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    I was reading " Thoughts from the Trailer " by Fr. John Riccardo (https://trailer.actsxxix.org/) and I appreciated his words, written prior to any knowledge of the outcome of the presidential election: " . . . we don’t know how the Lord is at work in the events of our time. We just know that He is at work. He is always at work. This doesn’t mean we’re puppets, merely play acting, and that our choices don’t matter – they do! But God is sovereign, and “the plan of the LORD stands forever, the plans of His heart from generation to generation” (Psalm 33:11)." I always find it comforting when going through difficult times to step back and remember that, indeed, "God is in this." However, I honestly don't think Trump is "the chosen one" as some have said. I don't think God sent him to somehow save us. For Christians, we know that there is only One savior, Jesus Christ. To put forth any other belief is sacrilegious. God's light...

    Welcome to Election Day!  Let me explain my reasoning . . . I know it seems like my blog has been hijacked over the last few weeks with all things election. I don't know if that was the right choice or not, but it was what I had to do. It seems like we are in a moment in history and I felt compelled to speak out. I'm not imagining that my little blog made much of a difference, but when something is happening, we have an obligation to participate in the dialogue. I really appreciate those of you who have been following me, commenting or writing your own thoughts. I want this to be a place where you can express how YOU think, even if it differs from my own or others, politically, religiously or otherwise. After all, isn't that the beauty of being able to vote? When all is said and done, we will still be in this great political experiment together. Try not to let division replace the respect and love we are all called to give each other. Have a blessed day!...

      I was watching, with interest, comments made by the former President about Liz Cheney. At first glance, it appears that he was suggesting she go before a firing squad.  Specifically, he said: " Let’s put her with a rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her, OK? Let’s see how she feels about it. You know, when the guns are trained on her face.” But, in the interest of balance, I tuned in to see how his friends at Fox News could possibly defend his comments, when he also said: " You know, they’re all war hawks when they’re sitting in Washington in a nice building, saying, ‘Oh, gee, well, let’s send, let’s send 10,000 troops right into the mouth of the enemy.’" So here's the problem . . . Technically, in context, you might  agree with his Fox friends and think he was simply saying that Cheney should be sent into battle to see how she would like it. Maybe he was.  Maybe he wasn't. But honestly, I'm not totally confident that the sam...

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"...All of us dwell under the same sky. All of us are moved by the beauty revealed in the cosmos and reflected in the study of the heavenly bodies and substances. In this sense, we are united by the desire to discover the truth about how this marvellous universe operates; and in this, we draw ever closer to the Creator...." ( Address to Participants in the Summer Course of the Vatican Observatory , Pope Francis (June 11, 2016)) My interest in science started as a fascination with dinosaurs. By the time I left high school, that fascination included astronomy, physics, cosmology, and more. My academic specialties were history and English, but I never lost my intense interest in pretty much everything else. That didn't change when I became a Catholic — partly because where my faith is involved, paying attention to the wonders and beauty surrounding us isn't a problem. The Enigmatic IRAS Ghost Nebula Impressions Stars in the Making: the HP Tau Triplet More...

      Like you I suppose, we have been inundated with election ads. I often ask myself, "Is that true? Did they really do that? What a horrible person they must be!" After I've done my due diligence and a bit of research, I typically find that the information in the ad is mostly false; sometimes there is a thread of truth loosely running through it, but certainly nothing like the ad proposes. Every ad does one of two things: It proposes that the candidate being highlighted can change everything for the better, immediately, if elected, giving us a utopian society.  Uh, that's not going to happen. Or, in the negative ads, they propose that the opposition candidate does not have one morsel of decency and holds only evil intentions and is personally responsible for all of the problems in our state or country. Come on. Other than the President, who can, indeed, dangerously wield a lot of power on day one if allowed, most of the lower race candidates simply d...

SHEMA YISRAEL ADONAI ELOHEINU ADONAI ECHAD [ U'SHEMO ECHAD ] V'AHAVTA ET HASHEM ELOHEICHA B'CHOL LEVAVCHA U'VCHOL NAFSHECHA U'VCHOL MEODECHA [YAIDA DAI YADA DAI YAIDADAI . . .] Hear, O Israel: The  Lord  our God, the  Lord  is one.   You shall love the  Lord  your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.   And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart (Deuteronomy 6:4-6) . [First Reading; quoted by Jesus in the Gospel]. Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Mark 12:28b-34 (shorter form: 10:42-45)   (English Standard Version, Anglicised)    One of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”   Jesus answered,...

    I hope you are enjoying Halloween, which for us, of course, has become simply about costumes, parties and candy. Tomorrow, as a Church, though, we celebrate All Saints Day, in honor of those who have gone before us, having already achieved heaven through martyrdom or holy living. Also, there are many who lived their lives in a saintly manner that have not been officially recognized as a saint by the Church, and this is a day to celebrate them as well. The following day, November 2nd, we especially remember those who have faithfully departed, but may not yet have achieved heaven. That day is also highlighted as a day of prayer for those who have died. With so many thinking about evil with the advent of Halloween, I would like to draw your attention to The Letter to the Ephesians, Chapter 6 , verses 10-20 today.  These verses, headlined as "Battle Against Evil," are a great reminder to "stand firm against the tactics of the devil," and that our struggle ...

      Today, as we celebrate the feast of two Apostles--Sts. Simon and Jude--we are reminded of who we are called to be as "fellow citizens," and "members of the household of God." We are built on the foundation of the Apostles, set in Jesus . Each of us has been chosen by God and are called to be disciples of the One who shows us what it means to love and serve others. We must avoid temptations that lead us into darkness, because we follow Jesus, the Light of the World. The responsibility of discipleship is great. It means turning away from sin and living in the freedom that comes to members of God's household. We have been warned that we will be tempted, fooled, into thinking that which is evil, is good.  I would venture to guess that not one of us doesn't understand this warning. Who hasn't, at times, thought they were making a choice that would lead to good, only to discover that they were walking down the wrong path. While we may be ea...

A little over a week from now, November 5, I plan on going to Sauk Centre's polling place. Then I'll vote. I'm not looking forward to that. But I'll vote anyway. That's because I'm an American. Voting is part of being a responsible citizen. Since I'm also a Catholic, voting responsibly involves comparing how we should behave to what the candidates have been saying and — perhaps more to the point — doing. If one of the candidates struck me as an obviously-good choice, then I would cast my vote for that one: and maybe say that you should, too. But I'm stuck with the reality we're experiencing. So instead, I'll — Share links to resources that discuss the 'should behave' aspects of public life Mention why I think voting makes sense Look forward to not seeing election angst in my news feed This week's post is shorter than most: Citizenship Without Hate and Fear: Resources Hot Button Issues and Loving My Country Anyway Obli...

  I was just watching a heartfelt interview with a couple that decided to abort their baby because the baby was diagnosed with Trisomy 18.  Facing some risk to the mother and the painful experience they would surely face in losing their infant in the future, they said they had to go to a different state to have an abortion--which would take the life of their longed-for baby. Because of all of this, they have become a political voice in support of abortion and are held up as poster-parents for the need to have abortion available. I knew someone who gave birth to a baby with a severe condition (as I recall, it was Trisomy 18 as well.) The baby lived for about 3 weeks. Within that time, her family poured out love on her. Her older brothers fawned over her and her parents held and cared for her continuously, knowing she would not live very long. When I visited the family and held their tiny, beautiful, daughter, I was so impressed. That little girl experienced the ...

Christ Healing the Blind Man Eustache L Sueur [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel  Mark 10:46-52 (shorter form: 10:42-45)   (English Standard Version, Anglicised)    As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside.   And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”   And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”   And Jesus stopped and said,  “Call him.”  And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.”   And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.   And Jesus said to him,...

My interests are eclectic. So is what my Google News feed puts in my "Picks for you" section. This morning (Thursday, October 24, 2024), I noticed an AP headline about Pope Francis denouncing something: "Pope Francis denounces a world 'losing its heart' in 4th encyclical of his papacy". I could have checked out what AP says the pope said, but long experience tells me that I'll learn more about what a pope — or anyone else — said by reading or hearing what they actually said. So I went to the Vatican website, and took a look at this new encyclical: More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (A link to Dilexit nos, English translation, with two brief excerpts. My first reaction to what the pope wrote, and what I expect from an in-depth look.)

    From crude t-shirts, to droopy pants and profane language, I've never had much tolerance for public displays of vulgarity. I am totally appalled at the gratuitous use of foul language on television, in movies, and especially, streaming platforms that seem to allow just about everything. I hope you are equally irritated by these. I just think it says something about who we are. That being said, I'm sure you will agree that this weekend was no exception. I watched the former President waste his precious time on the campaign trail in Pennsylvania highlighting -not policy--but Arnold Palmer's "manhood" and what other pros thought about "it." See for yourself: https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/video/trump-ramps-vulgar-language-campaign-trail-114982681 Disgusting, I know. And if that wasn't enough, we've all heard him say that January 6th was "a day of love" when "nothing was done wrong." But, even beyond all that,...

A man asked Jesus "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" in last Sunday's Gospel reading. That's what Fr. Greg talked about — our Lord's answer is simple, by the way, and can be boiled down to 'be prudent'. There's an election looming in our country, so Fr. Greg also talked about acting as if love matters, and making prudent choices. Then he shared a prayer that I've had in my daily routine for a while. But (more than) enough about me. Here's what Fr. Greg said: Eternal Life Definitions and Choosing Wisely Love, Choices, and Wisdom Prudence Judges, the Constitution, and Freedom A Wedding Cake Artificial Contraception Second Amendment and the Right to Defend Myself Abortion Choice: and Responsibility Bodies and Rights Roe v. Wade, the Constitution, and a Eureka Moment Let Love Choose Wisely Video: Gospel Reading and Homily at St. Paul's, Sauk Centre, MN; October 13, 2024 More at A Catholic Citizen in ...

St James the Elder Rembrandt [ Wikipedia ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Mark 10:35-45 (shorter form: 10:17-27)   (English Standard Version, Anglicised)    [James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”   And he said to them,  “What do you want me to do for you?”   And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.”   Jesus said to them,  “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?”   And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them,  “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized,...

    I woke up with the thought "People need to marry." An odd early-morning thought I know, but here I am writing about it now. My thoughts actually turned to the importance of marriage.  Marriage is important for us as a society, and it is important for children. If you doubt that, just look around you at the state of families today. Naturally, strong, healthy marriages is the ideal, where the spouses are both "in" when it comes to their values and lifting each other up, creating a family forged in love. Unfortunately, not all marriages look like that. Sometimes people marry the wrong person, I get that. Because of this danger, and for many other reasons, we have become a nation of live-ins. It seems that we have given up on marriage. That, quite honestly, is not a good thing. Marriage contributes to the fabric of our culture in ways that may not be obvious to some. In marriage, a man and a woman give of themselves completely to one another. Their covena...

  I remember learning something in history about how people of Japanese descent were held in internment camps in the United States during World War II, just because being Japanese made people suspicious of them. It didn't matter if they had any association with criminal activity; what mattered was how they LOOKED. This was made possible because of an Act the former President wants to invoke. Recently he visited Aurora, Colorado and dropped quite a bomb during his event. I received this link (see * below) as to what he said. Apparently, if elected, he is going to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which is a " widely condemned immigration law that gives the president sweeping powers to bypass equal protection and due process while targeting foreign citizens. When it has been invoked, it has led to human rights crises that history looks down upon — but the law has not formally been repealed by Congress." Yes, that's right, the same law that "In 1988, w...

First, the good news. Folks in Florida knew that another major hurricane was heading their way. That, and some out-of-the-box thinking, helped them get ready. Now, the bad news. Folks in Florida were still cleaning up after Hurricane Helene, when Hurricane Milton hit. Cleaning up after this double-header disaster won't be easy. But there are a few bright spots, which I'll eventually get around to. Topical Twaddle The Usual Doom, Gloom, and Politics "Up, Up and Away": Weather Modification and the Montgolfier Brothers Tenants of Tampa Bay This May Be the End of Civilization As We Know It Customary Protocols, Private Citizens, and Pinellas County Flamingos and Being Human Making Sense: It's an Option Wednesday Evening: Hurricane Milton Arrives Milton in Context: Numbers and a Little History A Handy Hurricane Wind Scale Just How Bad Was It? Memorable Hurricanes Now What? Something I Can Do More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Tw...

Christ and the Rich Young Ruler Heinrich Hoffmann [ Wikipedia ;  attribution ]  Jesus, looking at him, loved him . . .   (Mark 1o:22; Gospel) Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Mark 10:17-30  (shorter form: 10:17-27)   (English Standard Version, Anglicised)    As Jesus was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”   And Jesus said to him,  “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.   You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honour your father and mother.’”   And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.”   And Jesus, looking at him, loved him...