Got Gluttony?

Obesity could affect 42% of Americans by 2030

American culture is hooked on gluttony -- and I don't mean just food. We're a culture drowning in excess. Our closets are filled with more clothing than we could wear out in a lifetime. We have too much stuff and spend too much time on everything except the most important things. Have you ever heard anyone say, "Gosh, I spend too much time praying." or "I spend too much time interacting with my children."? Probably not. But we have all the time in the world to play with our gadgets, watch TV, and interact with "friends" on Facebook.  We're not only physically obese, but spiritually obese as well. The question is -- what are we going to do about it?

Mary's Month of May and a First Communion

I love May! Not only because it's the month of Mary for whom I was named, but because it's also the month of First Communion and Ordination, two sacraments essential to the life of the faithful. Today one of our grandchildren made his First Communion at All Saints in Manassas. It was our first time in the new church and I was so pleased to see how beautiful it is. It replaces one of the "ugly as sin" churches from the post Vatican II era.

The first thing I noticed was how bright it is with lots of windows unlike some of the dismal churches in the diocese (Holy Spirit comes to mind). The beautiful tabernacle is returned to its proper place in the center of the sanctuary unlike its placement in a separate room in the old church. (The old tabernacle was truly ugly as well. Jesus is honored much more in His new home.) A beautiful crucifix replaces the awful painting that hung in the old church. (Thank God!)


But the feature that struck me the most was the altar. The wood is stained a beautiful warm brown and there are crosses the same color on a square, cream-colored background on the corners of the top. In the center on the base is another larger cross on the same cream background. The three crosses gave me an impression of the door and windows of a house, especially because the altar top is gabled on the bottom creating the idea of a roof, unusual and very striking.

When Father spoke in his sermon about the Eucharist bringing heaven down to earth, I thought about the image of the altar as the entrance into our heavenly home. "Of course, the Eucharist is the door to heaven and the altar is both the altar of sacrifice and the center of our Catholic family just like the table in our own homes is the center for family gatherings and celebrations.

The parish has a wonderful photo collection from the dedication of the church that shows all the features I'm talking about. Take a Sunday stroll to All Saints either virtually or for real and rejoice at this wonderful knew "house of God" honoring Our Lord. And a big thank you to all involved in its design and construction.

Would Your Son Look Like Tyrone, Mr. President?

Have you seen this on the national news? Has President Obama called the children of this elderly couple? (The elderly man has since died so Tyrone may face a double murder charge.)  



And here's more fallout from Obama's race war rhetoric:

Wave of black mobs brutalizing whites

Trayvon Martin Case Inspires Black on White Hate Crime in Chicago

White Teenager Doused in Gasoline and Set on Fire by Blacks

Two Blacks Arrested in Brutal Hammer Beating of White Man

Bob Strait survived fighting the Nazis in World War II, but he couldn't defend himself against the monsters of our modern culture. And this is what happens in the culture of death! The greatest predictor of young men growing up to be criminals is being raised in a fatherless home. Before Johnson's Great Society, most black youth (almost 80%) were raised in intact family with a father. Today,  since liberal policies destroyed the black family, over 60% of black youth are born to single moms, often teenagers.  Daniel Patrick Moynihan tried in 1965 to alert the nation to save the black family. His Moynihan Report calling for national action went unheeded. Instead, liberal policies like no-fault divorce are rapidly creating the same tragedy of family disintegration for whites. And the same-sex marriage assault will further destroy the traditional family.

All I can say is pray a lot and raise your children to love and forgive their enemies, because there will be more and more of those in the future unless a miracle of grace transforms this nation. Tyrone Woodfork is to be pitied. God loves the most unlovable among us. He loves the white monsters of the "super race" who Bob Strait fought during WW II and the black monsters roaming our streets today. Their evil brutality repels, but may it also call forth our witness that Jesus Christ transforms. No matter what evil a person has done, he can be forgiven. Some of the greatest monsters have become the greatest saints. May it prove so for Tyrone Woodfork. Somehow, I think Mr. and Mrs. Strait are praying for that outcome for their neighbor.

Is this a joke? Get Hillary into Drug Rehab!

Clean Cookstoves Top Hillary's Agenda

If it was April 1st, I'd think this was a joke. It sure makes Hillary Clinton and the State Department look ridiculous! The Chinese kill millions of babies every year through their forced abortion policy. They persecute dissidents like the courageous Chen Guangcheng who opposes the evil. They imprison Catholic priests and bishops who dare to teach Christ's truth....

And Hillary's chief concern is getting them to use clean cookstoves? Guess she wants to prove she can take the heat in the kitchen. Hey, if she's so concerned about the environment, let her find out what they're doing with all the baby bodies. Are they in the landfills? In the sewer system? Polluting the lakes and streams?

You know that joint that Bill smoked but didn't inhale? Hillary apparently inhaled big time and still is!

EPA: The Crucify Jobs Administration

Washington Crucifies Job Creators

In view of the way the EPA comes down on regular citizens, banning them from using their own property, declaring a field with a puddle a "wetland," etc. I think the policy of "crucifixion" is well established. This is one agency that absolutely should be disbanded. The feds have no business in this; it's a state function. 

They Want Our Money...

The Test of Faith: Dominic's Story

How do we know whether we really have faith? Certainly not when things are going well. It's challenges and tragedies that give us the opportunity to demonstrate the depth of our faith and trust in God. I thought about that this morning when I read the Caring Bridge Journal today for a little unborn baby named Dominic. He has serious disabilities and, from the description, I mean REALLY serious.

To read his mother Mary's journey of both sorrow and joy is to see her walking on the beach carried by Jesus. Surely Our Lady of Sorrows is enfolding her in her mantle and strengthening her as she witnesses to God's will for her family. I am humbled at this mother's great faith and trust in God. She brings to life the challenging Scripture passage that "All things work together for good to those who love the Lord and serve according to His purpose."

Please pray for Dominic and his family. There is a photo on Caring Bridge of a wall of pictures that shows his siblings. This little one is being welcomed into a community of love - the little domestic church of the family. Let us support them as they walk their difficult path with this special child of God.

Holy Ground in New Mexico

Check out the website. 

The Real War on Women: It's at the White House!

There's an old saying that if you're pointing your finger at someone, three fingers are pointing at you. Obama will accuse his political opponents of anything if he thinks it will get him a vote. And he believes the American people are so stupid they'll never give any of his accusations a second thought -- especially women. Well, Mr. President, I don't believe that women are as dumb as you think they are. We know you're trying to use us and we're not playing.

The real war on women is the mentality that says we have to deny our womanliness to compete with men, that we are somehow defective because we can become pregnant, that our unborn children are nothing more than a sexually transmitted disease. We refuse to make ourselves female eunuchs to please misogynist men who want us for sex toys. The battlefield in the war on women is at the abortion mills, many of them run by Planned Parenthood, Mr. President, the organization you champion. And half of the babies killed there are little women. A disproportionate number of those little women look like your daughters, Mr. President, because the war on women in the abortion mills is a genocidal war against minority women. Blacks represent about 12% of the U.S. population. Black women have almost 40% of the abortions. Stop the war on women, Mr. President, especially the racist war against little black women in the womb!

May Day Mostly Fizzles

Despite all the hype about their plans to disrupt business on May Day, most of the country seems to be reacting with a ho-hum, although there were a few incidents of anarchy, the major being a threat to blow up a bridge in Cleveland by a group of anarchists associated with the occupy movement. The FBI foiled it. As for protests across the country, they attracted small crowds, some vandalism, but mostly May Day was a non-event. Some of the mainstream media outlets tried to magnify them, but they were still pretty inconsequential compared to all the publicity beforehand.

Occupy May Day Mostly Quiet

Vandalism in San Francisco, Things Turn Ugly


Not Much Disruption in Chicago