Shortie 1…

Catholic Heaven

I ran across this Simpson's clip the other day. It gave me another reason to be glad I'm Catholic, besides Lenten Fish Fry's. (jk)

Shorties…

I'm going to post what I like to call shorties for the next week. Hopefully this will keep anyone who is interested in my blog not to get too discouraged, and will continue to stop by. Check them out, some will be funny others educational and others you'll probably hate. After this week I should be freed up enough to add more personalized entries.
Thank you for stopping by, and please leave a comment on an entry that was interesting to you. I love the feedback.

Where's Guy?

Unfortunately I'm working my butt off. I promise I will blog again soon I have some things I want to talk about, so check back!

(Click on the image, and find me at play. I'm an idiot I know!)

Applebee's and the worlds strongest man…

It's a tradition for my family to patronise one of the few fine eating establishments in our town every Sunday after Mass. We find it a good time to talk about what we've heard in the gospel readings, and It's a great time to build bonds of love and communication within our family. So a few weeks ago we decided to go to Applebee's. (Notice how I highlighted few in the first paragraph, let's just say that if you don't think that Applebee's is a fine eating establishment, don't move to my town – you haven't seen the other restaurants I'm comparing it too.) Anyway, as we walk through the door I had to do a double take. For a minute I thought I had accidentally walked into Costco. There were flat panel HD TVs everywhere. Each I might add, with it's own sports program on it. Now I'm not a big sports fan but I do enjoy watching the oddball sports competitions every once in a while. So as the shock wears off, and we're seated at our table I look up to see, the Met-Rx World's Strongest Man competition. Now while I'm being entertained I get to thinking, what defines the strength of a Man? The men on TV are good looking, powerful and by all worldly accounts strong. By now I wishing I could be like them… and then it hits me. Below is a video clip of the Worlds Strongest Man!



Now I'm wishing I could be more like him. If anyone needs a definition of what a real man is, look no further than TEAM HOYT.

I just can't take that chance…

So a man, his wife and his mother-in-law go on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. While there the mother-in-law passes away unexpectedly. Trying to make arrangements for her burial the funeral director tells the man he has two options. Option 1 is to have his mother-in-law buried in the Holy land for about $600. Option 2 is to have his mother-in-law shipped back to the US, but that would cost him at least $6,000. Thinking for a moment the man decides it would be best to send her back to the US. The funeral director baffled by the mans decision, inquired as to the reason for sending her back to the US when she could have been buried in the Holy Land. After a small pause the man says I don't know if you've heard this before, but about 2,000 years ago there was this man who was put to death here, and after 3 days He rose from the dead… and quite frankly, I just can't take that chance!

…a brown what-ular?

So I'm going to press check a catalog at the printer (I'm a graphic artist by trade), and I get to thinking. - Last summer I took the family to the community pool. While we were there I saw a man wearing a Blue Scapular (quite a sight really considering I live in a community that is probably less than 1% Catholic.) Now what made this scapular so unique was it's size and quality. After having seen it I found myself frequently breaking the 10th commandment (Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's goods). Anyway, since then I had been thinking of getting a nice Scapular. The problem is , the closest Catholic store to where I live is pretty far away. (apparently there isn't a large demand for high quality or really, any Catholic products in Utah.) -

Back to the point, so the printer I'm going to is fairly close to that Catholic store. After the press check I decide to head over there, hopefully to find the Scapular of my dreams. Now I don't know about you but I have a love/hate relationship with Catholic stores. I love to go, but hate the fact that I don't have unlimited funds to purchase the entire store. After looking at everything except for the stocked items in the back and the glow in the dark Our Lady of Guadalupe statues, I finally find the section I'm looking for. There they hang, large Scapulars with Angles and Saints calling out to me, yearning to be purchased and put to good use, but now the worst part. Which one? They're all cool and I could see myself wearing any of them. So I pick up St. Michael the Archangel. Being a family man, I like that St. Michael helps us in battle against all that corrupts. But then out of nowhere something catches my eye. It's a Brown Scapular with the image of a Priest on it. Upon further inspection I see that the Priest is ST. MAXIMILLIAN KOLBE. (please read this link if you don't know who this remarkable Saint is.) So here is where it gets interesting. I'm quite the XBOX 360 gamer and I especially enjoy playing Call of Duty (a WW2 first person shooter, based on actual historic events that occurred during that war.) Anyway my gamer tag (name) is Maxx Kolbe. I guess I see myself as exacting revenge for St. Max on all those Nazis. (Sorry Max I know it was against your nature, but I'm not a quarter of the man you were.) Now I'm thinking that's perfect, well except for the fact that St. Max is the patron Saint of substance abuse. Now I have a lot of vices but substance abuse was never one of them. Even so I decide to get the Scapular anyway. I would like to think that if I had been in his position, I would have had the courage to do the same (his greatest gift, to give my life for another.) As I get back to work, I open up my new pride and joy, like a child on his birthday, and pull out all of the documentation that comes with an item such as this and I begin to read… "In addition, St. Maximilian is also the patron Saint of printers, and graphic artists"
Graphic Artists? That's just plain crazy. Now I swear on my Baptism that I didn't know that when I purchased it.
Anyway, I really don't know if that would be considered a small miracle, but I do see it as St. Max approving of a little revenge on those Nazis. This next games for you!

It's official!

John C. Wester was installed today at The Cathedral of the Madeleine as Utah's ninth Catholic Bishop. Here are a few things people said about Bishop Wester…

"He's a man of real integrity, a priest that I think all of Utah — every Catholic, every Mormon, every anybody else will grow to just love and treasure."

— Sister Glenn Ann McPhee, Chancellor of Oakland

"He is faithful, thoughtful, supportive and prodigally generous, full of life, with a wonderful sense of humor. He is genuinely humble, unimpressed with himself."

— Sister Rosemary Everett, religious vocational minister

"People don't see him insulated at all. In fact, he's just the opposite. He extends himself to a myriad of different people, especially the disenfranchised."

— The Rev. John Hardin, executive director, St. Anthony Foundation for the homeless

Victims of clergy sexual abuse "absolutely adore him. He's a very down-to-earth human being, and they relate to his sensitivity, his genuineness, his groundedness, his listening."

— Barbara Elordi, pastoral outreach coordinator

"He works very hard on his Spanish. ... He's very active in any celebration that we have. Would always invite him and he would make the time to be present."

— Monsignor Jose Rodriguez, pastor in the Hispanic community

Welcome Home Bishop Wester! We're glad your here.

The power of touch…

I ran across this video the other day. I think it says a lot about our current society. Particularly our personal inability to reach out to others (physically), and our hunger for affection once we do. The power of touch… absolutely amazing.

A Mormon for President?

Why not? Look, as a faithful Roman Catholic, I don't understand this issue with Presidential candidate Mitt Romney. Here is a man who is running for President that is pro-life, pro-family and pro-faith (OK so I'm the only one who has ever used that term before, hey I'm no Samuel Clemens besides you get the point) and he's – drum roll please… a Mormon. Gasp!

Look I'm going to keep this short because I don't think this requires a lot of head space. Yes there are vast differences between traditional Christian and LDS (ie: Mormon) theology, but what in the heck does that have to do with being the President. Are people afraid that the LDS Church will be running the country if he is elected. It's as ridicules a statement as it was when Kennedy ran for president and it was speculated that the Pope would be in control. Are we eternally bound to perpetual stupidity? The LDS Church is a fine and beautiful religion. They contribute greatly to our culture, our country and the world, and many of my friends are devout Latter Day Saints. And they're good people, horns and all. (I'm only kidding it's an inside joke my LDS friends will appreciate.) Still what does any of that have to do with running for President? So to all of the anti Romney Christian nay- sayers out there, we have 5 core issues at stake.

(1) Abortion
(2) Euthanasia
(3) Embryonic Stem Cell Research
(4) Human Cloning
(5) Same-Sex Marriage

Mitt Romney stands AGAINST all 5 of these issues, and for a Christian the Five Issues That Matter Most. So would I vote a Mormon into the White House?

Damn right I would!

(Unless of coarse there was a Catholic that actually supported those same values that was running. But just like the dinosaurs of long ago they to I'm afraid are extinct.)

ROME, IT'S ABOUT TIME!!! Thank you…

Two more days and Utah will have it's ninth Catholic Bishop.
Bishop John Charles Wester. I'm extremely excited about this appointment. All that I have seen, read and heard about this man has been overwhelmingly positive. Utah is very fortunate to have someone like Bishop Wester as their spiritual leader. I can only hope that with all of the unique issues concerning Utah Catholics he will stand as a beacon of tolerance, truth and justice. Congratulations Bishop Wester, our prayers are with you.

Utah's one sick place!

What in the heck (yes I said heck) is going around in Utah. My family has been sick so many time this season I'm considering investing in a CDC franchise. First, kid one gets sick then kid two then mom then me then the dog (to be fair he ate too much sausage) but I digress. Once we think we're over it ka-pow (not to be confused with Lighting McQueen's slogan ka-chow © 2006 Disney/Pixar) we're at it again. Kid two gets sick then mom then kid one then me, are you getting the picture. We're on our fifth round this season already and we're not alone. The people I work with are all going through the same process. Well at least the ones with kids. I'm trying to design a bubble suit that we could wear when we go out, but I'm afraid I might roll down the Isle at Church and up to the alter while attempting to genuflect, and I don't see receiving Communion being a successful experience either. ( Hand or mouth? I don't know Father it's a freaking bubble suit!) I wonder if Vatican ll has anything on the proper reception of Communion in a bubble suit. That would be an interesting find.

Anyway if you wouldn't mind throwing a few prayers our way it would be greatly appreciated. I think Teresa of Avila is on vacation I haven't herd back from her yet. I hope the weather is nice… It's cold here.

Our continued conversion.

You know it's easy to get lost in your own self righteousness. "Look how good I am! I attend Mass every Sunday, sponsor in RCIA, go to confession regularly, say my Rosary, family prayer every night, bla, bla, bla…" Now don't misunderstand me all of those things are good and proper. I would argue essential for continued conversion in our own lives. But what does that mean, really?

Conversion and continued conversion. I think of todays readings http://www.usccb.org/nab/031107b.shtml when I think of these terms. (note: I'm assuming you've read this story at least once.)
The story of the Samaritan woman at the well, really is a remarkable story of Gods love and our conversion. To understand this story and how it relates to what I'm talking about, there are a couple things you have to take into account.

(1) Samaritans were considered less than human to the Jewish people of that time.

(2) The woman was at the well around noon. It's an important detail because these people lived in the desert. It indicates that she was probably an outcast even within the Samaritan community since she would have been at the well at a time when no other person would have been there. There are of course many other facets to this story but this isn't an exegesis so I'll just talk about what's relevant.

When the Samaritan woman approached the well Jesus requested something of her (a drink of water). Now just imagine that, Jesus a Jew not only talking to the woman but asking of her a favor. Imagine her surprise at a Jew speaking to her at all. Now let's jump ahead a little bit. Jesus reveals to her that he knows her sins and great sins they are, though interestingly enough, sins by today's standards considered to be the norm. How great is Christs love for all of us. The Samaritan woman's conversion is a testament to all of us who may see others under the lens of our own self righteousness. How do we see others when were not in church, really? Do we live by Christs example and see others through eyes of love and compassion, or do we sit back and thank God that we're not like them.

I think of Christs disciples when I talk about continued conversion. Christs example of unbridled love and compassion was so remarkable that when the disciples returned to the well they were struck dumb and didn't utter a word. Imagine Peter for once not putting his foot in his mouth and remaining silent. " A miracle in and of its self!" Which I might add is a good example for us. We should practice remaining silent more often.

The story of the Samaritan woman at the well tells us of the power of conversion, and our continued conversion. As Catholic Christians we need to wear the face of Christ at all times. Not for our own benefit but for the benefit of others. Maybe then we can appreciate our own continued conversion and become authentically better people for it.

This should be interesting!

Well what can I say. I've seen a thousand of these blogs and it's inspired me to start my own. I'm not sure what direction this will lead. I guess I'm just hoping I will have something interesting and worthwhile to share. So please stay tuned, I have a lot on my mind.