On a related note, I just happened upon this quote from St. Francis de Sales in Book 6 of the Catholic National Reader (it's that school-planning time of year!)...
Wisdom does not lie in not talking, but in speaking only when necessary and to the purpose; and again, in holding one's tongue at the proper time and place.
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Saturday, August 27, 2005
"We're Trying to Educate Five Special People..."
One man's attempt to make his point about the Supreme Court's ruling on eminent domain this summer. Gotta give him credit for creativity!
"We're trying to educate five special people about the importance of the Fifth Amendment by using their own flawed logic and applying it to their own situations,” said Clements. "It is a PR effort to call attention to eminent domain abuse and it's a creative way to do it."
Read the whole story here:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,167137,00.html
"We're trying to educate five special people about the importance of the Fifth Amendment by using their own flawed logic and applying it to their own situations,” said Clements. "It is a PR effort to call attention to eminent domain abuse and it's a creative way to do it."
Read the whole story here:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,167137,00.html
Friday, August 26, 2005
Thy Will be Done: Letters to Persons in the World
This is lovely collection of letters from St. Francis de Sales from people with questions about faith and ordinary life.
The letters are easy to read and full of simple truths. I like the short length - great for a quick read in the bathroom.
Here is an interesting quote:
Love nothing too much, not even virtues, which are lost sometimes by passing the bounds of moderation. I do not know whether you understand me, but I think so: I refer to your desires, your ardors. It is not the property of roses to be white, I think - for the red are lovelier and of sweeter smell - but it is the property of lilies.
Let us be what we are, and let us be it well, to do honor to the Master whose work we are. People laughed at the painter, who wishing to represent a horse, painted a perfect bull. The work was fine in itself, but of little credit to the workman, who had another design, and had done well by chance.
Let us be what God likes, so long as we are His, and let us not be what we want to be, if it is against His intention.
(pg. 20) Thy Will be Done: Letters to Persons in the World by St. Francis de Sales
published by Sophia Institute Press
The letters are easy to read and full of simple truths. I like the short length - great for a quick read in the bathroom.
Here is an interesting quote:
Love nothing too much, not even virtues, which are lost sometimes by passing the bounds of moderation. I do not know whether you understand me, but I think so: I refer to your desires, your ardors. It is not the property of roses to be white, I think - for the red are lovelier and of sweeter smell - but it is the property of lilies.
Let us be what we are, and let us be it well, to do honor to the Master whose work we are. People laughed at the painter, who wishing to represent a horse, painted a perfect bull. The work was fine in itself, but of little credit to the workman, who had another design, and had done well by chance.
Let us be what God likes, so long as we are His, and let us not be what we want to be, if it is against His intention.
(pg. 20) Thy Will be Done: Letters to Persons in the World by St. Francis de Sales
published by Sophia Institute Press
Thursday, August 25, 2005
The Conversation of a 3-Year-Old
It was funny thinking about the quote from Mr. Blue (from my previous post) while driving my very tired three year old around town to try to get her to sleep tonight. She had been cranky and fussy before I put her in the car, but from the moment we started driving there was a stream of conversation and thought coming from her direction. (It was a full half hour before she fell asleep.)
"Look at the people on the bicycles. There's a mommy and a little girl. The daddy is at work."
It doesn't stop for a moment. She tells me all kinds of things about what she sees and how she understands the world from the perspective of her car seat.
It's amazing how important conversation is for children. So much of what they learn comes from their questions (including all those "why" ones) and those little explanations we whisper in their ear when they are quite small.
"Look at the people on the bicycles. There's a mommy and a little girl. The daddy is at work."
It doesn't stop for a moment. She tells me all kinds of things about what she sees and how she understands the world from the perspective of her car seat.
It's amazing how important conversation is for children. So much of what they learn comes from their questions (including all those "why" ones) and those little explanations we whisper in their ear when they are quite small.
Mr. Blue on the Importance of Conversation
I just finished reading my first of the new Loyola Classics series of books (Amy Welborn, general editor) - Mr. Blue by Myles Connolly. I first heard of the title (first published in 1928) in Catholic Authors Crown Edition and had since heard many people lament its out-of-print status. It's a very unusual novel about an interesting fellow who shuns modern necessities and conventional wisdom and lives atop a skyscraper in Boston. More on the book later. Here is a quote I really liked:
It is the humble man who risks his dignity to speak up for what he loves. It is the courageous man who dares contradiction and the acrimony of argument to defend his beliefs. If one loves anything, truth, beauty, woman, life, one will speak out. Genuine love cannot endure silence. Genuine love breaks out into speech. And when it is great love, it breaks out into song. Talk helps to relieve us of the tiresome burden of ourselves. It helps some of us to find out what we think. It is essential for the happiest companionship. One of the minor pleasures of affection is in the voicing of it. If you love your friend, says the song, tell him so. Talk helps one to get rid of the surplus enthusiasm that often blurs our ideas. Talk, as the sage says, relieves the tension of grief by dividing it. Talk is one of man's privileges, and with a little care it may be one of his blessings. The successful conversationalist is not the epigram maker, for sustained brilliance is blinding. The successful conversationalist says unusual things in a usual way. The successful conversationalist is not the man who does not think stupid things, but the man who does not say the stupid things he thinks. Silence is essential to every happy conversation. But not too much silence. Too much silence may mean boredom or bewilderment. And it may mean scorn. For silence is an able weapon of pride.
It is the humble man who risks his dignity to speak up for what he loves. It is the courageous man who dares contradiction and the acrimony of argument to defend his beliefs. If one loves anything, truth, beauty, woman, life, one will speak out. Genuine love cannot endure silence. Genuine love breaks out into speech. And when it is great love, it breaks out into song. Talk helps to relieve us of the tiresome burden of ourselves. It helps some of us to find out what we think. It is essential for the happiest companionship. One of the minor pleasures of affection is in the voicing of it. If you love your friend, says the song, tell him so. Talk helps one to get rid of the surplus enthusiasm that often blurs our ideas. Talk, as the sage says, relieves the tension of grief by dividing it. Talk is one of man's privileges, and with a little care it may be one of his blessings. The successful conversationalist is not the epigram maker, for sustained brilliance is blinding. The successful conversationalist says unusual things in a usual way. The successful conversationalist is not the man who does not think stupid things, but the man who does not say the stupid things he thinks. Silence is essential to every happy conversation. But not too much silence. Too much silence may mean boredom or bewilderment. And it may mean scorn. For silence is an able weapon of pride.
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
An Interesting Read, Even If You're Not Bound for Hollywood
"So You Think You Ought to Work in Hollywood?" by Barb Nicolosi et al.
http://www.barbaranicolosi.com/assets/hollywood_vocation.pdf
http://www.barbaranicolosi.com/assets/hollywood_vocation.pdf
Sunday, August 14, 2005
Saint Francis de Sales
I'm just starting to slowly dig into three books on discernment and understanding God's will:
Authenticity: A Biblical Theology of Discernment by Thomas Dubay, S.M. (Ignatius)
Thy Will be Done: Letters to Persons in the World by St. Francis de Sales (Sophia)
Finding God's Will for You by St. Francis de Sales (Sophia)
To get me started, I wanted to learn a little more about St. Francis de Sales.
Here is a bio from Lives of the Saints With Reflections for Every Day in the Year compiled from The Lives of the Saints by Rev. Alban Butler, Benziger Brothers, 1894
He was canonized in 1665 and was proclaimed Doctor of the Universal Church by Pope Pius IX, in 1877
Related Links:
Bio from a different edition of Butler's Lives of the Saints
Catholic Encyclopedia
Patron Saints Index: Saint Francis de Sales
Authenticity: A Biblical Theology of Discernment by Thomas Dubay, S.M. (Ignatius)
Thy Will be Done: Letters to Persons in the World by St. Francis de Sales (Sophia)
Finding God's Will for You by St. Francis de Sales (Sophia)
To get me started, I wanted to learn a little more about St. Francis de Sales.
Here is a bio from Lives of the Saints With Reflections for Every Day in the Year compiled from The Lives of the Saints by Rev. Alban Butler, Benziger Brothers, 1894
Francis was born of noble and pious parents, near Annecy, 1566, and studied with brilliant success at Paris and Padua. On his return from Italy he gave up the grand career which is father had marked out for him in the service of the state, and became a priest. When the Duke of Savoy had resolved to restore the Church in the Chablais, Francis offered himself for the work, and set out on foot with his Bible and breviary and one companion, his cousin Louis of Sales. It was a work of toil, privation, and danger. Every door and every heart was closed against him. He was rejected with insult and threatened with death. But nothing could daunt or resist him, and ere long the Church burst forth into a second spring. It is stated that he converted 72,000 Calvinists. He was then compelled by the Pope to become Coadjutor Bishop of Geneva, and succeeded to the see in 1602. At times the exceeding gentleness with which he received heretics and sinners almost scandalized his friends, and one of them said to him, "Francis of Sales will go to Paradise, of course; but I am not so sure of the Bishop of Geneva: I am almost afraid his gentleness will play him a shrewd turn." "Ah," said the Saint, "I would rather account to God for too great gentleness than for too great severity. Is not God all love? God the Father is the Father of mercy; God the Son is a Lamb; God the Holy Ghost is a Dove - that is, gentleness itself. And are you wiser than God?" In union with St. Jane Frances of Chantal he founded at Annecy the Order of the Visitation, which soon spread over Europe. Though poor, he refused provisions and dignities, and even the great see of Paris. He died at Avignon, 1622.
He was canonized in 1665 and was proclaimed Doctor of the Universal Church by Pope Pius IX, in 1877
Related Links:
Bio from a different edition of Butler's Lives of the Saints
Catholic Encyclopedia
Patron Saints Index: Saint Francis de Sales
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Cute Story about "Signs from God"
I came across this cute little story in an article by Susie Lloyd in Faith and Family Magazine:
The baby was due in August and expectant dad Andy really wanted to use the name Monica, whose feast falls on the 27th. But this was during the Monica Lewinsky debacle, and mom, Abby, just couldn't stomach it. Finally, she agreed - if and only if the baby was born exactly on St. Monica's day, a full two weeks past her due date.
Abby's due date came and went. When she finally went in for delivery on St. Monica's feast day, she noticed a receptionist who had on a big name tag. It said "Monica." Later, in the delivery room, a nurse came in and said, "Has anyone here seen the Monica strap?" In reality she said "monitor strap," but, strangely, both parents distinctly heard "Monica."
Abby was convinced that heaven had spoken.
"But when the baby was born," she relates, "I realized they weren't signs from heaven; they were practical jokes. The baby was a boy!"
from "Fun with Labor" by Susie Lloyd (author of Please Don't Drink the Holy Water published by Sophia Institute Press)
Faith and Family Magazine: The Magazine of Catholic Living Fall 2005
The baby was due in August and expectant dad Andy really wanted to use the name Monica, whose feast falls on the 27th. But this was during the Monica Lewinsky debacle, and mom, Abby, just couldn't stomach it. Finally, she agreed - if and only if the baby was born exactly on St. Monica's day, a full two weeks past her due date.
Abby's due date came and went. When she finally went in for delivery on St. Monica's feast day, she noticed a receptionist who had on a big name tag. It said "Monica." Later, in the delivery room, a nurse came in and said, "Has anyone here seen the Monica strap?" In reality she said "monitor strap," but, strangely, both parents distinctly heard "Monica."
Abby was convinced that heaven had spoken.
"But when the baby was born," she relates, "I realized they weren't signs from heaven; they were practical jokes. The baby was a boy!"
from "Fun with Labor" by Susie Lloyd (author of Please Don't Drink the Holy Water published by Sophia Institute Press)
Faith and Family Magazine: The Magazine of Catholic Living Fall 2005
Thursday, August 04, 2005
FYI: Press Release on Bai Macfarlane
PRESS RELEASE
for publication Thursday Aug 4th
From trueMarriage.net
CONTACT:
Mr. Stephen Safranek
***Should civil courts prevent a mother from raising children in their faith?
An Ohio mother of four launched an appeal today against an Ohio divorce court decision by challenging her state’s civil divorce courts on religious grounds.
Marie “Bai” Macfarlane’s husband abandoned her and their four children in 2003 and began no-fault divorce proceedings. Bai is a stay-at-home mother who homeschooled her children until 2004.
Her potentially precedent-setting appeal was submitted by Ave Maria School of Law professor Stephen Safranek. The Constitutional Law professor argues: “The courts need to take into account the religious faith and practices that the couple agreed upon when they married. In this case, the court has allowed the father to place one child in daycare and is preventing the mother from caring for her children even though she is willing to do so. This failure is due to the court taking complete control of the children's lives through the father. Instead, the court should recognize that the nature of this marriage was such that the mother's role in the raising of her children was paramount. The court could avoid these problems by acknowledging the role the Catholic Church should play in Catholic marriages. The failure of the courts to recognize the agreement the parties made in a Catholic Church in front of God and a priest in this case not only violates the understanding Marie had when she entered upon this marriage, it necessarily entangles the court in issues relating to Catholic law, teaching, faith and belief.” Mr. Safranek further argues that Ohio law, “favors arbitration agreements and seeks to uphold them” and cites legal precedents in favor of arbitration, including cases where religious tribunals were the arbitrators.
“My husband and I didn’t agree to the minimal government marriage; we agreed to be under the authority of a third party, the ecclesiastic authority of the Roman Catholic Code of Canon Law,” says Mrs. Macfarlane, a devout Catholic. “We are obligated to follow the Church’s separation procedures, not the state’s minimum procedures.
The judge gave the father, who works full time, permanent custody and their stay-at-home mom visitation time. One of the children is in full-time daycare even though Mrs. MacFarlane wants to care for the child. Mrs. MacFarlane was punished for watching one of her children say, “Daddy broke our family” without correcting him in front of the court psychologist. "Her religious freedom, and her desire to instill good morals in her children were used against her in the proceeding" said Professor Safranek.
Mrs. Macfarlane has taken her case on a parallel track before the highest court at the Vatican, the Apostolic Tribunal of the Roman Rota.
Mrs. Macfarlane has founded the website www.marysadvocates.org for people concerned about no-fault divorce. A petition urging the US bishops to protect families from no-fault divorce is at www.defendusfromdivorce.com. To donate to the legal fund in this case contact Professor Safranek’s organization at www.truemarriage.net.
for publication Thursday Aug 4th
From trueMarriage.net
CONTACT:
Mr. Stephen Safranek
***Should civil courts prevent a mother from raising children in their faith?
An Ohio mother of four launched an appeal today against an Ohio divorce court decision by challenging her state’s civil divorce courts on religious grounds.
Marie “Bai” Macfarlane’s husband abandoned her and their four children in 2003 and began no-fault divorce proceedings. Bai is a stay-at-home mother who homeschooled her children until 2004.
Her potentially precedent-setting appeal was submitted by Ave Maria School of Law professor Stephen Safranek. The Constitutional Law professor argues: “The courts need to take into account the religious faith and practices that the couple agreed upon when they married. In this case, the court has allowed the father to place one child in daycare and is preventing the mother from caring for her children even though she is willing to do so. This failure is due to the court taking complete control of the children's lives through the father. Instead, the court should recognize that the nature of this marriage was such that the mother's role in the raising of her children was paramount. The court could avoid these problems by acknowledging the role the Catholic Church should play in Catholic marriages. The failure of the courts to recognize the agreement the parties made in a Catholic Church in front of God and a priest in this case not only violates the understanding Marie had when she entered upon this marriage, it necessarily entangles the court in issues relating to Catholic law, teaching, faith and belief.” Mr. Safranek further argues that Ohio law, “favors arbitration agreements and seeks to uphold them” and cites legal precedents in favor of arbitration, including cases where religious tribunals were the arbitrators.
“My husband and I didn’t agree to the minimal government marriage; we agreed to be under the authority of a third party, the ecclesiastic authority of the Roman Catholic Code of Canon Law,” says Mrs. Macfarlane, a devout Catholic. “We are obligated to follow the Church’s separation procedures, not the state’s minimum procedures.
The judge gave the father, who works full time, permanent custody and their stay-at-home mom visitation time. One of the children is in full-time daycare even though Mrs. MacFarlane wants to care for the child. Mrs. MacFarlane was punished for watching one of her children say, “Daddy broke our family” without correcting him in front of the court psychologist. "Her religious freedom, and her desire to instill good morals in her children were used against her in the proceeding" said Professor Safranek.
Mrs. Macfarlane has taken her case on a parallel track before the highest court at the Vatican, the Apostolic Tribunal of the Roman Rota.
Mrs. Macfarlane has founded the website www.marysadvocates.org for people concerned about no-fault divorce. A petition urging the US bishops to protect families from no-fault divorce is at www.defendusfromdivorce.com. To donate to the legal fund in this case contact Professor Safranek’s organization at www.truemarriage.net.
Humility as a Sign of Authenticity
Another Interesting Quote from Fr. Dubay's Book...
"Through the long centuries of the Christian dispensation spiritual directors have considered humility as an important sign of authenticity. When St. John of the Cross was asked his opinion of a nun who reportedly had extraordinary experiences, his analysis of her written account was negative because indications of humility were lacking. She had, he said, little fear of being mistaken. She was overly confident of her opinion. Where this healthy fear is absent, remarked the saint, the Spirit of God is never present. She seemed to desire to persuade others of the goodness of her experiences; she gave little evidence of humility and her style lacked simplicity -- it was exaggerated and affected. The saint was consequently little impressed with her experiences.
In the concrete order humility shows itself as a sign of the Spirit's operation in several ways. It appears in the desire to be corrected. It shows itself in the avoidance of the self-focusing of illuminism. The humble person can be reached by objective evidence because he does not consider himself a privileged channel from the Holy Spirit to the human race. It is a chilling experience to meet face to face with a person so supremely sure of his inner light and his interpretation of the Bible that he rejects not only what you say but also what exegetes and theologians and saints say. He rejects these interpreters, unaware that he is setting himself up as the interpreter per excellence.
This humility sign is seen in obedience to one's legitimate superior and to one's spiritual director. This person has no problem about submitting his will to that of another. The humble individual is willing to be sent. He is not a self-originating oracle. If he is the recipient of a genuine divine communication, he still obeys his leaders if they think otherwise."
Further Reading:
Catholic Encyclopedia on Humility
What St. Thomas Aquinas has to say about humility
"Through the long centuries of the Christian dispensation spiritual directors have considered humility as an important sign of authenticity. When St. John of the Cross was asked his opinion of a nun who reportedly had extraordinary experiences, his analysis of her written account was negative because indications of humility were lacking. She had, he said, little fear of being mistaken. She was overly confident of her opinion. Where this healthy fear is absent, remarked the saint, the Spirit of God is never present. She seemed to desire to persuade others of the goodness of her experiences; she gave little evidence of humility and her style lacked simplicity -- it was exaggerated and affected. The saint was consequently little impressed with her experiences.
In the concrete order humility shows itself as a sign of the Spirit's operation in several ways. It appears in the desire to be corrected. It shows itself in the avoidance of the self-focusing of illuminism. The humble person can be reached by objective evidence because he does not consider himself a privileged channel from the Holy Spirit to the human race. It is a chilling experience to meet face to face with a person so supremely sure of his inner light and his interpretation of the Bible that he rejects not only what you say but also what exegetes and theologians and saints say. He rejects these interpreters, unaware that he is setting himself up as the interpreter per excellence.
This humility sign is seen in obedience to one's legitimate superior and to one's spiritual director. This person has no problem about submitting his will to that of another. The humble individual is willing to be sent. He is not a self-originating oracle. If he is the recipient of a genuine divine communication, he still obeys his leaders if they think otherwise."
Further Reading:
Catholic Encyclopedia on Humility
What St. Thomas Aquinas has to say about humility
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
Baby Girl born to Susan Torres
Baby Susan Torres was born to Susan and Jason Torres on Tuesday, August 2nd. Please continue to pray for this family as they say goodbye to the baby's mother and take care of a 26 week gestation preemie. Life is a such a beautiful gift.
USA Today article
USA Today article
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Discerning God's Will
Discerning God's will is a concept that I've wanted to more fully understand for a long time. I've recently ordered some Catholic books relating to this topic. My sister sent me the following quote from Authenticity: A Biblical Theology of Discernment by Thomas Dubay (Ignatius Press):
This is such a great quote. It also reminds me of the two boats and a helicopter joke. Just in case you haven't heard it...
It's always made sense to me that faith and reason work hand in hand when trying to follow God's will. Some things take a lot of hard work. Does that mean it's not God's will because he would have smoothed things out for us? (I don't think so!) Some things are too coincidental and silly to be taken seriously as a "sign from God". Some "coincidences" are so amazing, beneficial and unplanned by us that the word "providential" seems a lot more appropriate than "lucky."
Well, I have a lot of unanswered questions and am looking forward to digging into some of these books - Authenticity (as mentioned above) and two books by St. Francis de Sales. That ought to keep me busy for awhile.
God expects us to use ordinary means to achieve ordinary ends. If I break a leg, he expects me to get it set by a doctor. I may pray for divine healing but not at the expense of refusing ordinary medical help. We should surely pray for divine enlightenment but not at the expense of refusing study and consultation. Where human reason is sufficient to solve problems God is not likely to intervene in a supernatural manner.
This is such a great quote. It also reminds me of the two boats and a helicopter joke. Just in case you haven't heard it...
A man is caught on the roof of his house during a major flood. The waters are rising and he knows he's in trouble. So he prays to God to save him. A man comes by in a boat and offers to take him to safety. He refuses, saying that God will save him. Another boat comes by and once again he declines to be rowed ashore. The waters continue to rise and he has just a small piece of roof to keep him from the waters. He finally refuses the help of a helicopter team preparing to pick him up. The flood waters continue to rise and the man is swept away and drowned. He gets to Heaven and is feeling a little ticked off. He storms over to God and asks why God didn't save him from the flood. God responds, "What do you mean I didn't save you? I sent you two boats and a helicopter."
It's always made sense to me that faith and reason work hand in hand when trying to follow God's will. Some things take a lot of hard work. Does that mean it's not God's will because he would have smoothed things out for us? (I don't think so!) Some things are too coincidental and silly to be taken seriously as a "sign from God". Some "coincidences" are so amazing, beneficial and unplanned by us that the word "providential" seems a lot more appropriate than "lucky."
Well, I have a lot of unanswered questions and am looking forward to digging into some of these books - Authenticity (as mentioned above) and two books by St. Francis de Sales. That ought to keep me busy for awhile.
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