Cross-section of a So-called Catholic Politician

"Man, however, judging about his actions through his power of reason, can judge concerning his choice insofar as he can know the nature of the end and of the means to the end, and, likewise, the relation and order of the one to the other.

Man, therefore, is his own cause, not only in moving but also in judging. Hence he has free choice, as one is speaking of the free judgements as to whether to act or not."

St. Thomas Aquinas

Conscience Color Sheet

Inspiration came today in the form of a Vatican homily.

If we are going to have a better future, then we use more color sheets now! Enjoy!

Plan B

I used to think Plan B was just the idea of changing park destinations for ultimate frisbee, but apparently, now it's the newest post-promiscuity drug for teens!

Not only can you get this from a doctor, federal judges are Ordering the Food and Drug Administration to serve it up to our little girls over the counter. It seems there are a lot of adults these days who's 'Hope for Change' is to attack the moral foundations this country was built on. Or maybe their just fighting for the right to hurt your body with legal chemicals.

From the Plan B website:

"Plan B® doesn't protect against HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Side effects may include nausea, abdominal pain, fatigue, headache, changes in your period, dizziness, and breast tenderness. If your period is more than a week late, you may be pregnant. If you have severe abdominal pain, you may have an ectopic pregnancy, and should get immediate medical help"

Anyone seen pictures of chemically affected babies in the womb lately?

Man, Mars and Methane

Men in history have longed to find answers by personifying planets in the night sky. Is there life on Mars? What does God have to do it? Are Mars bars named after Mars?
I am very curious about the last question, but St. Clement of Rome describes the planet loving practices of ancient men best when he said that “there is a twofold atheism in which they are entangled; first, the atheism of being ignorant of God (since they do not recognize the true God); and then this second error, of believing in the existence of beings that have no existence, and calling by the name of gods those who are not really gods, nay more, who do not even exist, but have only got the name.” Modern day astronomer scientists are still happy to claim atheism as their religion and stars as their god. Where did the recent discovery of methane on Mars fit into the bigger faith picture?
Basic elements that are thought to be the foundations of life were recently discovered on Mars. Elements like carbon, hydrogen and methane, which also exist in Earth’s atmosphere, were picked up through spectral light study with some the most complicated telescopes on our planet. We can now conclusively say there is more to just the name Mars the Red Planet.
Brother Robert Novak, Ph.D., C.F.C., a professor of physics at Iona College in New York visited Loyola University New Orleans to discuss his current research using spectral observations of Mars. He presented his material with the title, “Belief in God while Searching for Life on Mars.” As an amateur researcher and theologian, I decided to find out more information for myself. I wanted to know the Roman Catholic doctrine behind astronomy and what I found surprised and tested me.
First things first, I Googled the Mars bar and did not find the origin of its name. I decided to use the next best intellectual tool I knew of, I asked my dad. He said he didn’t know. Quickly moving on to more spiritual questions, I went to find my printed copy of Fides et Ratio. I didn’t remember it being that thick! But I wanted a well-rounded understanding behind the scientist’s hope of finding something unknown by using basic truths.
John Paul II uses the phrase “esoteric speculation” when describing the pursuit of those wanting perfection in classical times. This type of higher-thinking was the height of philosophy at the time where Saint Paul admonishes Colossians saying, “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe and not according to Christ.” (2:8) Would methane on Mars lead me, as well as others to worship empty elemental spirits of the universe? My faith told me no, but my reason suggested I find some teaching about the greater universe.
Something led me to Humani Generis, the short letter of Pope Pius XII on threats to Catholic doctrine. It stated at one point about scientific findings, that some people “try to withdraw from the sacred Teaching Authority and are accordingly in danger of gradually departing from revealed truth and of drawing others along with them into error.” I had to keep checking when this was written! It isn’t Benedict today, but 50 odd years ago Pope Pius XII warns against existentialism, “since it concerns itself only with existence of individual things and neglects all consideration of their immutable essences.” Possible biotic chemicals on Mars could lead many to believe in themselves as having less a soulful essence of God within, with the new planetary discoveries. But then, Pope Pius XII blew me away by stating clear explanation in a discourse on “The Question of Microseisms.” “Two essential hallmarks of the cosmos are 1. The mutability of things, including their beginning and their end. and 2. The order of finality which shines in every corner of the cosmos.” Pope Pius XII had not only defended the faith, but had used a superior reasoning for the creation of our universe.
Finally, an interview with Jesuit Father Funes, researcher and director of the Vactican Observatory Specola Vaticana, cements my understanding. “Intelligent beings, created by God would not be in contrast with our faith, because we cannot set limits to the creative freedom of God.” He goes on to suggest that we cannot set limits to God’s infinite mercy, and like St. Francis calls living creatures his brothers and sisters, therefore extra-terrestrials would still be of God’s creation. Methane on Mars is only another creation detail that is slowly revealed to an inherently good, but ignorant human race.
My faith isn’t shaken after all. Even though I had not given thought to aliens and planets in the past, it seemed our church Fathers and learned theologians had considered Mars far before I came along. This small bit of research helped me to become more profoundly aware of the depth and beauty of the Catholic Church existing in this beautiful universe and desiring to discover more of it!

Music in the Universe

All logic points to some event creating this universe with a powerful catalyst. Maybe the catalyst was the song of love from the heart of God.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VAkOhXIsI0

Sunday's Reading

Father Bill at St. Peter's Church in Covington talked about the 'leprosy' that is sinfulness and its affect on society today in mass. He built the picture of the leper approaching Jesus with the knowledge that he (the leper) could be stoned to death. "This act of mercy from Christ was not just a 'Go and be healed', it was thoughtful and meaningful, as Christ knew the trials of this man," Fr. Bill said.

Meaning in Christ's actions can be hard to understand even for the most intuitive spiritual person. Fr. Bill created a picture of Christ for the congregation that depicts a man of charity and a man willing to forfeit his life to believe. Of course, Christ heals with all love, this man that is disfigured and shunned by society. But even more meaningfully, Christ longs to heal man today. Fr. Bill mentioned the plight of the unborn and those that support pro-abortion legislation. He stated that pro-abortion legislators are not allowed, by Canon law, to receive the Holy Eucharist. Obviously, there is much healing that needs to take place.

The scripture today reminds me of the Baptism of Christ, "And the Spirit remained on Him." There are many that feel far away from the Spirit. They feel disfigured by despair, worry, doubt and feelings of being cast aside from society by their own actions or what they perceive as personal truth. But, the Spirit remains with those baptized in Christ, and those that have strayed due to 'personal truths' can still be loved and shown the true Truth.

In the same way the Spirit remains in Christ, the third person of the Trinity remains in the baptized. Therefore it is not only Your duty to crawl to Christ like the cast aside leper as one willing to forfeit his life, but also to show charity to those beyond your society.
How do I do this?

Because I work with people all day, I see a glaring need for both children and adults to be loved. It is difficult to find ways to love when many are selfish, but it takes practice. One main way is to counter your own feelings of betrayal, hate or bitterness toward a person that has not been loved properly.

A second method is to manuever your actions toward this person to show understanding for the way they feel, just by listening. (You don't have to agree.)

Listening is not the same as 'tolerance' for bad things, but it is a tool of Love. Most people already know or sense where you stand, and it may be the reason they are attacking you. Someone once told me, "People attack ideas in the Church that would otherwise fill gaping holes in their own lives." But listening with love and charity is being Christ for that person. (Hint: Jesus 'heard' the woman at the well, and look at the results!)

Third, pray the rosary. You or I are weak and can not crawl on our own or listen on our own or stop judging on our own. Believe me, been there, failed at that! Besides, it is selfish to believe a God that allows himself to die into you in the Holy Eucharist, could be stopped from helping you! Our Lady is an amazing example through scripture of patient listening and Loving. Through daily rosary we contemplate the life of Christ to counter the failings of our own passions.

Our Lord longs to stand beside you while you practice being like Him toward others. Even if you realize you have been crawling, Our Lord longs to pick you up and heal you as he healed the Leper.

St. Damian, the priest who went to the island of lepers to serve, and then became one himself, practiced. And obviously 'He got it'. He forfeited, he died to self for those who were outcast. But rather than become an outcast, he joined the most winning team ever in history. If souls were trophies!

Luckily, I am still practicing, and mostly crawling spiritually these days, but I am practicing. It's difficult, but you can't let one off word from a stranger or loved one turn your heart away from acting on charity. Remember, when Christ, the Divine Man, became a man, He made it possible for the Spirit to remain on you!

You can only defeat the leprosy of others and of the world, by defeating it within yourself.
"Remain in me, and I will Remain in You."

Don't lie, you know you've dreamed of saving the planet from horrible creatures at the last minute. Well, here's a comparison. If you ever woke up from the dream and thought you could not save people, check it out...

------------------SilverSurfer--------------------------St. Teresa of Avila
Real name:-------Norrin Radd -------------------------Teresa de Cepeda
Birth home:------Planet Zenn-La-----------------------Avila, Spain
Purpose in Life:--Find planets for Galactus to Eat-------To be a Martyr
Failings in Life:---Loses humanity of himself----------- Health/ Doubt
Super powers:----Power Cosmic------------------------Mystic
Mentor:----------Galactus----------------------------- St. John of the Cross
Favorite pastime:-Surfing Space------------------------Ecstacy
Souls Saved:------Planet Earth 1970s------------------God knows and more 
Reality Factor:----0%-----------------------------------100%

"Perhaps we do not know what love is: it would not surprise me a great deal to learn this, for love consists, not in the extent of our happiness, but in the firmness of our determination to try to please God in everything, and to endeavor, in all possible ways, not to offend Him, and to pray Him ever to advance the honor and glory of His Son and the growth of the Catholic Church."

"For a soul which God allows to walk in this way [christian perfection] in the sight of the whole world my well prepare itself to be martyred by the world, for, if it will not die to the world of its own free will, the world itself will kill it."

" What was I afraid of? I asked myself. I had been wanting trials, and here were some good ones, and the greater was the opposition I endured, the greater would be my gain. Why was I lacking in courage to serve Him to Whom my debt was so great?"

St. Teresa of Avila Selected Writings 1950

New adventures in spinal cord research lead to interesting side-effects. All FDA approved ofcourse.