Saturday, July 30, 2011

Their Cover's Blown!

Catholic
Archdiocese of Miami's gay vice / Purple Mafia network:

undercover operatives linked to
Christifidelis alert Vatican.

Source for today's random & disconnected snippets:

www.catholicculture.org/news. July 29, 2011.


"An extensive homosexual network within the Archdiocese of Miami, Florida, has been exposed by a New York - based magazine that ordinarily specializes in gossip about celebrities.

"Gawker bases its report on a detailed dossier that was compiled by a loyal Catholic group, Christifidelis, reporting a widespread and longstanding pattern of homosexual conduct among Miami archdiocesan leaders, including former Archbishop John Favalora.

"Christifidelis had compiled the information quietly, and intended to show the evidence only to Vatican officials; but Gawker obtained a copy of the report, entitled Miami Vice, and has made the entire dossier available online.

"The Christifidelis dossier captured the Vatican's attention, Gawker reports, and led to the resignation of Archbishop Favalora, who stepped down last year at age 74.

"He was replaced by Archbishop Thomas Wenski -- who was, according to Gawker, sent by the Vatican to uproot the homosexual culture in the Miami clergy.

"The report from Miami provides accounts of homosexual activity at the archdiocesan seminary and among leading priests of the archdiocese.

"The activity was condoned, if not actively encouraged, by archdiocesan officials, Christifidelis argues.

"The report also points to homosexual activity by bishops in other dioceses within the Miami metropolitan region.

"Archbishop John Favalora led the Miami archdiocese from 1994 until his retirement in 2010.

"He had previously been Bishop of St. Petersburg from 1989 to 1994 ..."

Way to go guys! :)

July 30. Feast Day of Saint Peter Chrysologus.

Friday, July 29, 2011

"Theology on Tap" presents:

"Finding Common Ground: Catholicism and Islam"

"More than 130 young adults gathered at the Blue Star Brewery in San Antonio on July 14 ..."

To hear Auxiliary Bishop Oscar Cantú give his presentation!

Snippets from Today's Catholic. Friday, July 29, 2011. Original by Katherine Jass López.

"Bishop Cantú tackled the subject by first educating on what the church teaches about other religions and then how we as Catholics are to respond."

In his excellency's own words:

"We are all one human family: God created humanity not Catholics or Muslims or atheist -- this is important for us to remember.

"The Catholic Church rejects nothing of what is holy and true in these religions.

"Although we respect these religions and these people who practice them, we none the less hold true to what we believe, that the fullness of the truth ... is revealed through Jesus Christ who is the way, the truth and the light."

Ms. Jennifer Bela from St. Pius X Church tells us:

"I wasn't really sure what to expect when I saw the topic but Bishop Cantú really gave me answers to questions I had and it was a good reminder that I need to be more accepting of others; it hit home when he said God created humanity not religions..."

Meanwhile Mr. Hector Montaya from St. Monica Church in Converse comments:

"I always seem to learn something new within the Catholic Church when I come to Theology on Tap.

"I enjoy being around others from around the archdiocese who are eager to learn more about their faith; I truly sense a bond with the others even though I don't know everyone ..."

Way to go great people! :)

San Antonio Auxiliary Bishop Oscar Cantú's three year - tour of duty almost up!

It ran roughly from World Youth Day 2008 to World Youth Day 2011.

So, now -- or at least in the near future! -- Rome's getting him his very own diocese ...

Way to go your excellency! :)

July 29. Feast Day of Saint Martha.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Texas & the Franciscan missionaries!

Texas Bluebonnets!


Snippets from: A Forgotten Glory: The Missions of Old Texas. By James Wakefield Burke. Pages 14 - 15.

THE FRANCISCANS:

"Today the dusty trails on which those saintly men, with their worldly possessions on their backs, plodded their way from Mexico seeking savage people to overt to Christianity, are multiple ribbons of concrete.

"Yesterday these missionaries journeyed through burning hot and dusty deserts.

"They zigzagged through long stretches of thorny mesquite and prickly cactus.

"They endured famine and thirst.

"They dragged themselves along by sheer power of will and the grace of God.

"They finally arrived at their destination, placing the cross of Christ and the royal standard of Spain on the soil of Texas."


BUT THAT'S NOT ALL THE "LITTLE BROTHERS" DID!


"They brought into Texas the horse, the cow, and other domesticated beasts; they brought the honey bee, and even the bluebonnet, which they culled from the hillsides of Jerusalem and planted with the missions on Texas soil.

"Early legend tells us that this grateful flower clung to historic ground, and covered the spots where the blood of heroes was shed.

"Later it was chosen as the Texas state flower.

"The padres bequeathed a most pleasant architecture. they gave their names to rivers and villages; they let a heritage without which the colonizers would not have been able to win Texas independence.

"They brought the cross, and with it a desire for our man to love his fellows without quailing at the color of his skin.

"When Texans shout Remember the Alamo! there is, darkly yet reverently, behind this cry a small prayer which, in truth, must say: Remember the Little Brothers!"

As UTEP Summer Semester II comes to a close...

"Padilla says farewell

"After 17 years, the vice president of student affairs is set to retire ..."

And The UTEP Prospector's Ms. Mariel Torres has the story.

¡Adelante, Mariel!


Snippet from the original published online Wednesday. July 27, 2011.


"One of the main drivers of student development in the overall growth of UTEP Richard Padilla, vice president for student affairs, has decided to retire after 17 years of service.

"Before arriving at UTEP, Padilla worked as the dean of students at the University of Houston.

"In 1994, Padilla was urged by a colleague to take the position at UTEP ..."

And the rest is history!

Good luck on the golf course, Mr. Padilla; at least you did what you could for so many of us! :)

¡Ora, UTEP!

¡Ora, MEChA!

¡Adelante, DESTINO!


Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Legendary Texas Ranger H. Joaquin Jackson's latest book:

One Ranger Returns, 2008.

"I trailed him forty miles to Brackettville..."

Snippet from Chapter 2:

By the light of the Rustlers' Moon.



"There were times when tracking and locating animals could simply be fun.

"I got a call early one morning that a rancher near Uvalde was missing a palomino horse, along with its saddle, bridle, blanket, and a pair of chaps.

"It was apparent from the trail that the thief had gone off west down Highway 90, sometimes on one side of the road and sometimes on the other, sometimes in a lope and sometimes in a trot, but he never got the horse into a full run.

"I trailed him forty miles, to Brackettville.

"He was just feeding the horse in a wooden trough and hadn't been there more than thirty minutes when I drove up.

"He saw me and looked as if he were going to pass out.

"I arrested him, but, if I remember correctly, he received probation ..." :)

"Moral" of this story?

Long before they turned - on to pushing dope, Brackettville' s "old time" rustlers seemed to have enjoyed an edge on their peers! :)

Seriously, folks, as we're told, usually when rustled livestock is returned in serviceable condition, the owners simply shrug the whole thing off...

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Creator of "All My Children" & "One Life to Live!"

"CATHOLICS AT WORK 4"


Agnes Nixon:

"All God's Children: Stories of sin and redemption..."


Snippets from her article in the Jesuit magazine America. July 18 - 25, 2011.


"For me the most important factor is serial writing is the ensemble effort of our creative family: writers, producers, directors and all the talented people behind the camera.

"We are a family.

"A sense of respect and camaraderie and sharing the responsibility, as well as the pleasures and benefits, is key.

"No one person can write an hour long show 260 times a year..."

Good points, professor! Thanks! :)

Rev. James Ham's marquee!

Pastor of the Frontier Baptist Church.

Brackettville, Texas 78832.


"Is God your Copilot? Switch seats!"

"Forbidden Fruits cause a lot of Jams."


Way to go, pastor! :)

July 26. Feast Day of Saint Joachim & Saint Anne.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Jesuit magazine America's chart tells it all:

"Catholics in the U.S. are more supportive of allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry or form civil unions than any other Christian tradition"


From the July 18 - 25, 2011 edition. They cite their source as: the Public Religion Research Institute, 2011 CNS.


"Those who support same - sex marriage + civil unions.

"general public: 64%.

"unaffiliated: 83%.

"all Catholics: 74%.

"Latino Catholics: 67%.

"White Catholics: 77%.

"White Mainline Protestants: 67%.

"Black Protestants: 48%.

"White Evangelicals: 40%."

Interesting! :)

July 25. Feast Day of Saint James.

Saturday, July 23, 2011

"They dedicate their lives to Chochmah, Binah, Da'at -- Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge ..."

So, what's wrong with all that? :)

According to author Jon M. Sweeney in his article From Pages to Pixels. In America magazine, July 18 - 25, 2011, there's plenty wrong with it! :(


"Some of us read more than others, but what concerns me most is who is reading most..."


"... Among them would be, for example, the most fundamentalist of religionists -- Jewish, Muslim and Christian -- who still read in the old style.

"In the ultra - Orthodox yeshivas in Brooklyn and Israel there are men who read all day.

"In Israel, these scholars are paid by the Israeli government to study rather than enter the work force.

"They dedicate their lives to Chochmah, Binah, Da'at -- Wisdom, Understanding and Knowledge.

"Similarly, a fundamentalist Muslim is invariably a man who studies ancient texts, interpretations, ideas and knowledge for many hours every day.

"He carries books with him when he travels.

"And the fundamentalist Christian, likewise, knows her catechism, canons, Bible, commentaries, languages and ideas better than most of her more progressive peers ... "

Really? So, what's wrong with all that??!! :)

¡México!

"Revelan Código de los Caballeros Templarios de Michoacán"



Fuente original AP Zócalo, Mich. Jueves 21 de julio de 2011.


"Juramento Templario

"Juro delante de todos, vivir y morir con honor.

"Juro combatir la injusticia y socorrer a mi prójimo.

"Juro, igual en el combate como en la paz, que ningún caballero será considerado por mí como enemigo.

"Juro fidelidad al temple y esforzarme por perpetuarlo.

"Juro respeto a las damas, veneración a las madres, protección a los niños y a los ancianos, asistencia a los enfermos y a los necesitados.

"Juro respetar la fe de otros y buscar más la verdad que la gloria, el honor que los honores..."

¡Gracias, caballeros ... este ... vamos a ver! :)

¡México!

"Niños, creciente blanco de la violencia del narco"


"1,300 menores han fallecido en hechos ligados al crimen organizado, según datos de la organización civil Red por los Derechos de la infancia en México ..."

"30 mil menores de 18 años han sido reclutados por el crimen organizado en México, bajo amenazas o con el atractivo del dinero fácil ..."

"En otros casos, jóvenes sicarios que forman partes de los cárteles mueren en combates contra las fuerzas de seguridad o de bandas entre sí..."

Tomado de este fuente original: REUTERS Zócalo / México, D.F. Jueves 21 de julio de 2011.

July 23. Feast Day of Saint Bridget of Sweden.

Friday, July 22, 2011

Dr. Ted McCollum, AgriLife Extension beef cattle specialist:

For cows -- "The water in the grazed forage is the jug of water that rehydrates her while she is out on the range or pasture..."

Snippet from the Kinney County Post. Tuesday , July 19, 2011. Original -- unsigned -- article is titled Drought causing concerns for livestock water availability, quality.

Doctor McCollum tells us:

"An average cow grazing green forage normally consumes about 30 to 70 pounds of water daily, or about 3.5 to 8.4 gallons, from the forage she grazes.

"This year, as a result of no forage growth and a relatively low intake of dry forage, daily water consumption from grazed forage is probably around 3 to 5 pounds or 0.4 to 0.6 gallons.

"How many people would think of getting out to work for a few hours without a jug of water to drink from periodically?

"The water in the grazed forage in the cow's jug of water that rehydrates her while she is out on the range or pasture ..."

And the way things are right now??

"The risk of heat stress is greater because we have high ambient temperatures combined with dry range foliage.

"The cow's jug of water is relatively empty this year, and the risk of heat stress and water - related problems is greater..."

A well - informed commentary, thanks, Doctor! :)

July 22. Feast Day of Saint Mary Magdalene.

"Patroness of Brackettville, Texas 78832"

Thursday, July 21, 2011

... and zero pot hole fill ins ...

July 12, 2011: Brackettville City Council receives Mr. David Martinez's Monthly Maintenance Report!


Kinney County, Texas 78832.


"Maintenance Supervisor Mr. David Martinez gave his monthly report.

"Martinez said the city's maintenance employees performed nine new water service turn ons; six temporary water turn offs; 35 water meter re - reads; 13 water leak inspections; 19 stray animal pick ups; and zero pot holes fill ins..."

From: The Brackett News Weekly. Thursday, July 14, 2011.

Anthropological note: Just as is the case elsewhere in the so - called Developing World -- where the merest handful of $$$ Rancheros Cocoleros $$$ are openly permitted to maintain a hereditary stranglehold on both politics and money flow -- Brackettville, Texas 78832, is likewise cursed by poorly - financed municipal infrastructure.

Having lived, worked, or merely visited other parts of the Third World, this is only too familiar.

Nevertheless, I personally believe we need to look at the big picture: we're lucky to have a lot of good and hardworking people struggling as hard as they can to get by, and yet always ready to help their less fortunate neighbors to do the same!

As in any other medieval - style gnostic fantasy enclave -- at any time in history! -- this real - deal component of Brackettville society is what eventually turns out to be the most sustainable society...

And has so proven itself to be throughout recorded history ...:)

July 21. Feast Day of Saint Lawrence of Brindisi.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

July 20. Feast Day of Saint Apollinar.

"Wrongly feeling compelled to choose between either God or creatures,

"the Protestant teachers naturally chose God...

"In their thinking, God does everything in our salvation,

"and we do practically nothing..."


Snippets from Dr. Marc Pugliese's article in the June 2011 Newsletter of The Coming Home Network International titled A Journey of Mind and Heart.

"Wrongly feeling compelled to choose between either God or cretaures, the Protestant teachers naturally chose God, whence their well - known slogan, soli Deo Gloria -- to the glory of God alone.

"In their thinking, God does everything in our salvation, and we do practically nothing.

"They were rejecting the traditional Catholic view that in one sense God does it all, but in the creaturely realm we do it all -- there is no competition.

"As I pondered this matter, I saw how in Scripture and philosophy, as creatures infinitely different from God we must receive all our knowledge of God through other creatures, never directly.

"The Word of God in the Bible is still in human concepts and languages, and God's fullest revelation to us was His becoming a human being, Jesus Christ.

"Grace and truth of necessity always come to us through a created medium of one sort or another.

"This is the incarnational and sacramental principle at the heart of the Christian faith, made abundantly clear in Catholic teaching.

"When I realized the Protestant metaphysical mistakes of a perceived competition between God and creatures, leading to a denial of the sacramental principle, I found the lynch pin upon which all Protestant objections to Catholic teaching hinged: the real activity of creatures and human beings in salvation.

"This mistake in their thinking lies at the root of their objections to free will, works, merit, the sacraments, the saints, the Church, and the Blessed Virgin Mary, who is the archetype of the Church ..."

Way to go, Doctor! :)

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

From the American TFP's Crusade magazine:

July / August 2011 --WWW . TFP . ORG

"Gun Control Disguised as Treaty"



"In May 2011, Hillary Clinton announced that the Obama administration will be working with the United Nations to pass a new international small - arms treaty in order to combat terrorism, insurgency and international crime syndicates.

"[S]ays Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul, Ultimately, the U.N.'s Small Arms Treaty is designed to register, ban and confiscate firearms owned by private citizens..."

Way to go, Senator! :)

Monday, July 18, 2011

First, it was Christopher West & his American - Catholic Fantasy Sex!

Then, it was Father "Right - on Ron" Ron Rohlheiser and his American - Catholic Fantasy Theology!

This morning, ladies and gentlemen, girls & boys, it's:

American
- Catholic $$$Fantasy Accounting$$$ 101!


Motto: if you should so happen to be DO'IN IT for La Línea Mexicana or who knows who -- or whether you're on your own, moving "IT" by the kilo or by the ton, you've got to remember your local Catholic Church, o.k.? :)

Brought to us by the Sunday Bulletin of Saint Mary Magdalene Catholic Parish Church + anonymous local Knights of Columbus members + even more self - effacing as well as anonymous Finance Council members.

So, who is to blame them, ha, ha? :)

Brackettville, Texas 78832.


"BUDGET REVIEW -- June 30, 2011...

CASH AND SAVINGS

Checking Accounts $23,967.00

Savings Bank and Trust $19,738.00

Savings Chancery $23,692.00

CD Chancery $400,000.00

TOTAL: $467,397.00

TOTAL EXPENDITURES $194,136.00
TOTAL REVENUE $198,820.00

TOTAL [??!!] $4,684.00

PROJECTS COMPLETED FY 2010 - 2011

Repair, Paint Church, Parish Hall, Rectory
and Original Church. $8,642.00

Install Front Canopy $6,285.00

Church Sign $2,500.

Pave and Repave Cemetery and Church [sic.] $60,967.00

TOTAL: $78,394.00

INCOMPLETE PROJECTS:

Sprinkler System $9,630.00"

Humm, you don't say!!??

So?


Who
signed off on all of this and what CPA - level auditor of what reputable licensed and bonded independent accounting firm carried out the work? :)

July 18. Feast Day of Saint Camillus de Lellis.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

"Pope bestows pallium on Archbishop Gustavo"

Pope Benedict's cryptic response to Archbishop Gustavo's expressing his own desire for unity:

"San Antonio, Texas, yes!"


Snippets from Catholic News Service's John Thavis' report published in Today's Catholic. Friday, July 15, 2011.


"VATICAN CITY -- Celebrating Mass with archbishops from 25 countries, Pope Benedict reflected on his 60 years as a priest, calling it a demanding and awe - inspiring minstry that brought him closer to God.

"The pope's unusually personal recollection came June 29, the anniversary of his priestly ordination in Bavaria in 1951 and the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, the patron saints of Rome.

"During the three - hour - long Mass, he gave 41 archbishops the woolen pallium as a sign of their communion with the pope and their pastoral responsibility as shepherds.

"Among them were four prelates from the United States, including Archbishop Gustavo García - Siller, MSpS, of San Antonio, Archbishop José H. Gómez of Los Angeles and one from Canada.

"Archbishop García - Siller said the pope's words rightly underlined the joyful task of building unity in the church, adding, I hope I will be an instrument of the unity that Jesus wanted.

"He said that when the pope laid the pallium on his shoulders, he told the pope of this desire for unity..."

Now, in Archbishop Gustavo's own voice:

"The pope rsponded, 'San Antonio, Texas, yes!'

"Few words but very meaningful..."

Oh, really?

Humm ... Archbishop Gustavo ...?

Your Excellency?

Supposing just maybe the pope was gently warning you, "Beware of letting apostate Christians in roman collars continue to run amok in the pages of your very own newspaper!" (heh, heh, heh!) :)

"It's not YOUR Fault, Koko Bear"

"We are meant to picture the four - year - old nestled in mommy's lap. while she non - judgmentally explains why it is that daddy dyed his hair, left home and is shacking up with his tennis coach ..."

Snippet from "Diogenes" column in the Last Word page of The Catholic World Report, July 2011.

"Emancipation from religious authority produced in its wake a litter of thumb - sucking books ostensibly designed to help children deal with the consequences of their parents' brave quest for self - fulfillment, most notably the anguish of divorce.

"We are meant to picture the four - year - old nestled in mommy' lap while she reads from, say Dinosaurs Divorce, and non - judgmentally explains why it is that daddy dyed his hair, left home, and is shacking up with his tennis coach

"The text communicates two key messages: the comforting truth that the child is not to blame ("It's not YOUR fault, Koko Bear"), and the comforting falsehood that, in spite of their separation, mommy and daddy love each other more than ever.

"The real point of the book is to assuage the parents' guilt, not the child's.....'

Good points, maestro! :)

July 16. Feast Day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

Friday, July 15, 2011

In certain Native American Tribes being a shaman who was both aggressively militant and militantly gay was to be empowered to tap into really authentic occult spiritual forces ...

One might reasonably even suspect demonic ones!

Example:

Before a pivotal battle in December of 1966:

The Indians were "encouraged by a promise of success from a two - souled person or winkte ..."


Snippets from this source: Thomas Powers. The Killing of Crazy Horse. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2010.

Pages 3 - 9.

And here's the scene:

December 22, 1866 -- The Sioux are desperately committed "to driving the white soldiers back down the Bozeman Road'" in the vicinity "of Fort Phil Kearney on northern Wyoming.

"The moment had a long history.

"Fort Phil Kearney was the first of three posts established in the early summer of 1866 to protect whites traveling north to the Montana goldfields along a new road named after the man who mapped it ..."

Their initial attempt was futile.

But we're told, because they were "encouraged by a promise of success from a two - souled person or winkte, the Indians organized a second effort on a still larger scale and this time everything was done right..."

Why?

Because:

"After the early failure, the Sioux summoned the aid of the spirit world, giving the task to one of the men called a winkte -- a contraction of the Lakota winyanktehca, or two - souled person, by which was meant a man with womanly qualities..

"Berdache was the Cheyenne word.

"A winkte was not a hermaphrodite, as some early writers would have it but an effeminate man -- in fact a homosexual..

"The Sioux were of two minds about winktes but considered them mysterious (wakan), and called on them for certain kinds of magic or sacred power.

"On December 20, 1866, the Sioux, preparing another attack on the soldiers at Phil Kearney, dispatched a winkte on a sorrel horse on a symbolic scout for the enemy...

"He rode with a black cloth over his head, blowing a sacred whistle made from the wing bone of an eagle as he dashed back and forth over the landscape, then returned to a group of chiefs with his fists clenched and saying I have ten men, five in each hand -- do you want them?"

In short, the chiefs said NO!

"When he came back a fourth time he shouted Answer me quickly -- I have a hundred or more ..

"[T]he Indians begin to shout and yell, and after the battle the next day, it was often called The Battle of a Hundred in the Hand ..."

In case anyone is wondering, the white man lost.

Big time! :)

July 15. Feast Day of Saint Bonaventure.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Snippet from the July 2011 Newsletter of The Coming Home Network International, with Mr. Derek Caudill:

"All Roads Lead to Rome"


"My conversion to the Catholic faith came a little earlier n life than it comes for most converts.

"I was received into the Church as a high school senior at the Easter vigil, 2009, after serving as an evangelist for a nondenominational congregation for a short time.

"I grew up in Cleveland, Georgia, a small town in the mountainous northern part of the state where Catholics tend to be few and far between.

"I attended the public schools there.

"My family was not churchgoing throughout most of my early years.

"My father was raised Methodist and my mother nondenominational, but their religion didn't play much of a role in our family life after my younger sister and I were born.

"As a result, I grew up knowing only a skeleton of Christian faith and practice: that I should acknowledge the existence of heaven and hell, say my nightly prayers, and intellectually believe in Jesus of Nazareth.

"That was about it.

"I was not baptized as a child..."

Way to go, amigo Derek! :)

UTEP Summer II Semester's Second week almost over!

¡Ora, UTEP!

¡Ora, MEChA!

¡Adelante, DESTINO!


And, wasn't that little El Paso rain shower we had the other day nice?

You bet it was! :)

Plus, Wednesday's forecast called for 40% chance of more rain!

July 14. Feast Day of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha a.k.a. "The Lily of the Mohawks."

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Mr. Greg Quinlan, President:

"Parents and Friends if Ex - gays -- PFOX."


From the TFP's Crusade magazine. July / August 2011.

"Former Homosexual Protects Marriage"


"Greg Quinlan, president of Parents and Friends of Ex -gays (PFOX), spoke before the Maryland State Legislature in February 2011.

"Ex-gayTruth.com published his opening words, I am an ex - ray. That means a former homosexual for those of you who don't understand the term 'ex - gay...'"

Mr. Quinlan then quotes directly "from the American Psychiatric Association May 2000..."

".... There is no replicated, scientific study supporting any specific biological etiology for homosexuality..."

Then, Mr. Quinlan asks the obvious question:

"...Why does the government feel it necessary to accommodate a small sexual minority based on a sexual identity that has no basis in genetics or biology?"

Good question, señor! :)

June 13. Feast Day of Saint Henry.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

The Philippine Islands in the 1930s.

During the pre - World War II imperial reign of General Douglas MacArthur's American Raj.

And a hot - shot U.S. Army machine-gunner turned boxer:

"Manila John" Basilone.

Future U.S. Marine Corps winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor on Guadalcanal in October, 1942 ...


Snippet from the late James Brady's Hero of the Pacific: The Life of Marine Legend John Basilone, 2010.


"R & R to New Zealand?" You bet! Every six months, too!

Page 110.

"All of MacArthur's troops looked forward to their R & R stints every six months in New Zealand, with its temperate climate, pretty girls, local beers. and people a lot like us.

"Some of the farm boys and ranchers among the enlisted men spent their R & R, and voluntarily so, living with families and working without pay and happily on farms and cattle stations (ranches).

"The Yanks found New Zealanders wonderful, but really they would have welcomed almost anything to get them out of the Philippines for a time.

"Some of Basilone's fellow soldiers, their enlistments up, instead of going home to the States returned to New Zealand to marry local girls ..."

Monday, July 11, 2011

"Fifty - eight percent of Catholics believe that homosexuality should be accepted, compared with fifty percent of the general population.

"Forty - eight percent of Catholics believe that abortion should be legal in all or most cases..."



From: "[T]he 2008 survey by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.

"Data obtained from this and other sources show [the above!]."

Quoted in the current issue of the newsletter, Christifidelis. Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, June 29, 2011.

July 11. Feast Day of Saint Benedict.

Saturday, July 09, 2011

Sicilian Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe of Naples, Italy cracks down:

"No funerals for Mafia leaders."



Snippet from The Catholic World Report, July 2011.

"Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe of Naples has announced that prominent Mafia leaders will no longer be allowed Catholic funerals if there is no evidence of their repentance.

"[T] cardinal told reporters, If Mafiosi were repentant it would be a different story; but as this is not the case, they cannot be godfathers, or witnesses to a marriage, or have a funeral in church ...."

Way to go!! :)

"Rabbi Johai prophesied that the sacrifice of bread and wine would never cease ..."

English Bishop & Martyr Saint John Fisher on Melchizedek:


"Astonishingly, Fisher also cites ancient and medieval Rabbis who declared that Melchizedek offered a sacrifice..."


Snippet from Anne Barbeau Gardiner's article Saint John Fisher -- Defender if the Priesthood. In the Spring 2011 edition of the Latin Mass magazine.

"Fisher vigorously defends the teaching that Melchizedek offered a sacrifice of bread and wine.

"He cites supporting testimonies from the Latin Fathers Jerome, Augustine, Cyprian, Ambrose, and Arnobius, and then the Greek Fathers John Damascene and Vulgarius.

"Astonishingly, Fisher also cites ancient and medieval Rabbis who declared that Melchizedek offered a sacrifice.

"Fisher refers to Rabbi Johai who lived before Christ and prophesied that the sacrifice of bread and wine would never cease, based on Judges 9:13, where God promises not to desert His wine that makes Him and men glad.

"Johai reflected: Granted that wine maketh men glad, how shall it make God glad? By the sacrifice which is made of it.

"The same rabbi said that The sacrifice of bread shall never fail, based on Psalm 72:16 (71.16): And there shall be a handful of corn [i.e., wheat] in the earth upon the top of the mountains.

"In addition, Rabbi Phinehas, who lived in the second century A.D., interpreted Psalm 109 to mean that When the Messiah comes all sacrifices shall cease, but the sacrifice of bread and wine shall never cease.

"Phinehas explained that this was the sacrifice of Melchizedek, a foreshadowing of King Messiah, for Melchi means King of the whole earth and zedek meant justice.

"Fisher brings forward two more rabbis as witnesses: Rabbi Kimhi of the twelfth century and Rabbi Solomon Rashi of the eleventh, each of whom wrote a commentary on the psalms found in an early sixteenth - century Rabbinical Bible.

"They both interpreted Psalm 71 to mean that the future sacrifice of the Messiah would be in a cake of corn [i.e., wheat].

"Fisher thus proves that the Protestants, in denying that Melchizedek offered a sacrifice, are breaking with both Jewish and Christian Tradition ..."

Some good points to ponder, huh??!! :)

July 9. Feast Day of Saint Augustine Zhao Rong and his Companions.

Friday, July 08, 2011

Whimsical Mexican radio news flash from Piedras Negras last night:

A certain Maverick County Sheriff's Department Detention Center employee named Jimenez was busted by U.S. federal law enforcement officers the other day at the International Bridge in Eagle Pass, Texas -- transporting a measly 8 plus ? kilos of marijuana ....

What a loser! :)

Take II: Archbishop Lucey -- Father Rihn -- Mr. Phil Sheridan.

"1966. Following Vatican Council II, Mister Sheridan received a phone call from Father Carlos Quintana (R.I.P.).

"Father Carlos told me to be in the Archbishop's Office the next day at 10:00 a.m.; the Archbishop wanted to visit with me.

"The following day I arrived at the Chancery at the time designated...

"The Archbishop himself was the one who conducted the interview.

"Some of his questions directed to me were the following:

"Question: Mister Sheridan, are you a member of St. Pius X Parish?

"Answer: Yes.

"Question: Is Father Rihn your Pastor?

"Answer: Yes.

"Question: As a member of the Parish, what can you tell me about the Day of Recollection at St. Pius conducted recently by the Paulist Fathers from Austin, Texas?

"Answer: Your Grace, it was a very unorthodox Day of Recollection. The Paulist Fathers on the surface appeared more Protestant than Catholic.

"Question: Was Father Rihn present at the Day of Recollection?

"Answer: Yes, he was.

"Question: What can you tell me about the Mass as said by Father Rihn?

"Answer: You Excellency, Father Rihn is the only priest in the Archdiocese saying Mass facing the people. The other priests say Mass facing God in the Tabernacle.

"Question: What do you know about the sermons of Father Rihn?

"Answer: Father Rihn is all for change in Holy Mother Church. He belittles Tradition and the authority of Rome. As President of St. Joseph's Retreat House, I have visited with the very orthodox Assistant Director of the Retreat House, Father Wayne Cozad, O.M.I. (R.I.P.) about the sermons of Father Rihn. Father Cozad and I agree that Father Rihn is a student of the non - orthodox Jesuit, Father Pierre Teilhard de Chardin.

"Question: What is your opinion of your pastor?

"Answer: Your Grace, Father Rihn is the darling of the Protestant Community. He impresses me as being more Protestant than Catholic ..."