What is "marriage" anyway?!?

Amongst my circle of friends a while back, a very interesting article was being passed around, namely this: http://mattfradd.com/2012/06/14/catholic-gay-and-feeling-fine/

The article goes on to explain how "Gay Marriage" is not even possible - that is right, IMPOSSIBLE.  Well, in the commentary that ensued on Facebook, one commentor noted that it seemed to him that this is a large part of the misunderstanding. No one denies, I hope, that two people can love each other, care for one another, live in an intense friendship with one another. But that does not constitute marriage.  Two people can engage in a sexual act or acts together, but that it not marriage either. Marriage is both for the complete union of the spouses, but also for the procreation of children of our species. The physical, spiritual, emotional complementarity that allows for this unity in which this procreation and union can even happen (regardless of whether it actually takes place or not) is precisely what marriage is about.

For those of us that hold to the Traditional understanding of marriage, it is only in the martial union of a man and a woman that children receive their right to these two complementary parents. These two parents certainly should grow in a union which is all those things I said above, but it doesn't always happen. Nevertheless, when two people of the same sex "love" one another, they can not enter into the same type of union because they do not have the ability to be complementary spiritually, emotionally and physically. They may connect on one or two of those, but that does not respect nor honor the entirety of the gift of service of a male husband and a female wife to one another that is supposed to take place in Marriage.

If we take it to the next step, the Catholic element, then the practice (not the desire or tendency, as some call it) of homosexual acts become sinful, just as adultery, pre-marital sex, even masturbation are all sinful, because they remove the ability to practice the fullness of the human love that one owes only to their spouse (i.e. the physical element). Now, certainly, not all people will appreciate or agree with any of this. But this is why the aforementioned author believes as he does. But, as well, to his point, a Father who truly loves us all - namely God, does not think the way we think. We may wish many things for our friends that are bad for them, to wit, "sand sandwiches", "sand pie", etc. it doesn't make those things healthy or nourishing and could in fact cause frustration and even illness.

In a similar way, so-called "Homosexual marriage" is like taking away the king or queen in a game of chess and replacing it with the same piece that remains (i.e. two kings or two queens). They will both move in the same directions, same manners, because they are the same. That would be really fun (as a game I mean), but it would no longer be Chess. In the same way, Marriage is no longer marriage with same-sex people. You can call it many things, but it is not Marriage. This, it seems to me, is why people are discussing "re-defining marriage."  If marriage were something man could define and establish, then there might be something to this - which, incidentally is why there has been increased buzz about the Catholic Church getting out of the "marriage business" (so to speak) all together.  That is, only needing to offer the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, and not concerning itself with the state's recognition of Marriage.  This might not be a bad idea.  Nevertheless, marriage or at least true Holy Matrimony is not defined by man's law.  It is defined by the God who is the "Lord and Giver of Life," since the Office of Holy Motherhood (as Holy Matrimony, could be retranslated as from the Latin cognate) comes as a gift to mankind in the Sacraments.  While it is natural to mankind to want to marry, it is only in the Baptized Union of Christian Man & Wife that mankind finds the fulfillment of that desire because it is blessed by God. 

Marriage is a ceremony declaring that a Holy Matrimony has been entered into, but if one removes the Office of Holy Motherhood - emphasis on the "holy", then I think it is arguable that a "marriage" is impossible.  Time will tell what will become of our world and our country because of this redefinition in progress, but in the world's recent past "redefining" things has not always ended well....

Busyness is God's business

WOW!  One never expects life to be so busy,  it just sort of sneaks up on you.  Of course, we all have responsibilities, but sometimes they seem quite overwhelming.  Thankfully, as so many Saints have noted, "God will not give us more than we can handle."

For this reason, however, I have not had a chance to get to this blog with so much frequency... ok... at all, really.  But, thankfully, this has happened because of many things that have been happening here at the Parish. As well, my wife has recently been notified by God (and a doctor) that we are having twins!  Nevertheless, I was particularly inspired by this short video that came out today:

So... I am back.

What has been happening at the parish, you ask?  Well, for one, we have just completed a number of classes for Notre Dame's Summer of The Year of Faith.  We looked at 8 amazing Saints that had come from various and wildly sinful backgrounds.  We saw the Mercy of God works even in the darkest places that man puts himself.  We saw dispelled 7 Myths about the Catholic Church and Science, and saw that science necessitates our understanding that there is more to life than our material world.  We saw various movies that helped us to consider lives of some great Saints  who have gone before us and Monks who take their faith most seriously.  We are also preparing for the arrival of the Denver Catholic Biblical School here at Notre Dame.  As well, in just less than two weeks the Totus Tuus Summer Catechetical Program is about to arrive here at Notre Dame.  All of these things take time, and organizational work.  However, the time has come, as I watched the video above about our present Holy Father (and noting that he is about to publish his First Encyclical letter to the Catholic Church), it seems I should challenge myself to be more active on this blog. 

If you happen to read this, please comment!  We all need a little encouragement, and I am no exception.  Having studied the "Catholic Thing" for a while, I think it would be good for me to keep on posting thoughts on things Catholic in our 21st century.  It just takes finding the time to do it....

Happy Feast of our Most Blessed Mother, and my mother!

Years later, things one does in college do not always rise to the top of things you want to remember.  Thankfully, for me, going away to college was a much more incredible blessing than I could have possibly imagined.  Not only did I meet my wife at Franciscan University, but I made some of the best friendships I have ever made in my life with men and women whom I hope to share in the Joy of Heaven with one day. 

As well, there is one "out of college" experience that I had during the Christmas Break of 1998 that I would gladly share with anyone.  Thankfully, with the horrible memory I have, one of those good friends I just mentioned has just posted the story online: http://www.catholicvote.org/discuss/index.php?p=39275 

There is so much more that happened on this journey, and it was taken, on my part, because I had completed my Consecration to Mary according to the Preparation and Consecratory prayer of St. Louis DeMontfort.  I wanted to thank her for allowing me to go to Europe in the Spring of 1999 (the other side of that Christmas Break) to study in Franciscan's Gaming Campus in Austria.  So many blessings came of this year.  Really, too many to enumerate here.  But I must say that the Feast of Our Lady of Guadlupe, 4 days after my birthday, and 3 days after my Confirmation Saint's, Juan diego, feast day, will ALWAYS hold a special place in my heart. 

Of Paris & "Pomme Frites"

So I recently turned 38... though for the last year I was pretty sure that I had already been 38 all year long... I guess this happens to some people when they get older. There are many things that people would like to forget in our lives, of course. But as a community of human beings, "the hive" as some might argue, we ought not to forget the reality of the history of things. As has oft been said, "To ignore history is to repeat it," which apparently I am now doing this year in my "second year" of being 38 years old.

Regardless of me, sadly even in our own modern day it appears some want to do away with the Old things and cover them over with the new, for example a French Chateau:



Nevertheless, the things of history hold riches that we can mine and savor (not literally, unless you are talking wine... or a Good Scotch... or good Irish cheddar cheese! But I digress...) But our souls can be greatly enhanced the more we understand the things of our ancestors. Those who have gone before us have gained wisdom, sometimes by choice, but often by accident.

Catholics, in particular, have much to understand and much to savor in the stories of the Great Saints of our Tradition. I am working with a young woman in order that she be Baptized and we were talking about "reparation for sin" tonight in the context of the Sacrament of Confession. It reminded me of the glorious and, at the same time, sad story of the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart on the hill of Montmarte in Paris, which I have had the great privilege and blessing to visit and to adore the Lord in. That is, while I was at Franciscan University I had the opportunity to study abroad at the Campus in Gaming, Austria. From there, a friend and I, who last name rhymes with "Doctor" (for those who would know him), were able to make a visit to Montmarte.

Though the Basilica was only begun in 1873, the foundations of it go much further back, as the Basilica's website explains:

The name signifies "mount of martyrs" because by tradition it is the place of the martyrdom of Saint Denis, the first bishop of Paris (late 3rd century) and his companions. Many saints have come to this hill (Saint Germain - Saint Clotilde - Saint Bernard - Saint Joan of Arc - Saint Vincent de Paul, …) and, of course, Saint Ignatius of Loyola and Saint Francis-Xavier who, with their companions, founded the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) here in 1534.

A big benedictine Abbey occupied the whole hill until the French Revolution at which date the nuns were guillotined and the Abbey destroyed. A village called Saint Peter's survived in this former lime quarry in the late 19th century; the working people were short of employment.

There is much there, but notice that the original Benedictine Abbey was only destroyed at the French Revolution. The young lady I am working with mentioned she was contemporaneously studying the French Revolution and I asked her what she had learned of it. I asked this particularly since she attends Government-based education, which is decidedly more and more devoid of religion - and in particular the Christian Faith in History. She was not aware that the French Revolution was largely waged as a way to reject and attack the Catholic Church and her Faith in France.

So intense was the persecution of the Church that many religious (i.e. monks and nuns) and priests were killed merely for maintaining their Catholic Faith. While many went along with the Revolutionaries and subjected their Faith to the State, others understand that only by being faithful to Christ will mankind come to know the Only Living and True God. In Notre Dame Cathedral it is reported by eyewitnesses that the statue of the Virgin Mary was toppled and she was replaced with the so-called "Goddess of Reason" who was nothing more, by some accounts, than a prostitute spontaneously exalted by the people.

In fact, there were some people in the Northern Region of the Vendee that rose up to try to stem the destructive tide of Revolutionaries - many of whom were Freemasons that reportedly instigated and promoted much of the killing of the Catholic People of France. Unfortunately, these people were unsuccessful as the rejection of God had become far more deep than merely a political struggle. It was a spiritual virus. As Napoleon Bonaparte rose to power, now that the Kingdom of France had become an almost officially anti-Catholic Democracy, this assault on the Faith had found deep root among some people. To the point that, as many have reported, Napoleon would not allow himself to be crowned by the Pope, but took the crown and crowned himself. A very symbolic act of that time, denoting his authority equal or superior to the Vicar of Christ, Pius VII!

Some time after Napolean's coronation, some 66 years later,the Germans came to invade Rome. Again from the Basilica's website:

In 1870, war broke out between France and Germany. The Council taking place at the Vatican broke up and the Pope, no longer protected by French troops, felt himself to be a prisoner in the Vatican City. France faced military defeat and occupation of part of the country by German troops. The response of MM. Alexandre Legentil and Hubert Rohault de Fleury was spiritual. They vowed to build a church consecrated to the Heart of Christ in reparation (in penitence for sins commited) since for them, the misery of France stemmed more from spiritual than from political causes... The work was financed by gifts, often modest, from all over France.The names of the donors are carved in the stone.

So even to this day there is perpetual adoration in the Basilica of Sacre Ceour (or Sacred Heart, in English) specifically for the reparation of the sins of the people of France that lead to the French Revolution among other calamities. The lesson we should take from all of this is that the wisdom of repentance, which led so many of the early great Saints to the desert and other great ones throughout history to worship Christ, is that acts of reparation allow us to unite amongst ourselves before God, but also to plead the cause of others to receive the grace of repentance.

Last night, my beloved wife and I went to eat at a French Restaurant downtown where i had the dish pictured at the beginning of this post! Steak with Roquefort Cheese in a port reduction, with Pommes Frites (basically, "souped up french fries")!!! GLORIOUS!!

What I find so sad is that many today cannot understand a Catholic culture that gave us great French Food, but also gave us one of the greatest acts of reparation for the sins of the people of that very culture. Perhaps we Catholic Americans ought to consider things we too might do to make acts of reparation for our own country's sinfulness, if we hope to gain the wisdom passed on from our forebears.

A Priest among men....

I have not met Fr. Nepil, but he is here in the Archdiocese of Denver, and, please God, I will meet him one day in this life or the next. However, I hope that his story will help to realize that no one who lives is unloved by God:

Father John Nepil Experiences Suffering on his Path to Knowledge of God from OneBillionStories.com on Vimeo.

I do.... I really do...

I consider myself a reasonable man. Perhaps I am not, but I think I am. However, how can anyone even joke about this:
Could someone have been so malformed and "brainwashed" by the prevalent culture to think that this is true. Well, the video seems to proves it. Some in America actually believe that this man who is President, and only a man, has some sort of cultural drive to make us reconfigure our lives on behalf of this very man. Sadly, this "performer" has now proven that either: a) he is completely ignorant of history and the significance of Jesus Christ, or b) he is such a "paid monkey" (and I don't mean that in a racist sense, only in a financially determined by the organ grinder [i.e. the government] sense) that he is willing to call someone a vastly offensive title that truly undermines the Christian Faith of millions of Americans.

Recently, my wife and I watched the Movie "Saint Barbara: Convert and Martyr of the Early Church." This was a profoundly beautiful movie. It laid out the understood life story of St. Barbara who has been venerated for centuries. Though she was a convert, she was willing to die for what she believed, as many Catholic Christians were documented in Ancient Rome, simply because she would not offer a pinch of incense to an idol of the ruling "monarch" of the day, the Emperor Diocletian. Barbara sought to be an integral person who would not offer even a pinch of incense to a false idol that would cause her to collaborate, at least according to the movie, in the death of her friends that were Christians - even though she was a ROMAN both by birth and RELIGION! What we do know is that, according to Sacred Tradition, her father was the one who killed her for her denial to worship the Emperor of Rome and thus deny her new found Christian Faith.

According to some websites, like here, Mr. Foxx is considered a Christian - at least on the
"intertoobs." Though apparently others deny this, like here. Neither of those are the most reliable websites, but the point here is that some will be confused by this "word" of Mr. Foxx. Yet the Word of the only Living and True God resounds: "And he said to his disciples, "Temptations to sin * are sure to come; but woe to him by whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung round his neck and he were cast into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin. (Lk 17:1-2).* Many who heard this blasphemy will think of it as nothing more than the cute ramblings of a "performer" who is "honoring" his friend/president. Yet this is precisely how tyrants are exalted; not by mere and unabashedly proud exaltation, but jokes and "inside jokes." History shows that even Augustus Caesar took power from the Senate of Rome by agreeing to have his adoptive Father, Julius Caesar, proclaimed a "God." Almost immediately afterwards he took control of the Empire, as "the Son of a God." I am sure most people thought, "yeah, great joke there Augustus." - as many will think of Mr. Foxx's comments.

Yet some will take this seriously, and given the state of government directed education in America where the Only Living and True God has been removed and forcibly and, according to the thought of Friedrich Nietzche, ever so subtly shown that "God is dead." Now men determine to find someone who can fill that role of "god" as mankind once did in the time of Rome. Given the cultural ruins of the "Family" and the vastly plundered meaning of "Fatherhood" in our modern American society, one can not but watch as some will accept the "seed" of this blasphemy and let it take root in their hearts and souls. Not that anyone will notice now, but in years to come when we Christians are more openly persecuted these moments like Mr. Foxx's proclamation will be the "fertilizer" from which that impetus will be born.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, we live in perilous times. Let your hearts be established firmly in the Lord, so that Christ may be proclaimed in your life and that he might be proclaimed in mine. We who are granted the glorious title of "Christian" can not lose sight of the fact of our blessing in being given to share in the very Life of Christ by our Baptism and to share the teaching which has been handed on to us in our Holy Catholic Faith. Our Blessed Life depends on it, and more importantly the life of mankind depends on it too!

Its SCIENCE!

Its funny how politics skews so much. And yet, leave it to the soberness of Irish to make clear the choice that a goverment makes in defending or attacking life: