Oh Valentines Day, how I do I love thee? I don’t really…
I have one Offspring heartbroken about tomorrow and the other baking cookies for their valentine. I was told on the weekend that my Valentine is taking me to Cats! All of this for an over rated holiday in the middle of winter.
Back in the OLDEN DAYS called the 1970′s, Valentines were paper with the occasional box of chocolate or flower given out.
Great stuff–And this is EXACTLY how jaded I am about this day...I kind of wish she had left off the African-American “lynching” one, bringing such a terrible time in our existence to the forefront…and then I thought, no that is exactly WHY we needed to see it. To remind us we are not as “nice” as we think–not then and not now.
We as humans can pervert anything, race, tragedy, love–and somehow make money from it. May God help us all, and may this be the year we let His love reign in each of us and to all of us His children. Peace. And Blessed Feast of Sts Cyril and Methodius!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saints_Cyril_and_Methodius
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="249" caption="Image via Wikipedia"][/caption]
I do not have dozens of heroes in my life. One however is Christopher West, who has done extensive work over the years in bringing Blessed John Paul II‘s wonderful and amazing study of human sexuality, which he aptly called the “Theology of the Body.” To clarify, it clearly covers more than the topic of sexuality. However both JP2 and Christopher West have, to the chagrin of some and delight of the rest of us, taught us as Roman Catholics to become less prudish in our approach and more Biblical in our worldview of the topic. All I can say to that is “amen.”
Image via Wikipedia
West recently wrote a new book by the name of At the Heart of the Gospel. In it he deals with some criticisms of his own work by some fellow Catholics among others, and more than anything his ever-deepening insights into both life and theology which he has at times painfully learned.
Just a quick clip on this will give you the idea:
And by the way I have another hero too. Brandon Vogt, who has the very fine blog:
as well as having written and edited the definitive work to date on Catholics and using the many new electronic options at our disposal, was kind enough to publish my own remarks about Mr. West and my own interactions with him on his blog today. Whatever you may think of West’s methods or interpretation of TOB, his love for God and other humans is undeniable. I know of it first-hand.
It should be noted that 26-year-old Vogt has a heroic side himself, and has come to the Church with a wealth of intelligence and concern for the “least among us.” The proceeds for his fine book are donated, 100%, to support of computer education in the nation of Kenya. I doubt there are a dozen new authors in the nation who have such a heart. I am extremely honored to refer to him as a friend. His book, The Church and the NewMedia, is a must-read even if you have never turned on a computer, or if you think “mice” still only scurry through your home when you leave out crumbs for them! For the record I have both kinds of mice these days lol. But I digress. Far from dry, Brandon brings powerful stories from top Catholic leaders such as Father Robert Barron, and has the endorsement of Archbishop Charles Chaput, yet another hero of mine incidentally.
If you wish to learn more about his book, as well you should, please follow the link below:
And yes, this is me attempting to promote it at our local Archdiocean event this last fall…I have since trimmed my beard and lost 17 lbs…17 more to go.
The point of this all is to share the very kind post Brandon Vogt blogged today, of which I was the subject. I would wish to return the favor by suggesting you support this up-and-coming Catholic guru of the online world. You will be hearing a lot more from him. Guaranteed. Plus he gives away a lot of free books! Here is the post:
Lastly the man has great dimples…I can only imagine many an older aunt pinched those cheeks constantly as he grew up while he grimaced and cringed…but hey we all pay a price for our successes! Brandon you are the man indeed.
From one of the best Minnesotans ever. And I remember the first time this aired!!! RIP Charles M Schulz. You preached the Gospel in your own way.
And now, sadly, if this were on network television, at least for a first run, the ACLU would likely be trying to shut down the FCC or the Freedom from Religion foundation would be protesting wildly. But when it came out in the 1960s, we needed that reminder–and we need it again today even more so. Go Linus. Go Charlie Brown! RIP Charles Schulz.
This is an older FB post I found that is just way too good to not re-post for at least one more ”round-up” on the blogosphere…Obviously Pope Michael is indeed the true Pontiff…who else but the Holy Father would have the time and energy to watch Jeopardy every night with his aging but far from dead mother (who has a more than a faint resemblance to “Granny” from the Beverly Hillbillies incidentally). Not a question in my mind that she is packing a pistol or two and may chew some occasional Copenhagen. Plus she voted for him which apparently makes her a Cardinal–I guess. Or is it Cardinal-ette? And yet I am pretty sure he does not believe in female clergy. But exceptional times call for exceptional exceptions…
The greatest thing of all is he is right here in the USA, located directly south of where I live on an obscure farm in Kansas with home style cooking nightly shortly after viewing Wheel of Fortune and just before praying the Divine Office. So my dreams of visiting the Vatican one day can now be easily fulfilled by a simple 10 hour drive into the heart of the Midwest. Now I am packing too (my clothes, not pistols–although both might come in handy actually). By the way isn’t Kansas where Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz comes from too? As well as Kathleen Sibelius, the most adamant pro-abortion “Catholic” in the Presidential Cabinet? And Cardinal Burke too? No wait he is from Missouri. Close though. And he might actually end up to be the Pope one day. Busy area of the Midwest in any case.
ANYWAY just give yourselves 10 minutes and prepare to laugh–or weep profusely. Or both. Either reaction is entirely appropriate.
I recently began this blog as an alternative to carrying a Facebook page. I came back to the Faith 6 years ago, after 35 years elsewhere, including 12 in evangelical Protestant ministry through the Assemblies of God. After my divorce in 1991, I spent the next 15 years as an LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) activist and in 2005, at age 49, returned to the Church of my youth. Other than a brief few months last year, while struggling through some personal issues, I have been there ever since and am very glad to be–and am not looking back again.
I take the Church at her word on faith and morals issues, however do not believe we must be mindless either. This blog will explore many of those issues, including the “gray areas” which many people of faith struggle with–and which I have wrestled through as well, such as politics, ways to apply social justice, and the like. I consider myself a recovering Obama supporter and a moderate Republican, but with the right candidate could indeed vote either way. I welcome people here from all walks of life and background, but would only ask that our discourse be respectful at all times.
I got my name because a dear friend, Chris Padgett, a Catholic singer, author, and songwriter, produced some rather clever T-shirts a few years ago and gave a couple of them to me. They had the symbol of a men’s room (with the addition of a Roman collar) and had the words “Catholic Boy” on the front. He also had a female version “Catholic Girl” with the same concept but minus the collar. I may be 55 years old but I still have a lot of growing to do in my Faith and walk with God and others. So “Catholicboyrichard” it is!
[/caption]
[/caption]
