Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Medjugorje: "Pope defrocks priest" (Fr. Tomislav Vlasic Laicized)

Sex! Secret Documents! Hypocritical Catholics!

Responding to those statements in order: Maybe; Sort of; Possibly.

There are some facts involved in what promises to be on tabloid covers and talk shows soon.

Purported Medjugorje Apparitions (Still) Under Investigation, Priest Laicized

Father Tomislav Vladic asked permission to be laicized - to have his priestly authority removed. The Vatican granted his request.

And, yes: the laicization of Fr. Tomislav Vlasic does seem to have something to do with the ongoing investigation of the purported ("alleged" in Western newspaperese) Marian apparitions at Medjugorje, Bosnia.

This milestone in Tomislav Vlasic's career, and the situation at Medjugorje is in this morning's Daily Mail Online. I've excerpted the juicier parts of the article:
"The Pope has defrocked the priest at the centre of claims that the Virgin Mary has been appearing in the Bosnian town of Medjugorje.

"The Vatican stripped Father Tomislav Vladic of his priest status after an investigation into growing concerns over the alleged apparitions.

"Father Vlasic was named as the 'creator' of the phenomenon by Pavao Zanic, the local bishop at the time the apparitions began in 1981...."

"...The Vatican also began an inquiry into claims he was guilty of sexual immorality after he made a nun pregnant.

The defrocking was secretly signed off by the Pope in March....
"

"...It emerged yesterday that he has chosen to leave the priesthood and his order, a move which has brought the investigation to an abrupt halt...."

"...The seers have grown wealthy as a result of their claims – and so has their town, which has boomed as a result of the 'Madonna gold rush'.

"Some today own smart executive houses with immaculate gardens, double garages and security gates, and one has a tennis court.

"They also own expensive cars and have married, one of them, Ivan Dragicevic, to an American former beauty queen...."
(Daily Mail Online)
I've made the point before, that secular publications don't have the best record for accurate reporting on matters concerning the Catholic Church. (September 16, 2008)



Not that the Daily Mail Online is in the same class as the Star: but I think that, between a desire to publish attention-grabbing headlines and an unconscious ignorance of Catholic beliefs and practices, secular journalists are likely to blunder when covering events which involve the Church.

Whaddaya Mean, "Unconscious"?

By "unconscious ignorance of Catholic beliefs and practices," I mean that secular journalists - as well as some Catholics - are clueless when it comes to what the Catholic Church teaches, and how we operate.

Having a lack of specific knowledge is no problem for journalists, or anyone else: as long as the person is aware of that lack. A reporter, writing about Zoroastorianism, might not be familiar with the teachings of Zoroaster, or just what was in the Avesta. No problem: there are reference materials available which should give the reporter enough background information to get by.

As I see it, problems start when a journalist, or anyone else, has a knowledge deficit - and doesn't know it. There's quite a great deal about Christianity in general, and Catholicism in particular, that 'everybody knows' - that just ain't so.

One Catholic-oriented website (Catholic Online) used the Daily Mail article as the basis of it's coverage, so I'll take some points in the order that they appeared in the Daily Mail Online.

"The Pope has defrocked..."

The term is "laicized," which is pretty close to "defrocked," although a bit more specific to Catholic procedures. The verb "to laicize" means to "reduce to lay status" (Princeton's WordNet) I could quibble about using "defrocked" in this context - but more of the Daily Mail's readers probably understand "defrocked," so it's probably good sense to stick with a familiar vocabulary.

The Vatican's Been Investigating the Purported Medjugorje Apparitions

This is standard operating procedure for the Church: It would be shocking if the Catholic Church didn't investigate whether or not someone claiming to have talked with Mary was telling the truth, the victim of a hoax, or in need of therapy. As for the bickering between priest and bishop that's implied: So far, all Catholics have been and are human beings. We don't always get along. That's the way it is.

Sex! Oh, Wow! Sex!

Remember what I said, about Catholics being human beings? We're also sexual creatures - and sometimes we do things with our sexuality that aren't right.

People following in the tradition of Maria Monk notwithstanding, the Catholic Church doesn't maintain nunneries to provide harems for priests. We take the idea of celibacy rather seriously: and in a case where a priest is accused of making a woman pregnant, an investigation would be in order.
The Perfidy of the Pedophile Priests
For anyone who may have been isolated from the rest of the world for the last couple of decades: There has been a scandal in America, about a few priests who raped quite an impressive number of boys.

Those pedophile priests shouldn't have done what they did, and the Church is dealing with them.

Moving along.

"The defrocking was secretly signed off by the Pope"

For people who really believe that there's a global conspiracy involving Jesuit assassins, and that the Vatican has a vast secret library that nobody ever gets to see except the conspirators: this sort of thing 'proves' their point.

For many others, the idea of 'secret signings' and shadowy intrigue are, well, intriguing.

Okay: the Pope didn't make a public announcement about allowing a priest to withdraw from the priesthood. Some American cultures are a bit over-enthusiastic (I think) about "privacy," so consider the sort of fuss that could have been raised if the Vatican hadn't kept Tomislav Vlasic's change of status quiet. I could be wrong, but I think that headlines about "public humiliation" might be popping up about now.

"The seers have grown wealthy as a result of their claims..."

Yeah. This is one reason why the Church investigates claims about apparitions.

It's a fact: A whole lot of 'Jesus junk' has been sold in and around Medjugorje; quite a few books about Medjugorje have been sold - for a profit; and news outlets have used Medjugorje in headlines, to get readers.

Hello? If there's a profit to be made, someone's going to try to make a profit: whether it's Michael Jackson's death; or a purported Marian apparition.

But wait! Aren't religious people supposed to be poor? You know: despising the vain trappings of the world and all that?
Louie: The Saint Who Owned France
Your history text probably called him King Louis IX of France. If you've got a book about saints, you may know him as Saint Louis the Confessor. Either way, he was king of France for part of the 13th century. A rather conventional biography of Saint Louis the Confessor starts with "In Louis IX of France were united the qualities of a just and upright sovereign, a fearless warrior, and a saint...." (EWTN)

As king, Louis IX of France had the sort of authority over, and control of, French land that makes it not altogether unreasonable to say that he owned France. Whatever, he wasn't exactly poor.
Catholicism: Poverty Not Required
I've been taught, and believe, that material poverty brings with it certain opportunities for practicing holiness.

I've also been taught, and believe, that being stinking rich brings with it certain opportunities for practicing holiness. They're not the same opportunities as you get with being poor: but Saint Louis the Confessor made pretty good use of what he had - and is recognized as a saint.
Back to Medjugorje
People who have used the purported Medjugorje apparitions strictly as a way to make money aren't, I think, making good use of their opportunities.

The Daily Mail Online says: "...The seers have grown wealthy as a result of their claims...." I think it makes a difference, whether they tried to become wealthy, and just what they did to obtain the wealth. There isn't enough detail in the news article for me to go 'tsk, tsk' or 'good for them.'

Bottom line: Although people in some religious orders take vows of poverty, it's okay as a rule for a Catholic to be rich - or poor - in terms of material things.

One of the Medjugorje "Seers" Married - the Horror! the Horror!

Remember what I said, about human beings being sexual creatures? Part of what I've been taught, and believe, is that God made human beings. Also, that God doesn't make defective products. Yes, evil exists - but that's a matter involving free will - and a topic for other posts.

Sex itself is built into humanity, at the cellular level. It's literally in our genes. And yes: sex is okay, although the Catholic Church does have some rules about what we're supposed to do with it.

Let's put in this way: Marriage is a sacrament in the Catholic Church, and we're supposed to have sex if we're married.

And, although most of us haven't married "an American former beauty queen," I haven't seen anything in the rules saying that Catholics are supposed to avoid marrying attractive people.

I'm Not Happy About This News: But I'm Not Shocked or Disheartened, Either

I've been following the purported Marian apparitions at Medjugorje for quite a few years, and I'm not at all happy to read the latest developments. However, I was aware that the Church was still investigating the purported apparitions, and hadn't heard anything about their being approved: so this is just one more piece of news to come out of Bosnia.

Disappointed? Yes. But there's nothing here to shake my faith. The purported Medjugorje apparitions may be the real deal, or they may not. I don't have enough information about what's been going on in and around Medjugorje, Bosnia, to have an informed opinion, one way or another.

It would be nifty-keen if the Church does declare that they're in the same class as, say, the Lourdes event - but I'm willing to wait for an official decision, one way or another.

Related posts:
In the news:
Background:

A tip of the hat to Roseblue, on Twitter, for the heads-up on this news.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Celebrating Our Faith: This I'll Want to Think About

I ran into a post on a new-to-me blog yesterday: "A Joyous Catholic--Not an Oxymoron " (Roman Catholic Cop (July 27, 2009)). Here's a sample from the first three paragraphs:
"You know--if there is one thing the Roman Catholics do is make ourselves look somber. Maybe gloomy would be a better word. I've spent a good twenty minutes (maybe shorter) sitting here wondering why. Oh, sure--there is something to be said about redemptive suffering. The church does that right.

"My favorite movie line is out of the movie Dogma and it goes something to the effect of, 'I have issues with anyone who treats God like a burden instead of a blessing like some Catholics. You people don't celebrate your faith . . . you mourn it.' ....

"...We should be running around, jumping up and down and acting like idiots because of what we have. Instead when you walk into a mass everyone acts like someone just shot their dog...."
(Roman Catholic Cop)
I think know what Roman Catholic Cop is writing about. I don't know about other countries, but in America gloominess seems to be a default emotional state for being 'Christian.' Approaching worship with all the verve and enthusiasm of one contemplating a dead pet seems to be expected of 'spiritual' people in some quarters. It's certainly not limited to Catholics living in America.

Assuming that some emotional states are more 'spiritual' than others isn't limited to the Curmudgeons for Christ sort, though. I've encountered people whose pep, drive, and enthusiasm for their particular take on Christianity might suggest that a cocktail of powerful stimulants was coursing through their veins.

I've participated in a few get-togethers of that sort, and they're a blast. The theology expressed in these pep-fests was, as a rule, somewhere on a continuum from simplistic to weird - but the experiences were an emotional high.

If I wasn't such a stickler with having my beliefs make sense, I might have joined one of those groups.

It's not that I have anything against emotions. I'm a very passionate man. But I've found that things work out better if I think with my central nervous system and feel with my endocrine system - not the other way around.

"A Joyous Catholic--Not an Oxymoron:" Something to Think About

After reading "A Joyous Catholic--Not an Oxymoron" (which I highly recommend), I took a look at posts here on A Catholic Citizen in America. Sure enough, although I may not have achieved full curmudgeonhood, some of my posts have been rather, well, intense.

I doubt that I'll become a Catholic analog of one of the Clowns for Christ. (Yes, they really exist.)

It's just not in my nature. There's a garrulous, affable Irishman lurking within me - as well as an off-the-wall artist - but that's about as far as it goes. And I like peppy music: I've been asked to keep my voice down while singing at Mass within the last month. For good reason.

However, there's a lot more to being Catholic than the grim war we're involved in. I've made it a point to lighten up a little in this blog. We'll see how that goes.

Related posts: Background:

New on the Blogroll: Roman Catholic Cop

There's a new link on the Blogroll/Catholic Links section:

Roman Catholic Cop "Thoughts and perusings of a Catholic Cop on his spiritual journey"

I ran into Roman Catholic Cop through Twitter (a tip of the hat to JamieMc4525).

Other Catholic Websites and Blogs > Blogs

Sunday, July 26, 2009

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 2009

Readings for July 26, 2009, 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 2009:

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

By Deacon Lawrence N. Kaas
July 26, 2009

17th Sunday of the year
by Deacon Lawrence N. Kaas

You may remember that a month ago I asked you the question: Why are you here? And in part, at least, I got to answer the question. Well today I would like to carry that homily to a kind of completion.

For today we begin the Bread of life discourse that goes on for 5 weeks, all from the Gospel of John.

So if we reflect on today's Gospel we will see the infinite power to multiply bread in order to feed hungry men and women. There is an obvious reference to the Last Supper and the Holy Eucharist, since everything in the Old Testament points to its fulfillment in the Messiah, Jesus Christ. These events recorded in the Bible help our Faith. For, if God can multiply bread at will, so that five loaves feed five thousand people with twelve baskets full left over, He can also change bread and wine into His own Body and Blood.

We see in today's Gospel that the Lord Jesus first taught the crowds and then fed them. Something similar takes place in the Mass, which is a liturgical re-presenting of what Jesus did at the Last Supper. So the Mass has two main or basic parts—the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. It may be helpful to reflect for a few minutes on how the Mass is structured.

After the introductory and penitential rite, there comes next what is called the Liturgy of the Word. For Sunday Mass, the first reading is usually from the Old Testament and it relates closely to the Gospel. It is followed by the responsorial psalm, which can be recited or sung. The second reading we usually hear from St. Paul. The Gospel reading follows and is the high point of all the readings, so much so that the Deacon must ask the priest for a blessing before proclaiming the Gospel. And the people stand, in a real sense of a coming to attention as this is important.

Following the Gospel a homily provides reflections on the implications and meaning of the readings, especially of the Gospel.

In the readings and the homily God speaks to us, for when we read the Bible God is speaking to us; when we pray we speak to Him in words of adoration, thanksgiving, satisfaction and petition. In the Liturgy we respond to God's word with the prayers of the faithful and especially with our praying of the Creed, because there we give expression to our Faith in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, in the Church, in the Resurrection and in Eternal Life.

We can well see then, how the Word prepares us for the Liturgy of the Eucharist, in which the Sacrifice of Jesus on Calvary two thousand years ago is made present in a miraculous and mysterious way. The Liturgy of the Eucharist has the following parts; the procession of the gifts of the little we have to offer. Then the preparation of the gifts, the offertory, the Eucharistic Prayer — at whose heart is the double consecration of the bread and the wine into the Body and Blood of Christ—the communion of the priest and the faithful, and the conclusion and dismissal of the congregation.

I really need to share with you a little more detail; The Eucharistic Prayer begins with the Preface; next the Epiclesis, (the imposition of hands) in which the priest invokes God's power and asks that the gifts may be Consecrated or changed into the Body and Blood of Christ. Who is the source of salvation for those who partake of It. The actual Consecration takes place next by using the words of Jesus at the Last Supper, for he told us to do this in memory of Him. The next prayers recall the Lords Death, Resurrection and Ascension, and we offer to God in Thanksgiving "this Holy and Living Sacrifice." The Eucharistic Prayer concludes with the final Doxology or hymn of praise and a resounding "Amen."

The Communion Rite includes the Lord's Prayer, the exchange of peace and then the receiving the Body and Blood of Christ. In Communion Christ comes to us in His substantial, real presence, under the forms of bread and wine. To make us a part of Himself. After a blessing from the priest and dismissal by the Deacon we are sent out into the world to live what we have received. In Thanksgiving and Praise of God. How can I instill in your hearts the reality, that nothing is happening in our world that is more important to Salvation then the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. "NOTHING"
'Thank you' to Deacon Kaas, for letting me post his reflection here.
More reflections: Related posts:

Help Abort or Be Fired: A Nurse in Brooklyn

The New York Post put "forced" in quotes for their headline: "NURSE 'FORCED' TO HELP ABORT". I suppose, technically, nobody forced Catherina Cenzon-DeCarlo to help kill another person. And, the paper is careful to use words like "claims."

Bottom line? Catherina Cenzon-DeCarlo is one of 'those' people: a Catholic. And, unlike some ardent Catholics in high political office, Caherina knows what the Church teaches about killing babies.

She wasn't forced into anything. She had a choice: help kill a baby, or lose her job - and probably the chance of getting another one for quite a while.

Pressured by her betters, nurse Cenzon-DeCarlo assisted in the, ah, procedure.

I don't envy her. She was given the choice of not just losing her job, but probably being blackballed by the rest of the medical industry. This isn't the best time to be looking for work while being barred from the sort of work you're trained for: and she has a family to consider.

Ideally, she'd have refused to be an accomplice to murder. Now, although there won't be legal penalties, she's got some serious catching-up to do with what's called her 'inner life.'

The people I'm more upset with are the murderers who forced this nurse to be a party to their killing.

My suggestion: pray for Catherina Cenzon-DeCarlo and her family; for healing and help. Pray for the medical bosses; for knowledge of what killing a baby means, and whatever it takes to stop murdering people. And, pray for America's leaders, for whatever change of heart it takes to make them realize that killing babies isn't nice, and that people shouldn't do it.

Related posts: In the news:

New on the Blogroll: The Catholic Key Blog

There's a new link on the Blogroll/Catholic Links section:

The Catholic Key Blog, "...from the staff of the newspaper for the Diocese of Kansas City - St. Joseph in Missouri."

I ran into The Catholic Key Blog through Twitter (a tip of the hat to newadvent), and wrote about one of their posts.

Other Catholic Websites and Blogs > Blogs

Inconvenient Classes of Persons and Health Care

A state-run health care system looks pretty good on paper. It would work very well, provided that a few conditions were met, including, but not limited to:
  • Everyone at the leadership level being
    • Competent
    • Selfless
    • Disinterested in anything but each citizen's
      • Health
      • Life
  • All citizens being
    • In reasonably good health
      • And likely to stay that way
    • Able to fully cooperate with the system
    • Diligent in their efforts to maintain their own health
    • Engaged in safe occupations and lifestyles
In a nation where conditions like these were met, health care as a government service should work fairly well.

I ran into a blog post this morning, with these paragraphs:
"...Throughout the 20th Century, the success of revolutionary proposals has been hampered by the existence of inconvenient classes of persons. In the Russian Communist Revolution, Ukrainian 'kulaks' stood in the way of a glorious modern Moscow. 'Fetuses' stood in the way of a Sexual Revolution attempting to dissociate sex from commitment and fecundity.

"In the 21st Century, the elderly stand in the way of a revolution in health care. They're just to darn expensive to make health care affordable for 'everyone'.

"In the 20th Century, ideological revolutions mitigated the brake-effects of undesirable classes by giving them euphemistic titles and then killing them. The elderly in the U.S. don't yet have a name I can stick in quotes, but they have a plan for eliminating their brake-effect on the health care revolution - HR 3200, 'America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009'...."
(The Catholic Key Blog)
Elsewhere in the post, I was impressed by terms like "QALY (quality-adjusted life years)," that generally don't work their way into media spots touting the excellence of our leaders' plans for a real change in health care.

Since it looks like "eliminating fraud, waste and abuse" would lower the medicare budget by only about 1%, health care for the over-65 crowd will have to be rationed. And "QALY (quality-adjusted life years)" sounds so much nicer than "rationed health care."

There's quite a bit more in the post, mostly an analysis of current federal health-care proposals and a recent Forbes magazine article.

I strongly recommend that anyone who is not in their mid-to-late-twenties, in excellent health, and willing to die for the state when they become unproductive or inconvenient, read Stand in the Way of a Revolution - And Die! - Health Care Edition."

America, and some other countries where people haven't been having children anywhere near enough to maintain the population, has problems. Actually, America is still fairly well-off, since people are still coming here from other parts of the world. But even here, we've got a situation where people are living longer - and haven't, by and large, seen to it that there's someone around to take their place.

No matter what's done, I think the next several decades of American history are going to be messy. There are, and will be, very hard choices to make. It's likely that families will have to decide whether a trip to Disney World is more important than another month's care for an older family member.

As a Catholic, I have rather well-defined beliefs about the sanctity of human life. Before I converted, I already had decided that putting my faith in princes or their contemporary analogues was a bad idea.

All thing considered, about the last organization I want deciding who gets health care and who doesn't - who lives and who dies - is an agency of the federal government.

Somewhat-related posts: Featured Post:
A tip of the hat to newadvent on Twitter, for the heads-up on The Catholic Key's post.

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Eight-Year-Old Raped - Time to Think and Pray

The good news is that the eight-year-old girl is getting help - and it looks like she'll have little or no trouble getting placed in a loving home.

The bad news: She's been raped. Then her parents disowned her.
"Offers of help are pouring in for an eight-year-old Liberian girl disowned by her own family in Phoenix, Arizona, after being raped by four boys.

The girl is under the care of the Arizona Child Protective Service (CPS) because her parents said she had shamed them, and they did not want her back.

Phoenix police said calls had come in from all over the US offering money, or even to adopt the young girl.

The boys, Liberian immigrants aged nine to 14, have been charged with rape....
"
(BBC)
The 14-year-old, Steven Tuopeh, is being tried as an adult. The rest were charged as juveniles. The Tuopeh family has been in America since 2005. Steven Tuopheh's mother doesn't understand why he's being charged as an adult.

Judgmental as This Sounds: Rape isn't Nice

From some points of view, the Catholic Church has rules against just about everything. In a way, it's true. There are rules about killing other people and killing yourself: Murder and suicide are both frowned on. (January 28, 2009)

And, there are rules about what we're supposed to do with our bodies. That's because what we do to our bodies - and to the bodies of others - affects us, and others. And because "...Sexuality affects all aspects of the human person in the unity of his body an soul...." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2332)

"Each of the two sexes is an image of the power and tenderness of God, with equal dignity though in a different way. The union of man and woman in marriage is a way of imitating in the flesh the Creator's generosity and fecundity:..." (2335) The Catholic Church recognizes the sexual union as something that's not just biological, but as an act which involves all of the human person. (2360 and following)

All of which helps explain why the Catholic Church is so rigidly opposed to sexual acts like rape.
"Rape is the forcible violation of the sexual intimacy of another person. It does injury to justice and charity. Rape deeply wounds the respect, freedom, and physical and moral integrity to which every person has a right...." (2356)
In short, rape is not nice and we shouldn't do it.

Don't I Know About the Pedophile Priests?

It's true: some priests in America raped boys. That wasn't right. It was wrong. What they did was bad. And, now that the Church has realized that the accusations aren't part of background noise of latter-day Maria Monks, the priests are being dealt with and reparations are being made.

Moving along.

Rape, Culture, and Liberia

The rape victim in this case is from a Liberian immigrant family. So are the alleged suspects. We're getting a look at a part of Liberian culture.

It's an aspect of Liberian culture that Liberia's leaders, some of them at least, are trying to change.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberian President:

"...Let me say that we are deeply distressed at this behavior on the part of our young Liberians and very saddened at this 8-year-old child who has been so victimized. We appeal to the parents to protect their children, protect their child, and make sure that those who have infringed upon her in this manner are made to abide by the laws of the United States in this regard.

"Let me say very clearly that rape is a problem in Liberia also. This is why we have made rape a non-bailable (ph) offense. It is a criminal offense. There is a strong law regarding that. You cannot even get bail.

"So, those parents should know that things have changed in Liberia. No longer do we tolerate this. And this is not a question of shame on the family, it's a question of an assault on a young child. And that cannot be tolerated...."
(CNN transcript)
The blame-the-victim attitude toward rape that President Sirleaf and others in Liberia are trying to change is not limited to that country, or that continent.

It's Not Always 'Those People Over There'

I remember, not so many decades ago, when American culture and American courts were starting to realize that rape victims weren't 'asking for it' or otherwise to blame for being assaulted. I think that, in some cases, there was a severe deficit of common sense: but just as incitement to riot is no excuse for riot; foolish behavior is no excuse for rape.

And, in the case of this eight-year-old girl, there doesn't seem to be any question as to who is responsible for her rape.

Unhappily, her parents seem to think - or feel - that she has brought shame on them by being a victim. That's not right. It's wrong. Liberia's current president had something more to say about the situation:
"I think that family is wrong. They should help that child who has been traumatized, and they should make sure that they work with the U.S. law authorities to see what can be done about the other young boys who have committed this offense.

"Not only should they abide by the law, but they too need serious counseling, because clearly they are doing something that is no longer acceptable in our society here. It's a problem, but it is a crime, and people bear the brunt of the penalty for such crimes.

"They should be working with the authorities on this. I will ask Ambassador Barnes to work with the family to let them know what needs to be done, and to work with the legal authorities in Phoenix to make sure that this matter is handled, recognizing that we do not condone this and we must ensure the protection of that 8-year-old."
(CNN)
The Liberian president - and ambassador - had quite a bit more to say. I recommend reading the CNN transcript. There's rather frequent mention of the unpleasant situations in Liberia. The country has been in a state of war for many years: the sort of warfare that's not bound by the Geneva Conventions. My guess is that the boys' values got warped by their experiences: although the teenagers certainly were 'old enough to know better.'

Which opens more topics than I've got time to think about right now.

Just a Suggestion: Pray

You don't have to, of course: you've got free will. But I think it would be a good idea to pray for the eight-year-old girl who was raped - and then rejected by her family. If she's not hurting now, she will as soon as the numbness wears off.

Praying for the people who raped her, their families, and the family that ditched their daughter would be a good idea, too.

Just a thought: take it or leave it.

Vaguely-related posts: In the news: Background:
  • "Liberia"
    World Factbook, CIA (last updated July 3, 2009)

Friday, July 24, 2009

Yeah, it Could Be Worse

In today's news:

"Activists: NKorean executed for distributing Bible"
The Associated Press (July 24, 2009)

Like I said, it could be worse.

Related posts:

Beach Killer Joseph Burgess: A Case of Horribly Warped Christianity

Joseph Henry Burgess is dead. So is police Sergeant Joe Harris.

They died in a shoot-out involving Burgess' efforts to burglarize a New Mexico cabin. Joe Harris was one of two New Mexico sheriff's deputies who were hiding in a cabin, watching houses across the street. Of the thousands of cabins in New Mexico, Burgess chose that one to enter. (ThePressDemocrat)

Sad, But What's That Got to Do With a Catholic Blog?

There's quite a grab-bag of topics here, including the propriety of theft (the Catholic Church is against it (Catechism 2408, 2412, 2534)); and whether or not it's okay to own property (yes, according to the Catholic Church (Catechism 2401), but we're expected to use property for the benefit of our family, and of others (Catechism 2404)).

Instead, I'm going to take a superficial look at Joseph Henry Burgess's religious beliefs, Catholic beliefs, and life issues.

The murders that Joseph Burgess is most clearly linked to happened in 1972, in Canada.
"...On June 21, 1972, the bodies of Ann Durrant, 20, and Lief Karlsson, 21, were found in their sleeping bag, shot multiple times in the head at point-blank range on Vancouver Island.

"Burgess was among hundreds of hippies on the island that summer, setting up their tents on the beach, [retired Royal Candadian Mounted Police officer Dan] Creally [who helped investigate the 1972 murders] said....

"...Creally said a woman on the beach told authorities that she had seen Burgess cleaning a .22 caliber rifle and said Burgess had told her he disapproved of Durrant and Karlsson's relationship because they were unmarried. It was not clear what kind of contact, if any, Burgess had with the couple before the killings.

He was gone by the time investigators arrived at the murder scene, but a police dog discovered his belongings, including an identification card and passages from the Bible he had written out, ripped up and discarded nearby, Creally said. His fingerprint was also at the scene....
"
(FOXNews)
I didn't discover which Bible verses had been written and ripped. It does look, though, as if Joseph Burgess had strong, if warped, religious views.

Having Sex With People You're Not Married to and/or Animals Isn't Nice

The Catholic Church has made no efforts to conform the Bible, Tradition and the Magisterium, to contemporary social fashions. One thing the Catholic Church is rather picky about is restricting people's sex lives to members of their own species - who they are married to. (Catechism, 2380; Leviticus 18:22-) (The Church's concern for animals doesn't end there: Catechism, 24172418, for starters.)

To hear some people talk, you'd think the Catholic Church was against people having any fun at all.

Murder isn't Nice, Either

As I've written before, "murder isn't nice, and you shouldn't do it." (July 23, 2009) Not even if you're killing someone who's doing something you don't particularly approve of.

From the looks of it, Joseph Henry Burgess had gotten it into to his head that pre- or extra- marital hanky-panky wasn't right. Okay, I can go along with that.

So he killed at least two - and maybe more - people who weren't living the way he thought they should. No way can I go along with that.

People who don't live absolutely one-hundred-percent-pure, upright lives are still human beings. Which severely limits what I think I can do with their lives.
"Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person—among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life...."
(2270)
Yes, the Catholic Church does - in extreme cases - allow the death penalty. But it's far from recommended. (October 2, 2008)

As for 'what's the big deal with life issues?' - in one of the televised re-tellings of Agatha Christie's Poirot stories, a dreadfully soulful person asked Poirot, "if one is not alive, what is one?" Poirot answered: "Dead, madame."

The way I look at it, once you're dead your options - lifestyle and otherwise - get narrowed down rather drastically. So I don't have much of a problem accepting the rather definite teachings of the Catholic Church on human life. (November 2, 2008)

Why Pick These Articles out of the Week's News?

What got me looking up Joseph Henry Burgess was the headline: "Christian Drifter May Have Killed Two Couples in Separate Beach Murders, Police Say". I hoped this wasn't the start of another wave of 'Christians as dangerous people' journalism, so I started digging. And, it doesn't look like that's happening.

No "Former Altar Boy" Assumptions This Time

Unlike the old 'former altar boy' news stories (December 26, 2008), Burgess's warped version of Christianity actually does seem to be what motivated him to kill a couple at Vancouver Beach, British Columbia in 1972. There's pretty good reason to believe that he's responsible for another couple's death at Jenner beach, Sonoma County, California, in 2004, and there may be others.

Respecting Life: Even the Life of People Who Aren't Doing Nice Things

Burgess is what some people apparently believe is a typical Christian: a nut job who reacts violently when confronted with people who don't live according to his rules. Equating Christianity - and sometimes religion in general - with intolerance and ignorance was a none-too-rare belief when I was going through college, back in the seventies; and that 'sophisticated' belief seems to still be with us. (August 5, 2008, in another blog)

Over a hundred years ago, Chesterton wrote: "There are those who hate Christianity and call their hatred an all-embracing love for all religions." (G. K. Chesterton, Illustrated London News (January 13, 1906), via "Quotations of G. K. Chesterton," American Chesterton Society) Looks like things have slid a bit since then.

Anyway, back to life issues.

I'm not glad that Burgess is dead. I don't approve of murder, and it looks like he is responsible for the early deaths of two, probably four, and maybe more people. That's wrong, and a loss for all of us. But God gave Joseph Henry Burgess life, too: and now that gift is gone, along with whatever Burgess could have done with the rest of his life.

I'll freely grant that Burgess doesn't seem to have made the best possible set of choices about what to do with God's gift to him: but that's another matter.

I'm also sorry that Joe Harris is dead. It's quite a bit easier to work up emotions of loss and sorrow in this case, but again: that's another matter.

Related posts:
In the news:

I'm not allowed to pick and choose which Catholic beliefs I like and reject those which don't fit my preferences. While I'm on the subject, roll-your-own 'Catholic' doctrines aren't a liberal monopoly in America. (June 19, 2009)

Thursday, July 23, 2009

'Poisoned chalice? Swine flu hits church wine' - Not Exactly

There's an item in the news that's got the potential to morph into an interesting rumor and/or conspiracy theory.

The background facts are these: Swine flu is
  • A pandemic
    • But not as generally lethal as the first few cases were
  • An infectious disease
  • Not something most people want to catch
The news item is about a recommended change in procedure for the Church of England that makes sense, under the circumstances.

The archbishops of Canterbury and York say that the practice of sharing a common chalice during communion should be replaced by dipping the bread in wine - along with some common-sense hygiene practices. (CNN)

The headline, "Poisoned chalice? Swine flu hits church wine" is an attention-grabber, and someone with a good imagination could come up with quite a number of stories. It helps, if you don't read, or studiously ignore, what's in the article itself.

So What?

This is a little off-topic, since the Church of England is the outfit that Henry VIII set up when he decided to be a sort of mini-pope. I can see his point: Henry VIII was facing an awkward political situation, and the Church rules about marriage weren't making his life any easier.

Now, a few centuries later, the Church of England is the second-largest group of Christians, after the Catholic Church. So, what happens with the Church of England may affect Christians in general, just because it's such a large and visible group.

Headlineitis and Facts

Although I acknowledge that it's important to get the reader's attention with a headline, I don't appreciate the rather imaginative nature of what will probably be the most-read part of this article.

The article isn't about a poisoned chalice, or a plot to poison a chalice, or the possibility that a chalice has been, is, or will be poisoned. It's about the possibility that a disease - swine flu - may be transmitted on a shared communion chalice: and common-sense steps that Church of England officials are taking to prevent that.

As for "Swine flu hits church wine" - that's simply misleading. The article is quite clear about the concerns for disease transmission focusing on, and being limited to, the chalice.

Wait For it - 'Evil White Scientists Poison Church Wine to Kill Africans'?!

No, I really DON'T think so. But, between the article's headline, some existing conspiracy theories, and the following sentence from the article, I think someone might come up with a weird story like that.
"...The archbishops note that this practice is widely observed in Anglican churches throughout Africa...."
(CNN)
If I let my imagination go, I'm pretty sure I could work in Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, JFK, and space aliens for a more detailed, mildly entertaining, and utterly fictitious narrative. But, I've got other tasks pending this afternoon.

Besides, the main reason for this post is to
  1. Bring an interesting bit of common-sense review of procedure in a Christian church to your attention
  2. State the obvious: It's a good idea to read past the headline
Related posts: In the news:

Forgiveness and a Spanish Priest

Father Mariano Arroyo Merino got a few words out before he died, letting his killers know where they stood.

He said "I forgive you."

That probably isn't a direct quote. I read about Father Arroyo's death in an English-language publication. Since he was a Spanish priest, in Cuba, the odds are pretty good that he said something like "te perdono." It's probably a pretty good translation, though: "I forgive you" isn't a particularly complicated sentence.

Even though it's simple to say, I'm impressed that Father Arroyo said it: particularly considering that he had just been stabbed and burned. Most people aren't in the best frame of mind when they're experiencing the sort of pain that goes along with that sort of assault.

Father Arroyo was killed at his parish of Our Lady of Regla, in Havana, on on July 13 this year. He was 74.

Leaving a Deep Impression With a Knife, and With Words

The report of Father Arroyo's last words come from an eyewitness: his killer. After he'd stabbed and burned the priest, my guess is that the suspect hadn't expected to hear words of forgiveness come out. I imagine that simple sentence, in context, made something of an impression.

What's Some Old Priest doing in Cuba?

Although two priests have been killed (ZENIT uses the term, "assassinated") in Cuba during the past year, a friend of Father Merino says that, by and large, people treat priests nicely in Cuba.
"...Father Hoyos met Father Arroyo in 1970 in Spain. At the urging of his friend, Father Hoyos left for Cuba in 2001, having reached the age of retirement in Spain, to continue with his priestly ministry on the island. 'Yes,' he explained, 'it happened that that summer (of 2000), Mariano was here (in Spain). He had already spent many years in Havana. I told him (I'd go to Cuba), it seemed a good idea to him and I went. We lived together for four years and then they assigned me to the barrio of Alamar in Havana.'

"There, he carries out his mission among a population of 100,000 people. 'It is a village that was created after Castro's revolution, but a village of 100,000 inhabitants. Actually it's a city-dormitory' and it has just one parish.

"The priest described it: 'It's a little house with a patio -- a few grains of sand among this immense multitude. On Sunday we have the (Eucharistic) celebration and some 300 people participate. That's not many, but before there was nothing.'

"Father Hoyos said being a priest in Havana is not difficult. 'People treat you very well,' he explained. 'I wasn't accustomed to the adoration that is felt there for the figure of the priest. The Cubans are very reverent with sacred things.'..."
(ZENIT)
Judging by what happened to Father Arroyo, that statement about "the Cubans" has to be taken as a generalization: But I'm inclined to believe Father Hoyos.

Father Arroyo's Death: Looks Like a Robbery Gone Bad

Cuban investigators are assuming that robbery was the motive in Father Arroyo's death, and that's plausible. The priest had a large safe. Used mostly to hold a crown for Our Lady that was very old, had great sentimental value, and wasn't worth all that much money. Money from donations, when it came in, didn't stay in the safe. It went to the bishopric.

But the suspects may not have known that.

I'm aware that knocking over a church is a bad choice because cash generally isn't kept there, and you'd have no end of trouble trying to fence the highly-identifiable objects that might be valuable - but I decided to not pursue a life of crime for strictly practical reasons, as well as ethical considerations. I've gotten the impression that people who steal aren't always the best analytic thinkers.

Forgiveness: Yes, It's Important

Forgiveness is a big part of Catholic practice and belief The sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation (you'll hear it called "confession") that handles God's forgiveness is an important part of Catholic life. (Catechism, Section 2, Chapter 2, Article 4) I'll admit the sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation is not one of my favorites. I don't like medical checkups either. It's not necessary to get an emotional boost from either: but I go to confessions and checkups because they're important.

Most Christian groups think forgiveness is important. That's hardly surprising, considering the emphasis Jesus put on forgiveness, right up to that "...'Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.'... " plea from the Cross. (Luke 23:34)
'Christians are All Hypocrites: I Knew This Guy - - - '
Odds are that you've run into a person who said - perhaps quite loudly - that he or she is a Christian, and didn't display forgiveness. Christians are human, and some of us are jerks. And there's the odd group here and there that insist that they're Christian, but have, ah, interesting beliefs. Like Tony Alamo's outfit and the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka Kansas.

But, the televangelist meltdown and a handful of priests a few decades back, and Tony Alamo's legal troubles today notwithstanding, Christianity as a whole says that forgiveness is important.

I won't say it's easy. For someone like me, forgiving my enemies is downright counter-intuitive. Nobody said following God's way was going to be easy. Easy or not, it is, I think, the right thing to do.

Back to Father Arroyo and His Killer

I hope that whoever killed Father Arroyo is prevented from killing other people. People who kill other people for personal gain are not, in my opinion, safe to have around.

As for Father Arroyo, it sounds like he died well: with forgiveness on his lips. Not many of us have an opportunity to go out that way.

Father Arroyo's killer isn't off to a particularly good start, but there's hope for someone in that position too.

I wrote, earlier this month, about a man who committed murder during an attempted rape. I haven't been able to confirm this, but I've heard that people are bucking for Alessandro Serenelli's beatification. I see their point. After his victim had a talk with him in prison, Alessandro started seeing things a bit differently, and eventually died in or near a Capuchin monastery. (July 6, 2009)

What was done to Father Arroyo was wrong. I've written before - most recently in the context of Dr. George Tiller's death - that my view, based on the teachings of the Catholic Church, is that murder isn't nice and you shouldn't do it.

But, it sounds like Father Arroyo had what some of my forebears would have called a happy death, and there's a chance that his killer or killers will take this opportunity to accept God's forgiveness and turn their lives around.

Stranger things have happened. There's the fellow named Saul, who did a one-eighty after having a serious talk with Jesus. (Acts 9)

People can change, and sometimes do. I suggest prayer for Father Arroyo's killers: not so much that they be punished, as that they learn to love God and others more completely.

Related posts: In the news:

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Zambia: Corruption, Hospitals, and Bishops

Here in Minnesota, we sometimes say, "it could be worse."

Today, even with the occasional breaks with reality that America's leaders display, "it could be worse." We could be living in Zambia.
"The Catholic bishops of Zambia have challenged their government to stop persecuting and harassing journalists and media institutions perceived as holding divergent views.

"In a pastoral statement released after a full plenary meeting in Lusaka July 13-18, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Zambia urged the government to clamp down on violence against the media...."
(Catholic News Service)

Zambia: Not One of the World's Success Stories So Far

Zambia was called Northern Rhodesia until its independence in 1964. Like many African countries, it's had its ups, downs, and disasters as Africans sort out the Versailles nation-making debacle while catching up on a millennium or so of technological and economic development.

Zambia's 2001 presidential election seems to have been as contentious as Minnesota's recent congressional election - but some good came of it. President Levy Mwanawasa, despite or perhaps because of complaints about the election, launched an anticorruption investigation in 2002. That may not have been quite what his opponents wanted: a former Zimbabwean president and several others were found liable for $41,000,000 (USD). Mwanawasa was re-elected in 2006 in what appears to have been a free election. Then, in 2008, he died - rather abruptly.

Zambian Bishops Concerned About Money - And Hospitals

The Bishops are concerned about money. It's not, I think, because they're greedy. But hospitals take money to stay open - and funds that are supposed to go to Zambian hospitals don't always get there.
"...'Our experience with the government concerning funding for grant-aided health institutions has not been satisfactory,' the bishops said. 'Often funding meant for church-run health institutions is either delayed, or when it comes it is too little and its disbursement dependant on the good will of district officials.'

"Church-run hospitals and clinics, the bishops said, have been forced to close and some facilities have been forced to turn away patients and 'keep services to the barest minimum.'"
(Catholic News Service)
With that sort of government help, it's small wonder that a Zambian's life expectancy at birth is a little shy of 39 years. HIV infection rates of around 15% don't help, of course. Which is getting into a whole different set of topics.

It's More than Pocketing Hospital Funds

The bishops are concerned about other matters that the Zambian government should be addressing:
  • Government corruption
  • Safety issues in the mining industry
  • Ever-rising food prices
  • Regular power outages
And that's an abridged list.

The Zambian government does seem to be good at one thing, though: harassing reporters who don't say what Zambian leaders want them to.

No Time for Smugness

I think America is a pretty good place to live, and I'm glad that people in the news media aren't treated as badly here as they are in Zambia.

However, I doubt that any country's leaders are immune from the temptation to assume that criticism of their policies or ethics is the equivalent of treason. America has seen some bizarre examples of that sort of intolerance, with Ron Paul supporters, pro-life advocates, American veterans, and other 'dangerous' people getting identified as potential terrorists. (June 1, 2009, March 23, 2009, (Another War-on-Terror Blog, April 15, 2009))

I don't think America will see the return of McCarthyism - an effort to root out communists, real or imagined. I do think it's possible that people whose views are not the same as many of America's leaders today could be in for a rough time. (April 19, 2009)

This May Sound Corny - - -

It's strictly up to you, but I suggest praying for Zambia's bishops - and officials. One way or another, it sounds like they can use all the help they can get.

While you're at it, pray for America's leaders, too: for the same reasons. (July 2, 2009)

Related posts: In the news: Background:
A tip of the hat to CatholicNewsSvc, on Twitter, for the heads-up on their article.

Caritas in Veritate: Charity Isn't Just a Good Sentiment

Section 4. of Caritas in Veritate continues the discussion of truth.

I'll admit to a bias: I think that facts exist; and that there is an objective reality. (July 17, 2009) While it's true that matters like when to use a fork, or whether to use forks at all, are 'good' or 'bad' only within a specific set of cultural values; there are some acts that are good or bad, no matter where you are. Which is another topic.

One more point: I've criticized the reduction of this encyclical to sound bites; but I'll be doing something like that from here in. Starting with this post, I'm going to quote relatively brief excerpts, provide links to the encyclical, and let you read the whole document on the Vatican's website.

Back to Caritas in Veritate, section 4.

This section starts by saying that charity is filled with truth. Truth makes it possible for people to see reality; not just their subjective impressions, opinions, and cultural standards.
"...In the present social and cultural context, where there is a widespread tendency to relativize truth, practising charity in truth helps people to understand that adhering to the values of Christianity is not merely useful but essential for building a good society and for true integral human development. A Christianity of charity without truth would be more or less interchangeable with a pool of good sentiments, helpful for social cohesion, but of little relevance...."
(Caritas in Veritate, section 4)
That's not to say that charity is supposed to be a cold matter of facts and figures, without human relations.
"...Without truth, charity is confined to a narrow field devoid of relations. It is excluded from the plans and processes of promoting human development of universal range, in dialogue between knowledge and praxis."
(Caritas in Veritate, section 4)
(Praxis: practice, translating an idea into action. (Princeton's WordNet))

I think most cultures practice and promote charity in some way. The trick, as I see it, is to remember that charity isn't limited to how the culture we grew up in defines the term.

And, although it's fine if being charitable gives you the warm fuzzies - that's not what charity is about.

Truth and charity are linked.
...Truth needs to be sought, found and expressed within the 'economy' of charity, but charity in its turn needs to be understood, confirmed and practised in the light of truth...."
(Caritas in Veritate, section 2)
Caritas in Veritate seems to be spending a lot of time, discussing truth and charity, and how they're related to each other. I suppose that's understandable - and probably necessary - in a world where phrases like 'that may be true for you, but not for me' pass as wisdom, and the word "love" has been reduced in some cases to a set of gooey sentiments, and in others to a limited collection of appetites.

I don't see taking an objective approach to facts when practicing charity as being particularly 'cold' or 'unfeeling.' Rather, it seems a good way to ensure that the acts of charity actually help their objects.

A lack of that sort of common-sense appraisal can lead, I think, to possibly-well-intentioned government programs which provide 'safe' hypodermic kits to drug addicts; or exchange money for guns, no questions asked. The latter actually is helpful, in a way: as described, money-for-guns programs seem to be a way of making the fencing of stolen firearms both safer and (potentially) more profitable for thieves.

That last paragraph brings up two points, one of which I've already discussed in connection with Caritas in Veritate.
  • Caritas in Veritate is not a detailed how-2 for every culture now in existence
    • It is certainly not an 'American' document
    (July 18, 2009)
  • Catholicism doesn't conform to American values: conservative or liberal (November 3, 2008)
I'm trying to understand Caritas in Veritate in a Catholic context. Based on previous experience, that'll sound like a liberal world view in some spots, like a conservative way of thought in others.

Related posts:
Links to other posts about my study of Caritas in Veritate:

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

The Lord's Prayer (English), Amazing Grace (English) and For God So Loved the World (Mandarin): Sung by a Toddler

My second-oldest daughter showed me two of the three videos I've embedded in this post. These songs aren't, from a strictly technical viewpoint, the finest ecclesiastical music you'll ever hear, but the 'cute' factor may make up for that. And, in my opinion, young Zoei is a pretty good singer: I've heard adults who aren't as good at carrying a tune as she is.

What's the point? Mostly, just sharing a trio of cute videos.

"The Lord's Prayer by 2-year Old"

zoeitoh, YouTube (October 14, 2007)
video, 1:59
"2 year-old girl singing the Lord's Prayer."

"Amazing Grace by 2-year Old"

zoeitoh, YouTube (July 7, 2007)
video, 2:23

"2-year old Zoei singing Amasing Grace wearing the top that Grandma made for her."

"For God So Loved the World - Mandarin"


"Zoei Singing For God So Loved the World in Chinese - Mandarin"

Somewhat-related post:

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Thought for the Day: Fads in Education

"Though the academic authorities are actually proud of conducting everything by means of Examinations, they seldom indulge in what religious people used to descibe as Self-Examination. The consequence is that the modern State has educated its citizens in a series of ephemeral fads."
G. K. Chesterton, Nash's Pall Mall Magazine. April, 1935 (Quotations of G. K. Chesterton, The American Chesterton Society)

Experiences in Homa Bay

presented by Rachel Lauer on the 78th World Mission Sunday, October 24, 2004.
I would like to start with the prayer that Jesus gave us:

Baba Yetu uliye mbinguni,
Jina lako litukuzwe,
Ufalme wako ufike,
Utakalo lifanyike duniani kama mbinguni
Utupe leo mkate wetu wa kila siku,
Utusamehe makosa yetu,
Kama tunavyowasamehe na sisi waliotukosea.
Usitutie katika kishawishi,
Lakini utuopoe maovuni.
Amina.

Just in case you haven't figured it out, that was the "Our Father" in Kiswahili.

Today is World Mission Sunday and I am thankful for the opportunity to share with you some of my experiences in Kenya. I would like to especially focus on St. Joseph's Catholic Parish in Migori, with whom our two parishes have started a special relationship within the St. Cloud / Homa Bay partnership. I was in Kenya for two weeks and spent five days with the people of Migori.

I found all the people in Migori very welcoming. As I would arrive, the women would surround me and dance and sing and clap. It is impossible for all the parishioners to travel into St. Joseph's parish, so they have something called out-stations. This is a smaller community that worships in a church together but does not have a priest on a regular basis. I was able to travel to many of them and was always honored as a special guest. At one out-station, they taught me how to make bricks for a new church they were building. At another, I experienced how they plowed their fields using oxen. Yet another group showed me how to weave baskets, prepare food, and make clay cooking pots.

Having experienced their daily life, one major difference was how they dealt with time. Where we are constantly rushing from place to place and keeping a tight schedule, they gather for an event and it starts when everyone gets there and ends when it's all over. Time has a different meaning. They live at a slower pace and spend a lot of time visiting. While this was quite frustrating to some members of the delegation, we soon learned to use it to our own advantage: mainly to catch up on sleep!

Another experience that really stands out in my mind happened at one of the out-stations. During my visit in general, many young people did poetry and songs about the AIDS problem But it really came alive for me when I was taking photos of the children at the out-station. The first group consisted of about 80 children. Then they put together another group of about 60 children. Later they told me that the second group was all the AIDS orphans from that out-station. This really drove home how serious the AIDS problem is.

The most powerful impression of the people in Kenya was their incredibly deep faith. Here in the United States, we have so much stuff that we can fool ourselves into thinking that we can get along without God, but they need God to survive day to day and it is so apparent in the way they live and worship. When I see their faith, I do not see poor people, but people who live life richly with God.

These few glimpses of experiences and impressions that I have shared are only a small part of all that I encountered in Africa. I plan to do another presentation with pictures, videos, and hands on items from my trip at a later date. I want to thank all of you for allowing me to represent you in Migori and for all your prayers and financial support. As they would say in Kenya, Erokamano.

Thank you.

Rachel Lauer

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Marian Apparition: Champion, Wisconsin

Background:Posts in this blog: In the news:

What's That Doing in a Nice Catholic Blog?

From time to time, a service that I use will display links to - odd - services and retailers.

I block a few of the more obvious dubious advertisers.

For example: psychic anything, numerology, mediums, and related practices are on the no-no list for Catholics. It has to do with the Church's stand on divination. I try to block those ads.

Sometime regrettable advertisements get through, anyway.

Bottom line? What that service displays reflects the local culture's norms, - not Catholic teaching.