Thursday, December 30, 2010

... the Sacred Host as a Psychiatric Placebo ...

"Faith Issue Number Two ... is the Nganga Tree ..."


"Tuesday, November 3, 2009

"To: The Most Reverend Oscar Cantu, DD. Auxiliary Bishop of San Antonio, Texas.

"Re: Archbishop's Appeal Acct. # 056000273 09 IPS -- A Parish Accounting Credibility Issue -- plus two (2) Faith Issues.

"Dear Excellency:

"Because of what appears to be a routine case of ongoing parish - wide theft by accounting fraud as well as the more regular routine plundering of cash donations to various parish organizations by any number of otherwise God - fearing good people, whether clergy or lay, yours truly has decided to increase my share .. of Archbishop Gomez's Annual Appeal ... to equal around $2,400 or so...

"Faith Issue Number One for yours truly is what appears on our parishioner level to be an ongoing developing doctrine of the Sacred Host as a Psychiatric Placebo exclusively reserved for such use by the children of those parents who themselves physically aggressive and intimidating enough to get their way with both priests and deacons.

"And sure enough!

"Our clergy obligingly smile, fawn and grovel...

"And [the parents] get [their] way...

"At the same time, they are steadfast in continuing to insist that other parents have to play by the rules.

"Faith Issue Number Two for yours truly is the Nganga Tree at the right front of our parish church, festooned throughout this month of November with colorful paper leaves bearing the names of the deceased.

"Last November, just before the last 5:30 p.m. Saturday Mass of the month, the Rev. Mr. James Bader, Deacon came strolling up the church aisle pushing a typical out door bar - b - q grill, which I guess served here as a sort of nganga, at least in the [secondary!] anthropological sense of a so - called cauldron of sacrifice.

"Then, disregarding any and all municipal and county fire codes, as well as those of the State of Texas, ... the Rev. Fr. Pius Ezeigbo lit up the bits of paper within, that were formerly hanging from the Nganga Tree, thereby formally demonstrating publicly that we 70 to 90 persons present were witnesses to a genuine indoor paper - trash burning mitote, or spiritualist New Age ceremony.

"The smell indicated the two men and their young male altar server were using some kind of accelerant -- most likely charcoal lighter fluid; the smoke and fumes were something to experience, your excellency!

"Your excellency, as I've been publicly urging our youthful CCD / Parish Youth Group and Altar Server teachers and trainers..:"

AND HERE'S WHAT WE TELL'EM!

"Look, tell your pupils and their parents to be up front with their non - Catholic friends and neighbors.

"Tell them that there's no excuse for any of this.

"Tell them, If what you're hearing about what our priests and deacons are doing themselves and trying to get us to do, too, sounds like a lot of anti - Christian mumbo jumbo, there's a simple reason, o.k.? It is because it is a lot of anti Christian mumbo jumbo!"

"Thank you, Your Excellency!

"Respectfully submitted,

"Bad 'ole Dennis ..."

Quanah Parker, Comanche Warrior and Chief!


"Of all the Indians whom Mackenzie fought, Quanah Parker fared best of all..."


Snippet from Charles M. Robinson III's biography of Fort Clark's former CO, General Ranald S. Mackenzie, Bad Hand.


Page 120:

"Of all the Indians whom Mackenzie fought, Quanah Parker fared best of all.

"The wily Comanche chief adapted beautifully to reservation life, using his prestige to organize and administer tribal lands according to white methods.

"Before long he was charging trail bosses a portion of their herds for passage across the reservation, adding immeasurably to the tribal herds and, presumably, to his own.

"He told one white friend that he declined an invitation to join his white Parker relatives at Weatherford because, As far as you can see here I am chief and the people look up to me, down at Weatherford I would be a poor half breed Indian...


"A land speculator, financier, rancher and federal judge for Indian affairs, at the time of his death in 1911 Quanah was the wealthiest Indian in North America.."

Quiet, dedicated volunteers devote many hours of holiday time!

In Brackettville, Texas 78832.




Such local Kinney County personalities as Ms. Claudia Rocha, Ms. Mercedes Ocasio and Mr. Robert Aguirre have been unstinting in their hours of donated time devoted to helping regular KCL employees switch the Kinney County Christmas Season decorations to the All - American Winter Season Motif!

Friends, the results are really spectacular!

"Thanks, everyone! 'Cause you really make a difference!" :)

December 30, 2010. "Sixth Day Within The Octave Of Christmas."

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

"The Real Christmas"

Congratulations to one of Spofford, Texas' most promising and talented young poets ...

La Sra. Paulita Solis' granddaughter, Ms. Alexa Lynn Solis.



Alexa Lynn's Christmas poem "The Real Christmas" was in the Kinney County Post, Tuesday December 21, 2010.

Way to go, Alexa Lynn! :)

The Kinney County Post and Mr. James Saunders bring us:

"Nature Notes: The Desert's Mighty Mouse"


A short snippet from the Tuesday, December 28, 2010 edition.


"There's a common predator in West Texas that kills its prey with a crushing bite to the back of the neck.

"This savage beast howls to mark its territory.

"You may be thinking of a mountain lion or a coyote, or even a large raptor such as a red - tailed hawk.

"But this predator is a small rodent less than six inches in length and weighing less than an ounce: the grasshopper mouse ..."


When these mice claim their territory, with a series of nocturnal vocalizations ...


"A vocalizing grasshopper mouse is eerily reminiscent of a howling wolf.

"It lifts its chin, point sits snout at the sky, and emits a high - pitched whistle than can carry for 200 yards and lasts for more than a second..."


Pretty neat little critter, huh? :)

"Del Rio Sector agents nab more than $1.3 million worth of pot"


A snippet from the Kinney County Post. Tuesday, December 28, 2010.



"DEL RIO, TEXAS -- U.S. Border Patrol Agents from the Del Rio Sector made seven marijuana seizures over the past week, totaling more than 1,300 pounds, worth an estimated $1.3 million."

Example:

"Thursday morning, a Del Rio Station agent discovered footprints leading away from the Rio Grande River.

"Agents, using a service canine, followed the trail to a thicket of river cane, where they found six large bundles of marijuana.

"Agents seized 448.7 pounds of marijuana and arrested two Mexican nationals found hiding near the cache..."

Way to go, good people....!

A belated Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, too!

To those hardworking "Office of Archbishop's Appeal and Grants" personalities:

Alice

Lucy

Irma

Lara

"Friday, March 14, 2008.

"Spanish word: chantaje; English word: blackmail."

FAX to: Destination address 5633088.

TRANSMISSION OK


"Fr. Quang D. Van, Pastor St. Mary Magdalene's Catholic Parish, Brackettville, Texas....


"Re: Protocol involved in giving Holy Communion to children and young teenagers of parents who refuse to let them attend First Communion preparation classes, are you being forced into doing this, Father?

"Dear Father Quang:

"Is ther[e] chantaje -- or blackmail -- being applied against you directly or indirectly on the part of the parent (or those parents) responsible for your knowingly giving out Holy Communion to children and young teens who have not yet had their First Communion -- First Confession class?

"And if so, does this hypothetical crime of blackmail -- or chantaje -- involve allegations of moral turpitude against you personally, along with threats of going to the legal system with certain proof of an on - going pattern of systematic embezzlement of Church parish funds by you acting alone or in collusion with others, if you, yourself, the Rev. Fr. Quang [were] so unwise as not to shut up, and go along to get along?

"Even Father Richard Dick Benonis once casually told us in public at Mass, more or less in these words, Your pastor feels insecure and paranoid.

"Maybe he, too, knows.

"To summarize: while we saw you giving three (3) such youngsters Holy Communion last Saturday night, March 8, 2008, it was not until the morning of the following Monday, March 10, 2008, that the parent involved told us on the phone, that yes: Fr. Quang said he would do so [knowingly give the uninstructed children Holy Communion] if I asked him to.

"When we repeated the question, we got the same answer.

"Respectfully submitted,

"Bad 'ole Dennis ..."

Comanche Warrior Yellow Fish!


Veteran of the famous Adobe Walls battle of June 1874.

Way up in the Pan Handle of Texas, 150 miles south of Dodge City, Kansas.

World War II was ranging and it was only six weeks before Pearl Harbor.

Yet this Comanche warrior was still very much around...

The Indians had waited patiently for their day to come, when they could dedicate a monument to their own war dead...


Source: Adobe Walls by T. Lindsay Baker and Billy R. Harrison. College Station: Texas A & M University Press, 1986.

Page 120:

"On Sunday October 19, 1941, the Indians drove from Borger to Adobe Walls, and there performed their rites, before four thousand to five thousand whites, who watched in the distance.

"After preliminary dances, Yellowfish, a Comanche who had fought the buffalo hunters at the site, directed the dedication of the Indian monument.

"With a Cheyenne chief on one side, and a Kiowa on the other, he read from the marker the names of the braves who had fallen before the guns of the whites in their effort to drive the hide men from their hunting grounds.

"A reporter noticed that tears rolled down the weather - beaten cheeks of the older Indians.

"The service ended with a prayer and further dances to the pounding of tribal drums..."

What a fitting way to draw that part of Western Frontier History to it's final close! :)

December 29. Feast Day of Saint Thomas Becket.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

"Arzobispo García - Siller instalado como sexto arzobispo de San Antonio"


Fuente original: Today's Catholic. Friday, December 17, 2010.


Y, nuestro Arzobispo no tardó en compartir algunos pensamientos con nosotros:


"Vivimos en una nación y región profundamente dividas donde la noción del amor entre hermanos podría parecer curiosa e ingenua.

"A veces los problemas del mundo y en nuestros mismos hogares y familias, podrían paracer tan enormes que nos tientan a simplemente retirarnos internamente ....

"O podríamos demarcar desafiantemente nuestra propia postura sin buscar terreno común con los demás ..."


¡Así es!
:)

Also at Saint Mary Magdalene's in Brackettville, Texas 78832.

"Rosary Leader [for] January 2, 2011: [Mr. J.T. Rosas & brother Mr. Roman Rosas' maternal Aunt] Nora Rivas."

Operation Palace Guard / Friendly -- $Financial$ -- Enablers

Marching bravely into 2011!

También hacia más maniobras estafadoras! :)




Information below is from the Parish Bulletin of Saint Mary Magdalene's Catholic Church in Brackettville, Texas 78832.

Labeled:

"The Weekend of Saturday December 25th & Sunday December 26th 2010.

"Serving in the Following Ministries

"The Collection Counters for January 2, 2011.

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


Hooray for Pastor Ned Sitzes & his Frontier Baptist Church!

Brackettville, Texas 78832.




While his bill board is most always good, right here and right now?

It really rocks! :)


"God Cared Enough To Send His Very Best"

"Empty Cradle? Empty Future!"

December 28. Feast Day of the Holy Innocents.

Monday, December 27, 2010

Christmas Day morning Mass and both Sunday a.m. Masses well - served.

At Saint Mary Magdalene's Catholic Church in Brackettville, Texas 78832.




Saturday, December 25, 2010. 10:30 a.m. Christmas Day morning Mass. TEAM Mr. J.T. Rosas + Mr. Roman Rosas.

Sunday, December 26, 2010. 8:00 a.m. Sunday morning Spanish - language Mass. TEAM Ms. Britney Castilla.

Sunday, December 26, 2010. 10:30 a.m. Sunday morning English - language Mass. TEAM Mr. Roman Rosas.

Three (3) Saint Mary Magdalene's Altar Servers shine at 2010 - 2011 UIL Meet!

Brackettville, Texas 78832.


They were Altar Servers Mr. Justin Hidalgo, Mr. J.T. Rosas and Mr. Roman Rosas.

'Way to go guys, we're proud of you! :)

Whether or not the future holds a Roman Collar with all three of your names on it, you've surely already proven you have what it takes.

"Just ask Mom!"

Adapted from The Brackett News. Thursday, December 23, 2010..
.

Brackettville High School Class of 2007 Ms. Janine Rex has plans!


Ms. Rex's plans:
"I plan to attend college and study to be an elementary teacher.."


Looking forward to?? "To get out of Brackettville ..."



'Way to go, Janine! :)

From The Brackett News. Thursday, December 23, 2010.

Christmas Day's "New Mexico Bowl"

UT El Paso vs. Brigham Young University!!




My friends and I got to watch it while eating a terrific home - cooked Christmas dinner.

Of course, this was after the Christmas Day 10:30 a.m. Mass at Saint Mary Magdalene's...

But!

By halfway through the 3rd quarter, yours truly got kind of discouraged, huh?? :)

Still, as one announcer put it, "UTEP has never won a single Bowl Game since 1967."

So???

At least this time, our guys managed to score! :)

So!

¡Ora, UTEP!

¡Ora, MEChA!

¡Adelante, DESTINO!

Saint Mary Magdalene's Catholic Parish threatening to rip-off an honest paving contractor!

Archbishop's lawyers can always argue that said contractor was a fool in the first place ...

to have accepted a signature not worth even the ink used in signing.

But!


Does a
$20,000 dollar ripoff necessarily equate "felony theft?"


In Brackettville, Texas, 78832?

Nope!

As we've already said above, the Archbishop's lawyers can always argue that the contractor was a fool to trust Brackettville's American Catholic community in the first place.... :)

Thus:

Father Pius Ezeigbo tells "us" to come up with $20,000 in make good money!

Like now!

Or else:

The Bucolic Pastor of Saint Mary Magdalene's Catholic Church in Brackettville, Texas threatened -- at the 10:30 a.m. Christmas Day Mass personally and in English -- and at the 8:00 a.m.Spanish - language Mass via Deacon Joe Goebel in Spanish -- to otherwise stiff said paving contractor out of the $20,000 dollar remaining balance due here and now for recent work done.


So, whatever happened to the $450,000 slush fund of three and a half years ago?

The answer, my friend, is blow'in in the wind!!





December 27. Feast Day of Saint John the Apostle & Evangelist...

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

"... so I often recommend St. Francis to those who proclaim the Word of God..."


Saint Francis of Assisi's approach to homilies as quoted by Father Brian Cavanaugh, T.O.R.


This snippet from the Homiletic & Pastoral Review -- December 2010.

Here's a couple of Saint Francis' soundbites on homily preparation:

"Most High, Glorious God, enlighten the darkness of my heart, and give me right faith, certain hope and perfect charity, wisdom and understanding, Lord, that I may carry out your holy and trues command."

To which this "son of Francis" adds on his own account:

"As a son of Francis, my experience of preaching is from within the tradition of the friars, Third Order Regular, so I often recommend St. Francis to those who proclaim the Word of God..."


Now, St. Francis opines as to what preachers must do:


"The preacher must first draw from secret prayers what he will later pour out in holy sermons; he must first grow hot within before he speaks words that are in themselves cold..." (1)


END NOTE:



(1) St. Francis of Assisi: Omnibus of Sources, ed., Thomas Celano, "The Remembrance of the Desire of a Soul: Second Life" (Chicago: Franciscan Herald Press, 1973), 493, Art. 163...

See also Father Brian's "Apple Seeds."

If you can find 'em, I didn't! :)

Brackettville, Texas U.S.A.


Special Christmas Salute to Mr. Steven Rodriguez & Mr. Travis Titchenell.


Brackett High School Class of 2011


Both Track Team.

And Track Team background = automatically combat leadership potential! :)

These two members of the B.H.S. Class of 2011 have already enlisted in the U.S. Military.

As the Kinney County Post, edition of November 30, 2010, tells us in part:

"Rodriguez enlisted in the United States Army this past July.

"He will be going to basic training at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri in July of 2011.

"He will train for 12 months in Bravo / Combat engineering...

"Titchenell is a senior at Brackett High School.

"He is 17 years old and recently enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in September 2010.

"He will be leaving for Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California.

"He will be a 0311 Rifleman and will attend The School of Infantry at Camp Pendleton, California upon graduating from boot camp..."

Way to go, brothers! A best wishes! :)

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

"DR agents seize more than $1.5 million in drugs"

Plus:

"Agents from the Brackettville Station discovered ... 246 pounds of marijuana ... near Brackettville ... with ... value of $192,000."


Random snippets from The Kinney County Post -- December 21, 2010.



"DEL RIO, TEXAS -- U.S. Border Patrol Agents from the Del Rio Sector made seven drug seizures over the past week.

"Six marijuana seizures accounted for more than 1,701 pounds, with an estimated value of of $1,361,360.

"Agents also seized 15.21 pounds of cocaine, valued at more than $146,000."

And then:


"Wednesday evening, agents from the Brackettville Station discovered approximately 246 pounds of marijuana hidden in the brush near Brackettville.

"Agents had followed foot sign, for several miles, which led them to marijuana.

"The contraband, with an estimated value of $192,000 was turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration..."

Way to go guys!

"Memorias de la Revolución Mexicana" II

"TESTIGOS DE LA GESTA HISTORICA"

"19 hombres y mujeres narran sus experiencias vividas a cien años de distancia ...


"Por Orquídea López Allec. El Zócalo / Piedras Negras. Sábado 20 de noviembre de 2010.


"En las casas hacían pozos y ahí nos metían a las mujeres, a las jovencitas y a veces a las niñas para que no se las llevaran los revolucionarios, yo les tenía miedo, también a los soldados..."

Virginia Correa. Edad 100 años, originaria de La Battalla, San Pedro de las Colonias.

"Los hombres revolucionarios se refugiaban en los techos, todo eso era una barbarie, todo eso allá en Allende, a mí me acostaban en una cama, me daban un dulce para que no llorara..."

Manuel Treviño. Edad 101 años, originario de Allende, Coahuila..."

Brackettville, Texas U.S.A.

And B.H. S. 2011 Graduates Ms. Tiffani A. Rodriguez & Mr. Wyatt Guidry already have plans to excel.



Ms. Rodriguez plans: "... to attend either St. Mary's University or Angelo State University..."

Mr. Guidry plans: " .. to work in the field of computers..."

Congratulations good people, and be ready to grasp that brass ring... :)


Thanks to: The Brackett News. Thursday, December 16, 2010.

Saint Mary Magdalene's Catholic Church.

Brackettville, Texas 78832.

"ROSARY LEADER: December 26th, 2010. Janie DeHoyos..."

Second straight week in a row...

Way to go, Janie! :)

Operation Palace Guard / Friendly $$ Financial $$ Enablers.

The improvised "Lean Mean Team" that helps keep the game profitable by lending a sort of phony financial transparency to the weekly maniobras estafadoras de nuestra parroquia.

Basic combat intelligence for today's laugh - out - loud episode is taken from the weekly bulletin for:

Saint Mary Magdalene's Catholic Church
P.O. Box 95 - 301 Ann Street
Brackettville, Texas 78832

Labeled:

"The Weekend of Saturday December 18th & Sunday December 19th, 2010...


"Serving in the Following Ministries

"The Collection Counters for December 26th 2010.


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


December 21. Feast Day of Saint Peter Canisius.

Monday, December 20, 2010

Saint Mary Magdalene's CCD Youth Group & Confirmation students excel in sports, too!


In Brackettville, Texas 78832.

Random sample from BHS Girls' Basketball's reinas de la cancha:

Ms. Bianca Cruz, Ms. Selina Gerardo and Ms. Priscilla Aguirre, etc..

Random sample from BHS Boys' Basketball.

Includes personalities from Spofford's San Blas / Saint Blaze Mission, too:

Mr. Joelson Terrazas, Mr. Mikey Flores+ his primo Mr. Tony Flores -- along with Mr. Sam Stewart, Mr. Victor Robledo, más los primos hermanos Mr. Paul and Mr. Adam "Charlie" Resendez, etc ...

Saint Mary Magdalene's Altar Servers "equal to the task" both Sunday a.m. Masses.

In Brackettville, Texas 78832.


Sunday. December 19, 2010. 8:00 a.m. Spanish - language Mass. TEAM Mr. Patrick Ortiz + Mr. Dante Luna.

Sunday. December 19, 2010. 10:30 a.m. English - language Mass. TEAM Ms. Britney Castilla + Mr. Adam Resendez.

"Falando im dogma igreja, sim!"

Speaking of Church Doctrine, yes!


"Fatima pays visit to Brackettville"


And First Methodist Church Young Adult (Y.A.) . personality and local publisher Ms. Leigh Jenkins does full justice to the story!

¡Adelante, Leigh!


This snippet's from her newspaper, The Brackett News. Thursday. December 16, 2010. mybrackettnews . com

"Brackettville
was blessed by a visit from the Fatima Rosary Mission on December 11.

"Peter Pere has been criss - crossing North America for the last three to four months sharing a message of the Virgin Mary's motherly love.

"Pere, a retired state safety officer from the country of Portugal, sold his home and business eight years ago and is now traveling with his wife and daughter in a recreational vehicle with [a] custom trailer that encases a statue of the Holy Mother in tow.

"Pere says people of all faiths stop to honor The Virgin and he has received many reports of miracles happening from those who have asked for Her help.

"An Alpine man told Pere he had recently lost a job and after praying he was able to find another job ..."

And, folks!

This sensational report just keeps getting better and better...:)

"Six arrested for cocaine trafficking"

Looks as though the pervasiveness here in Brackettville, Texas of the local American Catholic attitude toward Mexican - style narco - limosna may have led to these all - too - predictable headlines:

"Six arrested for cocaine trafficking"

So, when, if ever!

Would the four (4) men and two (2) young women arrested have ever heard from the pulpit of Saint Mary Magdalene's Catholic Church any condemnation of the drug trade?

"Six arrested for cocaine trafficking"

Assuming, to be sure!

They've ever set foot in Saint Mary Magdalene's in the first place! :)

"Six arrested for cocaine trafficking"

These headlines were in The Brackett News. Thursday, December 16, 2010.

¡Consejos $$ Financiales $$ de la Temporada!

De El Zócalo de Piedras Negras ...

"Así lo dijo ..."

La Delegada Leonor Rangel Lazalde:

"Hoy la situación está muy difícil como para malgastar, por lo que las familias deben guardar algo de su dinero para los gastos posteriores a las fiestas de fin de año, a fin de evitar caer en el vicio del empeño de artículos..."

Friday, December 17, 2010

Hey, UTEP!

¡Hey, Familia!


Troubling news the other night from Mexican Radio station XEMU -- ♪ La Rancherita del Aire ♫ -- broadcasting out of Piedras Negras, Coahuila:

2010
Projected end of year total homicides for El Paso, Texas. So far it's like maybe 5.

2010
Homicides for Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico. So far it's around 3,000.

Makes you kind of wonder ... huh? :(

The Homiletic & Pastoral Review + the Right Reverend Monsignor Anthony J. Figueiredo, S.T.D.


"Charity and the mission of the priest"



This snippet is from his timely article in HPR's December 2010 issue.


"From the earliest times, bishops were to take seriously this responsibility.

"The Didascalia Apostolorum, an ancient Christian treasure written in the middle of the third century, exhorts the bishop with these words: Let his hand be open to give; and let him love the orphans with the widows, and be a lover of the poor and of strangers (ch. IV, ii.3).

"Pope Callistus I (d. 222), who himself had been a slave, instituted a sort of bank of the poor, which sheltered widows and orphans from being sold into slavery.

"St. Basil of Caesarea (d. 379) was the first to found hospitals and, in this same period, St. John Chrysostom (d. 407) manifested the pivotal role exercised by the bishop in regard to the poor to such an extent that he was honored as the friend of the poor or vir venerabilis.

"Later in the medieval Tregua Dei, Church pastors safeguarded the goods of the common people against an avaricious nobility.

"Or when secular European states brutally forced other countries into colonization, the Church's missionaries transmitted the faith and brought beautiful Christian culture to them as well..."

COURAGE!


Former U.S. Marine Captain Father Paul Check tells about his experiences as director of Courage, the "apostolate to men and women struggling with same - sex attraction who seek to live chastely...."


Snippet from Jim Greaves interview with Father Check for The Catholic World Report, December 2010. It's on page 26 and is called "Hidden Victories."

Random note: Father Check was "ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Bridgeport Connecticut in 1997."

And so? That would have been about the time a wannabe seminarian named Anton Quang Dinh Van got the sack, before shoving off for the Archdiocese of Detroit where he was kicked out of at least one (1) more seminary, if not actually two (2) --- in either case his last fling was at a Redemptorist seminary....


Question:

"How does the Courage apostolate work?

Father Check's answer:

"It is well - known that the Church's teaching on homosexual activity, including same - sex marriage, includes a clear and direct no.

"But that no is embedded in a larger yes, to human nature and human dignity, to what is good, true, and beautiful, and, of course, to Christ himself..."

And Father Check's answer just keeps getting better and better!

Don't believe it?

Well ...

Just check it out at:

www. couragerc . net .... :)

Ex - POW:

Praise for the minor seminaries....

"Spiritually reinforced, I as able to withstand six years in a communist prison in North Vietnam."

He credits the:

" .. the Oblates of Mary Immaculate Seminary system ...

For all:

"..My vocation was neither for the religious life or the priesthood...

Yet, in his seminary years:

"The time spent was not a waste to me nor to Mother Church...."

Snippets from Mr. Richard A. Stratton's "Letter to the Editor" -- the Homiletic & Pastoral Review December 2010.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

"A mis hermanos y a mí nos escondían en la acequia..."


El Zócalo de Piedras Negras
nos brinda Sábado 20 de noviembre de 2010:

"Memorias de la Revolución Mexicana:

"Testigos de la Gesta Histórica

"19 hombres y mujeres narran sus experiencias vividas a cien años de distancia ...


Por Orquídea López Allec.

Doña "María Patrocino Galindo Cervantes. Edad: 103 años..."

"Yo vivía en la calle Morelos, a las mujeres las escondían para que los revolucionarios no se las llevaran, a nosotros no nos dejaban salir, a mis hermanas, ni a mi hermano...

"A mi hermana la mayor que tenía 13 años de edad la escondían en una acequia y mi mamá les daba comida a los soldados y les lavaba su ropa para no tener problemas, pues se establecían enfrente de la casa donde vivíamos...."

Last Sunday morning and Wednesday night last night were both good times to party!

At Saint Mary Magdalene's Catholic Parish Church in Brackettville, Texas 78832.


Because last Sunday was also the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, we had a real nice get together at the Old Rectory Building right after the 8 o'clock Misa en Español.

Yes!

There were indeed plenty of good things to eat!

Good things like: tamales and taquitos de lengua and menudo and galletas and café and jugo de naranja -- you name it!

Meanwhile last night the Parish CCD cadre threw yet another fine shindig with every one invited, as those hardworking YAs Martha, Paul & Janie let everybody know Tuesday night after the Reconciliation Mission, as they were wrapping - up their labor intensive preparation work -- also in the Old Rectory Building!

And so, last night most likely things were indeed a bit crowded! :)

Students, parents and teachers all together.

Once again: great food, great fellowship ... y, ¿sobre todo? ¡bastante embrazos ...!

And all that my friends, is what is summed up in just one word:

¡ Familia !

"The Abuse Scandal"

Peter Seewald asks Pope Benedict XVI:

"Is it possible then to imagine a situation in which you would consider a resignation by the Pope appropriate ?"

Pope Benedict:

"Yes....."



A snippet from the Book Excerpt of Seewald's lengthy interview with the Pope published by The Catholic World Report, in the December 2010 edition. .


Complete version of Pope Benedict's answer to Seewald's question above:


"Yes.

"If a Pope clearly realizes that he is no longer physically, psychologically, and spiritually capable of handling the duties of his office, then he has a right and, under some circumstances, also an obligation to resign..."


Way to go, Holy Father! :)

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Tucson, Arizona Bishop Gerald Kicanas !!

Torpedoed in his bid to become the next President of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops!


Most likely this was his turn to be himself publicly outed, by the National Catholic Register's Tim Drake, over having stubbornly approved the ordination of the Rev. Daniel McCormack "who has [since] been convicted on multiple counts of molesting boys..."


Here's a snippet that's been free - wheelingly snipped from: The Catholic World Report. December 2010.

Bishop Kicanas the "sitting vice - president of the USCCB encountered controversy because of his involvement in the case of a Chicago priest who has been convicted on multiple counts of molesting boys.

"While the rector at Chicago's Mundelein Seminary, the future Bishop Kicanas approved the ordination of Daniel McCormack, despite clear evidence that McCormack had been involved in homosexual activities.

"Bishop Kicanas has defended his handling of the case, saying there is no evidence the seminarian had engaged in abusive behavior..."

But! His fellow bishops & archbishops did not buy it!

And so, he was unceremoniously voted into oblivion by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops in favor of New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan as "the next president of the USCCB,'' on November 16, 2010.

"Parish Advent Reconciliation Service"

"Tuesday, December 14th @ 6:30 pm"



Last weekend's bulletin in Brackettville's premier Catholic Church of Saint Mary Magdalene's in Kinney County, Texas!

Great experience, last night was!

We had three (3) priests: Fathers Pius, Clay & the Right Reverend Joseph -- this last the Dean of the Uvalde Deanery -- who wasted no time in getting down to brass tacks w/ the 40 -- up to who knows how many? -- maybe even up to 60 of us dwindling local supply of "plain 'ole real - deal sinners."

Speaking strictly for myself, when you're lucky enough to have a pastor who combines his priestly duties as a Father Confessor with those of a Spiritual Director -- as does our pastor, the Rev. Father Pius, why waste your time in waiting your turn in some other long - a*ss* line? :)

From long experience, yours truly positions himself early on -- at the rear of the church -- to move fast -- cane or no cane!

But!

D*a*mn! Once we've all died off, who will be left to replace us?? (heh, heh, heh!)

United States Ambassador to Malta Mr. "pro - death" Doug Kmiec!

Election 2008:

Presidential candidate Obama's then - pending Ambassador to Malta -- Doug Kmiec -- "portrayed him as the very embodiment of the Church's vision of change..."

More snippets from George Neumayr's editorial in The Catholic World Report, December 2010.

"Kmiec, before departing for his ambassadorship to Malta, burbled that President Obama has far more in common with our great faith tradition than any political administration in recent history..."

But!

Came U.S. elections 2010!

"Economic woes also made it difficult for Democrats to use the sophistical argument, which Kmiec dusted off in 2008, that Democratic policies reduce the number of abortions by reducing poverty..."

Question:

Thus: "What -- exactly -- did the great Maltese Republic do wrong to find themselves suddenly stuck with 4 to 8 years of U.S. Ambassador Mr. Doug Kmiec??!!" :)

Is not Malta one of the last pro - life nations in Europe today??