Father-in-law of the Bride: Liar, Cheat, Embezzler, Democrat Congressman

ED MEZVINSKY -- Chelsea Clinton's Father-in-law!

Have you ever heard of him? Do you think you would have heard of him if he was father-in-law to the Bush girls? My first thought was "birds of a feather flock together."

Mezvinsky bilked taxpayers of $10 million, about the same amount that Chelsea and her hubby spent on their 5,000 square foot New York apartment. Where do you think all that money came from, eh?

Exposing the Bloody Liberals

With Blood on Their Hands is an excellent analysis of the bloody ambitious tyrants in the administration who have happily sold our soldiers and others down the river while coddling terrorists. Benghazi will no doubt disappear down the memory hole as a complicit media once again gives their liberal heroes a pass on their craven actions. There is nothing these Saul Alinsky clones can do that will alienate them from worshipful sycophants like MSNBC's Christ Matthews. Somehow the press principle, "If it bleeds it leads," only applies to blood shed on a conservative's watch. The Liberal bloodbath, no matter how scandalous, is as invisible to the press as the spot on Lady Macbeth's hand. They are treating Benghazi and Seal Team 6 the same way they treated Kermit Gosnell's bloody house of horrors, i.e., not at all.

How the mighty 4th estate has fallen! No wonder distrust in the media has hit an all-time high!

If You Can Read This, Thank Your Teacher: Mom!

Ever seen that slightly different message on a bumper sticker? It says "thank a teacher" without the "Mom."

But who are the first teachers, the primary teachers?

Moms and dads, especially stay-at-home moms who teach their children everything from how to play patty-cake, to saying their first words, to making the Sign of the Cross, to counting and learning colors, to brushing their teeth and putting their shoes on the right feet. And for teaching the virtues: honesty, modesty, kindness, prudence, etc.

Yup, moms are the best! Thanks to my mom today and every day! I'm praying for you today, Mom, in thanksgiving for life and all the joys and sorrows that go with it.

Some special memories crowd in today so I'll list some things I'm thankful for:

• that beautiful pink organdy graduation dress you made me for eighth grade. I was still wearing it in college!
•  for porcupine balls made in the pressure cooker (one of my favorite dinners) and all those endless meals you cooked and served for our large family, 
• for all the 6:30 a.m. morning Masses together at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, 
• for cookie-baking and sewing lessons - I still remember that vest I made for my first project,
• for teaching me how to make a bed with hospital corners,
• for your cheerful disposition that continues to be reflected in all your children,
• for your impeccable English that helped us all score well on the verbal SATs by just picking the choices that "sounded right,"
• for all those years of faithful service to your family of twelve -- especially our dinners together every night -- they were the "Eucharist" of our family's "domestic church." 

Your legacy continues to bless us into the next generation.

Happy Mother's Day!

Falsely Accused: The Trial of Gordon MacRae

Money is a big motivator and I have no doubt that there were innocent priests caught up in the horrendous sex abuse scandals because somebody saw a cash cow and hired an unscrupulous lawyer to milk it. Just make an accusation and get the payoff. Unfortunately, an accusation of sex abuse was often all it took to ruin a priest's reputation and bishops were quick to throw the accused under the bus to divert attention from their own cover ups.

The idea that an accusation equals guilt flies in the face of our legal system of presumed innocence, but in many dioceses an accusation was all it took to get a priest booted and a diocese to make a payout jeopardizing the investigation and determination of guilt. How many innocent men were caught up amidst the guilty? How many never got a fair hearing in court?

Fr. MacRae certainly seems to be one of them. Reading his story is shocking and sad. Dorothy Rabinowitz who wrote about Father in 2005 just published an updated article in the Wall Street Journal. Check it out here and the original story here. And you can also read Fr. MacRae's writings at These Stone Walls.

Democrats: Make it rich in politics and attack rich conservatives! What hypocrites!

Democrats are such hypocrites. They are always attacking the rich, but they are among the richest. Check out Al Gore. His dad wasn't a railroad, oil, or manufacturing tycoon. He was a Tennessee politician for over 35 years as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and then Senator. The younger Al Gore followed in Daddy's footsteps and has magnified the family fortune to over $300 million. He's richer than Romney according to Forbes. Gore was a politicians from 1977 to 2001 and has used promotion of "green energy" to build his fortune exponentially. Isn't it interesting that the government of which he was a part was so quick to invest in the greenies. Taxpayers ended up holding the bag for the $500 million dollar loan to Solyndra. It's so easy to spend other people's money! As for Gore, he raked money in hand over fist peddling green energy and global warming hysteria hyped by both government and media.

Nancy Pelosi' daddy was the son of Italian immigrants who got into politics early on after working as an insurance broker. Nancy didn't run until after her children were grown. Poor thing. She's only worth $35 million, but has had a big boost in recent years. Must be her charming personality.

Bill and Hillary Clinton are particularly interesting since they came from relatively humble backgrounds although Hillary's dad did well in the textile industry. The Clinton's made most of their substantial fortune ($38 million)  after Bill's term as president peddling books and doing speaking engagement, although Hillary made a small fortune from shady transactions in cattle futures when Bill was Attorney General of Arkansas.

Now I don't begrudge rich folk their money whatever their party. But Democrats invariably attack conservatives for having money while they make the average taxpayer a whole lot poorer so they can give other people's money away buying votes and influence. The cost of the Obamacare "train wreck" on the middle class is just starting to be exposed. But these big spending hypocrites peddle themselves as altruistic even when their personal history of charitable giving is almost nil.

Think of the Founders of this country, many of whom died broke because they really did pledge their "fortunes" to the cause of freedom. How likely are we to find that among today's politicians?

Service Men and Women are just Cannon Fodder to Liberals

Navy SEAL Team VI Families Reveal Government’s Culpability in Death of Their Sons at National Press Club

Poor Obama if the Seals "had been captured or killed."

"The downside would have been horrible for him." 

But Navy Seals WERE killed in Benghazi and this administration deliberately left them and the ambassador and others undefended while they went to their comfortable beds. The Seals were the ones who minimized the casualties in Benghazi not our craven, "out of touch" commander-in-chief and his despicable minions. Impeachment is too kind for this man. But you won't see the liberal press who hounded Richard Nixon out of office over Watergate demand Obama's impeachment. Unborn babies are expendable to them and so are our service men and women. 

Pray for our poor country with these evil people at the helm!

We Thank You, Lord, for the Fruit of the Vine

Read about our wine adventure here. 

Today Should be Ascension Thursday...

....but Thursday in my diocese is on Sunday. (Yes, sounds crazy doesn't it?)  What's wrong with this picture?  Has watering down the faith made Catholics more zealous or more committed to Christ?

Not that I've noticed.

Give us back Ascension THURSDAY as a holy day of obligation instead of moving it to the nearest Sunday. There are few enough obligations on Catholics these days. Sundays and a handful of holy days is little enough to give the Lord of the universe in return for His great love of us.

Two thumbs up to the dioceses that still celebrate Ascension Thursday on Thursday. They include Boston, Hartford, New York, Newark, Philadelphia, and Omaha.

My husband and I wouldn't think of missing Mass on the REAL Ascension Thursday (today) even if we did hear readings for the 6th Thursday of Easter. As for Ascension Thursday Sunday -- well, let's just say it's a head-shaker!

Rembrandt and Beethoven Together: What's Not to Like?

Magnificat Covers: Beautiful Art for Meditation

One of my favorite things about the Magnificat prayer book is the lovely religious art both on the cover and the art article in the back. This month the cover is particularly lovely; Can't We Dream by Pierre-Marie Dumont. Art provides such fruit for meditation. And this painting is truly an invitation to dream and meditate on the Holy Family in Nazareth and on motherhood which seems especially appropriate as we approach Mothers Day.

Consider how moms create memories for their children and share their dreams for the future. Mary stands on the bottom step looking back which I think of as remembering the past, the strong heritage of family. "Remember, Jesus, that you are descended from kings and warriors. You are a king and will fight the enemy like David to save your people."

Behind her the steps climb up. Is that the temple of Jerusalem in the background? Do the steps climb up to Jesus' ministry climaxing in Jerusalem? Do they prefigure the climb up Calvary Hill? Perhaps, but at this moment captured by the artist, they are shrouded in a misty light clouding the future. Each step will have its own challenges; they will not be climbed all at once.  And Mother Mary will be there at each stage of the journey with her Son, the model for all moms who never stop accompanying their children and grandchildren on the adventure of life.

If you are fortunate enough to have your mom still with you, why don't you call her today and tell her you love her! Why wait until Sunday? She may die from the shock, but she'll appreciate it for sure! And to all you mothers out there, Happy Mothers' Day a few days early.