Religion: December 2003 Archives

Calendar history

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In this article from Touchstone Magazine. (Link via Inn at the End of the World).
I have long been fascinated by the conventions we use to date historical events. Lately, as I have been debating the historicity of much of the Da Vinci Code with my daughter, I have been even more impressed with the great effort made by the church through the ages to keep the facts straight.

teenagers

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My 15 year old daughter got a copy of The DaVinci Code from someone for Christmas. (I refuse to spend money on trash). This evening, as we were driving back from Logan Airport (in and of itself a nightmare experience) she started asking questions - hard ones. My husband, 21 y/o daughter, and myself were also in the car, and we took turns trying to field the questions, but I would really appreciate your prayers as well.
I have read Sandra Miesel's articles which critique the book, and it gave me a little insight into the issues, but it really is hard. I am coming to realize that this book is insidious (sp?) in what it does.
A basic question that teenage daughter kept asking is "But how do you KNOW?" about issues like Jesus being a virgin celibate, the perpetual virginity of Mary, the validity of the canon of the Bible (especially the New Testament). I have tried to explain the validity of Sacred Tradition, the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and so on. I don't know if she 'gets it'. I am trying to think of readable books that talk about the historical truth of the early church - any suggestions? I am thinking of By What Authority by Mark Shea, and I have some books on the early church fathers - but these books don't have the readability of fiction. Can anyone suggest novels or similar books that have the background assumptions of a Catholic culture?
I have lots of non-fiction that I love to read, as well as biography and devotionals, but I don't think that will do it for us. I also have Matt Pinto's book Did Adam and Eve have Belly Buttons which is good but not applicable to this. She is asking good questions, and I am a reasonable apologist I think, but this is getting tough.

She Refused Cancer Treatment

VATICAN CITY, DEC. 21, 2003 (Zenit.org).- John Paul II will canonize Gianna Beretta Molla, who accepted death at age 39 rather than submit to treatment that would result in the abortion of her unborn child.

The announcement was made Saturday in the presence of the Pope by the Congregation for Sainthood Causes, in the course of recognizing a miracle attributed to her intercession. Molla, an Italian pediatrician, was beatified in 1994.

Carols in Latin

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XII DIES NATALIS
The Twelve Days of Christmas
(Translated by Sister Marjorie E. Allen)

Primo die Natalis amator dedit mi
perdicem in piro.

S'cunda die Natalis amator dedit me
d'os turtures et perdicem in piro.

Tertia die Natalis amator dedit mi
tres gallinas, d'os turtures et perdicem
in piro.

Quarta die Natalis amator dedit mi
quattuor aves, tres gallinas, d'os
turtures et perdicem in piro.

Quinta die Natalis amator dedit mi
quinque anulos, quattuor aves, tres
gallinas, d'os turtures et perdicem in
piro.

Sexta die Natalis amator dedit mi
sex anseres, quinque anulos, quattuor
aves, tres gallinas, d'os turtures et
perdicem in piro.

Sept'ma die Natalis amator dedit mi
septem cygnos nantes, sex anseres,
quinque anulos, quattuor aves, tres
gallinas d'os turtures et perdicem in
piro.

Octava die Natalis amator dedit mi
octo quae mulgent, septem cygnos
nantes, sex anseres, quinque anulos,
quattuor aves, tres gallinas, d'os
turtures et perdicem in piro.

Nona die Natalis amator dedit mi
novem salt'trices, octo quae mulgent,
septem cygnos nantes, sex anseres,
quinque anulos, quattuor aves, tres
gallinas, d'os turtures et perdicem in
piro.

Dec'ma die Natalis amator dedit mi
decem salt'tores, novem salt'trices, octo
quae mulgent, septem cygnos nantes,
sex anseres, quinque anulos, quattuor
aves, tres gallinas, d'os turtures et
perdicem in piro.

Undec'ma die Natalis amator dedit me
undecim tibic'nes, decem salt'tores,
novem salt'trices, octo quae mulgent,
septem cygnos nantes, sex anseres,
quinque anulos, quattuor aves, tres
gallinas, d'os turtures et perdicem in
piro.

Duodec'ma die Natalis amator dedit mi
d'odecim qui pulsant, undecim
tibic'nes, decem salt'tores, novem
salt'trices, octo quae mulgent, septem
cygnos nantes, sex anseres, quinque
anulos, quattuor aves, tres gallinas, d'os
turtures et perdicem in piro.

New Catholic mag starting up

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stlinusreview.com
is looking for writers and readers.
(wonder what I could write about that they might like)

prayer request

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My patient Kimberly whose baby seems to be in serious trouble in utero. By the time you read this, the doctors into whose care I gave her may have decided that the risk of prematurity is less than the risk of waiting. This is a much wanted baby, especially because Kimberly's mother died suddenly about 3 months ago. I told her that I would implore prayers for her and her son.
Also for the father of my daughter's best friend. He was just diagnosed with cancer.
May the angels and saints continue to watch over these children of God, and may the trials they endure bring them closer to Him.

Right and Wrong

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Eric Johnson and Mark Shea have been involved in a hearty discussion about the war in Iraq. It has been one of the most polite and Christian of discussions that I have seen on this topic in just about any venue, and I am impressed by their charity and their obvious care in thought and speech. I am not going to post my personal opinions on this topic - for one, I truly don't think I have enough knowledge to have an informed position that is suitable for prime time. Like so many other vexing issues, I have decided to deal with it in small chunks and to salt liberally and take with prayer. No, their extended conversation has caused me to contemplate another conundrum. Those who have raised teenagers will recognize it. The question: Is it better to do wrong for the right reasons, or to do right for the wrong reasons? Is it better to say, "Yes, I will" to a reasonable request, and then bail out - or to say, "No way, Jose", and then to have a change of heart and do the task?
The church's moral teachings are clear that the ends never justify the means, and that it is not OK to do sin in order that good might result - but in talking about 'wrong things' I am talking about those areas of moral ambiguity that can exist especially given man's imperfect understanding of the will of God.
What say you all?

For the Immaculate Conception

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The Virgin
William Wordsworth
Mother! whose virgin bosom was uncrost
With the least shade of thought to sin allied.
Woman! above all women glorified,
Our tainted nature's solitary boast;
Purer than foam on central ocean tost;
Brighter than eastern skies at daybreak strewn
With fancied roses, than the unblemished moon
Before her wane begins on heaven's blue coast;
Thy image falls to earth. Yet some, I ween,
Not unforgiven the suppliant knee might bend,
As to a visible Power, in which did blend
All that was mixed and reconciled in thee
Of mother's love with maiden purity,
Of high with low, celestial with terrene!

Interesting

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History of The Trapp Family has been added to the static links. Thanks to Sparki and her commentors for the info.

Preface: I recognize that there are situations, such as adoption, where lactation and natural infant feeding may be difficult if not impossible. For those circumstances, I am very grateful that there is a technology to help these infanst to survive. This polemic is not addressed as those cases.
Here goes.
Many people have been astonished and overwhelmed by the level of emotion that the breastfeeding in public issues arouses. I think that the topic is so controverisal because it is emblematic of so much that is horribly wrong with our culture and our society. For the last hundred years or so, there has been a concerted effort to sever women from femininity in the name of feminism. The major social and technological factors that have made this even remotely possible have been contraception, abortion, and bottle feeding. The wide spread acceptance of bottle feeding was what originally made it possible for women to become a part of the industrial work force.

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About this Archive

This page is a archive of entries in the Religion category from December 2003.

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