Who can do this? Other than such as these?

Matthew 18 Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)

18 At that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying: Who thinkest thou is the greater in the kingdom of heaven?

² And Jesus calling unto him a little child, set him in the midst of them,

³ And said: Amen I say to you, unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

⁴ Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, he is the greater in the kingdom of heaven.

⁵ And he that shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me.

⁶ But he that shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be drowned in the depth of the sea.

Who can do this? Other than such as these?

The Quica Project

Seventh Sunday of Easter Reading 1

Reading 1 acts 1:12-14

After Jesus had been taken up to heaven the apostles
returned to Jerusalem
from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem,
a sabbath day’s journey away.

When they entered the city
they went to the upper room where they were staying,
Peter and John and James and Andrew,
Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew,
James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot,
and Judas son of James.
All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer,
together with some women,
and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

 

These are the 11 awaiting the Holy spirit. When The Holy Spirit  descends on Pentecost, Jesus' prophesy is fulfilled, these 11 begin laying hands on others and the Sacrament of Confirmation is initiated.

What a gift. Those who have received this sacrament have been sealed with the Holy spirit as those who were in the attic, we are empowered to evangelize and to stand firm confident in our faith that the enemy will not overcome us.

 

Apostolic succession is also given us -- the common lay Catholic. We have had hands laid on us infused with the Holy sprit in succession linked in an un broken documented chain to those named above.

 

This is empowering as well, and with these gifts come responsibility to evangelize.

 

We stand strong in our faith. Making mistakes yes. Sinning yes but return to God n reconciliation and strengthen our souls from the spiritual nourishment t provided by the Eucharist.

 

Thus, armored we join the spiritual battle the outcome already known the battle for souls winning souls for God.

 

There is no more noble calling then to be a common Lay Catholic.

 

Pax Christi

Joel Osteen versus the Humble Parish Priest

Take advantage of a true treasure your own parish priest his homily at daily mass is much greater than what evangelic protestants wait in line to hear sitting in a stadium. The humble parish priest is much more expert than Joel Osteen or Billy Graham and will never receive their notoriety  except in Heaven. We have these holy men right down the street from us. they will be the last to acknowledge their holiness though they are truly treasures. Fight Protestantism, attend daily mass.


I received the following from Truth from Protestantism https://www.facebook.com/TruthForProtestantism

Joel Olsteen is NOT guided by the holy spirit I can promise you. He is a self made millionaire selling hope to the hopeless and you have boughten it hook line a...nd sinker. That he spends more on the church in tithes on years means absolutely nothing. Trust me as one who has handled multi million dollar budget that just means he has other investments from other years subsidizing his income. Tithes are just one income stream. 2 Timothy 4:3"For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.Some back to the church of Jesus, the one true faith. The catholic church created in the year 33. When did Joel's corporation start again? Then how can it match with matthew 16; 18-19? Jesus created a church in the year 33 not 1983.

I agree with what you are saying here and these are good points. I am wondering though if this is the best way to win people back. We all have our ways of evangelizing, and I am not questioning you or your call. My own experience for what its worth has been that I was born Catholic or baptized within the first two weeks of birth, I had a long journey from the church that lead me to Anglicanism, and evangelical or fundamental protestant sects, of which Joel Osteen is one. Osteen is a part  of an evangelically "non-demonitaional" branch known as prosperity theology.

Mainstream fundies make fun of his message as well(oh the things they say about Catholics especially after the wed night bible studies) but it doesn't seem to do much good raw criticism. His congregation continues to grow. there is nothing wrong with his message per say it is Protestantism and thus heretical (sola fide and sola scripptorum are the heresies of Protestantism), it can get heretical sometimes if the prosperity is hammered as gods blessing thus leading one to believe that it is worldly success that indicates a closeness to god, this is a heretical that in fact directly contradicts the words of our lord and if Pastor Osteens message as received by his disciples is interpreted this way. I do not think this is what Pastor Osteen in his heart believes though. It can also leads to a kind of spiritual snobbery which is somewhat hilarious from  a Catholic perspective.  But let us  remember the teaching of St. John Paul the Great, Joel has been baptized and thus has paid the price of admission into to the kingdom of God on earth -- the Catholic Church -- he is a brother not an enemy. He is a wolf in sheep’s clothing leading people away from the faith on the one had, but he does much good on the other. What I have found to be true of evangelical pastors two things 1-they seem to be much more grace filled approachable and in touch with God then we might think (there is something to be said for being steeped in scripture day and night) and certainly more so than their congregations and second every time as a catholic who has received the sacrament of confirmation I challenge them using the correct understanding of scripture from those of us who wrote it, they back down, they are quick to see where others are right. I have done this even in front of partial congregations. I have done this online with Pastor Osteen and watched his message online change for a period of time.

If Pastor Osteen has accumulated too much wealth, that is between him and Jesus. It is not for me to say.  What is more I don't know what his personal wealth is.

I am wondering if a good tactic might be to write them and all protestant pastors when we notice specifics of their message that are not inline with teaching to write them and point this out. not on a constant basis and invite them into an ongoing dialogue with not a Catholic clergy but a Catholic lay person who has received confirmation. If you are like me you were told of the power we gained with confirmation but maybe didn't understand it fully. it is true we have the message of truth within us there is no reason to be on the defensive. we can tell these pastors straight up where they are wrong and why and they will back down. and maybe just as they have lead the ignorant away they will lead them back. there is precedence for this in for example Scott Hahn. additionally as Catholics who have received confirmation it is the pastors we should be talking to we know much more than they do. remember many of them have good hearts that are grace filled but they are ignorant and in many cases thirst for the truth that we as Catholics have. we do not need to attack them as their congregations attack us we simply can challenge their pastors as lay confirmed Catholics.

Try it you will win every time because we have the truth and you will chip away at their ignorance. and thus set the stage for bringing back their congregations. the congregations are sheep being led astray by these wolves in sheep’s clothing. but the wolves themselves are ignorant sheep when compared to a simple confirmed Catholic. none of them not Joel or Billy graham have the apostolic succession that we have received at conformation. none of them can say I have  been touched by a man and breathed on in the manner of Pentecost and with the same words 'receive the Holy Spirit, by a man who had the something done to him by a man who had the same thing done to him by a man who had the same thing done to him etc. ... all the way back in and unbroken chain through the centuries  to Jesus. No one can say this except we Roman Catholics and our Eastern Orthodox brothers and sisters. the Anglicans have lost the chain its been broken they don't even claim it any more, the Lutherans  don't have it they don't claim although they did for a time since Luther was a priest.

  No no one has it but us. Also remember our own humble parish priests who live in true humility with much more knowledge and experience of grace then Joel can ever hope to have. Also the fullness of the message we have access too at daily mass from a much greater expert than Joel. Remember this each day at daily mass we have a homily that is much fuller and truer than one of Joels full stadiums talks by someone who is more expert than Joel, and could easily fill stadiums with their message but chooses not to.  Each day we have this a homily from a parish priest who is 100s of times better at understanding and explaining the Gospel 100s of times better at the very thing Joel does and we don't have to go stadium and wait in line to get this. in fact how many of us take this for granted our churches aren't filled each morning for daily mass. 

Father Paul Griesgrabber, who pours himself out for others. You can find him on youtube with deep understand of the Bible and the patience to pass on what he has lived.  You won't find him stadiums you will find him down the street in LA and on youtube.

Growing in intimacy with Jesus Part 1

 I tell you if you go you will be astounded at the message from you parish priest in his humble daily humbly. astounded. I had the privilege of living in father Leo McAlister’s parish for a time in Sacramento California and I went to daily mass. that humble parish priest had it all over Joel and we even came to understand after he died accomplished without notoriety much more prodigious acts of love and charity that remained hidden until his death than joel can hope to accomplish in his lifetime -- this is the humility  of the parish priest -- Fr. McAlester was the rule not the exception. these are the kind of holy men who live right down the street from you and will never preach in a stadium. anyway fr. McAlister could take the gospel reading and explain it in understandable terms and make it relevant for today in about 5 minutes. uncanny ability to do this just boom just like it was nothing things the protestants work weeks on and take 30 45 minutes to try and do fr, McAlister did in five minutes and it was completely thorough.  I wish I had taped on of these homilies. five minutes completely and thoroughly explain the gospel and put it in relevant context with meaning for our work today. These are our humble parish presets who labor anonymously performing prodigious acts of love and charity that we will not know and truly never fully know even after they die. remember this when you see you priest this week they deserve the respect we give them. pax chrisiti.

One of my favorite quotes from Father Leo McAlsiter, "Never give up on anyone."

"The Daily Prayer That Never Fails"

http://www.diocese-sacramento.org/herald_archives/articles/050219mcallister.html

http://www.stmichaelgodsknight.org/

https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/107105887805739501454/

https://www.facebook.com/stmichaelgodsknight

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wrlr4bryjas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDRjaQnGcMs

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Is Sarah Palin Right?

Is America a Judaeo-Christian nation in the sense that it was founded on Judaeo-Christian principles?

Sarah Palin recently argued that our commitment to freedom, justice, equality, and human rights makes us a Christian nation. Was she right?

Sarah Palin is a demagogue. She is not right about anything. She is out to make her fortune, after having abused her office as Governor of Alaska by using that office to carry out a personal vendetta against a state trooper, whom her sister had broken up with. Instead of facing the consequences of her actions she resigned. She is now out for herself to make money.

To the extent that the great thinkers of the enlightenment reflected Judaeo Christian ethics in their ideals of the natural rights of man, and to the extent that these ideals were reflected in the Declaration of Independence then yes a case can be made that the US was founded on Judea Christian principals. Not all of the founding fathers were Christian. And in fact only one signer of the Declaration knew the truth, the Catholic Mr. Charles Carroll.

The constitution reflects principles of Roman and Greek law, as well as those ideals from the enlightenment as depicted in the bill of rights -- the first 10 amendments to the constitution. The Constitution also reflects the unique political ideals of the framers, the ideal of federalism, separation of powers, checks and balances, the methods of electing our representatives including senators, members of the house of representatives and the executive branch, and also the supreme court. Of these in the original constitutional design only the election of member of the house of representatives was designed to be democratic. Initially the president was elected by electors chosen by the individual states’ legislatures, members of the senate were also appointed also by the state legislatorss in conjunction with the governor of the individual sates. Since these principles are not strictly democratic there is an element of elitism in the selection of these officials. Over the years we have expanded the principal of democracy such that the president and the members of the senate are now elated in a more democratic fashion with the people voting directly for their senators and the people voting for the slate of electors pledged to carry out the wishes of the voting public when electing a president. To the extent that democracy is a Judaeo Christian principal, then a case can be made that the constitution now reflects Judaeo Christian principles. However, the founding fathers who directed the framing of the constitution were thinking along purely secular lines when the constitution was drafted. They wanted a constitution, that would best sustain a country and overcome the excesses they perceived in British Rule.
To the extent that the framers were guided by the hand of God, then the constitution and the thinking of the founding fathers can be considered Judeo Christian, however this claim is dubious at best. Our legal system is modeled after that of ancient Rome; hardly a Christian institution, since they crucified Christ; and not mosaic law and certainly not by the values expressed in matt 25:31-46. However, the freedoms delineated and codified in the bill of rights allows for religious freedom and a separation of church and state, which restricts the government from imposing a state religion, while allowing citizens to be free to worship as they see fit.

Current fundamentalist thought perverts the actual history and thinking of the framers by trying to lead us to believe that somehow the framers we guided and directed by purely Christian principles. This line of thinking is clearly false, and is used by fundamentalists in specious argument that would allow them to take control of the government and impose a mosaic or old testament law, which is their goal. Fortunately due to democratic reforms and changing demographics in the country these so called "Christian" fundamentalists are losing ground. Their ideas are also losing ground in the free market place of ideas, as many of us see their true motives which is the imposition of a Mosaic law and the imposition of a state religion a particular brand of so called "Christianity." A "Christianity" which is neither Christian nor biblical.
This country was not founded by Catholics and in fact as Charles Carroll’s life indicates there was much Catholic prejudice to be overcome in this country. Charles Carroll was the only Catholic founding father and he had to use his financial and political resources and skills to defeat a very heavy anti-catholic prejudice in colonial and constitutional America. In fact he was instrumental in defeating a Maryland state law that restricted Catholics from holding public office. He is the cousin of John Carol the first Catholic bishop in the US.

Trying to characterize the founding fathers as evangelical Christians is a very dangerous and completely false ploy by so called fundamentalist "Christians" to subvert our freedoms and, thus take the first step to their end of world domination by imposing Mosaic law on the US. As Catholics we must not forget, that even though we share common views with the fundies on abortion and the government sanction of homosexuality, or their philosophy in other areas is completely outside of Catholic doctrine, in such a way that even though brought into the fold of Catholicism via baptism, they remain heretics and place themselves outside of the kingdom of God/Heaven on earth – the Catholic church as soon as they commit a mortal sin after their baptism, as they do not seek proper absolution. Let us also not forget that were they to come to power in the US, they would first rid the country of homosexuals and then rid the country of we Catholics, whom they hate and see as the great whore of Babylon. They also consider the pope and President Obama as the antichrist in their perverted understating of the book of revelations.

copyright 2010 fred celio

My recent letter to the Editor of the New York Times

Interesting series of articles on the state of the Church and the papacy, and Pope Benedict XVI in particular. Being a graduate student, I had only to scan the articles to identify their obvious slant and move on to more news worthy issues. Although I am sure that many people still take you paper seriously, although one wonders why. Let us not forget that your primary purpose, as is all media's in the US, is to sell commodities such as dog and cat food, or if you prefer "High Fashion."

Of course attacking the Church that Jesus Christ personally founded and his successor as the leader of the kingdom of God/Heaven on earth serves your primary purpose well. So, shot from the hip freely. "We've got to move those refrigerators, we've got to sell those color TVs." to quote the old Dire Straits hit.

But pardon me for not getting all worked up. As some of my fellow Catholics are. You're not what you used to be. And as our founder taught us, we should should rejoice and be exceedingly glad whenever we are persecuted for His sake.

Having survived during our infancy the official persecution of the most powerful empire in the history of the world, I think we can survive a few slanted articles from an asterisk in history like the New York Times.

As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse by Catholics -- not clergy in fact it was a Catholic priest who initialy tried to help me -- I feel uniquely qualified to respond. The affects of child abuse are hideous and can be long term. However, why don't you go after people like Robin Norwood or groups like AA, who minimize the affects and bar people from receiving real help by using reductionist catch phrases like , "take personal responsibility," ... etc. Instead of taking on an institution and a Pope that has taken the lead in implementing progressive programs to not only prevent sexual abuse now and in the future, but to identify survivors no matter who is the perpetrator and get them help. Why not produce a series of articles looking into the reforms the Church has instituted in the particularly areas of prevention, identification, and counseling. The Church has spent a great deal of it's "vast gold reserves buried in those vaults under the Vatican." to take the lead in prevention, identification, and counseling with regard to this issue. I am proud to be Catholic.

Perhaps New York City, it's various secular and protestant organizations, where abuse continues to take place to a much greater degree than it ever has in the Church, might benefit from such a series of articles.

Of course this is too much to ask from an organization, who's primary purpose is to wrap stories around ads to sell commodities. "We've got to sell those refrigerators, we've got to move those digital TVs."

Again, we survived underground for 300 years the persecution by the Roman Empire, wow our period of persecution is longer than America's history let alone that of the New York Times. I think we can survive a few slanted articles from a paper upon which the sun seems to be setting.

Thank God for baseball season hey, I bet the Yankees opening day against the sox will sell more copies than this series of articles designed to prop up a fading media enterprise, by taking aim at a Pope and an insitution that is now on the leading edge of prevention, identification and healing of child abuse. Of course slanted articles are appropriate for baseaball, but not for "news."

copy right Fred Celio 2010

Why I am a pro-life Democrat

A friend of mine asked me the following question:

In context, what did Jesus mean: "From the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked"?

Well, I'm a pro-life democrat and thus a big government liberal.

As a Catholic I believe that I understand scripture. Having studied it's exegeses in Catholic school and having heard it over the years with explanation by experts in it's context and meaning and having been confirmed and thus received the Holy spirit and been sealed with the holy Spirit and joined the apostolic succession.

Yes, I believe I understand the gospels. And this is one example of what Jesus was getting at here. to have been given the gifts of understanding, apologetics, and healing; and any other gifts the Lord has given me; I have the responsibility to use these, and I am expected to do so.

Metaphorically, it can be used to support the 19th Century ideal of "Nobles oblige", which means that those who have been blessed with wealth have a responsibility to help those who have not. Thus with the blessing comes the responsibility. I do not think this movement or ideal had it's roots in the scripture you are quoting, but it is certainly in the spirit of other things Jesus taught including love you neighbor as your self and the Story of the good Samaritan, not to mention the camel through he eye of the needle analogy or what benefits a man to gain the whole world yet lose his soul.. And thus this is why I say people like Bill Gates appear to to have doomed themselves. I do not believe he can give away his wealth fast enough to save his soul.

Now back to the socio-political. After the great depression the new deal and WWII, when this country experienced an egalitarianism from banding together through common calamity and war, btw war is a great equalizer; it tends out of necessity to reward talent and hard work, in the way many people think that capitalism does lol; but anyway out of that spirit of common calamity -- the great depression -- and democracy -- the war -- came a new post war era of egalitarianism. From which the ideal of "Noblesse oblige" evolved to the point where it was understood that since the wealthy had benefited to a greater degree from this country that they should pay taxes in accordance with that benefit, and the graduated income tax was implemented and accepted. This allowed the US to achieve many things including win WWII and go to the moon. Out of it was a spirit of democracy, that called for equal access to higher education, and thus was born the University of California system, the California State college system, and the California community college system (all of which having been raped and pillaged by the wealthy till their foundational origins have been destroyed).

So, the competing economic values Between the 2 parties in the US democrats and republicans are not rooted in socialism versus capitalism, as nincompoop likes rush Limbaugh etc. would have us believe, but are rooted in the wealthiest 1% wanting to benefit from this country without paying their fair share, while the rest of us who benefit to a lesser degree bear their burden ( which could be seen as biblical but does not make for good society lol). So, we see republicans like "W" with a one plank platform of lowering taxes for the wealthiest 1% and the democrats wanting to have the wealthiest 1% pay for the benefits that they have derived, and provide necessary services, for which there is no profit motive, or should not be, like defense, the space program, fighting poverty, mental health, health care in general, education ... etc.

So, yes the wealthy, having benefited more form what this country has to offer, so pay more in taxes, and yes, that money should me used to allow others equal opportunity, ie, education and health care; and thus a chance to be wealthy themselves and share in the responsibility to bring others up.

And thus we see the supply side economics of Reagan, or the old trickle down theory of Hover, and the plain old give to the wealthy of "W" because after all why should they be penalized for being rich and thus have the incentive for generating wealth which benefits us all, we see this idea turned upside down. Not in favor of socialism which the rich encourage as a form of name calling, but in favor of Democratic democracy -- the democracy or egalitarianism of the Democratic party.

This is th tension and difference between the two parties.

Catholic doctrine makes us at odds with both. The selfishness of the Republican party is out of line with catholic social teaching on the poor, capital punishment etc. They do, however, call themselves pro-life. However, they do that to get votes, ie, we did not see "W" using the full power of the justice department to overturn Roe. v. wade, although he did appoint catholics to the supreme court, and he did throw us a few bones in the form of vetoes and executive orders. HE DID NOT USE THE FULL POWER OF THE OFFICE TO FIGHT ABORTION.

the Democratic party is pro-abortion, and needs to be enlightened on this issue. They are in line with catholic social teaching in the other areas, of how government should tax and use the great wealth of this nation, ot wipe out poverty and give everyone an equal opportunity to discover, develop and use the gifts God gave them.

It is heartening to know that in this Congress there are a handful of pro-life democrats. A few years ago there were none.

In the California state legislature, "term limits" have eliminated the pro-life democrats, as David Roberti president pro-tem of the California State Senate, was their first causality.

So, the short answer to your question? Jesus was talking about the spiritual realm not the material, however, catholic social teaching, and other words of Jesus are clearly in line with "Noblesse oblige", actually go much further.

Copyright 2009 FredCelio

The 2009 Los Angeles Catholic Prayer Breakfast

The 2009 Los Angeles Catholic Prayer Breakfast was attended today by an estimated 1400 persons. There was a large contingent of the Knights of Columbus on hand, to hear this years featured speaker, Carl Anderson, our Supreme Knight and author of A Civilization of Love: What Every Catholic Can Do to Transform the World, and co-author with Msgr. Eduardo Chavez of Our Lady of Guadeloupe: Mother of the Civilization of Love. --> -->
Hosted by His Eminence Cardinal Roger Mahoney the morning was grace filled. Starting with the rosary, which I am sorry to say I missed, and then Mass Celebrated by the Cardinal himself. sometimes I take for granted the blessing we have of daily homilies by men such as the Cardinal, who can in a few words, explain with fullness the Gospel and ant epistle assigned for the day, all the while bringing out their relevance to today's world. The Gospel in it's complete understanding coupled with our tradition never gets old. --> -->
The Cardinal's homily touched on the paradox of power in Christ, which stems from service to others, rather than the wordily understanding of power as dominance.
The Cardinal next pointed out that this day we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, and he pointed out to valid depictions of her sorrow that at the foot of the cross, when Jesus looked down and founded His church, and that depicted in the film "The Passion of the Christ", which he taught us was a valid depiction of Blessed Mother as shared in Christ's Passion. --> -->
Carl Anderson's speech continued on with the theme he has championed in his book A Civilization of Love: What Every Catholic Can Do to Transform the World. Firstly, that this is not a utopian ideal, but rather a living of the Gospel and a call to do so. He remained us that as Catholics we are responsible to love the unlovable, the unborn, the immigrants those at the margins of society, and that we are in fact to serve them. And in so doing we will transform the world.
He also pointed to Blessed Mother, Our Lady of Guadeloupe and her importance in this transformation, which is already taking place. Our Lady of Guadeloupe, through whom the love and grace of Jesus pours. She reins in heaven, but not as an earthly queen, but as a mother waiting at home for her children.
She is indeed the mother of the civilization of love.

"Revolutionary Road" The American Dream without Faith

I am retuning from my trip to Sacramento for labor day weekend. Not at all one of my favorite places to go. But Eileen is there and so are Sherry, my daughter, and her three sons, my Grand boys. We are just leaving the train station in Fresno as I write this, having written one copy and then having it knocked off before I could save it due to a dead wireless spot here in this big valley that feeds or certainly could be made to feed the world.

Sherry, was confirmed, but here boys need religious training and prayer. I did make the mistake of sunday them to “Sunday school” at Calvary chapel when I was a part of that movement. They have been baptized. And thee Grandmother not willing to wait it out and pursue the annulment process has married a fundie. So, at least the eldest boys have been baptized, however the youngest on Joey hasn’t been and he is now 2 years.

It is always great to be with them even if it is to just drop in with pizza in the middle of homework. Sherry has been confirmed so I know that, although she has lapsed, she is still passing on Catholic based values to the boys, although this is not as good as a catholic education or the full example of a fully practicing mother know some of it is getting through.

It is also Blessed Mother’s birthday.

Yesterday Eileen and I watch a film that was as disturbing as it was brilliant. I don’t think either one of us was familiar with it when we picked it out, although we were itnriegued by the back cover as each of us read it. We had to look at three other dvds and one had to go, fortunately for us it was not , “Revolutionary Road.”

Directed by Sam Mendes. With Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, all performed brilliantly, something I’ve come to expect from DiCaprio, having seen a few in his bidy of wrok. Most memerioamle are the aviator and the gangs of new York. Eileen haooened to mention that this film represented a reprise of the two actors collaboration in the Titanic. I watched it anyway. Th titanic was not one of my favorite films, in fact the main problem I had with it was that the love story between Dicaprio and Winslet was just not believable for me. This was not due to the acting but the writing. This is a lovely age in which we live, wherein any one can start a blong and be film critic, personally I’d rather criticize the critics than the performers.

It’s somewhat like when Howard cousell used to do Monday night football, his book was aptly named, I Never Played the Game. Having said that I have done little acting in my life and no direting, but I have an appreciation for the talent and art involved in both professions. Besides this poiece is not about performance and directing, This film was well done and well acted.

Which leaves the story and the larger social questions it brings out. The story was moving riveting rerally, what’s the cliché? Like watching a train wreck, but in this case the suspense is in watching the trains race toward each other and wondering if they are going to wreck.

Winslet plays a a 1950s upwardly mobile house wife/corporate wife, and even with two children, another on the way, and even an actng career on the side, is unsatisfied with her role and life in general. Di Cario does his best to be her support in all these roles, but in a clumsy and overbearing fashion, probably stemming from both his love for Winslet and his own frustration with the corporate world, at a time when he hs yet to distinguish himself from his colleagues.

So, while he is constantly trying to be supportive of Winslet, even agreeing to giveup his career and the security that he has built for his family, something I think that men have a little more sensitivity tot than women, the actually building part, not the security part. Women feel secure often times without knowing, what their men may have sacrificed, and the work they have had “to do and the slow pains taking time it takes for a man to “build” security for a wife and family.

This is the Amereican way and the American dream, and the wheelers have it all, or seem to.

What is missing is faith, and this is their undoing, staring first with April’s unraveling, and Frank’s desire to please and appease. April decides they need to follow their adolescent dreams and move to Paris, just drop everything and go, and Frank reluctantly agrees. Although this will not fix theoir relationship. The move an upheaval is presented as if it would.

One impetus for Frank’s reluctant agreement is perhaps his affair with a younger, yet far less interesting member of the secretarial pool. Feeling guilty as well as unfulfilled in his career Frank agrees and the whole process of uprooting is started.

But then the tables turn and Frank is recognized in the corporate world for his talents the pursuit of which by frank and the neglect of the same were the carrot and the stick used by April to convenience Frank to leave the security behind and go to Paris, April even offers to support them, so that Frank can be what he was truly meant to be.

Ultimately it is April’s losing this leverage over Frank, that turns into here undoing. Frank is abbot to make it in the corporate world and in a big way.

The wheeler’s problem though having nothing to do with unfulfilled dreams each, having achieved the American dream are able to pursue those individual dreams. April as an actress and Frank as a creative productive professional in corporate America. No the wheeler’s problem is a lack of grounding – they have no faith. This writer finds this unusual to the point anachrism. That is America in the 1950’s was a faith guided country. These times are remembered by many as some of the best we have lived through, perhaps even the golden age or pinnacle if you will of the American dream.

These people were members of what we know call and rightly so, our greatest generation, and that generation was a generation of faith and optimism.

Driven to despair by the great depression, most of these people and their families were left with nothing but faith. “Saved” both economically and spiritually, this generation was given a chance to show America at it’s finest. After the war this faith and the egalitarian values, which actually did more to change this country and the attitude that leads us now to where we are and lead us out of the great depression. The dual principles of faith and egalitarianism.

Faith was strengthened first by despair and then by a sense of duty in fighting a war that was clearly black and whit good against evil and the fact that our very existence hung on the outcome. It was not a foregone conclusion that we cold defeat the NAZ’s and the Japanese. Hitler could not win a war on two fronts and yet we did, and we succeeded because of our faith in God and the clearness of our mission – as the forces of God saving the world form the evil forces of the other side.
Somehow these values in which the rest of the country was steeped, heck my family still felt the affects of World War II during the 1960s, were missed by the wheeler’s. I like to think the writers and the director deliberately did this to show us and thus instruct us in morality. For it was because of this lack of faith that the wheelers fell. Faith is the glue that holds relationships, families, parishes, and indeed countries together.
I like to think of “Revolutionary Road” as an allegorical tale and a warning that as a country we are heading down the wheeler’s path. A path that includes idea logical relativism, and thus no role for faith based morality. These are things those formt he wheeler’s generation took for granted it was inculcatedin them and put to the test by the war.
Some how we have lost or are losing these values of faith and egalitarianism. Is this lose destroying our country as it destroyed the Wheelers?
“Revolutionary Road” is an excellent yet disturbing film, that I would recommend to any adult, and even to teens and adolescents if watched and discussed with an adult.

What is the job definition of a true friend

Seems I've had writer's block and Eileen pulled me out of it with her question in the title.

."you shall love the lord your God with all your heart, mind, and soul; and you shall love your neighbor as yourself. This statement has taken a beating by the world, by pop-psychologists who try to frame it in the lexicon of co-dependency. Jesus was co-dependent; therefore I take it as a compliment when it is applied to ... me. First we have the example of the good Samaritan. A complete stranger and an outcast among the Jews even the one he helped. Then we have Matt 25:31-46. Then we have the example of Jesus himself, who gave up his life, being fully human and fully God fully each not half and half, He willed to do this, so that He could found His church and prove the reality of eternal life by his Resurrection. There is no greater act of friendship. For the secularists out there who need this sort of thing, the Resurrection is documented in the texts of the state of Rome, i.e., Pilot kept records. The tomb was guarded and empty.

As Catholics we are to be the salt of the earth; it is as you know and have demonstrated in your own life, it is more important to be a true friend than to have true friends. For we know the truth that this epoch that we are living in the "End times", that time between the Resurrection and the second coming and just subsequent to the previous "... Read Moremessianic" epoch, when Jesus walked the earth end founded His church; that the enemy holds sway over the world. we also know the outcome. On my way to Mass more upon my return.

It is difficult to have true friends in the world, for, outside of the kingdom of God/Heaven on earth (and even inside for some, but Jesus said let the tares grow among the wheat) different standards are used. In another words, the world has different standards for friendship -- I help you you help me, one hand washes the other "take care of your ...self" , ie, "look out for number one."As Catholics we put the well being of others ahead of ourselves. Not perfectly by any means, but this is the standard from the one who commanded us to love even our enemies.

Oddly, today's Gospel reading is about the blind leading the blind. So, a true friend will tell you hey, you're headed for a pit, walk around it with me. and then they will wait for you to climb out and reach down to pull you out no matter how long it takes.

A true friend will give up 10% of their life savings to help another even when they know they are being conned. A true friend will tell you that this is not a good idea, and warn you that you are being conned, while at the same time admiring your heart and generosity.

A true friend will tell you the truth, and even risk the friendship to do so, particularly if he thinks you're headed for a pit, or in danger -- body and/or soul.

A true friend will not always be there -- there is only one God.

A true friend will hurt your feelings -- there is only one God.

A true friend will often make mistakes, and often promote ideas that seem in the short term not to be to our benefit, but takes a long view on your behalf.

A true friend will warn you of false friends -- not out of selfishness, or control -- but out of a genuine concern for your well being.

A true friend will listen to your opinion, in the true sense of that word -- a conclusion drawn from an understanding of the facts not the metaphorical way the term is used these days ie a political point of view based on emotion or ignorance of the facts -- and admire you opinion even if it is not his own. A true friend will sometimes change his opinion based on yours, ie, he Can admit he was wrong. A true friend Will also hold fast to an opinion if he believes it to be right. A true friend will not always agree with you, and will often give up his own desires to fulfill those of a friend.

True friends are more valuable than gold and just as rare. In my own life I see 5 that I've had, and maybe now 7. We will see.There was a time when I had three, and considered myself extremely fortunate. They always knew where I was Physically and emotionally and cared, and told me the truth even when it hurt my feelings, and stuck with me even when I disagreed.

Two of them left the circle, and one died. She committed an assisted suicide in Oregon rather than have faith and die with the dignity that God provides. She got in with those, who did not care about her (a group called Christ Unity, but has nothing to do with Christ) and supported indeed egged her on in this. So, I think you can see where that group is coming from.

She felt her life was her own, rather than acknowledging her creation. And yet, she hedged her bet, having been brought up Catholic she asked me to pray for her before the end and after, and that I do. I can only hope she reached out at that last moment, but we know this is a rare grace to have the presence of mind to at the last moment make an act of contrition. And so I pray for her an urge others to pray for her and others like her.

Christ Unity Church?

From what I can see, they lead people from the truth to their eternal demise, and that that is their purpose. I've known several people who go there, and I have been to services. There is a certain amount of pseudo intellectualism, and this has a certain appeal to those who never knew or have felt that they have been harmed by God's Church. But I have watched them descend on and lead souls straight, surely, and quickly to their damnation. They are an abomination they call Jesus the master or at least they use that phrase "the master" and then quote or rather misinterpret the Gospel. They are truly wolves in sheep's clothing. their motto "one God many paths" is in direct contradiction to Jesus's admonition to "enter by the narrow gate" -- the Catholic Church. "For the road to perdition is wide and roomy."

Farther Paul G. is my friend, even though he has gone to the valley to pastor his own parish, and I miss getting together with him.

You Eileen are my true friend I love cherish, admire, and am frustrated by you. and I long for nothing more than to BE with you. There are a couple of more from the past, who I have perhaps discounted. And there may be others, who I may have perhaps discounted.

But no, true friends cannot be described in a job description, if they were to be described that way they would come under that part ... "and all other duties associated with the position as necessary."

Why The Church Leads the Way in Civil Rights

Today's alternate Gospel reading is about the visitation. I love it when people say we do not know the bible. because we wrote it, and we live it through the liturgical year. This week is the 20th week in ordinary time. Today we also celebrate the visitation. This occurred when Blessed Mother visited her cousin St. Elizabeth. Both of whom are with child. Blessed Mother with Jesus and St. Elizabeth with His cousin St. John the Baptist. St. John the baptist leaped in St. Elizabeth's womb at their meeting.

Today also we have a debate about health care. Should something called comprehensive reproductive care, as characterized by Cecile Richards, be included in a national health care package. According to Ms. Richards, comprehensive reproductive care includes the legal right to abortion. Of course to the rest of us comprehensive reproductive care means something else -- prenatal care. Who could be opposed to having prenatal care included in a national health care package.

As with any debate language is important. No African American man today would put up with being called "boy" or worse. Just as no woman would want to be seen as "unviable" without a husband to provide for her. So in the future the unborn will gain their civil rights and no longer be referred to as sub-human, "unviable", fetus, embryo. The extention of civil rightss to the unborn will occur, and rightly so, for two reasons. First, science has proved that a unique human being is formed at conception. The second reason has to do with the foundation of this country. This country was founded on the fact that all humans are endowed by their creator with rights, and that it is the proper role, the duty of governments to protect the rights of human beings.

So reproductive care is prenatal health care, and abortion is not.

Abortion requires that we see a class of unique human beings as less than human, otherwise we would not be able to deny them their civil rights. These rights which include the right to life, as codified in the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights in the US Constitution, apply to all human beings equally. Our country was founded on this principle. the principle that rights are inherent and retained by the human being and that it is the proper function of governments to protect the rights that are unalienable from the human. These rights belong to human beings. This is the forward progressive thinking of humanity and has been since the enlightenment and the birth of the nation to first recognize and put into practice this principle -- the United States of America.

And so there are two sides in this debate on universal health coverage. There is the reactionary oppressive side, who would characterize and have the rest of us see human beings as something less than human, and thus not protect the rights that they inherently have. And give one class of people a privilege to destroy these sub-human people through their medically assisted discharge. The idea that governments can assign such privileges to a class of people is of course the old thinking which dates back to the time of the Divine right of kings to assign privilege to whomever they might choose, arbitrarily. This previledge, extened arbitrarily and with no basis in law, denies the rights that reside with another class of humans the oppressed unborn child.

Have we learned nothing about civil rights from the principles in our Declaration of Independence and our Bill of Rights? Have we learned nothing from Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. about nonviolently objecting to laws that are not laws because they do not live up to our founding principle, our country's very foundation?

And so we can see Ms. Richards and groups like Planned Parenthood for what they really are -- the nobles who oppressed the serfs, the slave traders who oppressed African Americans, and the male chauvinists who oppressed women. These new oppressors the abortionists, expect the privilege of being able to destroy human beings, human beings who according to this backward oppressive thinking are now seen as chattel.

The cause of unplanned pregnancy is unplanned pregnancy, the cause of the slave trade was the slave trade. Neither of these support the position that it is right for a class of people to oppress another class of people by denying them the rights that they were endowed with by their creator.

And who are the progressives in this debate? Who are the forward thinkers? Who are those who are standing up for the inherent rights of an oppressed class? As the abolitionists, as those who fought for equal rights for women? They are in fact, USCCB The United States Council of Catholic Bishops. Our Shepards. The successors of the Apostles. These are the ones standing up for the greatest civil rights movement of the 21st century. Standing up for the rights of human beings conceived and formed unique human beings. These men are the forward thinkers the defenders of civil rights in this new movement that will continue until all men are truly created equal and endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights that among these are LIFE ... The USCCB these are the new patriots the true defenders of the American ideals upon which this country was founded.

As lay people it is our duty to follow them as sheep follow Shepards and to leap for joy as St. John the baptist leaped in the womb of St. Elizabeth.

We Catholics are the new abolitionists. Unfortunately there is no underground railroad to free these unborn human beings. But there is prayer, fasting and debate. Debate where the sides are properly understood. The oppressors are the privileged class and those who support them encouraged and even sanctioned by the government, as slavery once was, to destroy human beings because they are seen as unviable, just as in previous generations other human beings were seen as sub-human or weak and thus unviable.

Civil rights for the unborn.

What does this have to do with the visitation? One human being leaping for joy in the womb as he was visited by another fully human and fully God, yet in the womb.

copyright 2009 by Fred Celio

What do we say to Protestants about the Bible?

So many of us these days are friends with protestants, even some of us feel close to the so called evangelical or fundamentalist Christian movement – the fundies. It is true the fundies are with us on the evil of abortion, and it is also true that we are related to them through the sacrament of baptism. They were baptised into the kingdom of God/Heaven on earth -- the Catholic Church aka the Christian Church universal.

I have thought about the evangelical or fundamentalist movement a great deal, and I do have some things to say about it. I also have had first hand experience, having been part of the Calvary Chapel sect of the fundamentalist movement. I'll tell you right now you know what it means to be persecuted if you sit around listening to them bash Catholics before and after their prayer breakfasts, Wednesday night prayer meetings, and Sunday "services." Make no mistake about it, John Paull II's encyclical on ecumenism not withstanding, we must remember that THEY are out to convert or "save" us. And they love luring folks away from the church that Jesus founded. So, we need to take the lead in our encounters, friendships etc. We can be kind but firm in our knowledge of the Truth. I have been accused of being a little too firm, but to me they are in a house that is on fire, and it would no be loving to try and coax them out. In fact I yell "fire" get out.

Today I would just like to share with you an allegory or “parable” if you will, that I hope illustrates one of the heresies of Protestantism and fundamentalism in particular. That is their doctrine of sola scriptura , i.e., The bible first last and always. They say if it is not in the bible according to their strict arbitrary literal understanding, then it is not Christian and is thus valueless. They are of course hard pressed, when ask for the chapter and verse of things they value like say the “the sinners prayer”.

It is important to remember that inherent in our ecumenism is evangelization, and that we Catholics are the leaders, by virtue of our knowledge of the truth. They are joined to us by baptism but in evangelizing it is important that we make known to them, and it is incumbent upon us to make them aware, of just what that means, and what it does not mean. Ecumenism does not excuse the heresy. It excuses many from blame for the original heresy of their particular sect or root.

Nor does ecumenism excuse us from our duty to tell the truth. And the truth is that after baptism, if one does not receive absolution in the manner prescribed by Jesus, and documented by us in the Gospels (which by the way are Catholic documents) then one is no longer a member of the kingdom of God/Heaven on earth. That is we lose our salvation.

It is our obligation to evangelize them from a kind yet firm position, grounded in our knowledge of the truth.

And I'm tired of hearing that Catholics don't know the bible -- it's our book -- we are they only ones who do know it. Every week or every day at mass if one is fortunate enough to be so situated as to attend daily mass, we have the scripture read to us and explained to us by one trained with expert first hand knowledge of it's meaning and dedicated to us for that purpose. There are no fundie pastors that I have met or heard that know the bible better than a Catholic priest.

So here's my little allegory. I call it sola scriptura?

Sola Scriptura ?

Go get a copy of the marine corp. manual, take it home study it. Don't forget to rip out the five chapters that contradict what you are doing. Get other people together to study it, implement it in your life, get the people who you study it with to implement it in there lives. Oh, don’t forget to get your official marine corps manual concordance, so you can look up words and phrases like “simper fi”, “Iwo Jima”, “Helmet”, “Grenade”, and “Honor”, etc. Now does this make you guys marines? I think not.You are missing pretty much everything that it means to be a marine. You haven't had the training that they have done for years you don't have the history -- the understanding of what it means to BE a marine as passed on from the founder of the marine corp to his first lieutenants and on down through the ranks through the years – the direct link to the founder of the marine corp. and writers of the manual, nor do you have the word of mouth testimony (those unwritten instructions that the founder himself – who by the way did not write the manual -- passed on to his first lieutenants, things the marines have been doing for years), nor do you have the true meaning of what the manual says. Because, of course, outside of the marine corp., the manual is MEANINGLESS.People who belong to bible studying fellowships who believe in the doctrine of solely scripture, scripture first, scripture only -- sola scriptura are no more Christians than are the people who got together to study the marine manual are marines. Now that you and your friends have studied the marine corp manual. Go out in front of a marine corp. recruiting station and as people walk in hand them a tract from the manual and get them to come join you. Go to a marine corp. camp and do the same thing see if they will join you marine corp. manual studying fellowship. But don't call yourselves that. Call yourselves, "marines". Go to the veterans day parade and hand out tracts from the manual there, and tell them to come to your marine barracks. Let people know that you have the way that all they have to do is study the manual with you and they too can be marines.Oh yes and erect marine corp. manual studying colleges and graduate what?Experts in misunderstanding the marine corp. manual.And OHHHH yes don't forget to call yourselves not just marines but "heroes(saints)", because after all everyone who is part of your marine corp., manual studying fellowship is a "hero(saint)", after all the manual says that doesn't it? Forget about honoring real marine “Heroes(Saints)” like Colonel Louis C. Plain and Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone; or Gunnery Sergeant Donald A. Levesque (RET); or Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham ... etc.; for after all the manual tells us not to do that, right?Then, go up to a real marine (if you dare) tell them what you are doing, and ask them what is wrong with it?

Copyright Fred Celio 2009

The Assupmtion of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Two excellent homilies today on the daily scripture page. One from the Deacon and on from the Hermitage. But these can be found at http://www.stmicahelgodsknight.com/. I look for your suggestions on what else may need to be included. There you will find today's Roman Catholic scripture readings as well as an excellent homily from the hermitage of our lady of Guadalupe.

When I think of this day, well I wonder what it must have been like to be present, the rapture as our partly christian friends would understand it. I spent some time at Calvary Chapel, "learning" to live like first century Christians, which was my longing at the time.

Little did I know that I was learning from them, and the Episcopal Church, that what I was longing for was to come home. Home to the Kingdom of God/Heaven on earth -- the Catholic church.

Refer to something called "the rapture" but without an understanding of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is as foreign to me now as the idea that one can "walk with the Lord" without following the liturgy. The Liturgical year allows us to literally walk with the Lord, as they did in that first century.

Imagine if you will being huddled in the attic waiting. Waiting for what, Jesus was dead hanged from a cross; even though He had promised to send and advocate. Where was this advocate? Well the Holy Spirit was among them all the time. Our Blessed Mother was there; she having had the Holy Spirit with her, as these brave men now huddled at her feet for fear they would meet the same fate as Jesus, and waiting for the Romans. Instead they had her strength from the Holy Spirit, who dwelled within her. And behold Jesus appeared to our nascent church, our first magistirium, hand picked from the beginning for this sacred calling of carrying on the kingdom on earth.

And Jesus showed himself in His glorified body, and breathed the Holy Spirit into them, while at the same time ordaining them, save St. Peter who was ordained prior to the Crucifixion separately, and given the keys to the kingdom of God on earth, that God himself humbled to found.

Filled with the Holy Spirit and thus the courage to move on with the building of the kingdom. They now had what Blessed Mother had and then some. For they unlike Blessed Mother knew sin. She as the stand in for eve, never knew sin.

She was and is not divine. She was just a susceptible to sin as the rest of us or having been born immaculately conceived without original sin was nonetheless just as susceptible as Eve. But where Eve succumbed to temptation, blessed mother did not. Not even when they hammered the nails into his hands. God whom she knew as a human mother.

For this she was and we all were rewarded with "rapture" the Assumption. This we celebrate today as part of the liturgical year, Universally. We literally walk with the Lord.

Please pray for those who are sick, and the souls who suffer in purgatory, as we celebrate the triumph of our blessed mother, who crushed the serpents head rather than listen to him.

Peace to you all

copyright Fred Celio 2009