Clinging to the Barque of Peter

It is with great sadness that I report the death of Richard Gladwell, host of With Heart and Voice.  I enjoyed his show when I was at home.  He was a true gentleman.  Let us pray for his soul.

When my grandmother died, his program played on my way back to work a piece that was played on NPR near Binghamton on my way home to attend the funeral.  I wrote him, and he was glad he could be of consolation during that time.  I listened also to his show when I was in college out of Maine Public Radio.

If you go here, you can see a video of the school I work at on the news. You can see me in one of the scenes. Click on “Church Rebuilt after Devastating Storms.”

I have returned from the desert. A great retreat. Today was an appropriate day for members of my order to renew our vows. Today is the feast of St James the Greater. The tradition states he went to Spain to evangelize. Unsuccessful, he felt defeated. Our Lady appeared before him and gave him a statue of herself holding her Son. My order celebrates with great devotion Our Lady of the Pillar.

During the Sotomayor hearings Day Three:

Sen. Coburn (R-OK):

As recently as six months ago, we now record fetal heartbeats at 14 days post-conception. We record fetal brainwaves at 39 days post- conception. And I don’t expect you to answer this, but I do expect you to pay attention to it as you contemplate these big issues is we have this schizophrenic rule of the law where we have defined death as the absence of those, but we refuse to define life as the presence of those.

Check out the word-cloud here. Now highlight:

So, what it makes me think of is a baby in utero.
Cool, eh.

St. Paul wrote thrice on homosexuality.  They are below:

1 Corinthians 6:9: “Do you not know that the unjust will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor homosexuals nor sodomites … will inherit the kingdom of God.”

1 Timothy 1:10: “… law is meant not for a righteous person but for the lawless and unruly … the unchaste, practicing homosexuals, kidnapers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is opposed to sound teaching.”

Romans 1:26-27: “Therefore, God handed them over to degrading passions. Their females exchanged natural relations for unnatural, and the males likewise gave up natural relations with females and burned with lust for one another. Males did shameful things with males and thus received in their own persons the due penalty for their perversity.”

Now, I know some people think that St. Paul didn’t know what he spoke of.   Well, if you are up for graphic details, you may visit here and see an image of a Roman coin circa. 22-37 AD which depicts two men in ungentlemanly conduct.  I think this confirms that St. Paul knew that homosexuality was present in the Roman Empire, and apparently it was common enough for it to be on a coin.

God bless archaeology for supporting Biblical truth!

I am most moved when I hear the Declaration of Independence read on NPR.  Yesterday they broadcast it.

I heard a unique comment on the news this morning regarding the strikes in the Isalmic Republic of Iran.  The comment said that the fight is whether the Islamic is emphasized or the Republic.

I also heard that Khomeini was the Supreme Leader for a decade and did not involve himself to the same degree that Khamenei has.  Interesting, as the former seemed almot villified in my memory whereas nary a peep for the latter.

8:27: I need to go.  I’m no longer live-blogging.  I will post link the text of this homily when I can.  It is good.

8:14: States the night is not about him but about serving God.

8:13: Acknowledges distinctions between people gathered and the importance not to ignore them but to stand and be prepared to speak as Christians about the unity from Jesus.

8:06 +Duncan prepares to preach  Homily not as stern as I thought it was.  (Duncan looks like a stern man to me.  This suggests otherwise!)

8:03: Gospel from Luke.  Birth of John the Baptist  (It seems weird to this Catholic to see a woman in a deacon stole.)  Also, Benedictus and the wilderness reminder.

7:57: Acts reading….”Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.” … Paul says, “Listen!”… (review of Salvation history from Exodus to Jesus Christ)…John proclaimed a baptism of repentence…  ‘I am not he…after me, one is coming whose sandals I am not worthy to untie…’…”

7:56 Shot at altar.  It does appear to be a “mass.”

7:55: Gradual.  Choir sings psalm

7:52 All sit.  Isaiah 40: Comfort, comfort my people….A voice cries…Every valley shall be lifted up…the rough places a plain…the glory of the Lord shall be revealed…the mouth of the Lord has spoken…all flesh is grass…the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever….lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem….Behold, your God…he will gather the lambs in his arm…and gently lead those who are with young.

7:51 Prayer in the honor of St. John the Baptist.  Will this province be prophetic?

7:50 Psalm: Show us your mercy O Lord, and grant us your salvation….Justice and peace have kissed…The Lord will indeed grant prosperity….

Contemporary praise song.  As Anglicans, this is done very well.  Not like typical “LifeTeen” fare.

7:47 An installation liturgy, not a “mass,” petition to have blessed this new province.

Speaker now mentions the Plano conference.

7:45 PM Babyblue has embedded a live feed for the creation of the ACNA.  A glorious liturgy.  Procession: “Praise my Soul the King of Heaven.”

Since Bear is into Shakespeare and all that (Thank God for the Professional Organization of English Majors, eh?), here is, for his sake (enjoyment is bonus!), Hamlet on a fake Twitter feed!

Babyblue is deep in the heart of Texas reporintg on the creation of a new Anglican province.  Keep tabs with her.

The Diocese of Buffalo finished its parish restructuring in 2008. Now it has restructured its vicariates (deaneries in some dioceses) from 16 to 12.  Here is a list of the new vicariates, with maps:

As part of the restructuring, the following vicariates have been combined:

• Eastern Niagara and Orleans are now known as the Vicariate of Eastern Niagara-Orleans
• Genesee and Wyoming are now known as the Vicariate of Genesee-Wyoming
• Northern and Southern Chautauqua are now known as the Vicariate of Chautauqua
• Northwest and Central Buffalo are now known as the Vicariate of Northwest-Central Buffalo

The Vicariate of Western Erie has been renamed the Vicariate of Southern Erie.  The following vicariates will remain the same:

• Tri-County Vicariate
• Vicariate of Allegany
• Vicariate of Eastern Erie
• Vicariate of Northern Erie
• Vicariate of Southeast Buffalo
• Vicariate of Southern Cattaraugus
• Vicariate of Western Niagara

A good friend’s son has been born at 12:14 AM local time.  What a way for them to start the Feast of St John the Baptist!

The perfect song for today.

but not a dollar short!

Read here for a great insight regarding Pilate.  Not a surprise, but it is still worth the read.

Found: http://www.savagechickens.com/2009/04/fortunes-fool.html

UPDATE: I have deleted the picture.  The link will take you there.

I never pay attention to college basketball, even when I lived at the University of Dayton.  However, at First Things, an article caught my eye.  I now say, Go ‘NOVA!

UPDATE: ‘Nova is out.  Not a surprise, as it’s Lent and Catholic U’s give up the NCAA finals for Lent.

The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.

The Lebanese Cabinet declared today “Islamic-Christian Day” to celebrate the fact that Christians and Muslims both honor the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Now, I know that sounds like I ought to have this in a chess game or something, it is not.  You may already know from sources other than this sorry excuse for a blog that President Obama is to give the commencement address at Notre Dame University.  The bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend will not attend, saying, among others,

President Obama has recently reaffirmed, and has now placed in public policy, his long-stated unwillingness to hold human life as sacred. While claiming to separate politics from science, he has in fact separated science from ethics and has brought the American government, for the first time in history, into supporting direct destruction of innocent human life.

Well, I think this summarizes things nicely, eh?

The chancery, that is.  If you want to receive a text from the ARchdiocese of St. Louis regarding who the next archbishop will be, sign up here.