May 2006 Archives

Sad prayer request

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A priest I know and worked with has been removed from ministry due to past allegations of sexual abuse. Please pray for him, his parishes, his alleged victim(s), and all who will be hurt and scandalized by this news. U of I alumni who want info can drop me an email or just google it.

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New Pentecost

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The Vatican recently published "Associations of the Faithful," a directory of the new ecclesial movements and communities that have been started since the Second vatican Council.

Additionally, next week will see the Second World Congress of ecclesial movements and new communities, in the Roman suburbs, where members of these movements will meet. Here is the homepage, which includes a schedule of events.

On Saturday night, the Vigil of Pentecost, the Congress will conclude in St. Peter's square with a program of music, prayer and testimonies leading up to the arrival of the Holy Father, who will celebrate first vespers of Pentecost with those gathered.

The Holy See has granted a plenary indulgence to those who attend the liturgy. Actaully, it is merely an extesion of an indulgence which is already available to any of the faithful who "in a church or oratory, participates devoutly in the solemn signing or praying of the hymn 'Veni, Creator' ... on the solemnity of Pentecost."

Leading up to the event, Zenit is publishing the profiles from "Associations of the Faithful" of the communitites and movements that will be participating in the Congress.

And, as a way of demonstrating that my wife and kids are in Chicago and I have nothing better to do, here are the profiles that have already been published:

A tip: don't read them all at one sitting, your eyes will start to glaze after about a dozen or so. Do try to read some of them, though, as it's inspiring to see the different authentic expressions of the one Catholic faith all over the world.

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Rest in Peace

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Father Todd Reitmeyer, priest of the Diocese of Sioux Falls, SD and long-time blogger at A Son Becomes a Father (St. Bloggers, didn't he have a blog as a seminarian, too?) died Wednesday in a jet ski accident while visiting his family on vacation in the Austin, TX area.

From the diocese.

Please pray for his soul and for peace for his family and flock.

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A German at Auschwitz

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NPR had a piece yesterday about the Pope's visit to Poland. It was mostly forgettable, but it did point out that the only time Benedict will speak German during his trip will be at Auschwitz, where 60 years after the Holocaust that had Auschwitz as one of its centers of operation, the German language will again be heard, this time in supplication for forgiveness and peace.

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Disturbing, Disgusting, Disheartening

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Parents of school-age children need to read this piece from the current (just posted) iss ue of The New Atlantis and reflect on how they let their children use the Internet.

More - not for children - by clicking below.

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John Allen on Benedict's trip to Poland

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John Allen's column from last week was a preview of Pope Benedict's trip to Poland, featuring a list of themes that Allen's Vatican sources say will be the focus of the trip.

Allen will be in Poland covering the visit, posting daily reports. Here is the first one.

The American Papist is also blogging up a storm about the trip.

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Marriage and stem-cells

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Another two-fer of good reads. Today's selection comes from NRO.

Stanley Kurtz, who deserves some kind of award for the work he does, shows how European sociologists are much more honest about gay marriage undermining traditional marriage than their American counterparts.

Eric Cohen debunks arguments for more federally funded stem-cell research.

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Basebrawlin'

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Sports Illustrated has a slideshow of ten "Notorious Basebrawls."

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I gotta say, I seem to remember when I was a kid seeing many fights far more ferocious than these. Does anybody else recall George Brett being held in foul territory by one guy while another bloodied his face? They should have done more research into the 80s.

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Unfortunately, my beloved Cubbies seem to be over-represented, and always on the instigating side. I remember watching in disbelief when Kyle Farnsworth tackled and pummeled Paul Wilson in 2003.

Bonus points to whoever can say what these two pictures have in common.

I should also add that I don't condone physical violence as a way to resolve disputes. Unless the S.O.B. really deserves it.

Hat-tip: BettNet

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Cardinal Schönborn

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Back in December I blogged the first two installments of a series of catechetical talks - given by Christoph Cardinal Schönborn of Vienna - on the subject of creation and evolution. Three more of these talks have been translated into English: Talk 3, Talk 4, Talk 5.

There will be four more talks in the series. Numbers six and seven have already been given and can be found by German readers here. Actually, anybody can find them there, but only German readers can read them. Actually, anybody can read them there, but only German readers can understand them.

Uh, what? Oh yeah, I'll post the links to the English as they become available. Actually, I'll post them as I become aware that they are available. Actually, I'll post them as I become aware that they are available and remember to blog it.

I need an editor.

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So much to do...

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The Vatican website has Il Papa's itinerary for his trip to Poland.

The Holy Father left Thursday morning and will return Sunday evening. Over the course of those three and a half days, he will take two flights, two helicopter rides, give 8 major addresses, celebrate two public Masses, meet with the President of Poland, visit JPtG's hometown, visit 4 churches and shrines and, oh yeah, visit and pray at Auschwitz, scene of one of the most horrific genocides in human history.

That, my friends, is an almost John Paul-esque agenda. We should all pray for the Holy Father's health and endurance (and even for his good cheer!) on this trip. Remember, he's 79 years old!

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Parenting and College

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OpinionJournal has two good reads this morning.

1. InstaPundit Glenn Reynolds' "The Parent Trap" is a look at how safety nazis and a decline in the social prestige of parenthood have combined to create a serious disincentive for adults to multiply.

2. Vincent J. Cannuto reviews "Excellence Without a Soul" by Harry Lewis, which is a according to Cannuto, a book in "defense of the idea that universities should be about something."

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Congratulations!

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Congratulations to Domenico and Melanie Bettinelli on the birth of Isabella Marie!

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JP2 - We Love You!

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Happy 86th Birthday to Karol Josef

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From Charles Joseph

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Wrong Guy

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BBC News invited a man named Guy Kewney for a live news piece on an Internet downloading verdict recently handed down. The interviewer began by asking him if he was suprised by a recent verdict on a downloading case, and Guy expresses (in a thick accent) surprise, because "they told me something else," that he "got an interview." It doesn't quite make sense, but the interviewer picks up from there and continues for a minute and a half.

The surprise Guy was talking about was the suprise of being on television at all. You see, the gentleman interviewed was not Guy Kewney, he was Guy Goma, a man who had come to the BBC studio to be interviewed for an IT job. The producer went into the wrong waiting room and asked for "Guy." Guy Kewney was later found still waiting in a reception room.

Here's the video of the interview.

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Cool!

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Changes at Newman

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Today, it was officially announced that Monsignor Stuart Swetland will be leaving the Newman Foundation at the University of Illinois.

Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, has named Father Gregory Ketcham, presently pastor of St. Philomena's Parish in Peoria, to guide campus ministry efforts serving more than 10,000 Catholic students at the university and another 3,000 at Parkland College in Champaign.

Father Ketcham will succeed Msgr. Stuart Swetland, Newman director for the past nine years, who has accepted a position on the faculty of Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md. Msgr. Swetland will direct the pre-theologate program and teach homiletics at the nation's second largest Catholic seminary.

The move is effective June 14.

Monsignor Swetland came to Newman the year I went through R.C.I.A there. He was one of three priests who had a great effect on me in my first few years of being fully Catholic and I had the good fortune of being able to work for him as a sacristan. I know the Newman Foundation will greatly miss him. But Newman's loss is the Mount's gain. He is a natural teacher and a great homilist, so this will be a good position for him.

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A Dream Come True

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Jeremy.jpgPictured here is nine-year old Jérémy Gabriel, un garçon quebecois with an unfortunate malady who was so moved by the events of April 2005 that he dreamed of being able to sing for the pope. His dream came true Thursday.

Here's the story from CNC News and here's an excerpt:

Jérémy Gabriel, who suffers from a rare syndrome that causes facial disfigurement and deafness, sang unaccompanied in a clear, true voice for a small group that included Pope Benedict XVI.

The song was Je louerai l'Éternel, which means "I will praise God."

The boy later had a private audience at the Vatican with the Pope, who hugged him and gave him a rosary.

Jérémy's parents and two sisters accompanied him to Rome for the occasion.

The boy had wanted to sing for the pontiff since he watched the funeral of Pope John Paul II on television last year and saw Benedict being elected as his successor.

Born with Treacher Collins Syndrome, the boy has had several operations to restore his hearing. He is frail and must receive blood transfusions every two weeks.

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Sorry, Barry

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Speaking of Bonds...

May has been a tough month for Cubs' fans. The Cubs won on May 1st and haven't won since. 8 straight losses, and we don't even get a day off until Monday. Most of these games have been played on the west coast, which means going to bed not knowing what that night's game's result will be, and waking up to dissappointing news.

Last night, however, brought one of the greatest moments of the year.

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Here is Juan Pierre robbing Barry Bonds of the homerun that would have tied him with Babe Ruth for number 2 on the all-time homerun list.

I would rather see the Cubs get swept in SanFran and bring the losing streak to ten than see Bonds rounding the bases for the 714 time against my Cubs.

Here's hoping.

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I agree with Barry Bonds

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Listen up, because this may be the only time that this happens.

In a recent appearance in Philadelphia, baseball's biggest cancer was expectedly booed and heckled by fans. His comments afterwards:

"[The hecklers] are supposed to be mature people too and they kinda have to look at themselves, and their own children as well. A lot of them bring their kids, and their children look up to them, so you gotta deal with that on your own personal level. If that's how you want your children to be raised, that's your problem."

Hoo-wah! I can't stand Bonds, but the man is right. Even a broken clock....

Richard Roeper of the Sun-Times sums it up nicely: "Your kids aren't supposed to be looking at Barry Bonds as a role model. They're supposed to be looking at YOU."

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Sudan Photos

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The New Republic has pictures by Brian Steidle of some of the horrors taking place in Sudan.

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Lincoln Park II

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Following up on this post from a year ago, my alma mater moved up one place on Newsweek's top 100 public high schools list. Lincoln Park is now ranked 30th.

Something new about this year's list is that in addition to the index of total AP and IB tests taken divided by number of graduation seniors (LP: 4.338) and the percentage of students who qualify for subsidized lunch, which serves as a sort of poverty index for each school (LP: 50.1%, one of only four in the top 100 over 50%), this year's survey includes the percentage of all graduating seniors who passed at least one AP or IB test. LP scored a whopping 86.3% on this measure. That is amazing, and surely is an improvement over when I was there.

As I said last year, the survey is deeply flawed, but bragging rights are bragging rights. The only other Chicago Public School to make the list was Whitney Young, coming in at #541. Ha! Oh and what about New Trier, with all it's Northshore millionaires? #407.

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Homily at Catholic Men's Rally

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Last weekend, my diocese had our annual men's rally and Mass that occurs near the feast of St. Joe. The Catholic Post has Bishop Jenky's homily online. Do check it out.

Excerpt:

If Jesus is our best friend and our greatest love, we really have nothing to fear and we can be good men, faithful husbands, devoted dads, brothers and sons, zealous priests and deacons, unashamedly Roman Catholic believers. And just as every word of the Scriptures holds together and fits together, opens windows into eternity, and plants God’s truth in the very depths of our souls, so should our fraternity in Christ unify all our efforts and strengthen our fidelity.

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One of my favorite days of the year!

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The Catholic Post, the Peoria diocesan newspaper, has released the list of clergy moves which will take effect this month.

Last year, for the first time, I realized why I get excited about this every year: it's so very Apostolic. I think of Paul sending Timothy to the Corinthians, to the Phillipians, and to the Thessalonians to minister to them. It's another one of the ways that we're connected to the early Church.

Anyway, here's the list of this year's assignments.

What's got me particularly happy is to see that my own parish is getting a new associate pastor, a young priest who I know back from the old days. In fact last year, I blogged about a conversation I had with him some years back.

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Prayers for May

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Here are the Holy Father's prayer intentions for the month of May, courtesy of Vatican Information Service:

General Intention:
That the abundance of the gifts the Holy Spirit bestows on the Church may contribute to the growth of peace and justice in the world.

Mission Intention:
That in the mission countries those responsible for the public institutions may, with suitable laws, promote and defend human life from its conception to its natural termination.

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Don't do it

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Guys,

If you come home late from work for the nth time this week (where n can be any positive integer, less than 8) and you bring your caffeine-deprived wife some soda as a peace offering, do not, I repeat, DO NOT, drink said offering while she is putting your first-born to bed that very same evening. Don't do it, just DON'T DO IT. Even if in your mind you can justify it because you know she won't drink it that night and you can run out and replace it in the morning before she knows what you've done, don't do it. It's not worth it on any level whatsoever. Your wicked deed will be discovered, and you will pay.

This has been a public service announcement from Papa-Lu.

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About this Archive

This page is an archive of entries from May 2006 listed from newest to oldest.

April 2006 is the previous archive.

June 2006 is the next archive.

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