Another One Down--Celebrity Priest

Good he came clean.
Too bad he missed out on being a dad and husband--maybe his time of reflection will help him accept some new possibilities and responsibilities.

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Novenas

We are getting ready for a pilgrimage to Medjugorje and praying hard.

As a family we began the 33 Day Consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary according to St. Louis de Montfort and we are in the middle of the prayers.  I understand a few others have accepted the invitation and am glad they are on their knees.  I first prayed de Montfort's prayers years ago and ended up returning to the Roman Catholic Church.


Now, in a few days, the pilgrimage group will begin the Holy Spirit Novena, a very powerful prayer.  


This morning my son and I began another novena.
Now, years ago, as a young priest brought up and formed in the faith era of ennegrams and beating drums and guitars--I would have suggested that one novena was too much let alone starting having a couple going at once.
But I was stupid.
Anyways this new novena is a little different.
My son and I are running for nine straight days. We began this morning's early morning run and I lost him after the first Hail Mary.
He finished, then came back to get me.


Didn't St. Paul say something about running the race?

Bad Form, priest. Bad Form

So an Australian Roman Catholic Priest has revealed a secret.
He is married.
He has been secretly living a double life--for a while.

Yep. I have a glass house.
And, yep. I am going to toss a stone.

Not that he got married--though there is something I would question as to why he waited so long to finally commit-not very fair to the woman or the church.
But that's not my stone.

CNN reported that the majority of parishioners and whoever else they could get to share an opinion had decided that priests should be permitted to marry.
Thanks for that authoritative and well-researched insight CNN.
But that's not my stone.

The priest piled it on.
***warning this is the stone***
He needed to divert the pressure.
He needed a spin.
So he played the celibacy/pedophilia/i'm a healthy priest card.
Oh, and there is one more point--he's going to write a book exposing all the problems of the church and all the double lives that the majority of the priests are living.

Why not just go be with your wife?  Do you really need to justify your choice by hiding behind the sins of others?

Bad form priest, bad form.

Evolution and Creation (and an 'ism' or two)

Check out this paper.
Besides, I know the author--and he's a pretty solid guy!

Evolution and Creation

Consecrating

In 33 days we will be venturing on another pilgrimage to Medjugorje.
While the planning and the praying and the fasting have been ongoing it's this time when things really start to get exciting.
When I made my first pilgrimage I ended up completing St. Louis de Montfort's 33 day Consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary sitting at the base of Mt. Krizevac (Cross Mountain).
Just a short time ago, my brother emailed me reminding me that today is day '33'.
So it begins.

I was liturgically raised on folk Masses and religious education with crepe paper.  I never heard of St. Louis de Montfort until years later in seminary and even then such devotional focus was not encouraged.  I hear things have changed and I hope there is a healthy balance.

There is a power in consecrating oneself.
Prayers of consecration really are about surrender and commitment.  
When the Eucharist is consecrated--it is about Christ's surrender to His Father's will and His commitment to us.

My lovely wife decided a few months back that we would enshrine our home to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Wouldn't you know it--an old classmate and brother priest shared that he recently enshrined a few homes in his diocese.  When he arrived my wife, the perfect sacristan, had the prayers, the pictures, and the candles all ready
So it was a weekend of prayer and feasting.
(and of course consecrating)
Try it.

Power

scene:
Yesterday morning, I am in the attic, cutting wires and struggling with removing a bathroom exhaust fan that wouldn't budge.
My father enters stage right and hollers...

father:  Why are you pounding the hallway light thru the ceiling?
me (from attic):  Hallway light??
father:  What?
me: (louder) Hallway light?
father: Yep, the hallway light.  It's hanging from the ceiling.

a few minutes later
wife:  call an electrician.

I have been in the practice of asking St. Joseph to help me out when I begin projects.
My lovely wife reminded me that he was a carpenter not an electrician.

Admitting that I need help is not my strongest area.
Doesn't this happen in the spiritual life?

I suggested that we wait to call the electrician until we have a little more money.  I thought we could make do.  After all not all the power is out, just the power to the bathroom and hallway and attic.

In the spiritual life we lose power and, if we aren't careful we learn to function without it.
When a soul begins to lose its clear connection to God, it begins to make excuses.
When a soul begins to cut itself from the power of the sacraments and healthy community--light is lost.

Careful what lines you cut.