When Men of God Do Stupid Things

A tiny Appalachian church in Pike County has voted to ban interracial couples from joining its flock, pitting members against each other in an argument over race.

Members at the Gulnare Free Will Baptist Church voted Sunday on the resolution, which says the church "does not condone interracial marriage."

Member Melvin Thompson crafted the resolution but said Wednesday that he is not racist. The church secretary, Dean Harville, disagrees. The resolution followed a visit to the church by Harville's daughter, who is white, and her African boyfriend.

"I am not racist. I will tell you that. I am not prejudiced against any race of people, have never in my lifetime spoke evil about a race," said Thompson, the church's former pastor who stepped down earlier this year. "That's what this is being portrayed as, but it is not."

He called the matter an "internal affair" of the church.

It isn't, Reverend?  Let's see, the resolution is that interracial couples cannot become members . . . specifically because of their interracial relationship.  No, ah, that is racist.

But that's not my quibble here.  The article states that a vote was taken among the members and the final tally was 9 to 6 to exclude this couple.  Here is my question - where was the pastor of this church?

Perhaps the church's "internal affairs" are managed by its members.  But isn't the pastor there to act to ensure that God's law and love is established in his church?  It seems to me that there are only two things at play here:  (1) either the pastor is a weasel and hides behind the church's "policy" of having "internal affairs" managed by a vote of members of the congreation, who likely also vote on his salary - so it is important for him always to be Mr. Nice Guy - or, (2) he is a racist as well.

Maybe the pastor of this church is a racist.  In that case, he needs to be removed, for his teaching is a sickness that is infecting the souls of his congregation.  The pastor plays the role here on Earth as the Good Shepherd.  This does not mean he is expected to be perfect as Christ is, only that he is to be discerning as to whether he is acting in His stead properly, because before the pastor can shepherd His people, he has to be up for the task.  Or step down.  Or be removed.

So let's look instead at the first possibility.  Although I am a Catholic - and nothing will deter me from that, not even when men of God act stupidly within my own faith - I admire a quote ascribed to Martin Luther:  "Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong (sin boldly), but let your trust in Christ be stronger, and rejoice in Christ who is the victor over sin, death, and the world."  Was Luther really telling us to sin?  Of course not; but one interpretation of that can be to take chances, to be human as Christ was, to love one another, even if it means you may stray into sin unintentionally . . . or if it means that sometimes you piss off people or they hurt you.  It means do not be afraid - because if your faith in Christ is the stronger, than His love wins.  All the time.

Christ was fully human and fully divine.  We can only strive to be as close to the latter as possible.  Sometimes, when I am at Mass, I get a sense of that - I look around at people in my parish, I look at the priest, and I can almost imagine a scene I once read in a book by Chaim Potok, The Gift of Asher Lev, where the family of the protagonist, Asher Lev, is at the Shabbos table with his family.  Potok writes:

We ate and talked and sang, and there was an abundance of food and wine and brandies and liquers, and the light softened and filled with haloes.

"Filled with haloes" - when we are at Mass, and in the Presence of Christ, we might take that step closer to God and in the light of the candles and the worship, perhaps even inchoate haloes form around us, as we take that hopeful step closer to sainthood.

But to be fully human?  We fail there.  Oh, we are human, all right, but faulty.  We face the divine at Mass . . . and then go straight out and sin, or, at the least, display our warts of our humanity.

I think the Christian pastor or priest has a duty to lead his people to God by trying to do the right thing.  It is a daunting task - and I hope that men carefully discern that before they decide to accept the responsibility.  But I am not saying they need to be these Super Paradigms o' Perfection . . . I only ask that they take the time to reflect upon their vocation and determine what Jesus would do - not themselves, not some other guy - but Christ. 

And then?  To quote Nike's brand, just do it - even if it means your congregation or those who love you will turn against you, or be angry.  Take that chance and "sin boldly" - or question whether you have the balls to act in persona Christi.

Matthew 18: 15-17.  Sin boldly.

Evidently, the Two Are Mutually Exclusive

You cannot be a pro-life individual and a Democrat . . . at least not in Harris County, Texas.

A Democratic holiday party (celebrate good times, come on!) - during a holiday season that is largely centered around the commemoration of the birth of a child - to be held at an abortuary.

They have stopped trying, haven't they?  I mean, they don't even care how it looks anymore . . .

Updated: a friend on Facebook pointed out to me that the date chosen is December 8th - which corresponds to the Feast of the Immaculate Conception in the Catholic faith.  Coincidence or a slap in the face to the Catholic Church and its pro-life teachings?

Meanwhile, in a different reality . . .

‘That she has Down’s Syndrome did not enter the equation. We chose her because of her vibrancy and sense of fun. Not all children are comfortable in front of a lens and with a photographer looking at them — especially when they are so young. But Taya was so relaxed and happy. She was just what we were looking for.’

And I bet Taya was just what her parents wanted.

Penguin

Penguin, originally uploaded by Stephanie A. Richer.

Taken November 22, 2011 at the Tennessee Aquarium.

If I don't have anything pithy to say right now, I can at least offer you a photograph of a penguin.

Love Birds

Love Birds, originally uploaded by Stephanie A. Richer.

Taken November 22, 2011 at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, TN.

And a photography joke . . .

Q: Why is flying an F-16 better than flying an F-22?
A: It's one stop faster!

His Aim is True

A post on Costello's website appropriately entitled "Steal This Album" (perhaps he's also a System of a Down fan) advises fans to steer clear of a 3-disc, 1 DVD, 1 vinyl record collection of a live concert in L.A. from April 2011.

Although he describes 'The Return Of The Spectacular Spinning Songbook' as a "beautifully designed compendium" that finds his backing band "the Imposters in rare form," Costello and Co. object to the $202.64 retail price.

"Unfortunately, we at www.elviscostello.com find ourselves unable to recommend this lovely item to you as the price appears to be either a misprint or a satire," the biting post declares, also opining that the price tag must be an "elaborate hoax."

This made me realize how little control an artist may have over the marketing of his work.  From a legal aspect, I have to wonder if Costello's statements violate any part of his contract with the record label.  And certainly a cynic migh suggest this makes for fine publicity for the album. 

But I don't think so and in my opinion, Costello's statements speak more to those artists who are quite happy to mass-market "Best Of" compilations and collect the royalties.  Of course, this might be the difference between talents such as Elvis Costello and Thomas Dolby, who seem to work for the sake of their art, and others such as Elton John and Barbra Streisand, who really should just have "Ltd." and "Inc." after their names.

Welld one, sir!

Eat Mor Crow

A folk artist expanding his home business built around the words "eat more kale" says he's ready to fight root-to-feather to protect his phrase from what he sees as an assault by Chick-fil-A, which holds the trademark to the phrase "eat mor chikin."

Bo Muller-Moore uses a hand silkscreen machine to apply his phrase, which he calls an expression of the benefits of local agriculture, on T- and sweat shirts. But his effort to protect his business from copycats drew the attention of Chick-fil-A, the Atlanta-based fast-food chain that uses ads with images of cows that can't spell displaying their own phrase on message boards.

To begin . . . at least Mr. Muller-Moore spells "more" correctly.

And the target audience for Chik-Fil-A - fast food chicken - is unlikely to be the type of people n the hunt for organic kale.  And vice versa.

What this does serve to do, however, is generate bad publicity for Chik-Fil-A, a corporation that claims to base its business model on Christian teaching.  Teaching that, as a Catholic, I did not think could not also promote common sense.  If a local farmer in Vermont and his message to the world that we would all be better off eating more dark, leafy greens is a threat to Chik-Fil-A's marketing, then while Chik-Fil-A may have faith in God, it doesn't seem to have it in its brand.

Miley, you can Liberty Walk your ass out of here, then . . .

First, the incongruity of the phrase "Miley Cyrus Rock Mafia."  It reminds me of when Linda Ronstadt tried to jump on the New Wave scene with some stupid, pandering album.  Passing by a poster advertisement for the record in the NYC subway at the time, I saw someone had written on it, "Nope - no wave."

This song is like those seasonal pop-up stores at the mall, you know, like the calendar vendors that you only see at Christmas?  Does anyone think Hannah Montana is really for the Occupiers OR is pitching the "Liberty Walk" to make her seem all trendy and edgy, and to make that break away from being a Disney evil corporation princess? 

How sad will she be if the media doesn't start pitching the movement as a "liberty walk?"  I'm sure she had some expensive PR men working on that.  Given the demonstrated aptitude of the Occupiers to sit around and smoke a lot of dope, wouldn't "liberty squat" be more appropriate?

Did I mention weed?

Miley responds by telling the crowd — which, according to The Daily , included her parents Tish and Billy Ray Cyrus — “You know you’re a stoner when your friends make you a Bob Marley cake. You know you smoke way too much f***ing weed.” “I thought salvia was your problem, Miley,” jokes Kelly.

Oh, Billy-Ray no cry . . . because you raised this idiot, dipshit.

Hay-sus, I am a sucker for these things!

I want some toys like he has!

What can I say?  I . . . like weapons.  I like firearms.  Karl Jung would say it's my animus (male side) but I like things that are LOUD and can be used to inflict some serious damage.

"But today we are not clearing rooms, we are putting food on the table for our familes . . ."  Ah HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!

My Beast Blessed

For the Thanksgiving holiday, I took my dogs to the groomer.  Of the bunch, the only one who gets any sort of clipping is my old man, Dante, a Standard Schanuzer.  When he needs a haircut, he is generally a big, gray shaggy throw rug.  He emerges sleek and clean.

Except, this haircut revealed a tumor down in his genital area.

I have to admit, I have spent the last couple of days in an anxious state.  As some readers of this blog may know, Dante is my special dog.  He was abused as a puppy by his first owner's father and was subsequently adopted by the pastor of my former parish in Santa Ana, who had Dante several years before I became his third owner.  Abuse of animals and children evoke a visceral and unpleasant feeling in me, so I tend to favor Dante a bit over the rest of the pack.

Now, I will not give an illness or death of a pet the same importance of that of a human.  We no longer live an agrarian lifestyle, however, so pets do provide more companionship than they do function.  Thus, when a pet is ill or dies, it is a great sadness.  Unfortunately, Dante's tumor came at a time close to the loss of a friend, the third anniversary of my mother's death from cancer, and now I have to worry about a possible tumor in a close and dear friend (an MRI is scheduled today for my friend and he is on my mind).  All of this combines to make for anxiety.

I took Dante to the vet this morning.  The doctor looked him over and I held him as the vet extracted cells from the tumor.  Dante was a trooper and did not even flinch, although he was nervous at being in a vet's examination room.  The vet looked at the cells under the microscope . . . and pronounced them nothing more than a bunch of benign fat cells. 

Thank you, Lord.

The vet advised me to do nothing rather than introduce a risk of placing Dante, who is 8 years old, under anesthesia.  Only if the tumor - oh, let's call it by its less scary name as the vet did, Dante's fatty lipoma - grows to where the dog's movements are impeded is it worth having it removed.  Coincidentally, Dante's previous owner, Fr. Moneypenny, also has fatty lipomas (limpomae?) on his right arm that he has been advised by his doctor to ignore rather than make a fuss  or spend the money to have them removed.  Odd, that.

And so I breathe a sigh of relief for now.  In the meantime, I grieve my other losses and keep the faith that my friend's MRI will show all clear. 

St. Peregrine, patron of tumors, benign and malignant, pray for him.

A River Runs Through It

A River Runs Through It, originally uploaded by Stephanie A. Richer.

I drove through the GSMNP today, along US 441, to Cherokee, NC. I saw this man fishing in the Conoluftee River, enjoying the sun on his face.

When Black Friday comes . . .

I think a victim of a natural disaster in a country without modern amenities, like Pakistan seen above, can be forgiven for demonstrating a measure of desperation when relief of life necessities - food, water, clothing, shelter - must come from the back of a truck or not be seen at all.  Especially if families are involved; as a mother, should disaster strike, my primary worry are my children.

I recently read the book Witness by Ruth Gruber, who was a fantastic and intrepid American journalist and photographer.  Her accounts of life in refugee camps for Jews who survived the Holocaust and their strggles to make it to Israel under threat of death are stirring.  And some of these people are holding infants or have toddlers beside them, or an elderly and inform parent.  Really, really good book - I suggest you read it for perspective when you hear about insanity like this:

Matthew Lopez went to the Wal-Mart in Porter Ranch on Thursday night for the Black Friday sale but instead was caught in a pepper-spray attack by a woman who authorities said was "competitive shopping."

Lopez said that by the time he arrived at the video games, the display had been torn down. Employees attempted to hold back the scrum of shoppers and pick up merchandise even as customers trampled the video games and DVDs strewn on the floor.

Another customer said screams erupted after about 100 people waiting in line to snag Xbox gaming consoles and Wii video games got into a shoving match.

"People started screaming, pulling and pushing each other, and then the whole area filled up with pepper spray," the Sylmar resident said. "I guess what triggered it was people started pulling the plastic off the pallets and then shoving and bombarding the display of games. It started with people pushing and screaming because they were getting shoved onto the boxes."

Nakeasha Contreras, 20, of North Hollywood, said she arrived at midnight and hadn't heard what happened. Even if she had, she said, she wouldn't have minded: "I don't care. I'm still getting my TV. I've never seen Wal-Mart so crazy, but I guess it could have been worse."

Yeah, I mean, no loss of life or serious injuries, so what's the big deal?

Me, today I am going to take advantage of a beautiful clear day and drive US 441 through the park to Cherokee, NC, where I will indulge my children and let them pick up souvenirs from the Indian reservation.  Along the way I will stop at Newfound Gap, that straddles the state line between Tennessee and North Carolina, and thank the Lord for His handiwork.  My Christmas shopping is done online - no visits to malls and I get to say hello to the USPS, UPS, and FEDEX drivers, all of whom are friendly and bring the doggies treats when they come up the hill.

Thanksgiving Elk

Elk_12, originally uploaded by Stephanie A. Richer.

While the turkey cooked, I drove my brother up to Campbell County to see the elk viewing station. We didn't make it - when I drove around a corner of the road leading to it, we discovered a bull and about 20 cows, with two yearlings, passing through.

Fortunately, the rutting season is over and Mr. Bull was cool with us being there, at a respectful distance. Had this been Spetember, I would not have gotten as close as I did - too many male hormones at issue then.

More pictures can be seen here.

Brothers at Rest

Brothers, originally uploaded by Stephanie A. Richer.

Thanksgiving 2011 - give the dogs their bowls of turkey and the tryptophan kicks in . . .

Samson - and yes, he's 4 months old and huge - and the old man, Dante (the one on the bottom).

Hint, could be a Christmas present for me, HINT

You can buy browse it here.

Happy Thanksgiving

It's not what you're eating or where you are, it's your attitude that makes this day.

Today I am putting off anxiety and thanking God for what I do have:

--  my faith;

-- a great family;

-- my health;

-- me sense of humor;

-- and dogs.

BTW, my dear friend, Buzz Bannister, doctored my Thanksgiving photo.  I like it. 

Gute Thanksgiving!

Bless the Beasts and the Fetishists . . .

After multiple readings and loads of public comment, the West Hollywood City Council gave final approval Monday night to its ban on fur sales.

Other news stories confirm that this passed with an exemption for leather goods. 

This is, after all, West Hollywood, and there are constituents with allergies to latex.

Oh Yah, Like, Bad Shit Happening - LOLZ!!

I daresay that the name and place have long been forgotten - or even known, or misidentified as something happening in New York, or maybe it was London - BUT THE INTERNET MEME LIVES ON!

Nothing diminishes and eventually devolves something into just another bad joke in an email than when something becomes an Internet meme.  I know that many of the people who are now doing "Pepper Spray Cop" pictures are progressive and believe they are "getting the word out," but now I see these popping up on both liberal and conservative sites and  everyone is laughing at them. 

Outrage?  What outrage?

And so, in honor of today's anniversary . . .

That's not funny!

Why not?  Everything else seems to be.

Drama Queen

Let this sink in . . . she is in college.  And as I sincerely doubt that she is wealthy enough to pay the full amount, that means that either someone approved her for a student loan or she is receivign subsidies from taxpayers.  to study drama, when, in fact, she needs rudimentary skills in the English language.

One can only imagine the films she would direct. 

It's a Conscience Thang . . .

Nancy Pelosi is not going to be stymied by any woman who insists upon giving birth, especially if that woman is a Catholic.

Catholic health-care providers in particular have long said they’d have to go out of business without the conscience protections that Pelosi says amount to letting hospitals “say to a woman, ‘I’m sorry you could die’ if you don’t get an abortion.” Those who dispute that characterization “may not like the language,’’ she said, “but the truth is what I said. I’m a devout Catholic and I honor my faith and love it . . . but they have this conscience thing’’ that she insists put women at physical risk, although Catholic providers strongly disagree.

From this, it is reasonable to infer that the faith-loving, faith-honoring Catholic that Nancy professes to be does not have a conscience, or at least one that is governed by her faith.  Because, after all, she knows better.

On one occasion, she said, laughing, one of her critics on the topic of abortion, speaking on the House floor, said, “Nancy Pelosi thinks she knows more about having babies than the pope. They think like this. And of course I do — I think the pope would agree — and I know more than you, too, mister.’’

What is the standard here - a biological process?  I have given birth.  And so if I say that abortion is wrong, it has as much weight as Nancy saying, "Well, I've given birth and I say it's okay."  So, we then cancel each other out, yes?  Yes, perhaps Nancy knows more about giving birth than the Poepe, as she can add to her knoweldge the experience of having done so - but then by her logic, men and women who have chosen to forgo being mothers should be eliminated from any discourse on abortion, since their arguments will always be trumped by their opponent's personal experience if said opponent is a woman who has given birth.

But wait - maybe a woman who has given birth, say, five times has more authority to state a position on abortion than one who has only given birth once.  Then it becomes a numbers game and, if that is the case, sit down and shut up, Nancy, because Michelle Duggar has you beat to quarters there! 

Actually, sit down anyway, Nancy - preferably in a confessional because I think it would help you - because Catholics do have a "conscience thing" that shows up the nonsense of your argument as to who has the authority to speak to the issue of abortion.  The conscience of a Catholic does not spring ex nihilo.  As the Catechism of the Catholic Church section 1776 states:

"Deep within his conscience man discovers a law which he has not laid upon himself but which he must obey. Its voice, ever calling him to love and to do what is good and to avoid evil, sounds in his heart at the right moment. . . . For man has in his heart a law inscribed by God. . . . His conscience is man's most secret core and his sanctuary. There he is alone with God whose voice echoes in his depths."

I am willing to bet that Nancy says, "Well, see, then we go by conscience, which is determined by the individual, and so I am in conformance with the Church."  Stay seated, Nancy.

Conscience must be informed and moral judgment enlightened. A well-formed conscience is upright and truthful. It formulates its judgments according to reason, in conformity with the true good willed by the wisdom of the Creator. The education of conscience is indispensable for human beings who are subjected to negative influences and tempted by sin to prefer their own judgment and to reject authoritative teachings. Section 1783.

No firing from the hip, babe.  And how does one educate one's conscience?

In the formation of conscience the Word of God is the light for our path, we must assimilate it in faith and prayer and put it into practice. We must also examine our conscience before the Lord's Cross. We are assisted by the gifts of the Holy Spirit, aided by the witness or advice of others and guided by the authoritative teaching of the Church.  Section 1785.

Nancy's problem - and what is the problem of so many others - is that she defines conscience as what she feels right, and that in turn is what she opines is right - there is no weighing of her opinion against moral law, beliefs, values, etc. 

So, Nancy, you state, "I’m a devout Catholic and I honor my faith and love it."  Do you live it?  To quote a great school of philosophy of the Southern United States called Lynyrd Skynyrd:  "Do your conscience both you?  Now tell the truth!"

I

Wait, those dark-skinned guys sitting down at the table aren't Indians?!?!

Did you know that the turkey you're going to enjoy on Thanksgiving Day this Thursday is probably halal? If it's a Butterball turkey, then it certainly is -- whether you like it or not.

OMG, IT'S A FUCKIN' MUSLIM TURKEY!

Please . . .

Frankly, as a supporter of All Things Capitalism, if Butterball wants to sell one of their nasty, chemical-laden, faux-juiced turkeys to Muslims and they have figured out a way to do so . . . good for them.  Maybe it will help all those people who feel American values are somehow threatened by these birds to know that little Muslim kids are gorwing up to expect turkey, and stuffing, and mashed potatoes on the 4th Thursday of November.  Probably sitting there watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, too, to turn and ask, What will Santa be bringing me on Christmas?

Me, I don't buy Butterball.  I buy whatever I can get cheap using my "turkey points" at Ingles.  And I want plain - no "self-basting" piece o' shit, but a simple turkey with the giblets in a neat bag in the neck (aka "the Pope's nose", oh ha, ha) and some nice skin I can loosen and stick about five pounds of butter laden with herbs.

Frankly, I think the joke's on the Muslims.  Guys, guys - real turkeys don't come with a pop-up telling you when it's done . . .

Gonzo Jedi

We were somewhere around Mos Eisley, on the edge of the desert, when the force began to take hold ...

If you don't get this, as your lawyer I would advise you to read Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas . . .

Redemption of the Convicted

As Advent approaches, we should stop and remember that the preparation for Christmas is more than shopping, but for Christians it is a time of preparation for the arrival of the King.  There is a reason why both Advent and Lent share the liturgical color of purple - because it is  a season of seeking redemption and atonment.  As the old carol goes:

God and sinners reconciled!

So a perfect story to read is this series that is presently being presented in the Los Angeles Times:

"This is going to be the best place for you now," said Madrona, a healthy inmate who had worked at the hospice for two years.

"Six months," Garcia replied. That was how much time a doctor had given him. He grimaced. He was now the hospice's youngest patient, only 24 and with colon cancer.

The tattoos on his head glistened with sweat, but he puffed out his chest, trying to act tough. To Madrona, 35, he seemed like a mixed-up kid — the kind Madrona had been years before.

"We will take care of you," Madrona said. "No matter what, I will be here for you."

Maybe by helping Garcia, he thought, he could make amends for the terrible thing he had done as a young man. Maybe he could find redemption.

Read it and weep/marvel/wonder at the depth of humanity.

Love of Ministry or Hatred of Catholics?

Lawdy, lawdy, them Romans are a-movin' in!

Crystal Cathedral's head pastor spoke optimistically about the future of her iconic megachurch at Sunday morning services, telling a congregation of about 400 that it was not too late to ask God to intervene and stop the church's impending sale to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange.

Senior Pastor Sheila Schuller Coleman, the daughter of the church's founder, offered a prayer thanking God for "intentionally delaying" a miracle, and indicated that the bankrupt church would continue to pray and wait for God to reveal His final plans.

Of couysre, maybe a third option is that she is just scared of seeing the milk cow run dry . . .

I could be kind and say Pastor Sheila is motivated by a desire to preserve the legacy of her father.  But the history of avarice displayed by her and her siblings keeps me from doing so.  And added to that is a possible vein of anti-Catholicism, with wealthy donors angrily threatening exhumation of loved ones from its memorial gardens.  I know from personal experience that many Protestants are appalled that the Catholics are moving in, having heard their complaints.  That goes back to that old canard of many evangelicals that Catholics are not Christians.

Coleman also alluded briefly to the Crystal Cathedral's need to reign in costs, saying the church realized a few years ago it could no longer afford to pay its professional choir and orchestra "nearly $1 million a year" and adapted accordingly.

"Adapted accordingly?"  Vendors got stiffed . . . but the Schullers got paid.

Geek Love

Happy Christ the King!

I went to Mass with great expectations and excitement - I admit, I am a Cathogeek and feasts get me all worked up.  I learned that today's feast - Christ the King - was instituted in 1925.  Well, I thought, the same year that my father was born and he was the man who gave me the greatest gift of my Catholic faith.  I love coincidences like that.

At Mass today, a baby - oh, heavens, little Tessa Jane was no more than a month old - was Baptized.  Naked, she was gently submerged into the (pre-warmed) waters of our font by Fr. Chris.  The look on her face was comical but she didn't cry.  I did.  I get verklempt at scenes of such beauty.

And every year on Christ the King, I think of lBessed Miguel Pro.  How can you not?  A Jesuit priest who went "underground" during Mexico's dark days of religious persecution under Presidente Calles, to serve the people; he was also known for his humor and wit.  He was executed by the Mexican government for his faith, and at the moment before the bullets tore into him, stretched out his arms and yelled, "Viva Cristo Rey!" ("Long live Christ the King!")  Like a boss, Miguelito, like a boss!

In fact, I think I'll close with something he wrote:

Does our life become from day to day more painful, more oppressive, more replete with afflictions? Blessed be He a thousand times who desires it so. If life be harder, love makes it also stronger, and only this love, grounded on suffering, can carry the Cross of my Lord Jesus Christ. Love without egotism, without relying on self, but enkindling in the depth of the heart an ardent thirst to love and suffer for all those around us: a thirst that neither misfortune nor contempt can extinguish...

I believe, O Lord; but strengthen my faith... Heart of Jesus, I love Thee; but increase my love. Heart of Jesus, I trust in Thee; but give greater vigor to my confidence. Heart of Jesus, I give my heart to Thee; but so enclose it in Thee that it may never be separated from Thee. Heart of Jesus, I am all Thine; but take care of my promise so that I may be able to put it in practice even unto the complete sacrifice of my life.

Blogging light this week . . .

As my brother, Greg, is visiting from New Jersey and I aim to show him some Southern hospitality.

But want to blog about a load o' stuff.  Stay 'tooned . . .

Because turkeys taste better . . .

I don't think they'll be using it to listen to NPR . . .

Following a laughable United Nations declaration that high-speed internet access is a basic human right, the Obama Administration is investing north of $400 million to expand broadband into poor, rural areas of the U.S.

For instance, it will “improve healthcare and educational opportunities,” according to Obama’s Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. Broadband will also help the poor “connect to global markets,” Vilsack said, and it will provide “much-needed services to rural businesses and residents.” The investment, presumably on the part of the government, will also “increase jobs” in rural areas, Vilsack assures.

Oh boy, now's they kin git their porn as fast as the rest of us!  A videos of kittens!

Maybe this will keep them from clinging bitterly to their guns and religion . . . as well as allow the feds to track IP addresses.

Thug Nation

The Occupiers' world view has been seen before, in many countries at many times, and has always turned out the same:  a socialist/communist government that rules byth barrel of a gun, enslaving the people and abolishing all personal rights.

What's the difference now?  Hope lies in the non-complacency of groups like the Tea Party.  I think there are Americans, and I am one among them, who would welcome a civil war to preserve the ideals of the founding fathers.  Does that bother you?  

The horror . . .

Yesterday was the anniversary of my parents' wedding day.  And the birthdays of my godson, his brother, and my friend, Betty.  All that is good.

But yesterday was also the 33rd anniversary of one of the worst hoorors ever to be inflicted upon the word.  People still dream of what they saw that day, and cry out in terror in the night.  It was . . .

Damn you, George Lucas!  This will never die!

Is Calling 50 Protesters a "Large Turnout" Evidence of Hyperbole by the OC Weekly or How Sad Occupy OC Is?

I went over to the OC Weekly to see what they had to say about the sale of the Crystal Cathderal.  Couldn't find anything although nothing as of 7:45 am PST, which tells me Gustavo Arellano is sleeping in and unable to satisfy his passion for Brownie. 

But I did see this:  Occupy Santa Ana March Sees Large Turnout; Protest In Front of John Wayne Airport Tonight.

Okay, read the article and found that "a group of more than 50 protesters, which included members of the Service Employees Industrial Union Local 1877, carried signs demanding justice for janitors while shouting common Occupy chants and the United Farm Workers-coined slogan, 'Si Se Puede.'"

"More than 50?"  A hundred more?  A thousand more?  Maybe 2?  Fortunately, I found the numbers at the OC Register:

About 70 "Occupy" movement demonstrators lined the sidewalk in front of In-N-Out Burger on El Toro Road on Thursday night, shouting slogans and cheering as passing drivers honked.  Near John Wayne Airport, an additional 50 protesters gathered, and 50-60 more showed up at Hart Park in Orange.

So, in all of Orange County . . . less than 200 in total.

Si, se puede . . . but hardly.

Cat-licks 1, Proddy-dogs 0

The mackeral snappers won.

After more than four years of familial and financial turmoil, Orange County's iconic Crystal Cathedral will be sold to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange.

So what does this mean?

Under the diocese's plan, the ministry will be able to lease the core buildings including the cathedral and the Tower of Hope for three years -- at $100,000 a month during the first year and $150,000 for years two and three. They also will be able to lease the school building for $10,000 a month until the end of school year 2013.

After three years, Crystal Cathedral Ministries and the school will move to the 10-acre property on Lewis Street where St. Callistus is now located.

Brown said money for the purchase of the property will come from loans and sale of various properties owned by the diocese.

Here is my prediction:

The Pope will give Brown his five year extension.  Usually, bishops retire at age 75, which Brown turned on Tuesday.  This three year plan with CCM, plus renovations to turn the cathedral into a Catholic place of worship, suggests a five year timeline, so that Brown retires with it completed.  A friend on Facebook suggested that the Pope could nix this deal if he thought it would mean too much work for Brown's successor, but I have to think Brown cleared this with Benedict even before he started negotiations.  Bringing in a new Bishop now would give him the job of taking over the helm and managing this acquisition, and I think the Vatican would just say, "Okay, let Tod stay . . ."

Expect school closures.  Brown has already consoldiated two schools into one (Our Lady of the Pillar and Immaculate Heart became School of Our Lady) and has closed two, by my recollection (St. Boniface and St. Anthony Claret).  So if the sale of a school building would fetch him the money he needs, and it is a financially struggling school - as many schools in predominantly Hispanic neighborhoods are - then I don't think he would hesitate to do so.

I hate to say this but this places my kids' former school, St. Joseph in Santa Ana, in crosshairs, in my opinion.  It has about a three-acre campus with a large mid-century building.  The area that it is in is preently zoned both for residential and light construction.  Added to that, the city of Santa Ana is wanting to "develop" that area into what they call the Station District.  There are already trendy work/live lofts down by the train station and a lot of locals feel the city council's plan is to edge out all the poorer Mexicans to market the area to a younger, more hip - and more monied - populace.  However, that could mean lower enrollment in the school for lack of what is needed to keep a school going - children.  The school is a ministry of the parish and money is tight - and may be made tighter still when the Augustinians complete the new church less than 3 miles away, on Grand Avenue.  That church, Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe, would be solely Hispanic and some of St. Joseph's parishioners could move over there.

And so, I will continue to pray and support my former parish and hope for the best.  There are other schools or parishes that may be a financial burden to the diocese that His Grace would want to unload.  In the meantime, expect some ugly words to be exchanged and more fighting over who gets the Diocese's money among the people - including the Schullers - who have filed claims in this bankruptcy.

I will say this - I'd love to be a fly on the wall today at the Council of Priests meeting that is usually held on Friday mornings!

And I would like to state vehemently - this post is based solely on my own conjecture and inference, and I am not privy to any diocesan information.  I wish to state this because I know several priests in the Diocese of Orange and I have not been told anything by them.  My predictions really rest more on what Bishop Brown has done in the past and the economy in California now.

Update:  whilst washing dishes, a thought occurred to me - who is to say there will be a successor to Bishop Brown?  Given the terrible economy in California, to save on administrative costs, once Brown establishes the cathedral, could the Vatican again unite the Diocese of Orange with the Archdiocese of Los Angeles?  My husband's uncle is a priest in the archdiocese and he is managing two parishes.  I am not sure that is all that a bad idea, and I suspect some priests in Orange would be happy to serve under Bishop Gomez in L.A.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving, originally uploaded by Stephanie A. Richer.

A little known fact of history in the story of the Plymouth Colony and the Pilgrims can be seen in the holiday card above. The two younger brothers of Miles Standish - Kilometers and Feet - were wondering how they would find food for the first Thanksgiving. Fortunately, a kindly Indian princess - Shewannacookee of the Irocorgi tribe - took pity on them and brought them a turkey.


A sad attempt at humor but as long as I have dogs that will allow me to put them in costume and next to props, it will become a holiday tradition!

It occurred to me that many people will be traveling this weekend for the holiday - indeed, I am looking forward to my own younger brother coming on down from New Jersey to share in our first Thanksgiving holiday here in Tennessee - and Friday may be the last chance to access the Internet before heading out, so I wanted to send out this holiday greeting in anticipation of next Thursday.

May the day be one of bounty: happiness, peace, and joy. From our family to yours - a happy Thanksgiving!

Does This Count as Beastiality?

She had to get a gay guy to help her because no heterosexual man could face the task.  Or should.

BTW, to demonstrate the desperation of this skank, she's recreating a magazine cover that was edgy back in 1993.

Storage Wars!

No, not the show on A&E with Dave "I Think I Can Have a Trademark on 'Yuup!' Even Though Oldtmers in the Appalachians Have Been Using That Phrase for Years, So That Proves I'm a Tool" Hester!  The stakes are bigger here!

Chapman University has upped its bid for the bankrupt Crystal Cathedral to $59 million, almost $2 million more than the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange, court documents filed Wednesday show.

Oh friggin' snap!  So will Bishop Brown increase his offer?  Does he have the money?

And, perhaps more importantly, is the Pope getting ready to send him to pasture?

BTW, a scathing editorial today on Rev. Schuller by the Orange County Register's Frank Mickadeit can be read here.

Skool Daze

East Bay Free Skool Class: Protest Puppet Making

Learn how to make puppets from found materials (cardboard, newspapers,wire, old backpack frames), use them to express dissent and create the carnival of resistance.

Next up:  guerilla mime!

Welcome Home

Because there is always room for more!

The U.S. Roman Catholic Church will establish a body in January to house disaffected members of the Episcopal Church, beginning with a few dozen ministers and at least two congregations seeking communion, U.S. bishops were told Tuesday.

Friday Night at The Thirsty Beaver

Beaver_36, originally uploaded by Stephanie A. Richer.

While I was visiting The Crescat, she took me to one of Charlotte's finer establishment for the consumption of spirits, The Thirsty Beaver.

In one of my photography classes, an instructor once said that if he could only have one lens, it would be a fast 50mm prime, especially for low light situations. This proved true while I was there - very low light, and a few Jack-n-Cokes under my belt, and I managed to get some shots. Even with manual focus, which is either a testimony to my lens or my ability to withstand the effects of alcohol. If the latter, thank my Polish-Irish genes.

Should you find yourself in Charlotte and need a friend, one can always be found at the Beaver . . .

See more pictures of my night at The Thirsty Beaver here on Flickr.

STFU, Mark Kelly, you didn't send me a Christmas card last year . . .

In a new book, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’s (D-Ariz.) husband scolds House Speaker John Boehner for failing to visit his wounded wife while she was recovering from injuries sustained in a shooting.

In his and his wife’s new volume, Mark Kelly writes that Boehner (R-Ohio) didn’t take an opportunity to visit Giffords when he was in Houston for a basketball game and added that all they heard from the Speaker after the shooting came in the form of “a simple get-well card.”

Wait, your wife's buddy in the White House defunds NASA and you're bitching about Boehner?!  And I didn't realize that she had become this litmus test, like abortion, with which to judge politicians.  How much are you willing to bet that IF Boehner HAD come to see her, this whine ass would be accusing him of only doing so "for the cameras?"

Occupy Arlen

I love you, Hank Hill!

Bad debt

Imagine if student loans were treated like an investment, whereby the companies handing out the money could evaluate the likelihood of the person succeeding and being able to pay off the debt.  That's right, the individual would be rated just like a small business looking for investment capital. 

As Occupy Wall Street campers faced off with authorities around the nation, students on several California university campuses rallied in solidarity with the movement and to protest education cuts and rising tuition.

Jennifer Johnson, a graduate student in education, was out on Sproul Plaza at 8 a.m. along with about a third of her Spanish I class. Instructor Daniel Rodriguez was teaching on the plaza's chilly steps to support the protest without interrupting his students' education. Rodriguez led a bilingual teachable moment with a new vocabulary: Huelga, protestar, manifestacion — "Strike," "to protest," "demonstration."

"We have finals coming up and a lot of stuff to learn," said Johnson, 36. "We want to have our education — in a visible way, to demonstrate our commitment to education and that we also need to fight."

Classmate Nuha Masri said she has taken on $3,000 in loans this year to cover her college costs and $3,000 more for dental work. "We can't focus on our classes when we're wondering how we're going to find more money," said Masri, 22, a sociology major from Upland.

At Cal State Fullerton, student Karley White held a sign that read "We are living proof that the system is broken." White, a women's studies major, said that budget cuts make it hard to get the classes she needs to graduate and that she fears another tuition hike will sink her further in debt. "The minute I get out, I have to start paying back loans with a job I can't get," said White, 21. "I'm being pushed further and further into a hole."

Education, sociology, and women's studies . . . would you be willing to finance any of these ladies? 

Karley, hun, you are living proof that you are naive enough to have been sold a bad bill of goods.  I am sure some admissions counselor gave you the song and dance and oh!  You're all growed up and ready to forge new theories in women's studies . . . or regurgitate old, tired ones from textbooks that your professors have assigned because they wrote them.  If you know that no job awaits you in women's studies, then perhaps you should change course.  Drop out for awhile.  Work.  Volunteer.  Learn a little more about life than getting caught up in a cycle where you incur more debt for a bad investment.

Dreams of the Fisherman

Dreams of the Fisherman, originally uploaded by Stephanie A. Richer.

A statue of St. Peter at the Basilica of St. Lawrence in Asheville, NC.

Kill, Papists, Kill!!!

In olden days a glimpse of stocking
Was looked on as something shocking,
But now, God knows,
Anything Goes.
--- "Anything Goes" by Cole Porter

Last night I got an email from one of the teachers at my son's school - which is a Catholic school - about the basketball game the boys are playing tonigth against Apostolic Christian Academy.  It seems Apostolic Christian School has a dress code for their male students when participating in basketball:  a white t-shirt worn under the jersey and sweat or wind pants, no shorts.  The email asked that we make sure our young men were dressed according to Apostolic Christian Academy's standards while we annihilate them - hopefull, if God so wills - in basketball.  No arms, no legs should be seen.

My husband did not like that one bit.  In fact, he thought about showing up in shorts just to prove a point.  I talked him out of it - yes, we Catholics will meet the standards of this ultra-Christian school because that's who we are, people of charity.  And I hope we slay them in points for the heretics they are.

Oh, ease up, people, I'm joking.

Maybe.

But I will say, having looked at their website and student handbook, I'm scratching my head.  The handbook states: 

"Modesty is the Bible’s rule for dress. Since modesty is subject to interpretation, the school reserves the right to define modesty in situations not covered herein." 

Okay, I get it, dress should be modest.  So, the girls at the school must wear knee-length skirts and, if participating in PE, same-length skorts (I don't even know if their girls are allowed to compete in sports since I note only our boys are playing them).  The boys wear t-shirts under sleeveless basketball jerseys and long pants.  So . . . why is viewing the calves of boys sinful, or immodest, whereas viewing the calves of girls is not?  Evidently, shorts are the Devil's handiwork, because I note in the handbook this:

"Shorts are not permitted in the building. Parents are encouraged to dress modestly when dropping off or picking up their children. Anyone wearing shorts must knock on the day care window and wait for their child to be brought to them."

Tap-tap-tap . . . can I have my kid, please?

Really, I am surpised that they would even deign to play a bunch of mackeral-snappers like us.  Maybe we need to bring some inspiration, like a statue of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe.  Seriously, if I sat there while watching my son play basketball, saying a Rosary, will I be asked to put my beads away, lest their athletes be exposed to such Marian idolatry?

I cannot make the game tonight - and maybe that's a good thing - but I note they are playing us again, in our court, in early December.  Time to break out the smells and bells. 

And shorts.

Update!  We won!

The DigiTRavel Log: Occupy Asheville

Last Saturday, as part of my weekend adventure with The Crescat, I also visited Occupy Asheville.  Once again, my persona of the visitingEnglish tourist worked and got people talking.

A note about Asheville, NC.  I expected it to be "artsy" and touristy, much as, say, Sedona, Arizona or Carmel, California.  It was more like Williamsburg, Brooklyn, with an overwhelming presence of hipsters and hippies.  I began to believe there had to be a municipal code that required restaurants and cafes to have on staff at least one, pale White girl with dreadlocks and a nose piercing, wearing hemp clothing.  The park featured what was likely a permanent drum circle (at all times we were in the area, I could hear drumming) with the amateur, middle-aged White woman doing a sloppy belly dance whilst imagining herself to be Salome.  Assuming she even knew who was Salome.  Probably more likely to see herself as Shiva than a Biblical figure.

But Occupy Asheville . . . basically, a half of a city block strung out along the sidewalk on the side of the federal court house.  Mostly a line of tarps which had, I noticed, sign up sheets so one could make a reservation.

A few souls were seated around a table, with a few boxes of groceries surrounding them.  As one fellow noted, "This is it, this is all I own!" and stretched wide his arms.  I asked again, and was told that the groceries were donations and "stuff people just bring," mostly boxes of cereal from what I could see.  I suspect that unlike Occupy Charlotte, Occupy Asheville does not have a bank account with $26,000 in it.

I got into conversation with one lad, all of 18-years-old.  Both The Crescat and I were amazed at his ignorance.  "We need change, because, like, the United States has military and sweatshops in every country in the world!"  Huh?  Oh yeah, and, "The government is holding back money for the people!"  He told me it was unfair that he could not go to college because "it costs, like, $100,000" and then he would have to spend the rest of his life paying back his student loans.  But, as The Crescat learned, this boy had a goal:  to bring "awareness" for the Occupy Asheville movement and which would be accomplished by him standing on that patch of city sidewalk.  In fact, he said that it would take "five or sex generations" to enact the needed change in society and he was willing to camp "even if it takes 100 years."  Please note, he has his expectations set low, but by God, he can meet them - in fact, I think he is to be applauded for being the first person to identify his mission ("let people know we 're here") and how to accomplish it ("stand here for as long as it takes").

An older fellow told me how much abuse they receive from passing motorists.  "They honk and yell, 'Get a job!' and I yell back 'So give me one!'", he said, chuckling at his own cleverness.  "One time, they even threw a Slushee at me!"  I did not suggest that perhaps the Slushee was the nearest thing to a shower he has seen in weeks, so instead strengthened my cover by responding, "Cor, really?  What's a Slushee, then, mate?" and allowed him to explain to this ignorant Brit the finer cuisine found in 7-11's.  He also told us that one elderly gentlemen - "obviously a businessman" - asked him if he wanted a job, but it became clear the businessman was propositioning him for sex.  Really?  With all those dreadlocked chicks receiving poor tips in the coffee houses?  Surely, you jest.

On our way out I noticed a condom package lying on the sidewalk near one of the tarp piles.  I asked one of the guys, "Is this a condom?" and he smiled smugly.  "Yeah, gotta keep warm somehow, you know."  I asked him if he was afraid of STDs and he laughed, "That's what the condom's for!"  He assured me, there was "plenty of sex" going on at the encampment.  However, this gave fruition to one of the best comments I heard that day, coming from The Crescat:  "Drum circles and STDs go together like peanut butter and chocolate."  That needs a t-shirt.

Later a small march took place to protest police brutality.  Or maybe it was more philosophical, since there was a banner reading, "Life is a beautiful struggle."  I noted two things.  First, there was a bum with what appeared to be a bleeding head, looking dazed.  One of the marchers - hippie with long, blond hair and tea saucers in his earlobes - asked him if he would march in front of their parade because it would look good to protest police brutality and have a "victim" present.  The bum said no in impolite terms, thus causing Blondie to start yelling at the bum, "Then fuck you, man!" and the two parted after a few more exchanges of epithets and profanities.  I guess some people have enough personal pride not to allow themselves to be exploited by liberals, who in turn become nasty when said exploitation is stymied.

And second - the face scarves and masks.  I really wanted to go up and let them know . . . no one cares that you're there.  You are not important enough to be identified and tracked by the authorities, although you may fancy yourself the new Che Guevara of this age.  In fact, this gesture of anonymity - hiding one's face - seems to me to be more narcissistic in nature, a self-delusion of importance.  Or, at its most benign, nothing more than a trend because all the cool kids are doing it.

More pictures from Occupy Ashevillecan be seen here.

5-Year Lease at $1/Month or . . . Cash

Bishp Tod Brown ups the ante to $57.5 million.  Chapman counters with the option of allowing the Schullers to lease the Crystal Cathedral at $1 a month.  Except . . .

This lease break, however, would take away from the ministry the option to buy back those core buildings in five years. The buyback option made the Chapman offer more appealing to congregants and others who wanted to see the ministry continue.

Add to that . . .

At issue Monday were insider claims, including Robert H. Schuller's claims of copyright infringement on the part of the ministry relating to his books. Carl Grumer, an attorney representing the older Schullers and their daughter Carol Milner, requested that a $6.5 million reserve be set aside to pay the claims relating to contract termination and copyright infringement.

So who do you thik will win?

The Schullers also are claiming money that they say was to be paid to them based on a transition agreement, which guaranteed them payments of $300,000 a year for the rest of their lives.

Milner said her parents have not been receiving those payments promised to them and are now being asked to give up rights to their works. She said they would prefer the diocese purchase the cathedral although the board has approved Chapman as the preferred buyer.

"The diocese has really respected them and honored them," she said. "They really wanted to know what they could do to help my parents and preserve their legacy."

The Schullers also are claiming money that they say was to be paid to them based on a transition agreement, which guaranteed them payments of $300,000 a year for the rest of their lives.

Milner said her parents have not been receiving those payments promised to them and are now being asked to give up rights to their works. She said they would prefer the diocese purchase the cathedral although the board has approved Chapman as the preferred buyer.

"The diocese has really respected them and honored them," she said. "They really wanted to know what they could do to help my parents and preserve their legacy."

I am still trying to understand how the Schullers can have "unspecified" claims in a bankruptcy.  Any BK attroneys out there who can explain why they remain unspecified?