I hope you’ll bear with me here for a moment. It’s been an entire week now and I still have last Sunday’s (9/12) Gospel reading on my mind, but I’m only just now getting around to commenting on it. Several years ago I read Fr. Henri Nouwen’s book The Return of the Prodigal Son, reflecting on Rembrant’s famous rendition of … Read More
ESCR Funding: it’s Primarily About Ethics, not Science
Yesterday morning, Sen. Tom Harkin, chair of the Labor and Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee, held a hearing on federal embryonic stem cell research funding. This was prompted by an injunction by District Court Judge Royce Lamberth’s injunction that blocked the Obama Administration’s expansion of federal funding for ESCR. I watched nearly the whole thing (here). Nothing new, really. … Read More
I Survived!
Today I celebrate by survival of the American Holocaust that has claimed nearly 50 MILLION innocent human lives. Children who were denied the gift of their own “birth” day. Needless to say, I am very grateful to my wonderful mother for choosing life! Yes, I share my birthday with the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. Our Lady was so … Read More
Why the Cross Matters
From a discourse of St Andrew of Crete – in the Office of Readings for today’s Feast of the Triumph of the Cross: Had there been no cross, Christ could not have been crucified. Had there been no cross, life itself could not have been nailed to the tree. And if life had not been nailed to it, there would … Read More
“It’s a Holy Temple of God That You’re Destroying”
A child describes the injustice of abortion. Beautiful (h/t Creative Minority Report): “Just makes me sad. You never even get added to your family tree. You never met your grandmother, never saw your mom’s ring. It’s just little little things, like, you never got your first diaper.” Such injustice should make us all very, very sad. Pray this little boy’s … Read More
9/11 Overcome Evil With Love
“To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you…love your enemies and do good to them…Be merciful, just as also your Father is merciful…Forgive and you will be forgiven…For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to … Read More
An Edifying Cup of CoCoa
I know, it’s not exactly cold outside yet, but temperatures are surely cooling down here in the Midwest (especially with some storms in the area here) and with the windows open and the attic fan on, there is a cool breeze coming through the house that, while refreshing, started making me a little chilly. I’m not a regular coffee drinker … Read More
Appeals Court Suspends Federal Embryonic Stem Cell Research Funding Ban
This just in (h/t Jill Stanek): President Barack Obama’s administration can fund embryonic stem-cell research while it appeals a decision banning government support for any activity using cells taken from human embryos, an appeals court said. The U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington today put on hold a ruling by District Judge Royce Lamberth during its review of the ban. … Read More
Abortion and Men
h/t Catholic Fire Related: Remember the Hollow Men
TOB Tuesday: The Mystery of Woman
Over at Catholic Exchange, Fr. Samuel Medley, SOLT has a beautiful article in which he reflects on the “mystery” of woman: Woman is a wonderful mystery. Often even to herself, she is an enclosed garden, a fountain sealed. When approaching the topic of womanhood, and especially when approaching women, what is most important is to reveal that each woman is, … Read More