years before John’s birth. John, like Blessed Vincenza was found in his room, not dead, but too late for the clot-busting drugs that might have prevented so much damage.

I wondered when I read Blessed Vincenza's story in my Magnificat whether all these connections with John could be just random coincidences or was Blessed Vincenza inviting us to seek her intercession? I determined to ask my family to begin praying for John’s cure through this Blessed’s prayers before the throne of God. What a grace if his cure should be the miracle needed for her canonization. Please join us in this prayer for John from December 3 to December 11, the vigil of the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. If you can add the daily rosary or at least one Hail Mary, I would be so grateful.

Here is a healing prayer approved by the church for those seeking a miracle. Since it's written in the first person I've put the original words in parentheses, and included the proper third person construction.

Prayer for a Creative Miracle
(Through the intercession of Blessed Vincenza Maria Poloni we pray):

God of all creation, you who spoke a simple command and brought forth light from the darkness, I call upon you now to send forth your miracle-working power into every aspect of (my) John's being. In the same way that you spoke unto the dust of the ground when you created humankind in your own image, I ask you to send forth your healing power into (my) John's body. Send forth your word and command every cell, electrical and chemical impulse, tissue, joint, ligament, organ, gland, muscle, bone and every molecule in (my) his body to come under complete and perfect health, strength, alignment, balance and harmony.

It is through you that (I) John lives and moves and (have my) has his being. With every breath (I) he takes, (I) he lives under your life-giving grace. I ask you to touch (me) him now with the same miracle-working power that you used when you fashioned (me) him inside (my) his mother’s womb. As surely as you have created (me) him in your image and likeness, you can also recreate (me) him now and restore (me) him to health.

Please fill (me) John with your healing power. Cast out all that should not be inside of (me) him. I ask you to mend all that is broken, root out every sickness and disease, open all blocked arteries and veins, restore (my) his internal organs, rebuild (my) his damaged tissues, remove all inflammation and cleanse (me) him of all infections, viruses and destructive forms of bacteria.

Let the warmth of your healing love flood (my) his entire being, so that (my) his body will function the way it was created to be, whole and complete, renewed in your perfect health. I ask this through (the intercession of Blessed Vincenza Maria Poloni)  to my Lord, Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Once Upon a Time a Brave Council of the K of C Suspended a Pro-Abortion Knight!

The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic fraternal men's group that must be admired for its high-profile, pro-life work. They serve as marshals for the March for Life in January, fund a number of pro-life projects including the purchase of sonogram machines for pregnancy help centers, and distribute masses of pro-life literature. All of this pro-life work, however, is compromised by their utter refusal to address the problem of allowing publicly pro-abortion politicians to remain in their midst and commit grave public scandal without consequence. In many cases, the passage of pro-abortion legislation at the state and national levels can be laid directly at the feet of pro-abortion Knights. Their brother Knights who object and call for implementation of the by-laws requiring suspension or explulsion for scandal are often treated as the enemy by officers at the local, state, and national levels. Those leaders claim that the Knights can only expel a member if he is excommunicated by his bishop. But now there is a short and compelling little book that challenges that red-herring and calls on the Knights to practice what they preach.

You Know All Those Lawyer Jokes?

Here's the lawyer who inspired them.

Pope sued for not wearing seat belt

For the Hypocrites in Hollywood

Aren't word derivations fascinating:? I learned today that the word hypocrite comes from a Greek word, hypokrites, that means play actor. Hypocrisy comes from hypokrisis which means play acting. Isn't that delightful? It puts in perspective all the spouting off of actors and actresses and movie directors making seven figure salaries as they point the finger at those greedy CEOs on Wall Street.

Who among the hypocrites has been out parading their hypocrisy at OWS events? Let's see: Michael Moore, Susan Sarandon, Alec Baldwin.  Roseanne Barr actually recommended the guillotine for the greediest CEOs, she who made about $20 million a year in her last season on the telly. One wonders how much of her largesse, some of which no doubt came from those greedy businesses advertising on her sitcom, she shared with the 99%. Perhaps she gave at the office.

Ah yes, the Hollywood and New York entertainment elite are better at condemning the greed of the rest of us as they laugh their way to the bank. This article suggests they engage in a little personal wealth redistribution to avoid the oh-so-accurate portrayal of themselves as hypocrites.

So how 'bout it, Hollywood elite, how 'bout it New York nightime hosts....share that salary with the prop guy and wardrobe gal and the poor gopher who fetches your coffee. And get up outa that chair with your name on it and let the poor workers take a seat while you serve them for a change. And please...don't do it while the cameras are rolling to show what a comrade you are to the downtrodden. That just makes your hypocrisy all the more apparent.

One Million Christmas Cards to the ACLU with One Million Hail Marys

Jesus told us to love our enemy and the ACLU has to be on God's "most wanted" enemies list. After all, he always goes searching for the lost.

So how about following through on an idea that's been running around the internet -- with a little extra twist.

Send the ACLU a Christmas card, mailing address: 125 Broad Street, 18th Floor, New York NY 10004 and say a Hail Mary for the person who opens it. Don't identify your purpose on the outside or it will go straight into the circular file. You want them to have to unseal it and look at it. Think of the outlay of employee hours opening a million cards looking for that donation check. Think of finding instead a cheery Christmas card with a message of prayer? They might be disgusted, but they'll still be touched by a drop of grace. How many drops before the rock of disbelief crumbles?

And who knows what little acts of kindness can impact a Scrooge with the heart of the Grinch that's two sizes too small?

So wish the ACLU a Merry Christmas and tell them you are praying for them. Send along Tiny Tim's message as well. "God bless us every one."

He's Got Occupy Wall Street's Number and the Cure for It!

The problem? prosperity, an entitlement mentality, and lack of gratitude. The cure? three and a half days every year fending for yourself in the woods and learning to grow up! He's pegged it. An attitude of gratitude is one of the prerequisites for growth in holiness.

Keep Christ in Christmas

Advent is here and the mad shopping season has commenced. Of course, the reason for the season is our preparation for welcoming the baby in the manger (and His coming in our hearts and his return on the last day), but many retailers want to take advantage of the gift-giving tradition while "dissing" Jesus.

So here's the message I'm sending with my signs on the front lawn and my magnet on the back of the car -- Keep Christ in Christmas! (Hat tip to Fr. Collins for sending the video below.) Buy from stores that aren't afraid to wish their customers a very Merry Christmas. But don't lose out on the anticipation of  Advent. Follow the star.

The Miracle of Life: "The Magic that is Us!"

Alexander Tsiaras uses the term "divinity" several times during the course of his presentation. He's got it right. We are "fearfully, wonderfully made" as Psalm 139 tells us, made in the image and likeness of God. Our complexity did not come about by accident and sure didn't develop out of the primordial soup or on the back of crystals. God called us forth and knew us at every moment as we grew in the womb. What a wonder to watch the miracle of pre-natal development unfold.

More Evidence of Climategate or The Liars are Caught Red-Handed....Again!

All the so-called scientists who don't mind cooking the data and lying about it have been caught red-handed at the keyboard again. A new batch of emails shows once again that the "great man-made global warming scare is not about science but about political activism."   It's not easy to keep track of all the climategate hankie pankie, but here's a website for those who want to stay on top of the iceberg before it melts in all the hot air of faux science.

Hat tip to Ray. I'm still laughing about what I've been reading, although, it really is no laughing matter. In the light of eternity fraud and scare-mongering are not innocuous sins -- especially when, in the process, you destroy the reputations of others. But these days truth isn't valued much. Sad.

The Scandal of Catholic Charities

If I had to choose one thing that has corrupted the Church in the United States, it would be government entanglement. I've written plenty here about the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD), but it's peanuts compared to Catholic Charities and Catholic Relief Services, both of which are knee deep in enabling government evil.

My friend Janet has a great post about Catholic Charities on her blog. It's a good reason to look for alternative charities that you know are solid. We have a non-negotiable responsibility to help Lazarus at the gate. We shouldn't have to finance government condom and needle exchange programs at the same time, not to mention enabling minors' abortions.

Brain Surgery: A Decision between a Woman and Her Doctor?

Remember when abortion was described as a decision "between a woman and her doctor?" How come that same rationale doesn't apply to a decision about brain surgery being a decision between a patient and his neurosurgeon?

Listen to this exchange on Mark Levin's show by someone who says he's a neurosurgeon just back from a consultation in Washington, D.C. on the standards for brain surgery on patients over 70. If he's who he says he is, grandparents are in for a rocky ride under Obamacare. The death panels are coming. Here's an excerpt from the transcript:

Caller: Basically what the document stated was that if you were over 70 and you’d come into an emergency room and you’re on government supported health care, that you’d get “comfort care”.

Mark Levin: Wait a minute…what’s the source for this?
Caller: This is Obama’s new health care plan for advanced neurosurgical care.

Mark Levin: And who issued this? HHS?

Caller: Yes. And basically they don’t call them patients, they call them units. And instead of – they call it “ethics panels” or “ethics committees”, would get together and meet and decide where the money would go for hospitals, and basically for patients over 70 years of age, that advanced neurosurgical care was not generally indicated.
Mark Levin: So it’s generally going to be denied?
Caller: Yes, absolutely. …If someone comes in at 70 years of age with a bleed in their brain, I can promise you I’m not going to get a bunch of administrators together on an ethics panel at 2 in the morning to decide that I’m OK to do surgery.