Saturday, January 30, 2010

Catholic priests who were / are sexual predators!?

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops lead researcher Karen Terry's scientific findings:

"Not Homosexual, Just Confused

"[E]ven though nearly 90% of the victims were teenage boys...

"...the abusers were merely confused about their sexuality and had poor social skills.

"[These] priests abused boys mainly because they had access to boys."

[T]hat doesn't necessarily mean that [these priests] had a homosexual identity.


Snippets from the New Oxford Review, January - February 2010.

In turn, they cite the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, November 18, 2009.

This item deals with a synopsis of the findings of New York's John Jay College of Criminal Justice lead researcher Karen Terry -- whose team recently completed a $1.8 million study into the roots of the clergy sex - abuse scandal.

All on behalf of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

Friday, January 29, 2010

First Three BHS Seniors Class of 2010 announce career intentions ...

... for blasting - off in a few months on a Planet Earth - bound trajectory.



From The Brackett News. Thursday, January 28, 2010.



Ms. Brooklyn Gose. To Texas Christian University at Fort Worth...


Mr. Jeff Sitgreaves. To the University of Texas at Austin...



Mr. Lawrence Salazar. To attend college...



Good good everyone! :)

Brackettville's St. Mary Magdalen & Spofford's San Blas / St. Blaze well - represented on las canchas!

Such Catholic Parish Youth Group Personalities as:

Ms. Priscilla Aguirre.

Mr. Daniel Molinar.

Mr. Victor Robledo.

Mr. Joelson Terrazas.

Mr. Tony Flores.

Mr. Sam Stewart.

Did it all!


And racked up valuable points for B.H.S. just by doing so!


Tip of the 'ole cachucha to: The Brackett News, Thursday, January 28, 2010

Over one inch of rain last night!

In outlying suburbs of metropolitan Brackettville, Texas.

Zip 78832.


Residents of Spofford's outlying suburbia claim none!

Thursday, January 28, 2010

"¿De qué consiste un Año Nuevo?"


Según nos dice una buena amiga de un caballero encargado del show "Ellos que se fueron" -- aquel joven dichoso, el Sr. licenciado Marcos Ponce.

Locutor de:

La Rancherita del Aire

Cuya programación está también:

"... abajo la dirección de una tal Gloria Bé..."

Se consiste un Año Nuevo de lo siguiente:

"De 365 espacitos sin mancha ni borrones."

"Don Chichì procede come un Panzer"


Originally published in: Oggi n. 50, 15 dicembre 1966.

Now for the historical -- ha, ha, HA! -- "significance."

Seems like maybe the New York English / Italian editorial staff originally charged with putting the accumulated episodes of Don Camillo e don Chichì / Don Camillo e i giovani d'oggia together for their American audience threw a fit over this one.

And -- if we understand the Italian version correctly! -- rejected it cold...

Thus, now, perhaps for the first time ever we have at last a fragment of the Italian original available online -- at least!

For the use of those good senior high school and community college / university students who come from such far reaching places with names like Spofford & ¿Qué Mado?

Bright students still struggling along, drooling and maybe -- who knows?

Even going prematurely bald in the process of mastering their Advanced Basic Italian Classes.

Here, they will be able to savor a snippet of some real - deal rock'em sock'em Italian Fiction.


You bet! :)

Here we go:


"[L]'interrupe rabbioso l'erede:

La Divina Provvidenza non regala niente!



Page 179.


"[R]eplico Don Chichì, In compenso, la sua proprietà il doppio di quindici anni fa. C'è sempre un compenso, nelle cose. La Divina Provvidenza le ha regalato questa magnifica casa e il magnifico podere che i poveri Brugnazzi lavorano da ben vent'anni...

"[L]'interruppe rabbioso l'erede, La Divina Provvidenza non regala niente! Questo podere l'hanno comprato mio padre e mia madre col loro onesto lavoro e i loro sacrifici, illudendosi di poter avere un pezzo di pane per la vecchiaia, Il regalo che la Provvidenza ha fatto a me è un sofio al cuore che mi ha costretto a liquidare la picola azienda di trasporti che io, con le mie sole fatiche, avevo creato in città. e ora mi costringe a a vivere qui, alle spalle della mia povera vecchia, Niente regali della Provvidenza: noi siamo gente che ha sempre lavorato! "


Chi non lavora non mangi...


"[L]o rimbeccò duro Don
Chichì. Lavorare è il più elementare dei doveri. Ricordi San Paolo e la seconda lettera ai Tessalonicesi: Chi non lavora non mangi...

"[P]rotesto ansimano l'erede. Ma io no possò più lavorare. Sono invalido. Se la mia vechhia madre non potesse curare l'orto eil pollaio, coi quattro soldi dell'affitto del podere ridotti a uno e mezzo dalle imposte, dall'equo canone e altre rapine, moriremmo di fame..."

January 27. Feast Day of Saint Thomas Aquinas.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

¡Hey, familia!

Hey, UTEP!

"Students get prepared for career fair"

The UTEP Prospector's Ms. Nicole Chávez has this week's headlines!

¡Adelante, Nicole!



"Published Tuesday, January 26, 2010"

Now:

"Being prepared for a job interview is more than just having your résume ready.

"Dressing professionally and making a good impression could be the first step to becoming a potential candidate for a job.

"Betsy Castro - Duarte, associate director of the University Career Center said, Always avoid dresses, pants are o.k. but skirts are the best for a professional outfit.

"[S]aid Lillian Calderon, freshman psychology major: For us women, it is more difficult to choose the perfect combination of clothes. It becomes more complicated when it's a really important occasion like a job interview.

"[S]aid Miguel Serrato, sophomore civil engineering major: Everyone has a suit, so it's not a problem, but for an interview I think we take more care about our appearance ... "

Way to go guys!! :)

All CPAs, PCs & K. of Cs please take note:

Plus those Brackettville accounting students from Alpine to San Angelo!

Please, good people!

Beware that bad 'ole Green - eyed monster of envy! :)

Cause this gentleman is really good! :)


Yes!

Oh, my venerable brothers and sisters...

Mr. Roland Boysen, CPA, PC + K of C Responds!


To: yours truly.

From: Mr. Roland Boysen, PC, CPA + etc.

Date: January 25, 2010.


"Dear Dennis,

"I've lived here for over twenty five years now and since I have not had any mortgage interest to deduct I always use the standard deduction and I assume that most of the other people do the same or either do not have enough taxable income to even file.

"For this reason there probably has not been any one to request a tax receipt.

"If you need one I'm sure if you just call the church office they will be happy to send you one.

"I showed your letter to the parish bookkeeper* and he was not aware to his knowledge anyone had ever asked for a receipt.

"Thank you for your confidence in me.

"(signed) Roland Boysen. "


Thanks, Mr. Roland Boysen!

You bet!

Boy, that covers the whole nine yards, you can just bet on it! :)


*
I must say that I can not really blame him, whoever he is, for being both shy and so self - effacing that he's permanently anonymous!

To: Mr. Roland Boysen, Certified Public Accountant & self - described twenty - five year resident here.

From: yours truly.

Date: January 22, 2010.

Subject, in essence: Folks, in our memo to Mr. Roland Boysen, CPA, PC + K of C., etc., we're addressing a well respected as well as a certifiable parish fiscal insider -- respecting the perceived reluctance of many Saint Mary Magdalene's Parishioners to pick up their 2010 donation envelopes at the back of the Church, and what may be their sound reasonings for doing otherwise:

Because in the recent past there was no verifiable accounting system in place to prove if they ever donated as much as one single dime to the church, or not.


"Hello, Roland!

"Say, since you've some real deal status here in Brackettville's Saint Mary Magdalene Parish, maybe you're just the gentleman that both our do - nothing Parish Finance Committee and our overworked pastor just might listen to! :)

"It's like this: I personally received statements already from the 2009 Archbishop's Appeal and the First Baptist Church of Brackettville telling me that both entities appreciated our A) $1,051.50 for the one and B) $10.00 towards postage expenses for the other.

"At our Parish however, forget it, as yours truly learned from the end of 2007 all the way to March 2008, with Fr. Anton Quang Dinh Van's joint botching w/ the Finance Committee of my inquiry as to what happened to "600.00 in contributions over three weeks that went up in smoke." Nothing happened.


"So, what are [we] saying here?


"If Father Pius wants those remaining envelopes at the back of the church picked up then every last one of us should get a statement crediting them with whatever $$$ they donated last year, without any of us having to ask for it, period!

"Roland, I really think that would be a help in getting even more $$ contributed, what do you think?

"Thanks!

"Scribble - scribble ...




January 27. Feast Day of Saint Angela Merici.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Brother W. Keith Moore!

"I was sitting at the house of a pot smoking buddy one night...

"... and the next night I was sitting in the largest Baptist church in Meridian for the spring revival.

"When the preacher asked if anyone wanted to come down and be saved..."

Years later:

"Finally, one day as I was driving by the parish offices of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church...

"... I walked in the front door and asked to see the priest...

"We were received into the Church on Easter, 2006.

"The breadth, depth, height, and wealth of the Roman Catholic Church is mind boggling...

"Thanks for allowing me to tell you my story.

"In Jesus and Mary -- W. Keith Moore.

" www.wkeithmoore.com "



Thanks to you, for sharing your story with us this morning, Brother W. Keith Moore! :)


These snippets are from his story, Keeping Jesus at the Center, in the August 2009 online edition of The Coming Home Network International.

According to St. Mary Magdalene's dynamic Altar Server leaders ...

... aquella Pareja Tan Parejo de Janie y Jerry:


Yet another 11 youngsters are expressing an interest en logrando la meta de ser monoguillos / as.



And as we responded:


"Hey, if that ain't Acts 2:16, Hechos 2, 16 -- alive and smoke'n -- what IS?":)

Last Saturday's Mass & Sunday's Second Mass well served!

At St. Mary Magdalene's Catholic Parish.

Brackettville, Texas 78832.


Saturday, January 23, 2010. 5:30 p.m. Mass. TEAM Mr. Tony Flores.

Sunday, January 24, 2010. 10:30 p.m. Mass. TEAM Mr. Patrick Ortiz + Ms. Danielle Gerardo + Mr. Dante Luna.

January 26. Feast Day of Saint Timothy.


January 26. Feast Day of Saint Titus.

Monday, January 25, 2010

St. Mary Magdalene's Catholic Parish of Brackettville, Texas.

Has a Pastor's Palace Guard totally aggressive in carrying out it's assigned combat mission:

To stop any or all nimble - fingered Evil Doers dead in their tracks.


Whether or not such evil - doers are in fact either pre - existing or simply non - existing...


Source for this timely combat intelligence:


Parish bulletin of The Weekend of Saturday, January 23 rd. & Sunday, January 24th, 2010.


"The Collection Counters for January 31, 2010

"Ruby Muñoz, Candy Bader, Tony & Nancy Frerich."

Jan 25. Feast Day of the Conversion of Saint Paul.

Corey & Katherine Huber, too, actively reach out...

... to yet
other restless natives ...

Whether locally or nationally!

Corey:

"I have often considered God's providence in my Baptist upbringing.

"I was baptized sometime in my tweens according to the Baptist norm.

"I was received into full communion with the Catholic Church on August 29th, 2001.

"As a Catholic, my relationship with Christ is more personal than I ever imagined as a Baptist..."



Snippets from the December 2009 Newsletter of The Coming Home Network International. Corey & Katherine Huber's testimony is titled Our Search for Truth.

Way to go, guys! :)

Brother Daniel Burke's compelling testimony:

"My first exposure to Catholicism was through an abusive step - father.

"[M]y first church experience came at Glenn Memorial Baptist Church in Covina, California.

"Before I continue I must say that I am deeply grateful for my Protestant heritage."

"I was received into Christ's One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church on the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in July of 2005..."



These snippets are from The Coming Home Network International, in their January 2010's Newsletter.

His testimony is called: From Hatred to Hope: One Man's 20 Year Journey into the Catholic Faith.

"My first exposure to Catholicism was through an abusive step - father.

"A few key memories include our home being destroyed end - to - end in a drunken rage, and forensic photographs of my mother after a brutal encounter.

"My most prominent memory is of gunfire in our home during a shouting match between him and my mother.

"I was only nine years old.

"Not the greatest introduction to the faith..."


Way to go, Brother Dan Burke!


Special notice to "uneasy" fellow subscribers -- via First Class U.S. Mail -- of Brackettville, Texas First Baptist Church's Monthly News Notes / Bulletin.




Effective retroactively to this past Saturday, January 23, 2010, @ approximately 11:58 a.m. -- and from thence onward to the end of time -- ALL forthcoming First Baptist Church birthday listings WILL NOT be appearing on this blog.

Per: Explicit verbal orders by the Rev. Jeffrey Janca, given to us alongside North St. which is the road that passes the Bank & Trust to within one(1) block from where it more or less intersects Riordan St.

Motive: The natives are restless, 'cause as he assured us: "several people told me it made them uneasy."

Done deal, Reverend!

Always glad to be of help. :)

Saturday, January 23, 2010

"Communications: The Church Enters the Internet Age"

"An interview with CCEE Secretary General Father Duarte de Cunha....

"... on the conference held recently at the Vatican on the new internet technologies (Facebook, Google, etc.)"


This snippet is adapted from Inside the Vatican magazine, January 2010. Interview by Viktoria Somogyi.


Question of Father de Cunha:


"What did participants in the conference learn from the Facebook, You Tube and Wikipedia advisors?"


Father de Cunha's initial response:


"Representatives of social networks and the so - called Web 2.0, i. e., the interactive Internet, participated in the conference held at the Vatican by the European Bishops' Conference for the Media (CEEM).

"What impressed us most was the number of people connected by these social networks.

"The Internet is no longer just an instrument used to convey messages, but is also used to bring people together.

"Considering the implications of this technology, it is normal for us to have mixed feelings of fear and discontentment, but also enthusiasm.

"But since we started to look at the Internet through the eyes of faith, we have been questioning ourselves about its effects.

"Can social networks replace our communities, since none of us can be satisfied with purely virtual relationships?

"We need real relationships..."

Way to go, Padre! :)

¡Arriba con la familia los LaBoda! :)

"The international coordinators for Retrouvaille...

"...a ministry that helps spouses considering divorce..."

We have gone from Leave it to Beaver to The Simpsons...

Some cold, hard facts:

Catholic weddings in the USA have dropped from:

355,182 in 1965...

To:

191,265 in 2008 ...



Adapted from The Catholic World Report, January 2010. Jeff Ziegler's timely article, The First Vocation Crisis.

"Coinciding with the decline of marriage in the United States is the decline of sacramental marriage in the Church.

"Here's a look at the US bishops' efforts to address the collapse...

"Two other Americans recently named consultors to the Pontifical Council of the Family are Frank and Julie LaBoda.

"The international coordinators for Retrouvaille, a ministry that helps spouses considering divorce to rediscover a loving marriage, the LaBodas lament the corrosive effect of the media."


Here follows the LaBoda's joint message as quoted by Mr. Ziegler:


"The negative images of marriage portrayed in the media and our society over the last three dozen years have changed the way we think about and live our marriage.

"We have gone from Leave it to Beaver to The Simpsons.

"Marriage is continually shown is a negative light by much of society.

"The ease with which our friends, family, and coworkers leave marriage relationships has a generational effect on the desire to be married..."

Good point, friends!! :)

Friday, January 22, 2010

Both January and February are great months for birthdays...


First: Colonel Edward Danowitz, USMC shared with us in our annual Christmas card exchange last month the news that "I'll be 89 in January and doing OK ..."

You bet! Colonel Danowitz, sir!

And a hearty Semper Fi to you, too, and to all those surviving Marines of WW II's "The Greatest Generation!"

Second: And if all that wasn't enough, there was yesterday, at Brackettville's "Stop & Shop" store and all - around watering hole.

A youthful maternal aunt of one of Saint Mary Magdalene's many all - around Altar Server / Youth Group / BHS Athletic personalities told us her nephew Mr. Raúl Rivas was turning the Big One Eight in February.

You bet!

Like two complementary bookends, for all there's a gap of 71 years between them, these two gentlemen represent for me a simple historical fact: in the Book of Life, there's always room for yet another Greatest Generation.

But it'll be up to such up and coming winners as Raúl, Jerry Lee, Oscar, Priscilla, Miranda, Bianca, Adam, Tony, Sam, Icela, José, Samantha, Marisol , Vero -- and so many more! -- to excel in what they'll be doing best.

As we never got tired of reading on that big sign outside of the fabulous Juarez school, La Preparatoria Federal Por Cooperación Chamizal:


"Siempre Habrá Una Nueva Generación"

January 22. Feast Day of Saint Vincent.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

!Nuestro Señor Arzobispo, Don José Gómez, nos habla!

"Sembrando Semilas de Fe"


También nosotros os anunciamos la Buena Nueva ... (Hechos 13, 32).



"La Oficina de Evangelación ofrece programas y materiales para llegar a personas de diferentes experiencias y procedencias, para que puedan conocer, amar y servir a la persona de Jesucristo a través de una variedad de misiones, retiros, grupos de oración, días de reflexión, talleres mecánicos, conferencias de formación y seminarios.

"El Centro Catequético ofrece entrenamiento y enriquecimiento espiritual a catequistas.

""La Pastoral Universitaria y el Ministerio de Jóvenes Adultos, los prepara para que sean futuros líderes en la Iglesia... "

"La segreteria del Club dei Ventité è a disposizione di tutti..."

...quando era prigioniero in un Lager tedesco...



Guareschi: Don Camillo e Don Chichi / Don Camillo e i giovani d'oggi.

"Elenco in ordine cronologico delle opere di Giovannino Guareschi.

"...1945 La Favola di Natale. Scritto nel dicembre 1944 quando era prigioniero in un Lager dedesco.

"...1947 Italia Provvisoria. Album di ricordi del dopoguerra italiano.

"...1949 Diario Clandestino. Ricordi speciali di prigionìa.

"L'elenco cronologico delle opere e la bibliografia essenziale, orientativa e senza pretese di completezza, sono a cura del Club dei Ventitré, associazione che vuole, essere un punto di referimento per tutti gli amici di Giovannino Guareschi.

"La segreteria del Club dei Ventitré è a disposizione di tutti per informazioni e per la consultazione del materiale elencato, disposto sia in ordine alfabetico che cronologico, e integrato da una serie di altri elementi (note di colore, curiosità, aneddoti)."

Mailbox: Pepponeb@mbox.vol.it .

January 21. Feast Day of Saint Agnes.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Well, well, well!

Looks like our parish's quota for the 2010 Archbishop's Appeal is now pegged at $4,983 for this year.




And if that wasn't bad enough, parish mumble - mumble claims that there are those so - called dissident members of our little faith community who are downright eager to get a head start on their more pious and sober - minded neighbors...

And, now, as that old, dreamy sentimental song puts it so well, it's time to:


Bring in the clowns!

There's got to be clowns!

Don't bother, they're here!


Yes, Virginia!

Clowns can indeed be found -- even here in Brackettville -- too, as we read in this as - yet unconfirmed notice:


"Motivated by some short circuit in his DNA, or maybe better yet, simply motivated by that bad 'ole Green Eyed Monster of Envy, one clown has already staked out roughly 49.21% of that 2010 Archbishop's Appeal figure for his own personal ego trip -- heh, heh, heh! :) "

January 20. Feast Day of Pope Saint Fabian.

January 20
. Feast Day of Saint Sebastian.

While deaconless
, 3rd Tuesday p.m. Mass of 2010 otherwise well - served.


At St. Mary Magdalene's Catholic Parish Church.

Brackettville, Texas.

78832.



Tuesday, January 19, 2010. 5:30 p.m. Mass. TEAM Ms. Britney Castilla & Mr. Justin Hidalgo.

Both fine young people were a great help to our celebrant, the Rev. Fr. Pius Ezeigbo.

The fourth person of this afternoon's Ministerial Team was one Mr. John "Jack" Boxell, who did those long readings from Samuel, as well as filling in for an absent deacon by serving himself as the Extraordinary Minster of the Lord's Chalice at Communion time.

¡Ora, UTEP!

¡Ora, MEChA!

¡Adelante, DESTINO!

"Financial aid problems plague students"

The UTEP Prospector's Ms. Beatriz A. Castañeda has this week's shocker...

¡Adelante, Beatriz!

Likewise the UTEP Prospector's ace photographer, Mr. Bob Corral.


Go get 'em Bob!



These snippets adapted from from Ms. Castañeda's front page expose in the Tuesday, January 19, 2010 online edition.


"Every semester as students return to school and new students are welcomed, a common occurrence happens on campus.

"The week before school begins, students begin to form long lines at the Office of Student Financial Aid in order to learn about the status of their funds.

""[S]aid Raul Lerma, director of the financial aid office We try to advise students how their academic progress is going in order to see how much financial aid they are able to keep.

"For financial aid purposes, a student must maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.0 for undergraduates, the number of hours per year they have to complete, the overall number of hours they may take, pre - loan counseling sessions and other requirements.

"One of the most common problems students have with financial aid is that they wait until the last minute to apply or check their status.

"[S]aid Israel Romero, senior microbiology major, I think there is much miscommunication between the financial aid office and the students. Last fall I didn't get financial aid and I didn't know there was an appeals process to complete in order to get financial aid..."


Good story good people, keep 'em coming! :)

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

"Think of the mind as a kind of computer software, and the brain as hardware...

"I explore modern physics to show that the ideas of realms outside of space and time are entirely consistent with the most important findings of physics and astronomy..."


D'Souza answers a question on the human brain...



Same CWR interview as the previous posting.


"It doesn't follow that the brain causes the mind.

"We can see this by way of an analogy.

"Think of the mind as a kind of computer software, and the brain as hardware.

"Now the software requires the hardware in order to function.

"Smash the computer and the programs won't run.

"But it doesn't follow that the hardware causes the software.

"The software is independent of the hardware.

"Even when the computer breaks down, the software can run on a different one ...

"By analogy we can think of the brain as a kind of receiver or transmitter for the mind.

"When the brain dies the mind cannot function through that particular brain, but that doesn't mean it cannot survive in other forms.

"I explore modern physics to show that the idea of realms outside of space and time -- which is the Christian idea of eternity -- or the ideas of bodies that never break down -- which is the Christian idea of the resurrection of the whole person -- are entirely consistent with the most important findings of physics and astronomy..."


Way to go, Señor! :)

Dinesh D'Souza on Richard Dawkins:

"I've been trying to to debate Dawkins, but the man won't come out from under his desk.

"A group actually offered him $20,000 to debate me, but he refused...

"...saying he would only do it for $100,000.

"Dawkins only wants to compete against weak competition..."


Another snippet from Dinesh D'Souza's interview with Benjamin Wiker in The Catholic World Report, January 2010.


Part of a question asked of Mr. D'Souza:


"...Wouldn't someone like Richard Dawkins, the evolutionary atheist, simply dismiss your argument?

"Doesn't he argue that evolution shows that the human mind is a mere accident of evolution?


Mr. D'Souza's partial answer:


"I have been trying to debate Dawkins -- he is about the only leading atheist I haven't debated -- but the man won't come out from under his desk.

"A group actually offered him $20,000 to debate me, but he refused, saying he would only do it for $100,000.

"Since this is an absurd number, I assume it's a way to refuse without looking like a coward.

"Dawkins only wants to compete against weak competition.

"He loves to take a camera and chase around televangelists, because this way he looks smart, but he won't take on people who can expose his arguments..."



Hey, UTEP!

¡Hey, Familia!

Welcome back to UTEP's Spring Semester 2010...

¡Ora, UTEP!

¡Ora, MEChA!

¡Adelante, DESTINO!

Ever - expanding recruiting pool for Pastor's Palace Guard rocks on!



Announcement in the weekend Church bulletin for weekend of Saturday, January, 16th & Sunday, January 2010 -- says it all:


"The Collection Counters for January 24, 2010.


"Manuel & Antonia Peña, Jim & Bobbie Voss, Jean Householder."


'Way to go, good people!

Third Week's Sunday morning Masses well - served...

while Saturday's not observed....

At St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church.

Brackettville, Texas. 78832





Sunday, January 17, 2010. 8:00 Mass. TEAM Mr. J.T. Rosas + Mr. Ray Sandoval.

Sunday, January 17, 2010. 10:30 Mass. TEAM Mr. Jerry Lee Dehoyos.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Un saludo cordial al Señor licenciado -- titulado en el derecho -- Don David Calvillo.

"David Calvillo, right, founder of Real Men Pray the Rosary"

Rose Ybarra, Catholic News Service, asks him:

"Do real men pray the rosary?"

"McAllen lawyer says yes and finds many agree"



Nor is that all, 'cause:


"Before he left the retreat, Calvillo bought a copy of the book, The Secret of the Rosary by St. Louis de Monfort ...

"... for each man who attended the retreat..."




Adapted from this original source: the San Antonio Archdiocesan news paper, Today's Catholic. Friday, January 15, 2010.


"Throughout his childhood, David Calvillo's mother urged him to pray the rosary but he admits the recommendation went in one ear and out the other.

"Calvillo said, I thought the rosary was for old ladies and funerals.

"His mindset began to change when he attended a retreat at the Benedictine Sisters of the Good Shepherd Monastery outside of Rio Grande City -- reluctantly, Calvillo's wife Valerie pointed out.

"Valerie Calvillo said, He was a bit hesitant. He didn't know what to expect.

"Going to the retreat proved to be a life - changing experience.

"McAllen resident David Castillo said. As we were praying the rosary at the retreat, I saw something that I had never seen before. I felt this incredible connection.

"Before he left the retreat, Calvillo stopped by the gift shop and bought a copy of the book, The Secret of the Rosary by St. Louis de Montfort, for each man who attended the retreat.

"Over time, through his research, prayer, retreats and fellowship with other men of faith, he developed a deep appreciation for the rosary.

"He was finally sold on the notion that the rosary was indeed a prayer for men, a prayer for all Christians..."

For more info:

"Calvillo also created a presence online through the Web site:

www.RealMenPraytheRosary.org,

and with a page on Facebook, a social networking site..."

Friday, January 15, 2010

Happy January Birthdays!

At the First Baptist Church, Brackettville, Texas 78832.

Rev. Jeff Janca, Pastor.



January's Lucky Winners:


Rosalva Herrera

Charlie Foust

Agnes Camp

Chuck & Lois Endris

David Tinney

Mitch Frerich

Linda McDaniel

Eric Titchenell

Jennifer Baggett

Barkley Simmons

Cherrise Ducharme


Happy Birthday Everyone!!

And may you have many more

The Porn Fairy has been having a field day lately!

Remember the Atlanta Dope Fairy ten years or so ago?

Always running around, planting dope on unsuspecting thus innocent people?

These days it's the Porn Fairy's turn!


Now, he's zapped one Scott Ritter, 48, of Delmar, N.Y. who got himself caught sticking it out the All - American Online Webcam Way.

As the San Antonio EXPRESS NEWS tells us in today's edition, Friday, January 15:

"Ritter, a 6 - foot - 4, 230 - pound ex - Marine, declined to comment to reporters gathered Thursday at his home near Albany, N.Y..."

Thursday, January 14, 2010

From: First Baptist Church, Brackettville, Texas 78832.

"2009 Contributions

"EIN #90 - 0168898

"7 - Jun Cash $10.00 Postage for Newsletter.

Date: January 13, 2010

To: yours truly.

"Please find enclosed a record of your 2009 Contributions.

"This statement may be used for 2009 Income Tax Reporting.

"Also, no goods nor services were exchanged.

"Cash contributions are included only if placed in a clearly marked envelope.*

"If you find any discrepancies, please let me know.

"May God bless you in wonderful ways during 2010.

"Sincerely,

"Mary Pevehouse

"Treasurer"


*Unless you've the bad luck to be stuck -- like yours truly was in the fall of 2007 -- in some hide by day American Catholic Parish headed up by some real clown of a pastor, where one such clearly marked envelope with $100.00 in cash and five more such clearly marked envelopes w/PICO's money orders in $100.00 denominations each -- went up in smoke! -- in exactly three (3) consecutive weeks, @ $ 200.00 a week. :)

From: ARCHBISHOP'S APPEAL


Dated: Jan 13, 2010.


To: yours truly!


"We appreciate your generosity to the San Antonio Archdiocese Archbishop's Appeal.

"During 2009 you contributed $1,051.50 to the Archbishop's Appeal.

"Your gift is being used in its entirety to support the works of the Church and you received no gifts or services in return."