Must see EWTN on Wednesday: Fr. Frank Phillips of St. John Cantius in Chicago

From EWTN:

Tired of hearing about the closing of inner city parishes? Perhaps that’s why viewers responded so positively last month to EWTN’s airing of a documentary about an inner city priest, with no experience as a pastor, who revived a dying parish in Chicago. Now hear that pastor, Father Frank Phillips of St. John Cantius Church, and Chicago Auxiliary Bishop Joseph N. Perry discuss the transformation at 8 p.m. ET Wednesday, July 1, on “EWTN Live” with Guest Host Father Joseph Wolfe MFVA.

Don't forget....if you don't have the EWTN channel on TV, but have something better than dialup, you can watch it on the internet. Go to EWTN.com and click on Television in the upper bar menu from the homepage, and then click "Live TV" and go from there.

Assumption Grotto has one seminarian at St. John Cantius. Please keep Matthew in your prayers.

EDIT @12:42pm....I had forgotten that a Pontifical High Mass was to be celebrated on EWTN at 8:00am today too involving the Cantians and Bishop Joseph Perry. It will be rebroadcast at midnight tonight (for those who can stay up or record it).




Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Blogging will continue to be light for a short while longer

As you can probably understand, my mother's sudden turn for the worse, followed by her unfortunate, but merciful passing, did not leave much time these last few weeks for ordinary matters like housework, paying bills, etc. To put it delicately, I wouldn't let the fire department in my house if it were burning down! In addition, my siblings and I must attend to my mother's affairs. She did such a good job of organizing her affairs that I feel guilty for not having done so myself. This, I must do, so that my family won't have to hunt-n-peck for pertinent documents when God pulls my time card (one of Mom's many expressions).

This having all been said, blogging will continue to be light for the next week or so. Many people are on vacation right now, as well. I myself am off for two weeks, which is very timely. I find readership drops substantially on holidays and during peak vacation periods.

I have not been updating Twitter either. Perhaps in a few days after I am able to stop stepping over things to get from one place to another in my house, I'll start there.

Many ask: How are you doing, Diane?
I'm doing reasonably well. As I have told a few people in the last couple of days, I believe I began grieving for my mother at least a year before she passed away. I was already half-grieved at the time of her funeral. I miss her dearly and realize now, just how close we were. We were truly friends. It came to my attention when I would instinctively go to pick up the phone to share something with her, or ask her a question - especially about cooking. She was the head chef of the family, and one of the best there was. I have many of her recipes and have made them.....you know, that stuff of European origine that makes your veins clog as to sniff it, but is ever so pleasing to the palate. Whenever I update my cooking blog, I'll let you know here. I am going to archive her recipes, together with mine, in the Old Country Kitchen blog. I haven't posted much there, but don't want to lose her stuff, so I need to get archiving.

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

With heartfelt thanks and gratitude to you all....

I just want to thank the many people who have been praying for me, my family, and my mother who passed away on June 17th. I also want to thank all of those who came to the funeral home and to the Mass.

Several people donated money for Mass intentions. This will go towards a set of Gregorian Masses (aka "Gregorian Thirty" for my mother, most likely at Clear Creek Monastery. These can run several hundred and I will make up the difference. I have long wanted to have a set celebrated for my father who passed away in 1991 His will be taken care of at the same time. They cannot be combined, but must be separate, and the Masses are exclusively for the dead.

I found nothing on the Clear Creek Monastery website, but found many sources online saying that the monks offer them. I will probably call today to inquire more about it (they have no email and will pass along more info later).

Through Clear Creek, the Masses will be offered in the extraordinary form. I was not seeking the "Tridentine" Mass per se, but a Benedictine source because it is where the tradition began. And, I am familiar with the monks of Clear Creek.


Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Archbishop Vigneron recieves Pallium Today

At the time of this writing, Archbishop Vigneron has already received his Pallium. EWTN began coverage around 3 or 4 this morning and it will be rebroadcast at 8:00am, and I'm sure again sometime later.

Archbishop has a new post up in which he talks about the Pallium. There are some interesting details: The morning of…

More about the Pallium and Archbishop Vigneron is here at the Archdiocese of Detroit website.

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Photopost: Funeral of Germaine (First "Tridentine" Funeral in over 40 Years at Assumption Grotto)

Our beloved Germaine - Grotto's 82 year-old housekeeper, launderer, and occasional cook, was laid to rest yesterday after being struck down by a vehicle in front of Assumption Grotto on Monday night as she left the parish. The priests learned that after she had received the Anointing and Apostolic Pardon by Fr. Perrone in the street, that she still had a heart-beat, even at the emergency room where Fr. John and Phyllis remained with her, and her family, for some hours. Hence, it is a small comfort to know she was still alive at the time the last sacrament was given to her. It was very providential that the priests all headed out the side door right after she was hit and were able to be with her.

Both Fr. Perrone, and Germaine's sister, Rita, gave me permission to shoot and to post the photos. You can get these through the main page at the Grotto website, as well, but I wanted to make a more permanent record here. What folllows below is a slideshow of the Mass. Fr. Perrone was the celebrant in this Solemn High Mass (1962 Missal). Fr. Charles White IV was the deacon, and Fr. John Bustamante was the subdeacon and homilist. Father's homily is below. Also, in this post, is the beautiful column by Fr. Perrone which appears in this Sunday's bulletin.

Please keep Germaine, and those closest to her in your prayers - the family, her friends, and especially the staff and priests who tended to her at the time of the accident. Please pray also for the man who struck her, and his family. Consequences always affect many people. He was arrested on a number of charges. Bad decisions made while driving, and wrong choices in life yield the most painful lesson when the end result is the loss of human life. Germaine herself would want us to pray for him, and I have hope that she is already interceding for him.

Homily delivered by Fr. John Bustamante at Germaine Wisniewski's funeral

In today’s Office of Readings, the Church selects a passage from St. Gregory of Nyssa. He says, “In our human life bodily health is a good thing, but this blessing consists not merely in knowing the causes of good health but in actually enjoying it. If a man eulogizes good health and then eats food that has unhealthy effects, what good is his praise of health when he finds himself on a sickbed? Similarly, from the Lord’s saying: Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God, we are to learn that blessedness does not lie in knowing something about God, but rather in possessing God within oneself.”

St. Gregory then quotes our Lord when He says, “The kingdom of God is within you.” St. Gregory is saying that by purifying one’s heart, the divine beauty shines forth in each of us. The Lord says elsewhere, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16).

Each of us is called to reflect the light of Christ. There is one who perfectly does this in a way that exceeds the image of reflection—it is our Our Blessed Mother. She herself says in the Magnificant, “My soul magnifies the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my savior.” In heaven, we no longer only reflect the divine beauty, but, being perfected, share in the perfection of God.

Being with others forms bonds of attachment. For me, even four and a half short years of seeing someone daily afforded ample opportunity to see in a deeper way how precious each person is before God. You can’t get to know someone unless you are around that person. How much more so with God? How much more must God know and love each of us? And, for our part, what other way is there to know God and respond to his love than to constantly be in His presence? Through prayer? Through adoration? And certainly through the Most Holy Eucharist?

Our work itself is meant to be a prayer. It is but one way we carry out the command of St. Paul : “Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thes 5:16-18). Our vocations are the way to heaven. Our daily responsibilities and tasks are these little things that are to be done with great love. Whether it be running a parish, or keeping a rectory in order—these little things are precious and meaningful before God.

I always find encouragement and receive a glimpse of God’s Providence when certain events happen to fall on a certain day of the year. We offered today the Extraordinary (or Tridentine) Form of the Solemn Requiem Mass. And according to that calendar, in some dioceses, today is feast of Our Lady of Succor. The more familiar form of this title is Our Mother of Perpetual Help. Every Tuesday we honor Our Lady with the Perpetual Help Devotions. There are many different forms of the prayers of this devotion—the prayers I learned as a child are the ones from the Byzantine devotion—they are beautiful and sublime.

In the prayer in temporal wants, we would pray, “Trials and sorrows often depress us; reverses of fortune and privations, often grievous, bring misery into our lives; everywhere we meet the cross.” How these words gather the sense of the faithful in many ages of the Church during times of war and suffering, sickness and death. Yet later we pray, “Grant that we may endure all with love and patience…I place in thee all my hopes and I confide my salvation to thy care, O Mother of Perpetual Help.”

A singular but great consolation to us is to know that a soul has received both absolution for their sins and the Apostolic Pardon at the time of death. The Apostolic Pardon grants a plenary indulgence to a soul—removing all temporal punishment due to sin and opening the gates of heaven to the soul. It is a great grace dispensed from the treasury of the Church and one we would all be privileged to receive when it is our time to depart from this life. We all were granted the consolation of knowing that Germaine received these prayers before she departed from this life.

How many generations of people did not know what became of their loved ones after death? How many people today now have lost their way and not even heard the words of our Savior: “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

May each of us today renew our love of God and—in a spirit of love of neighbor—live the Gospel message of faith, hope and love. May we encourage each other, call those who have wandered back to the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. And through the intercession of St. Gregory, St. Cyril and Our Lady of Consolation, may each of us be daily be prepared and worthy to stand before Our Lord and merciful Savior. Amen.

And, here is Fr. Perrone's column for this week. He not only talks about all that she did for the parish, but recounts the fateful turn of events:

“Germai.......ne!! Germai.......ne!! “Yea. I’ll be right there.”

It might almost have passed for the opening of a comedy routine: I yelling her name down the clothes chute (our old rectory still has one) and she answering from her laundry room ‘office’ in the basement. How many times a day I would call on her for something, I can’t say. She was needed for just about every task I can think of.

This past Monday evening our faithful, indispensably helpful housekeeper, Germaine Wisniewski, was struck down with a violent and fatal blow on Gratiot Avenue from a speeding car manned by an unlicensed driver while she attempted to cross the street. I, with Frs. Bustamante and White, had just gone out the rectory side door when we saw traffic backed up on Gratiot and heard someone say that somebody had been struck down in an accident. Only a second later a voice blurted out, “I think it’s Germaine!” I bolted towards the scene of the accident, in front of the convent, to find there...I can hardly even write about it now without tears...our Germaine, motionless, lying on the blacktop beside a small pool of blood. Fr. John ran to the sacristy to get the holy oils for the sick. I knelt down beside her calling her name, pronouncing the words of absolution. I could scarcely believe the witness of my eyes. She had left the rectory only minutes before, having done the usual Monday laundry. Now she was here, flung on the street like some stray animal hit by a passing car. When the oils were handed to me I said the form for the anointing and imparted the Church’s final gift to the dying–the plenary indulgence that remits all punishments due to sin. Meanwhile, police had traffic halted and held the handcuffed driver in custody. An EMS vehicle finally arrived and took her body away. I was to learn later that, despite appearances, she had still been alive until a short time after she arrived at the hospital. Fr. John and Phyllis Bausano went to the hospital where they met Germaine’s sister and nephew. I stayed behind, walking about dazed for a while, and then entered the church to pray in silence. I couldn’t get into my emotional system what my mind told me had happened. Our Germaine was dead.

I can’t adequately put into words, especially in this small space, all that Germaine meant to us and all that she did for us. I’m going to give it a feeble try anyway. Here’s a short list: she did the laundry and the ironing; she washed cassocks, albs, purificators and hand towels for Mass; she laundered servers’ vestments and gloves; did housecleaning of the three-storied rectory (basement and attic included), scouring toilets and showers, and scrubbing floors on her hands and knees; she set the table, washed and put away the dishes, washed rectory windows and curtains; watered, weeded and fed the garden, and planted flowers; mended vestments and our clothes; cooked on occasion; purchased things for the rectory; and...how many other things I can’t think of? She was only 82 years old.

Germaine, you see, had been hired on to work only from 9:00 until 2:00. The truth was that she hardly ever left the rectory until closer to 8:00 p.m., as on the day she died. I suppose this was more her home than the one she slept in. This was not just her work; it was her life. And in doing it she always aimed to please. She was never one to pity herself. She never wanted to be babied and never let on if she was feeling sick. She worked here everyday except Sunday.

Some of you may remember seeing her in a cameo appearance a couple years back as Mother Teresa in a skit put on for the parish’s 175th Jubilee. She was amazingly convincing in that role. Germaine had a wonderful sense of humor and would instantly spring into song at the least hint of a pop tune. She knew them all (the old ‘standards’ of popular music). I imagine that in her time she once could dance up a frenzied polka, though by the time she had come to us her dancing years were long past.

Needless to add, Germaine was a regular at Mass, often coming to the 7:30 a.m. daily Mass, after which she sprang right to work, emptying baskets and filling humidifiers in the wintertime before settling down to her by then cold piece of toast and tepid cup of coffee. Her holy cards next to the iron in the basement told the story of the many little prayers she must have said quietly everyday.

With all that she did, it would take a good four persons to replace her, not that this is the reason we are mourning her death. She was simply part of the rectory family, someone whom I imagined would always be there. Not only was she helpful, but she had a cheerful, dynamic personality. I especially liked those stock phrases and slogans that she frequently used, to which I would often make responses of similar kind of my own. If I would express some preference for her to do something or other, she might snap back, “You drive a hard bargain.” Or, if someone of the rectory staff happened to come in the door, she would pipe up with, “Look who the wind blew in.” She had many other such one-liners that only she could get away with because we all knew she meant no harm. She was without doubt a tough willed person. How else could she have driven her aging body to such superhuman lengths of endurance? She was simply one of a kind.

We will all miss Germaine. I doubt we’ll ever find another like her. But it’s not just her utility that we will miss. We will miss her. Our rectory life will not be the same without her.

I hope that she will soon be enjoying a much deserved rest from all her labors, rest in that place we all hope one day to enjoy. “Well done, good and faithful servant.” I can’t thing of anyone for whom those words seem more appropriate than for Germaine Wisniewski.

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Swiss Bishop corrects errors advanced in the name of Vatican II

Call it disinformation, misinformation, trash-talk, or anything else you want. Regardless of the label, the bottom line is that much error about Vatican II has been spread by parties who do not have the mind of the Church, but want the Church to mind their wishful thinking. The Church, through her bishops, has been working to dispel some common myths through efforts like the one below.

Fr. Z has a translation of an article in a July 2009 newsletter to priests by Bishop Kurt Koch of the Diocese of Basel, Switzerland. The Bishop reacts to some of the negativity lobbed at Pope Benedict XVI by some in the media, and in the Church about Vatican II related issues.

As an aside, I am not sure who did the translation, or how accurate it is. If you are interested in the original German, click here to go directly to the Diocese of Basel webpage.

Bishop Koch writes:

What moves me?

More honesty please!

In the last few weeks a lot of journalists, and also some clergy, have been expressing their opinions of Pope Benedict. In these opinions were also contained many half-truths, untruths, and slanders.The worst accusation asserts that the Pope wishes to go back to before the Second Vatican Council. This accusation is the worst because it implies that the very person who possesses the teaching authority of the universal Church would work to undermine the authority of the council. This verdict, however, would be completely mistaken. As a young theologian, in fact, Benedict XVI contributed very much to the council. Anyone who seeks to understand the Pope now—not just from the media—but also by reading what he writes, would come to the conclusion that he has oriented his entire magisterium on the council. How should we then understand the accusation being made?

Many people have signed a petition for the unqualified acceptance of the council. Right from the start, the expression "unqualified acceptance" irritates me because I don’t know anyone—myself included—to whom it would apply. A few arbitrarily chosen examples will suffice:

– The council did not abolish Latin in the liturgy. On the contrary, it emphasized that in the Roman Rite, apart from exceptional cases, the use of the Latin language must be maintained. Who among the vocal defenders of the council wishes "unqualified acceptance" of that? [Right. Hey, you liberals out there! Wanna sign on to that?]

– The council declared that the Church regards Gregorian Chant as the "music proper to the Roman Rite", and that it must therefore "be given primary place." In how many parishes is this implemented "without qualification?"

– The council expressly requested that governmental authorities voluntarily give up those rights to participation in the selection of bishops, that had arisen over the course of time. Which defender of the council advocates "without qualification" for that?

– The council described the fundamental nature of the liturgy as the celebration the pascal mystery and the eucharistic sacrifice as "the completion of the work of our salvation." How can that be reconciled with my experience, made in many different parishes, that the sacrificial understanding of the Mass has been completely eliminated from the liturgical language and the Mass is now understood only as a meal or "the breaking of bread?" In what way can one justify this profound change by reference to the council?

– No office of the Church was given more significance by the council that that of bishop. How can we then understand the widespread diminishment in Switzerland of this office of the Church, which is justified by reference to the council? When, for example, Hans Kung denies completely the teaching authority of the bishops, allowing them only the office of pastoral leadership?

It would not be difficult to lengthen this litany. Even so, it should be obvious why I demand more honesty in the current debate about the council. Instead of accusing others, and even the Pope, of wishing to go back to before the council, everyone would be well advised to look over their own books and reassess their own personal position on the council. Because not everything that was said and done after the council, was therefore done in accordance with the council—and that applies also to the diocese of Basel. In any case, the last few weeks have illustrated to me that a primary problem in the current situation has been a very poor, and in part very one-sided understanding and acceptance of the council, even by Catholics that defend the council "without qualification." In this regard we all—once more including myself—have a lot of ground to make up. Therefore I again repeat my urgent request: More honesty please!

+ Kurt Koch
Bishop of Basel

Please pray for our bishops! May they be graced with the kind of wisdom and courage that guided the first bishops who died in their efforts to prevent error from spreading and misleading the faithful.

Related Links:

• A Swiss bishop sounds off about Vatican II (Fr. Z - well worth reading for the inline comments and for the combox chatter on the topic).

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Germaine Wisniewski's Funeral and Fr Perrone's Weekly Column

Fr. Perrone announced at the funeral home today following the Holy Rosary that our beloved Germaine, will have a Solemn High Mass at 10:00am tomorrow - a Requiem Mass in the Extraordinary Form. She will be buried right there in the Assumption Grotto cemetery and then there will be a luncheon in the school gym.

Germaine was struck by a car and killed in front of the parish moments after leaving the rectory where she continued two work. She was 82 years old.

Fr. Perrone speaks about Germaine in his weekly column, and what she meant to the parish, and rectory staff:

“Germai.......ne!! Germai.......ne!! “Yea. I’ll be right there.”

It might almost have passed for the opening of a comedy routine: I yelling her name down the clothes chute (our old rectory still has one) and she answering from her laundry room ‘office’ in the basement. How many times a day I would call on her for something, I can’t say. She was needed for just about every task I can think of.

This past Monday evening our faithful, indispensably helpful housekeeper, Germaine Wisniewski, was struck down with a violent and fatal blow on Gratiot Avenue from a speeding car manned by an unlicensed driver while she attempted to cross the street. I, with Frs. Bustamante and White, had just gone out the rectory side door when we saw traffic backed up on Gratiot and heard someone say that somebody had been struck down in an accident. Only a second later a voice blurted out, “I think it’s Germaine!” I bolted towards the scene of the accident, in front of the convent, to find there...I can hardly even write about it now without tears...our Germaine, motionless, lying on the blacktop beside a small pool of blood. Fr. John ran to the sacristy to get the holy oils for the sick. I knelt down beside her calling her name, pronouncing the words of absolution. I could scarcely believe the witness of my eyes. She had left the rectory only minutes before, having done the usual Monday laundry. Now she was here, flung on the street like some stray animal hit by a passing car. When the oils were handed to me I said the form for the anointing and imparted the Church’s final gift to the dying–the plenary indulgence that remits all punishments due to sin. Meanwhile, police had traffic halted and held the handcuffed driver in custody. An EMS vehicle finally arrived and took her body away. I was to learn later that, despite appearances, she had still been alive until a short time after she arrived at the hospital. Fr. John and Phyllis Bausano went to the hospital where they met Germaine’s sister and nephew. I stayed behind, walking about dazed for a while, and then entered the church to pray in silence. I couldn’t get into my emotional system what my mind told me had happened. Our Germaine was dead.

I can’t adequately put into words, especially in this small space, all that Germaine meant to us and all that she did for us. I’m going to give it a feeble try anyway. Here’s a short list: she did the laundry and the ironing; she washed cassocks, albs, purificators and hand towels for Mass; she laundered servers’ vestments and gloves; did housecleaning of the three-storied rectory (basement and attic included), scouring toilets and showers, and scrubbing floors on her hands and knees; she set the table, washed and put away the dishes, washed rectory windows and curtains; watered, weeded and fed the garden, and planted flowers; mended vestments and our clothes; cooked on occasion; purchased things for the rectory; and...how many other things I can’t think of? She was only 82 years old.

Germaine, you see, had been hired on to work only from 9:00 until 2:00. The truth was that she hardly ever left the rectory until closer to 8:00 p.m., as on the day she died. I suppose this was more her home than the one she slept in. This was not just her work; it was her life. And in doing it she always aimed to please. She was never one to pity herself. She never wanted to be babied and never let on if she was feeling sick. She worked here everyday except Sunday.

Some of you may remember seeing her in a cameo appearance a couple years back as Mother Teresa in a skit put on for the parish’s 175th Jubilee. She was amazingly convincing in that role. Germaine had a wonderful sense of humor and would instantly spring into song at the least hint of a pop tune. She knew them all (the old ‘standards’ of popular music). I imagine that in her time she once could dance up a frenzied polka, though by the time she had come to us her dancing years were long past.

Needless to add, Germaine was a regular at Mass, often coming to the 7:30 a.m. daily Mass, after which she sprang right to work, emptying baskets and filling humidifiers in the wintertime before settling down to her by then cold piece of toast and tepid cup of coffee. Her holy cards next to the iron in the basement told the story of the many little prayers she must have said quietly everyday.

With all that she did, it would take a good four persons to replace her, not that this is the reason we are mourning her death. She was simply part of the rectory family, someone whom I imagined would always be there. Not only was she helpful, but she had a cheerful, dynamic personality. I especially liked those stock phrases and slogans that she frequently used, to which I would often make responses of similar kind of my own. If I would express some preference for her to do something or other, she might snap back, “You drive a hard bargain.” Or, if someone of the rectory staff happened to come in the door, she would pipe up with, “Look who the wind blew in.” She had many other such one-liners that only she could get away with because we all knew she meant no harm. She was without doubt a tough willed person. How else could she have driven her aging body to such superhuman lengths of endurance? She was simply one of a kind.

We will all miss Germaine. I doubt we’ll ever find another like her. But it’s not just her utility that we will miss. We will miss her. Our rectory life will not be the same without her.

I hope that she will soon be enjoying a much deserved rest from all her labors, rest in that place we all hope one day to enjoy. “Well done, good and faithful servant.” I can’t thing of anyone for whom those words seem more appropriate than for Germaine Wisniewski.

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Archbishop Vigneron's new blog; and, the Pallium

Archbishop Vigneron, along with those named by Pope Benedict XVI this past year, to head other metropolitan areas, will receive the Pallium on June 29th - the Solemnity of the Apostles Peter and Paul.

Archbishop Vigneron introduces his blog in this post: To the Faithful of the Archdiocese of Detroit. He explains the event, and the pallium:

The Pallium is a narrow band or collar of white wool, with six black crosses. An Archbishop who leads an Ecclesiastical Province (a regional grouping of dioceses) wears this vestment around his neck at Mass as a sign of his leadership and authority.

For me, this event is one of the great graces of my priesthood, and I’m sending this letter to invite you, who are part of my family of faith, to share it with me. To that end, let me say here a word about the meaning of the Pallium. This vestment is a symbol of my pastoral office and of my communion with the Holy Father and the other Archbishops of the Church, a bond that extends all the way back to St. Peter and St. Paul. So, I will come into St. Peter’s Basilica with all of you held in the prayer of my heart. As I kneel on the platform over St. Peter’s Tomb, I will be begging for two things from God: first that He strengthen me to be a good shepherd of His people; and second, that He help all of you and your families to grow in that same life and holiness that the Apostles handed on to us from Jesus. In return, I ask that on June 29 – especially at Mass, if you are able to get to church – you lift up in prayer me, together with all my brother priests, that we be filled with the love and courage and zeal that burn in the priestly Heart of Christ.

Click the image of Archbishop's blog below to get to his homepage. Others are blogging with the archbishop, from his family, and from others in various positions in the Archdiocese of Detroit, including those with him on pilgrimage.










Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Requiescat in Pace: Germaine Wisniewski of the Grotto Staff

Germaine, in her role as Mother Teresa in a skit at Fr. Perrone's 30th Anniversary celebration.

Monday evening, as time approached for the 8:00pm Rosary at the funeral home where my mother was laid out, the director informed us that the priest would be late due to an accident in front of the parish. After the Rosary, I asked Fr. White, who had gotten there at around 8:30 to share with the many Grotto-goers at the funeral home, the sad news.

Our beloved Germaine, who has been a fixture at the parish for many decades, and rectory where she continued to work even at 84 years of age, had been struck and killed by a car in front of the rectory. It was divine providence that all three priests where right there at the parish, actually preparing to leave for the funeral home. Fr. Perrone ran to her side while Fr. John went for the oils. She was Annointed and received the Apostolic Pardon there in the street. Paramedics said there was still a heart beat, but she died a short time later.

Since I am heading back to work today, please watch the Assumption Grotto website for details of her arrangements.

Please keep Germaine in your prayers, as well as her family, the rectory staff and friends. This was a very traumatic death, especially for those close to her and those who were with her in those final moments.

PETER'S FUNERAL HOME: 8 MILE & MACK

THURSDAY - 6/25: VISITATION 5-9 PM

FRIDAY - 6/26: VISITATION 2-9, ROSARY 8:00 P.M

SATURDAY - 6/27:

IN STATE IN GROTTO CHURCH VESTIBULE

MASS AT GROTTO 10:00 A.M.A LUNCHEON FOLLOWS IN THE GYM.

INTERMENT IN GROTTO CEMETERY

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Funeral Arrangements for Rose Korzeniewski

Here is Mom's obituary:

Korzeniewski, Rose Marie, June 17, 2009. Age 77.

Loving wife and best friend of the late Nicholas.

Devoted mother of Denise (Douglas) Olejniczak, Nicholas D. and
Diane M. Korzeniewski.

Proud Gramma of Anne, Alysia, Daniel, & Joseph.

Dear sister of Anthony Subic, Jr., Josie Goodney, Johnny Subic, Bobby Subic, Suzanne Rinke, & the late Maryanne Beggs & Janet Rizzo.

1987 Retiree from K-Mart after 21 years of service.

Donation to Missionaries of Charity, P.O. Box 9260, Detroit, MI 48209

.
Mom had a special place in her heart for the Missionaries of Charity. My Father and her had donated money in the past to the order founded by Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta. In 1987, they received a thank you note, signed by Mother Teresa. The note was thought to be lost and Mom often talked with regret that it probably ended up accidentally in the garbage when we moved in 1992. Just last month she called me, and my sister, very excited to tell us that she had found the long lost note. The envelope was stuck inside the lid of an old checkbook box with other personal items and, as many times as she opened it, never noticed it was there. She gave me the note. It is not a stamped signature, but clearly made with ballpoint pen.



Many do not know that the Missionaries of Charity work here in Detroit. Because they work with the "poorest of the poor", Mom would be thrilled to know that we are asking for donations to go to them. They come a few times yearly to Assumption Grotto. Above is one photo I took of them on Corpus Christi a few years back.


Visitation:
Visitation at the Sterling Heights Chapel of Bagnasco & Calcaterra Funeral Home 13650 E. Fifteen Mile Road (@ Schoenherr) Monday, June 22nd.from 2:00 pm to 9:00 pm w/ Rosary 8:00 pm.

Service Information:
Funeral Tuesday at Assumption Grotto Catholic Church, 13770 Gratiot (N. of 6 Mile) In State 9:30 am until time of Mass 10:00 am.

Burial:
Resurrection Cemetery, Clinton Township, Michigan


Scroll down at the current services page at the Bagnasco & Calcaterra Funeral Home for the notice.

Click through the options in the Online Memorial book to see more. Condolences and memories can be left there.


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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Requiescat in Pace - My Dear Mother Rose

Last night I wanted to put a picture up that was fitting for this sorrowful moment, but was too tired. This morning, I found this in my email inbox from Mary B at Grotto. Thanks Mary - It's perfect, and so beautiful.

Update: Funeral Arrangements for Rose Korzeniewski

At 6:20 pm this evening, my mother peacefully went to the Lord with her family surrounding her. It was nice for her to have a few hours of peace without all of the tubes and machines which were removed just after 2:00pm. She was kept comfortable and quickly fell into a deep sleep.

My mother was blessed to not only be Annointed, but she received the Apostolic Pardon from Fr. John a few hours after her second heart attack had left her on the ventilator.

Thank you for all of your prayers, emails, and comments. We have received many graces, remaining strong throughout. My mother undoubtedly is benefitting from the prayers sent her way to help her on her journey. Please keep her in your prayers.

Because we have many relatives out of state who need to travel, and with Fathers's Day approaching, we did not want to have her laid out on Sunday. Friday was too soon, given travel issues. Hence, visitation will be at Bagnasco & Calcaterra funeral home on 15 Mile and Schoenherr in Sterling Heights on Monday night, and she will be buried out of Assumption Grotto in Detroit on Tuesday. Details have to be worked out. Watch the "Current Services Page" at the funeral home website, or check back here for more info. I'll post it when I have it.

Previous post for those catching up...Mother now in critical condition with poor prognosis...

UPDATE: Thank you for the many comments and emails. I will be in and out making arrangements all day so it may take me time to moderate comments.

De Profundis

Out of the depths I have cried to Thee, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice. Let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication. If Thou, O Lord, shalt observe iniquities; Lord, who shall endure it? For with Thee there is merciful forgiveness: and by reason of Thy law, I have waited for Thee, O Lord. My soul hath relied on His word; my soul hath hoped in the Lord. From the morning watch even until night, let Israel hope in the Lord. Because with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him plentiful redemption. And He shall redeem Israel from all her iniquities. Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. Let us pray. O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant to the souls of Thy servants departed the remission of all their sins, that through our pious supplication they may obtain that pardon which they have always desired; who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.

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Mother now in critical condition with poor prognosis...

*CONTINUING UPDATES ADDED AT BOTTOM*

Note: I appreciate the many kind words of support and prayers. I can tell you that we, the family, are receiving many graces to cope with this turn of events, and I know my mother is receiving even more.

I am suspending regular posting for obvious reasons right now, but will try to provide updates daily, or when applicable at the bottom of this post.

******Original Post*******

I'm home for a few minutes and just wanted to provide an update while I was here.

I left the hospital after they transferred my mother to a regular room, hoping she would continue to recover there. However, soon after I got back from 4:00pm Mass at Grotto, she suffered a second heart attack and is now in critical condition.

She has many things that are wrong, among which, are two valves that are leaking, one of them badly. She is not a candidate for surgery given her poor kidney function and low blood pressure.

I am very grateful to Fr. John for not only having come up there yesterday to give her the Anointing, but he came back this evening to give her the Apostolic Pardon. He was as surprised as we were, to see her sudden turn after speaking with her yesterday.

Please keep her, and us, in your prayers at this difficult time.

***Update 1:30am....Her BP came up to a reasonable level and was holding; her heart rate dropped to the upper limits of normal range. We decided to come home and get some rest. I'm so glad I went to 4:00pm afternoon Mass at Grotto on Saturday. All I can say is that she is getting splendid care by the doctors and nurses who are doing all that they can to see if she can pull through this event. If she does, we are led to believe that the valve problem may be helped with some meds.

I trust in the Lord.

***Update June 15, 2009 - 9:44 PM ....... Mom is still holding her own. She has several challenges, but continues to deal with low blood pressure, which they are keeping up out of the danger zone with several meds. They are attempting to ween her off of these to see how she does. It appears she has pancreatitis, perhaps from a new drug she started to bring down her uric acid which was causing chronic, and acute, gout flare-ups. This seems to be improving somewhat. Unfortunately, we learned that after Saturday's 6:00pm heart attack, the heart murmurs have worstened. In fact, all four valves are now "leaking", two of them badly. She cannot have the surgery to repair them. She is still on a respirator which they will attempt to ween her off of as well.

***Update June 15, 2009 - 9:44 PM ..... I provide this update out of love and affection for the many checking in out of care an concern. We are grateful for the prayers and support. Doctors say that Mom's condition is about the same, but in reality, it has worstened. Her body is sending us many messages to let her go and she has told us many times not to leave her connected to machines. Today, we will talk to doctors about how to let her go peacefully and comfortably. Please keep my mother Rose, and all of us in your prayers. We are benefitting greatly from the graces those prayers are bringing, with remarkable strength, unity, and a calm sense of rationality to do the right thing for her. This will probably be my last update in this post.

Remember, O gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help or sought thy intercession was left unaided.

Inspired by this confidence, I fly to thee, O Virgin of Virgins and my Mother; to thee I come, before thee I kneel, sinful and sorrowful; O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy, hear and answer me. Amen.



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Mom in hospital...

Please keep my mother, Rose, in your prayers.

She was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital with difficulty breathing and chest pain, and very low blood pressure.

She is in ICU right now and because her kidney function is poor, they don't want to diagnostic tests that could cause more harm to her. She was stable when I left her and her BP had come back up. If it remains stable, she may be out of ICU on Sunday.

Needless to say, I won't be at the Helpers vigil Saturday, and probably will not be at the Corpus Christi procession at Grotto, both of which I had hoped to photograph.

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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Twitter feed updated...

I have added several items to my twitter feed - mostly re-Tweets (RT's) from others.



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Corpus Christi, Helpers Vigil, and Recent Posts

Sunday: Corpus Christi at Assumption Grotto

This video above was made ahead of last year's Corpus Christi, so the date at the end is no longer valid. Assumption Grotto will hold it's annual Corpus Christi Procession following the Noon orchestral Mass this Sunday. An Italian dinner will be available afterwards in the school gym for a free-will offering.

Saturday: Helpers of God's Precious Infants Vigil

Also, this Saturday is the Helper's of God's Precious Infants Prayer Vigil. See more in this post: Detroit - Helpers Prayer Vigil with Msgr. Philip J. Reilly - founder of Helpers of God's Precious Infants. I have heard Monsignor Reilly speak and if you have ever been hesitant to do pro-life work, you will want to hear this priest speak. It has been several years since he has been to Detroit, so now is the time to attend. Teresa Tomeo interviewed Monsignor Reilly just yesterday and you can listen to the archived audio at Ave Maria Radio.

Tomorrow: Passio Domini at Grotto

This is also a good time to remind local readers about the Thursday night Passio Domini at Assumption Grotto which begins with Holy Mass at 7:00pm, and follows with Exposition, meditations and Rosary until 9:00pm. It is not a time that we look for something from God - like good feelings and consolations, but a time that we give ourselves entirely to God, for his sake, while meditating on his passion.

Today: Abp Carlson's Installation in St. Louis

One final note: Bishop Carlson, formerly of nearby Saginaw, is being installed this morning as the new Archbishop of St. Louis. The Archdiocese of St. Louis will be twittering, and is providing a live feed online of the installation (go to the diocesn website and scroll down for links to live video feed). I understand it will be broadcast on EWTN, as well. Tom Peters, the American Papist, is also Twittering from St. Louis during the installation.

Recent Posts:

• Nashville Dominican's Vocational Video
• Novena to the Sacred Heart begins today - Wednesday, June 10th
• Homily of Archbishop-elect Carlson on eve of his installation at Vespers
• USCCB's website for "Year for Priests"
• NC Register: 10 Reasons They Homeschool....
• Archbishop Vigneron of Detroit Elected to Lead the Univeristy Board of Trustees at CUA
• Coup in NY Senate may end bid to legalize gay, so-called, marriage
• Mexican Daycare Fire kills 40 children; hopsitalizes 33
• McCullough: Why Obama's Elementary Queering Must be Stopped
• Trinity Sunday
• Archdiocese of Detroit: Profiles on New Priests
• New Video of Bishop Schneider on his book, Dominus Est, and an update on the Karaganda cathedral, "Our Lady of Fatima"
• Assumption Grotto on Wikipedia
• Thursday Night Passio Domini, First Fridays, First Saturdays and the Two Hearts
• A bouquet of 700,000 prayers and Masses for 83 bishops
• Photos: First Mass of Rev. Charles White IV - Solemn High Mass - Pentecost 2009
• Video: 50 Year Old Cartoon - Capitalism vs Statism
• New Website for the Cause of Fr. John A. Hardon, SJ

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Nashville Dominican's Vocational Video

A local order of Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which is bursting at it seams, is an offshoot from another house which itself was exploding with vocations: The Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia, or more commonly known as, the Nashville Dominicans.

Msgr. Charles Pope of the Diocese of Washington DC has a good post up on the Nashville Dominicans, along with the video clip I have embedded here.

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Novena to the Sacred Heart begins tomorrow - Wednesday, June 10th

The Feast of the Sacred Heart, which will open the Year for Priests, is June 19th. The novena of the Sacred Heart begins tomorrow - June 10th.

There are many forms of the Novena. This one is found on EWTN's site.

Efficacious Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

I. O my Jesus, you have said: "Truly I say to you, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you." Behold I knock, I seek and ask for the grace of...... (here name your request)
Our Father....Hail Mary....Glory Be to the Father....Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

II. O my Jesus, you have said: "Truly I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you." Behold, in your name, I ask the Father for the grace of.......(here name your request) Our Father...Hail Mary....Glory Be To the Father....Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

III. O my Jesus, you have said: "Truly I say to you, heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away." Encouraged by your infallible words I now ask for the grace of.....(here name your request) Our Father....Hail Mary....Glory Be to the Father...Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, for whom it is impossible not to have compassion on the afflicted, have pity on us miserable sinners and grant us the grace which we ask of you, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, your tender Mother and ours.

Say the Hail, Holy Queen and add: St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus, pray for us.

-- St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

More Info:

• EWTN's page on the Sacred Heart
• Devotion to the Sacred Heart (Opus Angelorum)

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Homily of Archbishop-elect Carlson on eve of his installation at Vespers

Archbishop-elect, Carlson (of Saginaw, MI) delivers a homily on the eve of his installation at Vespers - June 9, 2009 (Archdiocese of St. Louis).

Homily of Abp Carlson on the eve of his installation:

"In a special way I would like to welcome the members of my family, my brother bishops and archbishops, my brother priests and deacons, seminarians, women and men in consecrated life and invited guests from the civic and ecumenical community.

We celebrate this evening prayer on the occasion of the feast of St. Ephrem, a deacon and a doctor of the Church. St. Ephrem was known especially for writing songs to instruct the faithful, and for delivering homilies in verse. Rest assured, I will not attempt to imitate him on those counts!

There is, however, one point on which I would like to imitate him: he showed himself able to adapt to new circumstances. St. Ephrem spent much of his life as a hermit and monk. But near the end of his life left the quiet of the monastery to organize relief efforts for those who were sick and starving during a great famine.

As I now begin my ministry in the Archdiocese of St. Louis, the fourth diocese in which I have been blessed to serve, it is this sense of openness to new challenges and growth in holiness that I ask God to bless me. I ask for your prayers, and promise to pray for all of you as well!

Our reading this evening is taken from the third chapter of the Letter of James. The focus is on speaking and preaching. In the verses before the two we have this evening we are warned to guard our tongue and be aware of human weakness especially in speech. "If we can control what we say, we can control our whole body, James declares... the control of our tongue is the control of our very selves." (The Letter of James, Chapter 3)

As someone who is called to preach, along with my brother priests and deacons, I understand it as both a great privilege and a grave responsibility, which demands prayerful preparation and a sense of my own unworthiness. At the same time, we can never forget, as James states so well, as preachers and teachers the community calls us to a higher standard.

Or, to put it in modern language our actions speak louder than our words. I remember preaching at a youth Mass several years ago and after the service was finished a young man came up and told me what a "hard message I had shared." At first I was rather proud, but later in prayer realized it was a "hard word" and not a loving word because I wasn't living it myself.

...continue reading Abp Carlson's Vesper's Homily at St. Louis Catholic

Tomorrow is the installation. Follow these sources:

• Follow the Archdiocese of St. Louis Twitter feed during the installation Wednesday
• Tom Peters (the American Papist) is in St. Louis and will be Twittering. Follow Tom's Twitter feed during Abp Carlson's installation.

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USCCB's website for "Year for Priests"

As the "Year of St. Paul" comes to a close, Pope Benedict XVI has designated this coming year as the "Year for Priests". It will begin on June 19th, the Feast of the Sacred Heart. Also, St. John Vianney, who was the patron saint of diocesan priests, has been expanded by His Holiness, to include all priests. This is especially endearing to me, having been devoted myself to St. John Vianney since I learned about him when I was in my teens. Priests, especially young priests, have everything to gain by learning about the life and priestly work of the Cure d'Ars, who was dismissed as a nutcase by those whose dissident mold he did not fit. St. John Vianney was indeed a priest's priest.

There are some fascinating stories in the life of the Cure d'ars - St. John Vianney. I plan on sharing some of my favorites in the coming year.

The USCCB has opened a website in anticipation of the Year of the Priest. Do bookmark it and visit it periodically.

- USCCB's website for the Year for Priests

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NC Register: 10 Reasons They Homeschool....

Why do people homeschool? Tim Drake over at the NC Register's blog gives us some clues. Here are some stats:

Delving into the Department of Education’s 2007 and 2003 reports on homeschooling, one can find interesting information. We’ve already reported the news that homeschooling has nearly doubled over the last 8 years, resulting in 1.5 million homeschooled students.

According to the 2007 report, here are the Top 10 Reasons Parents Homeschool:

1. Provide Religious or Moral Instruction
2. Concern about the Environment of other Schools
3. Dissatisfaction with the Academic Instruction Available Elsewhere
4. Child has a Physical or Mental Health Problem
5. Child has other Special Needs
6. Interest in nontraditional approach to education
7. More family time
8. Family finances
9. Ability to travel
10. Distance to school

One statistic is of note. Between 2003 to 2007, the percentage of students whose parents reported homeschooling to provide religious or moral instruction increased from 72 percent to 83 percent. In 2003, that reason came in second, behind Concern about the Environment in other Schools.

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Archbishop Vigneron of Detroit Elected to Lead the Univeristy Board of Trustees at CUA

From the Office of Public Affairs at the Catholic University of America (CUA)

The Very Rev. David M. O’Connell, C.M., president of The Catholic University of America, announced today that the university’s Board of Trustees has elected the Most Rev. Allen H. Vigneron, Archbishop of Detroit and alumnus of CUA, as chairman of the board. The election took place, according to university bylaws, earlier today at the board’s final meeting of the year.

"I have enjoyed my service on the Board of Trustees and look forward to the opportunity to lead my fellow members in the years ahead,” remarked Archbishop Vigneron following the board meeting. "I owe a great debt to Catholic University. It is here where I studied philosophy 20 years ago, an intellectual discipline and experience that has helped me be the bishop I am today.” The archbishop added that, “Catholic University has tremendous potential to serve the Church. In my new capacity, I will do everything I can to advance the school's mission to my brother bishops, to fellow Catholics and beyond."

A native of Detroit, Archbishop Vigneron attended Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit and was ordained to the priesthood in 1975. He went on to study at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, earning a licentiate in sacred theology (S.T.L.) in 1977. Archbishop Vigneron began graduate studies in philosophy at The Catholic University of America, receiving a master’s degree in 1983 and a doctorate in 1987. He returned to his seminary alma mater to teach and was appointed its rector/president in 1994, a position he held until 2003.

Archbishop Vigneron was appointed a prelate of honor by Pope John Paul II with the title “monsignor” in 1994 and was ordained auxiliary bishop of Detroit in 1996. In 2003, Pope John Paul II named him co-adjutor bishop of Oakland, Calif., where, later that same year, he assumed full pastoral responsibilities as bishop of Oakland. He has served as a member of Catholic University’s Board of Trustees since 2003.

“I am delighted that Archbishop Vigneron has accepted his election as chairman of the university’s Board of Trustees,” observed Father O’Connell. “He has been an outstanding and loyal trustee over the years, with a tremendous interest in teaching, scholarly research and the whole academic life of The Catholic University of America, particularly its Catholic identity and mission. I have been impressed by his comments and questions at board meetings and by his profound knowledge of Catholic higher education. He will be a great advocate for CUA as the national university of the Catholic Church in our country. I look forward to working closely with him.”

Father O’Connell expressed his gratitude to all the members of the Board of Trustees for their participation in today’s meeting and, in particular, to Bishop William E. Lori, Bishop of Bridgeport and an alumnus of CUA, who has served as Catholic University’s board chairman for the past eight years. “Bishop Lori has been truly extraordinary in his service to The Catholic University of America,” Father O’Connell remarked. “He has been a model of commitment to a university and of leadership of its governing board.”

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Coup in NY Senate may end bid to legalize gay, so-called, marriage

This is the same story, but presented from different sources, including their respective titles. This one is interesting, folks. I'm sure it is likely to result in some legal battles too..

From LifeSiteNews: Coup in New York State Senate Effectively Ends Same-Sex “Marriage” Bill

ALBANY, New York, June 8, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) – In a dramatic turn of events, key defections from the Democratic Party in New York have placed control of the state senate effectively back in Republican control, likely putting to an end the former Democratic leadership’s bid to legalize same-sex “marriage.”

Two Democratic state senators, Hiram Monserrate of Queens and Pedro Espada of the Bronx, voted with Republicans Monday afternoon to strip control of the Senate away from Majority Leader Malcolm Smith (D-Queens), who had been engaged in building a majority behind closed doors to legalize same-sex “marriage” before the end of the legislative session on June 22.

Around 3 p.m. Sen. Thomas Libous (R-Binghamton) shouted for a roll-call vote before the end of the day’s session demanding a leadership change in the Senate. Espada and Monserrate, both described by North Country Public Radio as “socially conservative” Democrats unhappy with Smith’s leadership, voted along with the GOP, making the margin 32-30.

Just after the final tally, the lights went out in the senate chambers and the in-house television went black. Five minutes later, the power was restored and revealed the deposed Democratic leadership in the Senate replaced by its new authorities.

continue reading at LSN...

Here is Reuters on the same issue, but it sounds less certain how things will end: Coup attempt leaves NY state Senate in disarray

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York state Senate Republicans and two rogue Democrats said they wrested control of the Senate from the Democratic leadership on Monday in an unresolved dispute that had both sides claiming victory.

The chaos threatened to throw a range of pending bills into disarray, including pension reform, New York City's mayoral control of the schools, and gay marriage.

A gay marriage bill has passed the Democrat-led Assembly, but faces a more difficult vote in the Senate regardless of which party is in charge and in spite of Democratic Governor David Paterson's strong support.

The Republicans were attempting to regain control of the state Senate, a last bastion of GOP power in the state of New York that fell into Democratic hands for the first time in decades after the November 2008 elections.

It was part of a larger electoral trend in which the Republicans lost ground in the Northeastern United States in particular.

The drama unfolded as a shouting match erupted on the Senate floor with the Democrats walking out and shutting off the lights and video cameras while the Republicans attempted to replace Democratic Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith.

Republicans said a motion to replace Smith won by a vote of 32 to 30, with two Democrats voting with all 30 Republicans to name Republican Senator Dean Skelos to the post.

Here's Associated Press: GOP, 2 Dems flip power balance in NY senate

Sen. Thomas Libous, a Binghamton Republican, secured a vote to put Sen. George Winner of Elmira in charge of the proceedings after Democratic Sen. Neil Breslin of Albany left the chamber with the other Democrats. Minutes later, Espada and Skelos were elected to their new leadership posts by 32-0 votes with Espada and Monserrate the only Democrats in the chamber.

"This is historic," Libous said in an interview on the floor. "There is going to be reform. You are going to see things that you've never seen in Albany."

Democratic leader Malcolm Smith of Queens, who was elected majority leader in January, referred to the drama as "scurrilous action" by Republicans.

"There was an illegal vote taken," Smith said. "Let me be very clear — very clear — the Senate majority is in Democratic hands." He said he won't reconvene the session until the coalition drops its challenge to the leadership.

The coalition immediately approved a thick new list of rules for governing the chamber. It adjourned until Wednesday, when it plans to return to run the Senate.

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Twitter feed updated...

Just a reminder, I don't have time to make blogposts every day, but I often do update my twitter feed at least once, sometimes several times daily.

I have made several updates today.

It's not practical for me to update Plurk and Facebook when I do a feed update, so many things will be missing from those places.

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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Mexican Daycare Fire kills 40 children; hopsitalizes 33

The death toll from the daycare fire in Mexico, which stands according to the Zenit report, is likely to change with some of the 33 hospitalized children suffering extensive burns. One of those young victims was flown to the Shriners hospital in Sacramento, CA with burns over 80% of her body. Most of those who died, perished from smoke-inhalation.

This was a horrific tragedy that could have been mitigated with multiple exits, but there was only one. Some men had rammed the building with trucks to create openings in an effort to free toddlers and babies.

Pope Benedict XVI offered condolences and prayers.

Pope Comforts Victims of Mexico Daycare Fire

Tragedy Leaves 40 Dead, 33 Hospitalized

VATICAN CITY, JUNE 7, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI sent a message of condolence to the victims of a devastating daycare fire in Hermosillo, Mexico, that left 40 children dead and 33 hospitalized.

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Pope's secretary of state, sent the telegram Saturday on behalf of the Holy Father to Archbishop José Ulises Macías Salcedo of Hermosillo. The Pope expressed his closeness to the parents of the children and hoped for the speedy recovery of those hurt in the accident.

Two more children died today from injuries sustained in Friday's fire at the ABC day care center in the northern Mexican city, raising the death toll to 40.

Desperate attempts were made to evacuate all 142 children, ranging from 6 months to 5 years of age, through the building's only working exit. Thirty-three children remain hospitalized, and 13 are in critical condition, reports Associated Press.

In his telegram, the Pope asked the bishop to communicate his condolences to those affected, "together with spiritual closeness, concern, and wishes for a speedy and total recovery of those injured in the lamentable incident."

The telegram added, "With these sentiments, the Supreme Pontiff, in these moments of sadness, imparts from the heart the comfort of an apostolic blessing, as a sign of comfort and hope in the Risen Lord."

Please keep the suffering victims and families in your prayers.


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McCullough: Why Obama's Elementary Queering Must be Stopped

Yet another disturbing appointment is taking place by the Obama administration - that of Kevin Jennings to the Department of Education. I can assure you, that if ALL of the mainstream media outlets were to release this information, the public would see just how out of step Obama is with mainstream America. This needs a floodlight on it!

Here are a few excerpts from Kevin McCullough's piece at Townhall: Why Obama's Elementary Queering Must be Stopped. It's important to note that "Elementary Queering" comes from the title of a book - "Queering Elementary" for which Kevin Jennings wrote the foreword.

I'm snipping quite a bit out here, so you may want to read the entire article. Emphases mine in bold; comments bracketed in red. McCullough says that while President Obama was in Cairo...

...his administration was carrying out an even more sinister agenda.....[snip]...he stealthily put forward a nominee who refused to report a sexual relationship where a man was molesting a school age boy, even though the law required him to do so. [We see an example of double standards. Where is the media? If this were a Catholic priest, the left would be all over it. I don't think we will see a hint of this in the Obama media outlets. Keep in mind that sexual abuse by those in school systems is reportedly 100x that of priests, and the administration wants to put someone with this guy's track record at the top of the Department of Education?]

....Kevin Jennings is not just your normal activist nominee. He is a firm advocate of mandated affirmation of approval of homosexual actions by school children, and to this end, his involvement with the GLSEN's "Day of Silence" has moved them to go beyond that to demand "Queer Proms" in the local public schools, and to lobby for legislation in each state to change the definition of marriage to make it mean something it has never meant. [And you can look for a legislative assault on homeschooling, which is increasing as these things get pushed].

Now, this part is important. It is one thing to halt harassment and violence against any class of people. What we are talking about in this article, is planting the seeds of sex and same sex attraction (SSA) into the minds of young children, who shouldn't be forced into thinking about sexuality at their age. It's bad enough that they are being robbed of their innocence with all of the sexually explicit content at grocery checkouts, billboards, TV commercials, and related. This guy wants to push sexual activity in young children.

With Jennings' support, the GLSEN chapter in Connecticut has begun pushing not just for "tolerance" or "acceptance" of those who choose to engage in homosexuality in the public schools, but they have actually created an "activity" for the school systems which pushes "positive levels of attitude" such as mandated "admiration" and "nurturance."

Have you seen enough yet? Remember, this is Obama's choice to head the Department of Education. Here's an idea of what Jennings wants your child to learn....

In his past, Jennings has left quite a swath of destructive choices as well. He authored the forward for the book titled Queering Elementary which argues for the teaching of sexual "identity" (what you could easily call "indoctrination", "initiation", or "brainwashing") to the children in the elementary education stage of life. The book is so disturbing that it reportedly includes a description of how to "properly" teach a seven year old girl to masturbate.

What? So, the new pick for Department of Education by the Obama Administration wants to teach children to perform acts that the Catechism of the Catholic Church calls objectively, gravely sinful? This says nothing of how parents rights are violated. Talk about violating the innocence of our youth! Whatever happened to the three "R's"?

That's it.... I can't take anymore of the article. I advise all concerned parents, and others, to read the entire article and start contacting news outlets and the appropriate government office, including the White House to voice your disapproval. Don't forget the media. They ought to be flooded, especially those who are providing cover for Obama and his administration's agenda, which is out of step with mainstream America.

Update at 7:30pm...An article in the Washington Times gives a little more detail about the position Jennings will take at the Dept of Education.

The Obama administration has made several efforts in recent weeks to accommodate gay Americans by making little-noticed appointments , announcements and policy changes at federal agencies. [because the mainstream media is not bothering to inform the American public of things that will drop Obama's favorability ratings. Rather, they are providing cover for Obama on things like this]

Kevin Jennings, an activist who worked to create "safe spaces" for gay students at schools, has been selected by the Obama administration to become assistant deputy secretary of the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools inside the Department of Education.

Additionally, Tony Perkins at Family Research Council writes:

We expected liberal appointments to executive positions in an Obama administration, but it was still startling to learn that Education Secretary Arne Duncan had actually appointed Kevin Jennings, founder of the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), to be Assistant Deputy Secretary for the Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools. GLSEN is the chief national advocacy group promoting policies to force affirmation of homosexuality in schools, beginning in kindergarten. Jennings wrote the foreword for a book, "Queering Elementary Education," which among other things praises teaching masturbation to a 7-year-old girl. He has spoken publicly about a high school student he once counseled who was in a sexual relationship with an older man--yet Jennings never reported this abuse to the authorities, the school, or the child's parents. GLSEN makes much of eliminating name-calling and bullying toward students believed to be homosexual--but Jennings does not set a very good example in how he treats those who disagree with him. In a speech in a New York church in 2000, he declared, "We have to quit being afraid of the religious right. . . . I'm trying not to say, '[F---] 'em!' which is what I want to say, because I don't care what they think! [audience laughter] Drop dead!" This is completely inconsistent with the tone President Obama has said he wants to set, and Jennings' appointment should be withdrawn.

Further Reading

• Groups challenge Obama administration to remove Jennings (WND)
• Homosexual Activist/ Anti-Christian Bigot Appointed (Catholic Online)
  
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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!

Trinity Sunday

Pope St Clement Adoring the Trinity by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (1696-1770) Oil on canvas, 1737-1738192 1/8 x 100 3/4 inches (488 x 256 cm) Alte Pinakothek, Munich

Today is Trinity Sunday.

The first Sunday after Pentecost, instituted to honour the Most Holy Trinity. In the early Church no special Office or day was assigned for the Holy Trinity. When the Arian heresy was spreading the Fathers prepared an Office with canticles, responses, a Preface, and hymns, to be recited on Sundays. In the Sacramentary of St. Gregory the Great (P.L., LXXVIII, 116) there are prayers and the Preface of the Trinity. The Micrologies (P.L., CLI, 1020), written during the pontificate of Gregory VII (Nilles, II, 460), call the Sunday after Pentecost a Dominica vacans, with no special Office, but add that in some places they recited the Office of the Holy Trinity composed by Bishop Stephen of Liège (903-20) By other the Office was said on the Sunday before Advent. Alexander II (1061-1073), not III (Nilles, 1. c.), refused a petition for a special feast on the plea, that such a feast was not customary in the Roman Church which daily honoured the Holy Trinity by the Gloria, Patri, etc., but he did not forbid the celebration where it already existed. John XXII (1316-1334) ordered the feast for the entire Church on the first Sunday after Pentecost. A new Office had been made by the Franciscan John Peckham, Canon of Lyons, later Archbishop of Canterbury (d. 1292). The feast ranked as a double of the second class but was raised to the dignity of a primary of the first class, 24 July 1911, by Pius X (Acta Ap. Sedis, III, 351). The Greeks have no special feast. Since it was after the first great Pentecost that the doctrine of the Trinity was proclaimed to the world, the feast becomingly follows that of Pentecost.

Also, from the Catholic Encyclopedia on the Holy Trinity

The Trinity is the term employed to signify the central doctrine of the Christian religion -- the truth that in the unity of the Godhead there are Three Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, these Three Persons being truly distinct one from another.

Thus, in the words of the Athanasian Creed: "the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God, and yet there are not three Gods but one God." In this Trinity of Persons the Son is begotten of the Father by an eternal generation, and the Holy Spirit proceeds by an eternal procession from the Father and the Son. Yet, notwithstanding this difference as to origin, the Persons are co-eternal and co-equal: all alike are uncreated and omnipotent. This, the Church teaches, is the revelation regarding God's nature which Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came upon earth to deliver to the world: and which she proposes to man as the foundation of her whole dogmatic system.

I can't help but think about a certain priest on this day. Fr. Val Rykowski who passed away early this spring was particularly devoted to the Holy Trinity. He is seen, with Bishop Athanasius Schneider of Karaganda, Kazakhstan, when he visited metro-Detroit last year.

Related Links:

• Catechism of the Catholic Church on the Trinity
• Fr. John Hardon on the Trinity (including discussion of heresies regarding the Trinity)
• St. Augustine on the Trinity (Catholic Encyclopedia)
  
  

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The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!