Benedict XVI Tells Why He Chose Cardinal Bertone
For Pastoral and Doctrinal Skills, He Says in Letter
VATICAN CITY, JUNE 23, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the newly appointed Vatican secretary of state, is able "to combine pastoral care and doctrinal preparation," Benedict XVI said in a letter explaining his decision.
The letter, sent to the Archdiocese of Genoa, of which the cardinal has been pastor for three years, was published today by the Vatican press office.
On Sept. 15, Cardinal Bertone, 71, will replace Cardinal Angelo Sodano, 78, who presented his resignation for reasons of age.
In his letter, Benedict XVI wrote: "In these three years, in which he has led the Church that is in Genoa, you have learned to appreciate the qualities that make him a faithful pastor, particularly able to combine pastoral care with doctrinal preparation.
"These characteristics, united to reciprocal knowledge and trust, matured in the years of joint service in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, have led me to choose him for the high and delicate task at the service of the universal Church, in the Holy See."
Cardinal Bertone, in a message sent to his diocese, said that this appointment is "a Copernican revolution" for him.
"As a Salesian and a man of the Church," the cardinal added, "I am accustomed to obedience."
Cardinal Bertone added: "I have loved this Church and I have dedicated my heart and exhaustion to it for three years -- the weekly agenda of the archbishop demonstrates it. Now I am called to Rome: As always, I obey and thank Benedict XVI for the trust that he again offers his former collaborator.
"I pray to the Lord to be faithful and support the Pope in this promising stage of new evangelization."
ZE06062305
Saturday, June 24, 2006
Friday, June 23, 2006
Holy Mass on the Feast of the Sacred Heart
I am able to bring you some photos of the Mass which took place at 7:00pm at Assumption Grotto. Considering that it was not a holy day of obligation, attendance was good at about 75-100 (including about 25 in the choir loft). People had two other Masses to choose from - the 7:30am and 8:30am, as with any weekday. Quite a few choir members were out or away, but we did ok considering a last minute switch in the music to accomodate the lower numbers.
There is something about this scene when you are in the church. The lights are out, and the only light you see is within the sanctuary, or daylight peaking through the stained glass. This is the finest setting for mental prayer, or any kind of prayer. The picture was taken at around 6:15pm as I was setting up before choir practice.
There is something about this scene when you are in the church. The lights are out, and the only light you see is within the sanctuary, or daylight peaking through the stained glass. This is the finest setting for mental prayer, or any kind of prayer. The picture was taken at around 6:15pm as I was setting up before choir practice.
Mass begins. The celebrant is wearing the Sacred Heart on his vestment.
"Et incarnatus est..." Bowing is explained in a previous post.
Altar boys assisting the priest as we head into the Eucharistic Prayer.
More pictures tomorrow or Sunday, including the ever-beautiful, "Elevation". We were blessed to have Benediction outdoors, just as we do on Sundays, but it was geared towards the Sacred Heart. I'll be bringing pictures of that, as well, in the coming days.
I should probably have mentioned that if you ever come to an evening feast day Mass, it is likely going to be celebrated mostly, or partially, in Latin. If you are not aquainted with Grotto, there are little gray Mass booklets which guide you through the Mass, and solid translations are on the opposite page. If you see a little, white, rectangular basket on the altar rail near the center on either side, they are in there, and sometimes on the stand where the gifts are placed in the center aisle. Follow along as it can be an eye-opening experience if you glance back and forth at the good translations on the facing page as you read the Latin.
I must admit, that the words of the Eucharistic prayers used (there are 4), but I have never paid attention to them, until I started attending the Latin Mass and reading along, while glancing at the opposite page. Soon you start to connect certain words with meanings, as well. But, I began to dive deeper into the Mass, aided by the need to read what was going on.
I can understand how some would prefer not to have to work so hard to know what is going on and have everything in the vernacular. However, can you imagine being in an international setting, with dozens of ethnicities and nationalities present, all capable of singing the Pater Noster in Latin?
Wall Street Journal Article on New Mass Translations
H/T to The Phoenix
HOUSES OF WORSHIP
The Language of Prayer
New changes to the Mass will make it closer to the original.
BY MICHAEL P. FOLEY
Friday, June 23, 2006 12:01 a.m. EDT
Last week the U.S. Catholic bishops overwhelmingly approved changes to the wording of the Mass that will significantly affect how Roman Catholics pray. Instead of an expected split vote, the bishops deliberated for only 20 minutes before deciding 173-23 in favor of a new English translation of the Latin Order of the Mass.
The bishops' decision follows decades of displeasure with the current English translation. Drafted in 1970 by the International Committee on English in the Liturgy and in use ever since, the translation has been criticized as banal, uninspiring and inaccurate (one fastidious Latinist counted over 400 errors in the ordinary parts of the Mass alone). A rather straightforward response such as "and with your spirit" (et cum spiritu tuo) was rendered, "and also with you," while entire phrases were omitted or even inserted. In the Roman canon, for example, "a pure Victim . . . a spotless Victim" was ignored and "We come to you Father with praise and thanksgiving" added, the effect being that even the holiest part of the Mass seems more focused on us than on the Sacrifice.
It is difficult to believe that these errors were not intentional (no other translation--Spanish, German, Italian--has had such extensive problems), and indeed, according to some insiders, the committee's decisions were ideologically driven. The Rev. Stephen Somerville, one of the original members of ICEL's Advisory Board, apologized in 2002 for "the bold mistranslations" that "weaken[ed] the Latin Catholic liturgy."
Other former ICEL members have been less contrite. After the Vatican began to address the problem in 2001 with Liturgiam authenticam, its document on the principles of sound translation, Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk direly prognosticated a "liturgical winter." John Page, a former executive secretary of ICEL, criticized the new procedures for not bringing "the wider Church into the conversation," a curious remark given ICEL's own notoriety for ignoring decades of complaints from pleb and prelate alike.
Today opponents of the new translation cite concern over the effects the changes will have on congregations, which have grown accustomed to ICEL's old renderings. While change can certainly be destabilizing, there is a difference between changing in order to move away from tradition and changing in order to return to it. And it is odd for those who pushed for a radical shift in 1970 to be now making the same arguments about continuity their detractors once did.
The current controversy is also interesting because it reveals a fundamental misunderstanding over the nature of liturgical language. The Rev. Lawrence J. Madden, director of the Georgetown Center for Liturgy, dislikes the new and more accurate translation because "It isn't the English we speak. It's becoming more sacred English, rather than vernacular English."
Yet that is precisely the point. When Vatican II permitted translations of the Mass in 1963, it spoke of translating into the "mother tongue," not into everyday speech. Contrary to widespread belief, there has never been a tradition of the vernacular in Christian liturgy, if by "vernacular" you mean the language we speak on the street. Many of the earliest Masses were offered in a language the congregation could understand, but not in the language that could be heard in the marketplace. Before a native language was used in divine worship, it was first "sacralized"--its syntax and diction were gingerly modified, archaisms were deliberately re-introduced and even new rhythmic meters and cadences were invented. All of this was done in order to produce a distinctive mode of communication, one that was separate from garden-variety vernacular speech and capable of relaying the unique mysteries of the Gospel.
Thus, if English is to convey sacred mysteries, there should be a "sacred English." The very word we use for everyday speech, "profane," comes from pro-fano, "outside the temple." If Catholics wish to make the world Christ's temple, as Pope Benedict recently put it, they must first be careful not to make Christ's temple the world.
While the bishops made important progress last week, their improvements fell short of the ideal. Approximately 60 of the proposed changes were rejected, we are told, including the recommendation to replace the nebulous line in the Nicene Creed "one in being with the Father" with the more precise "consubstantial with the Father." According to one report the bishops kept the former version because "'consubstantial' is a theological expression requiring explanation." Quite so, but isn't explaining theological expressions one of the reasons we have priests and bishops?
Since the process is far from over (it could take years before final implementation), Rome may yet prevail in convincing the American liturgical establishment to leave more of its street talk at the temple door. In the meantime, Catholics jaded with all this tinkering to the Mass can be grateful that at least some changes are for the better.
Mr. Foley is a professor of patristics at Baylor University and the author of "Why Do Catholics Eat Fish on Friday?" (Palgrave Macmillan, 2005).
Source-Wall Street Journal
HOUSES OF WORSHIP
The Language of Prayer
New changes to the Mass will make it closer to the original.
BY MICHAEL P. FOLEY
Friday, June 23, 2006 12:01 a.m. EDT
Last week the U.S. Catholic bishops overwhelmingly approved changes to the wording of the Mass that will significantly affect how Roman Catholics pray. Instead of an expected split vote, the bishops deliberated for only 20 minutes before deciding 173-23 in favor of a new English translation of the Latin Order of the Mass.
The bishops' decision follows decades of displeasure with the current English translation. Drafted in 1970 by the International Committee on English in the Liturgy and in use ever since, the translation has been criticized as banal, uninspiring and inaccurate (one fastidious Latinist counted over 400 errors in the ordinary parts of the Mass alone). A rather straightforward response such as "and with your spirit" (et cum spiritu tuo) was rendered, "and also with you," while entire phrases were omitted or even inserted. In the Roman canon, for example, "a pure Victim . . . a spotless Victim" was ignored and "We come to you Father with praise and thanksgiving" added, the effect being that even the holiest part of the Mass seems more focused on us than on the Sacrifice.
It is difficult to believe that these errors were not intentional (no other translation--Spanish, German, Italian--has had such extensive problems), and indeed, according to some insiders, the committee's decisions were ideologically driven. The Rev. Stephen Somerville, one of the original members of ICEL's Advisory Board, apologized in 2002 for "the bold mistranslations" that "weaken[ed] the Latin Catholic liturgy."
Other former ICEL members have been less contrite. After the Vatican began to address the problem in 2001 with Liturgiam authenticam, its document on the principles of sound translation, Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk direly prognosticated a "liturgical winter." John Page, a former executive secretary of ICEL, criticized the new procedures for not bringing "the wider Church into the conversation," a curious remark given ICEL's own notoriety for ignoring decades of complaints from pleb and prelate alike.
Today opponents of the new translation cite concern over the effects the changes will have on congregations, which have grown accustomed to ICEL's old renderings. While change can certainly be destabilizing, there is a difference between changing in order to move away from tradition and changing in order to return to it. And it is odd for those who pushed for a radical shift in 1970 to be now making the same arguments about continuity their detractors once did.
The current controversy is also interesting because it reveals a fundamental misunderstanding over the nature of liturgical language. The Rev. Lawrence J. Madden, director of the Georgetown Center for Liturgy, dislikes the new and more accurate translation because "It isn't the English we speak. It's becoming more sacred English, rather than vernacular English."
Yet that is precisely the point. When Vatican II permitted translations of the Mass in 1963, it spoke of translating into the "mother tongue," not into everyday speech. Contrary to widespread belief, there has never been a tradition of the vernacular in Christian liturgy, if by "vernacular" you mean the language we speak on the street. Many of the earliest Masses were offered in a language the congregation could understand, but not in the language that could be heard in the marketplace. Before a native language was used in divine worship, it was first "sacralized"--its syntax and diction were gingerly modified, archaisms were deliberately re-introduced and even new rhythmic meters and cadences were invented. All of this was done in order to produce a distinctive mode of communication, one that was separate from garden-variety vernacular speech and capable of relaying the unique mysteries of the Gospel.
Thus, if English is to convey sacred mysteries, there should be a "sacred English." The very word we use for everyday speech, "profane," comes from pro-fano, "outside the temple." If Catholics wish to make the world Christ's temple, as Pope Benedict recently put it, they must first be careful not to make Christ's temple the world.
While the bishops made important progress last week, their improvements fell short of the ideal. Approximately 60 of the proposed changes were rejected, we are told, including the recommendation to replace the nebulous line in the Nicene Creed "one in being with the Father" with the more precise "consubstantial with the Father." According to one report the bishops kept the former version because "'consubstantial' is a theological expression requiring explanation." Quite so, but isn't explaining theological expressions one of the reasons we have priests and bishops?
Since the process is far from over (it could take years before final implementation), Rome may yet prevail in convincing the American liturgical establishment to leave more of its street talk at the temple door. In the meantime, Catholics jaded with all this tinkering to the Mass can be grateful that at least some changes are for the better.
Mr. Foley is a professor of patristics at Baylor University and the author of "Why Do Catholics Eat Fish on Friday?" (Palgrave Macmillan, 2005).
Source-Wall Street Journal
Prayer Vigil at two Abortion Clinics Tomorrow
Just a reminder....
Prayer Vigil for Life-Helpers of God
Precious Infants, Saturday, June 24th,
7:30 am Mass at St. Raymonds, celebrated
by Bishop Schoenherr, Rosary in front of
two abortion clinics on 8 Mile,
Benediction and refreshments at
Assumption Grotto after.
I have been unable to find a website for the local chapter of Helpers of God's Precious Infants, but can lead you to these other resources:
1998 Newsletter
Chicago Chapter
Brooklyn NY - (careful on dialup as there is a video playing right out of the shoot)
HGPI Blog - St. Francis of Assisi chapter
Folks, this is non-confrontational. There is no protesting, no jail, no judging of those entering the clinic - just prayer for the baby, as well as the mother, the father, the abortionist, and workers.
Follow through with Benediction at the Grotto, which is right down the road.!!! Just ask anyone there how to get there, if you've not been. Organizers will probably explain at the end.
This is your chance to do something positive for the unborn. Bring your family and pray all four sets of mysteries of the Rosary as we process to the two clinics, singing Marian Hymns in between decades.
Last time I went there were about 250 people out there.
And, the good Lord is providing us with great weather!
Prayer Vigil for Life-Helpers of God
Precious Infants, Saturday, June 24th,
7:30 am Mass at St. Raymonds, celebrated
by Bishop Schoenherr, Rosary in front of
two abortion clinics on 8 Mile,
Benediction and refreshments at
Assumption Grotto after.
I have been unable to find a website for the local chapter of Helpers of God's Precious Infants, but can lead you to these other resources:
1998 Newsletter
Chicago Chapter
Brooklyn NY - (careful on dialup as there is a video playing right out of the shoot)
HGPI Blog - St. Francis of Assisi chapter
Folks, this is non-confrontational. There is no protesting, no jail, no judging of those entering the clinic - just prayer for the baby, as well as the mother, the father, the abortionist, and workers.
Follow through with Benediction at the Grotto, which is right down the road.!!! Just ask anyone there how to get there, if you've not been. Organizers will probably explain at the end.
This is your chance to do something positive for the unborn. Bring your family and pray all four sets of mysteries of the Rosary as we process to the two clinics, singing Marian Hymns in between decades.
Last time I went there were about 250 people out there.
And, the good Lord is providing us with great weather!
Corpus Christi 2006 - Photos from Grotto - Post 6
This is the final post in a series of six, bringing you photos of Corpus Christi procession at Assumption Grotto in Detroit. I may occassionally bring in a bonus photo. Along with the Easter Season 2006 Photo Disk, I will make one available of Corpus Christi and Memorial Day through the Assumption Grotto Giftshop and Cafe. As predicted, there are just over 100 photos of this event alone in the final collection.
You can really see in some of these later pictures how the wind was kicking up. There was an 80% chance of thundershowers, and some places got hit very hard, but we were free to process without any such disturbance.
These next two are really dark, but I did not have a remote cable to take without flash. I use no flash during Mass, but I snuck a few off with it since it was not a Mass, and since it would have been totally impossible without a fixed tripod and cable snapper.
Corpus Christi 2006 Post 5
You can really see in some of these later pictures how the wind was kicking up. There was an 80% chance of thundershowers, and some places got hit very hard, but we were free to process without any such disturbance.
Jesus heading towards the Church
If you wonder how there can be prayers said and songs sung in unison with hundreds of people outdoors - here you go: Two guys and two remote speakers, strategically positioned as we moved from altar to altar. Thanks guys!
Jesus enters the Church!
These next two are really dark, but I did not have a remote cable to take without flash. I use no flash during Mass, but I snuck a few off with it since it was not a Mass, and since it would have been totally impossible without a fixed tripod and cable snapper.
Psalm 62: 2-3O God, my God, to thee do I watch at break of day. For thee my soul hath thirsted; for thee my flesh, O how many ways! 3 In a desert land, and where there is no way, and no water: so in the sanctuary have I come before thee, to see thy power and thy glory.
Corpus Christi 2006 Post 5
Twenty-One Days of Prayers for Priests: Day 14
Today we get a series of short prayers for priests.
14. Short Prayers for Priests
O Jesus, Savior of the world, sanctify your priests and seminarians.
Lord Our God, in order to govern your people you willed to unite yourself to the ministry of priests. Grant them the grace of accepting your holy will so that, in their ministry and in their life, they may seek only your glory. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
O God, give us holy priests to celebrate the Sacrifice of Salvation, to give sinners the consolation of pardon and thirsting souls the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Lord, grant us many and holy priests.
Grant us holy priests to console those who suffer, to remind all that we are brothers, to bless our homes, our work, our fields so that your kingdom may extend to all souls.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, grant your Church many and holy priests. Queen of the Apostles, pray for us.
About the Prayer for Priests Series
Spiritual Adoption of Priests through Opus Angelorum
More about the need to pray for priests, along with prayers.
Help one priest to receive graces from God through your prayers, and you help everyone with whom the priest has contact - actually and spiritually.
14. Short Prayers for Priests
O Jesus, Savior of the world, sanctify your priests and seminarians.
Lord Our God, in order to govern your people you willed to unite yourself to the ministry of priests. Grant them the grace of accepting your holy will so that, in their ministry and in their life, they may seek only your glory. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
O God, give us holy priests to celebrate the Sacrifice of Salvation, to give sinners the consolation of pardon and thirsting souls the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Lord, grant us many and holy priests.
Grant us holy priests to console those who suffer, to remind all that we are brothers, to bless our homes, our work, our fields so that your kingdom may extend to all souls.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, grant your Church many and holy priests. Queen of the Apostles, pray for us.
And today is the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, so we especially pray that last one today!
About the Prayer for Priests Series
Spiritual Adoption of Priests through Opus Angelorum
More about the need to pray for priests, along with prayers.
Help one priest to receive graces from God through your prayers, and you help everyone with whom the priest has contact - actually and spiritually.
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Good news out of Saginaw....
Well, the news is good for those reading this blog, at least.
The ground was heard shaking over there in the neighboring diocese of Saginaw. That was Bishop Carlson just churning the soil one more time to prepare for the new crop.
Rocco Palma covers the story in his blog as follows:
Thursday, June 22, 2006
From Carlson Country
I'm told to "prepare for the gnashing and wailing of teeth beginning tomorrow in Saginaw...."
A friend briefs that, in the Michigan diocese, Bishop Robert Carlson is "publishing a pastoral letter (being sent to all homes in the diocese) about his directives for implementation" of the General Instruction on the Roman Missal.
Word is that some highlights are:- A clarified, standard recipe for Eucharistic bread- Firm directives on who can and cannot preach [as many of you know, this has been an issue in the diocese]- All parishes must have kneelers by 2009.
Nothing too odd, no? At least, not to these ears.
The ground was heard shaking over there in the neighboring diocese of Saginaw. That was Bishop Carlson just churning the soil one more time to prepare for the new crop.
Rocco Palma covers the story in his blog as follows:
Thursday, June 22, 2006
From Carlson Country
I'm told to "prepare for the gnashing and wailing of teeth beginning tomorrow in Saginaw...."
A friend briefs that, in the Michigan diocese, Bishop Robert Carlson is "publishing a pastoral letter (being sent to all homes in the diocese) about his directives for implementation" of the General Instruction on the Roman Missal.
Word is that some highlights are:- A clarified, standard recipe for Eucharistic bread- Firm directives on who can and cannot preach [as many of you know, this has been an issue in the diocese]- All parishes must have kneelers by 2009.
Nothing too odd, no? At least, not to these ears.
New Secretary of State at the Vatican: Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone
We knew it was coming...Incoming Secretary of State at the Vatican: Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. On September 15, 2006, he will be replacing the outgoing, Cardinal Angelo Sodano who is retiring at age 78.
Gerald Augustinus brings us an article out of the UK which labels Cardinal Bertone as a "hardliner". They are probably the same ones who said this about Pope Benedict who has been as gentle as a lamb in most of what he has done. I'll be honest, the very things the Times of London is complaining about, are things that make me happy!
The Fr. Zulhsdorf School of Translation
Fr. Z - he's at it again. When we say this, you gotta know someone is getting "schooled".
He publicly addresses a Catholic who wrote into a local newspaper about her feelings on the translations sumitted by the USCCB to the Holy See.
The sad part is that too many people within the Church itself have brought on the apparent misunderstandings of the Mass and words used in it. Catechesis is sorely needed. Way too many Catholics, including yours truly until last year, confused the Sacrifice of the Mass with something that was meant to make ME feel good.
It's going to be difficult in some circles to get authentic catechesis to the masses, who simply haven't yet received the desire, through grace, to read the catechism, scripture, or resources on the liturgy, but come to Mass each Sunday, or are C & E Catholics. God may be sending the graces to them, but they may not be receiving it, or acting on them, for whatever reason. In some cases, its because the shepherd charged with their care is disoriented, perhaps through no fault of his own, but wayward seminary training. Thus, an endless cycle of confused and disoriented Catholics.
I have more hope for the future because this new generation of priests has access to things the last did not. TV gives them access to people like Fr. John Corapi, Fr. Benedict Groeschel and Fr. Mitch Pacwa among others. The internet gives them unlimited access to unlimited resources of authentic Catholicism. They simply aren't buying much of the baloney passed off as "teaching", but are proving to be nothing more than "strange teachings".
I'll get you started....
“What does it even mean?”
CATEGORY: SESSIUNCULUM — Fr. John Zuhlsdorf @ 6:17 pm
Thanks to Amy Welborn for the following… at least I think, thanks. Not sure, really. I was more than a little irritated when I first read this, but I am over it now. In the The Floridian there is a gushy piece by a pious member of the faithful, AMY HOLLYFIELD, victimized by the decision of the meanie bishops who have submitted their new English translation to Rome. You can almost imagine Thomas Reese, SJ, and His Excellency Donald W. Trautman as ghost writers. Let’s get to the piece. This is entitled "Lost In Translation", thought I suspect the authoress would be lost in pretty much any translation if you come right down to it. Here goes… I will annotate.
Sound familiar? This is the Chair’s argument! "We’ve been doing this for SIXTEEN WHOLE YEARS! We CAN’T change now!"
Aaaaaaaaand…. the Blessed Sacrament? Jesus? And is there also a Sacrifice to participate in?
continue reading, "the schooling...."
He publicly addresses a Catholic who wrote into a local newspaper about her feelings on the translations sumitted by the USCCB to the Holy See.
The sad part is that too many people within the Church itself have brought on the apparent misunderstandings of the Mass and words used in it. Catechesis is sorely needed. Way too many Catholics, including yours truly until last year, confused the Sacrifice of the Mass with something that was meant to make ME feel good.
It's going to be difficult in some circles to get authentic catechesis to the masses, who simply haven't yet received the desire, through grace, to read the catechism, scripture, or resources on the liturgy, but come to Mass each Sunday, or are C & E Catholics. God may be sending the graces to them, but they may not be receiving it, or acting on them, for whatever reason. In some cases, its because the shepherd charged with their care is disoriented, perhaps through no fault of his own, but wayward seminary training. Thus, an endless cycle of confused and disoriented Catholics.
I have more hope for the future because this new generation of priests has access to things the last did not. TV gives them access to people like Fr. John Corapi, Fr. Benedict Groeschel and Fr. Mitch Pacwa among others. The internet gives them unlimited access to unlimited resources of authentic Catholicism. They simply aren't buying much of the baloney passed off as "teaching", but are proving to be nothing more than "strange teachings".
I'll get you started....
“What does it even mean?”
CATEGORY: SESSIUNCULUM — Fr. John Zuhlsdorf @ 6:17 pm
Thanks to Amy Welborn for the following… at least I think, thanks. Not sure, really. I was more than a little irritated when I first read this, but I am over it now. In the The Floridian there is a gushy piece by a pious member of the faithful, AMY HOLLYFIELD, victimized by the decision of the meanie bishops who have submitted their new English translation to Rome. You can almost imagine Thomas Reese, SJ, and His Excellency Donald W. Trautman as ghost writers. Let’s get to the piece. This is entitled "Lost In Translation", thought I suspect the authoress would be lost in pretty much any translation if you come right down to it. Here goes… I will annotate.
I haven’t been saying the words all my life.
Just 16 of my 35 years.
Sound familiar? This is the Chair’s argument! "We’ve been doing this for SIXTEEN WHOLE YEARS! We CAN’T change now!"
Hmmm… "Charity, Joy, Peace, Patience…." etc. Just savor that word "devout" here. That provides justification for all the emotion that follows.But I am as confused, disappointed and, well, angry, as any devout Roman
Catholic I know.
Mass is the starting point for my week. A renewal that I participate in. The
words, the music, the people - they ground me.
Aaaaaaaaand…. the Blessed Sacrament? Jesus? And is there also a Sacrifice to participate in?
continue reading, "the schooling...."
Corpus Christi 2006 - Photos from Grotto - Post 5
This is the fourth outdoor altar and the last before we returned to the Church where we began. It was getting mighty gray outside. Keep in mind, Fr. Perrone thumbed his nose at the "80% chance of thundershowers" predicted for early afternoon, moving forward with having all the altars set up very early in the morning. It brings back recollections to the many mornings he went forward with his 7:30am outdoor daily Mass at the Grotto, in spite of rainy predictions. It always seemed to hold off until Mass was done. At the worst, a few drops fell one time, but waited until we were done and all was put away. Sometimes, I think he has connections with the Weather Controller Himself! I know it rained elsewhere locally that Sunday, but I didn't see much of it.
Benediction at the fourth outdoor altar!
The Knights carrying the canopy did not want to step on the elaborate decoration made by the sisters, but pastor, Fr. Perrone, waved them to go ahead and do what they had to get Jesus back "under the tent".
Jesus is heading back to Church from the fourth outdoor altar.
Jesus "waits" as all the faithful gathered at the fourth outdoor altar, move on ahead, processing before Him into the Church.
Note one altar boy facing the Blessed Sacrament as he incenses, while the other is facing forward - a continuous process through the route.
More pictures tomorrow, if Blogger cooperates!
Twenty-One Days of Prayers for Priests: Day 13
Resuming our Prayers for Priests series, we finally come upon day 13. The prayer is for Thursdays and is brought to us by Pope Pius the XII. All prayers featured are coming from the booklet, Chalice of Strength which is a compilation of prayers we can use to pray for priests.
13. Prayer for Thursday
O Jesus, Eternal Pontiff, Good Shepherd and Fountain of life, who by the special goodness of your Most Sweet Heart, have given us priests to fulfill in us the designs of sanctification which your grace inspires in our hearts, we ask you: come to their aid with the assistance of your mercy.
O Jesus, may they have in their labors a lively faith; in trials an unwavering trust; in their decisions a burning charity.
Grant that your Word, the irradiation of the Eternal Wisdom, may become through continuous meditation the never failing nourishment of their interior life. Let the example of your life and passion animate their actions and sustain them in their suffering, so that they may teach, enlighten and comfort us in our sorrows. Lord, grant our priests the grace of detachment from purely worldly concerns. Let them be first and foremost solicitous for your glory and keep them faithful to their duties.
Keep them pure in conscience till their last breath, so that when death comes to the body, they may place into your hands their mission faithfully accomplished so that they may find in you, Lord Jesus Christ, who on earth were their Master, the prize of the Crown of Justice, in the glory of the saints. Amen. -Pope Pius XII
About the Prayer for Priests Series
Spiritual Adoption of Priests through Opus Angelorum
More about the need to pray for priests, along with prayers.
Help one priest to receive graces from God through your prayers, and you help everyone with whom the priest has contact - actually and spiritually.
IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT SPIRITUAL ADOPTION:
The Sisters who handle the spiritual adoption process assign new priests to those within the prayer network each year on the Feast of the Sacred Heart. Contact them now to begin praying for a priest using the link for spiritual adoption above.
But, even if you don't read this until after Sacred Heart, don't hesitate to write to them anyway and ask for priest to pray for. You can also submit the name of one yourself, or a seminarian, person discerning, bishop, etc.
13. Prayer for Thursday
O Jesus, Eternal Pontiff, Good Shepherd and Fountain of life, who by the special goodness of your Most Sweet Heart, have given us priests to fulfill in us the designs of sanctification which your grace inspires in our hearts, we ask you: come to their aid with the assistance of your mercy.
O Jesus, may they have in their labors a lively faith; in trials an unwavering trust; in their decisions a burning charity.
Grant that your Word, the irradiation of the Eternal Wisdom, may become through continuous meditation the never failing nourishment of their interior life. Let the example of your life and passion animate their actions and sustain them in their suffering, so that they may teach, enlighten and comfort us in our sorrows. Lord, grant our priests the grace of detachment from purely worldly concerns. Let them be first and foremost solicitous for your glory and keep them faithful to their duties.
Keep them pure in conscience till their last breath, so that when death comes to the body, they may place into your hands their mission faithfully accomplished so that they may find in you, Lord Jesus Christ, who on earth were their Master, the prize of the Crown of Justice, in the glory of the saints. Amen. -Pope Pius XII
About the Prayer for Priests Series
Spiritual Adoption of Priests through Opus Angelorum
More about the need to pray for priests, along with prayers.
Help one priest to receive graces from God through your prayers, and you help everyone with whom the priest has contact - actually and spiritually.
IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT SPIRITUAL ADOPTION:
The Sisters who handle the spiritual adoption process assign new priests to those within the prayer network each year on the Feast of the Sacred Heart. Contact them now to begin praying for a priest using the link for spiritual adoption above.
But, even if you don't read this until after Sacred Heart, don't hesitate to write to them anyway and ask for priest to pray for. You can also submit the name of one yourself, or a seminarian, person discerning, bishop, etc.
Devotion to the Sacred Heart - Part 3
On the eve of the Feast of the Sacred Heart, I bring you to the last section of Fr. Wagner's article on Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
In this part, he leads us into meditating on the 8 Flames....
The Flames of Love issuing from the Heart of Jesus
The better we come to know the love of the Sacred Heart, the better our love will leap up like a flame in response to His love. Rather than try to acquire spiritual growth through asceticism, which is slow and painful, we should enkindle the fire of our love in the Heart of Jesus. This is not to deny the need for asceticism; asceticism is necessary, only it should be inspired by love. To this end, we want to consider how the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus reaches out to us in love from the tabernacle, in order to inflame our hearts with a reciprocal response of love. St. John Eudes discerns eight different flames of love which issue from our Lord's Heart in the tabernacle which are freely adapted here to our present needs.
The First Flame Impels Christ to Remain with us
"The first flame is the inconceivable love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus which impelled Him to abide there continuously night and day, for nearly 2000 years, to be always with us, so as to fulfill [His] promise." "Behold, He assures us, "I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world" (Mt 28,20). St. John Eudes, accordingly, understands this as a Eucharistic Promise. As he points out, this is an imprisonment of love. What loneliness, coldness and abandonment; never was there a lover so spurned and so neglected. "Could you not watch one hour with me?!" On the one hand -- when He finds Himself in the midst of friends -- it is a sheer delight: "It was my delight to be with the sons of men."
The Second Flame Repairs All Our Debts
The second flame of this fiery furnace is the love of our Lord's Heart which issues forth and rises up to heaven in order to pay our greatest debt. [continue reading the 8 flames and conclusion.......]
Post 1 and 2 originate from the same text. Tomorrow is Sacred Heart!!! Print this out and read it tonite and if possible, try to attend holy Mass.
For those who are local, the 7:00pm daily Mass on Friday at Assumption Grotto will feature the choir. I previously stated this would be our last Mass until August 15, but Fr. Perrone decided we would sing on Sunday at 9:30 as well before releasing us into the summer!
In this part, he leads us into meditating on the 8 Flames....
The Flames of Love issuing from the Heart of Jesus
The better we come to know the love of the Sacred Heart, the better our love will leap up like a flame in response to His love. Rather than try to acquire spiritual growth through asceticism, which is slow and painful, we should enkindle the fire of our love in the Heart of Jesus. This is not to deny the need for asceticism; asceticism is necessary, only it should be inspired by love. To this end, we want to consider how the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus reaches out to us in love from the tabernacle, in order to inflame our hearts with a reciprocal response of love. St. John Eudes discerns eight different flames of love which issue from our Lord's Heart in the tabernacle which are freely adapted here to our present needs.
The First Flame Impels Christ to Remain with us
"The first flame is the inconceivable love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus which impelled Him to abide there continuously night and day, for nearly 2000 years, to be always with us, so as to fulfill [His] promise." "Behold, He assures us, "I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world" (Mt 28,20). St. John Eudes, accordingly, understands this as a Eucharistic Promise. As he points out, this is an imprisonment of love. What loneliness, coldness and abandonment; never was there a lover so spurned and so neglected. "Could you not watch one hour with me?!" On the one hand -- when He finds Himself in the midst of friends -- it is a sheer delight: "It was my delight to be with the sons of men."
The Second Flame Repairs All Our Debts
The second flame of this fiery furnace is the love of our Lord's Heart which issues forth and rises up to heaven in order to pay our greatest debt. [continue reading the 8 flames and conclusion.......]
Post 1 and 2 originate from the same text. Tomorrow is Sacred Heart!!! Print this out and read it tonite and if possible, try to attend holy Mass.
For those who are local, the 7:00pm daily Mass on Friday at Assumption Grotto will feature the choir. I previously stated this would be our last Mass until August 15, but Fr. Perrone decided we would sing on Sunday at 9:30 as well before releasing us into the summer!
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Fr. Perrone on Corpus Christi...
From the Pastor's Descant this weekend in the Grotto News. The link will only work for so long so here is the full article:
The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of the Lord, or simply Corpus Christi, is observed today. Much like Ascension Day, this ‘Thursday’ feast has been transferred to Sunday. Thursday was the traditional day for this because Corpus Christi is a liturgical echo of Holy Thursday, the day on which our Lord instituted the most Holy Eucharist. In Catholic countries this Thursday would be a holiday and so all would be able to participate in the midweek ceremonies. In our non-Catholic country, it is good that those not exempt from work can still become involved in the festivities of the day by celebrating Corpus Christi on a Sunday. So, here we are.
I found a book in my liturgical library that offered some good thoughts for us to ponder today. I would like to summarize them, giving them my own twist.
Sometimes a useful distinction–one we may not always realize–is made between joy and happiness. Too often we think of these words as synonyms, but they are not. Joy is something essentially interior. It comes from giving, most especially from giving ourselves to God. And we can give Him our all. But happiness comes from getting something, and we cannot have all–at least in this life. God will give all to us in heaven, where we will be both full of joy and full of happiness in His Presence.
So, we can be fully joyful in this life, but not completely happy. Yet there is a way we can have a foretaste of heaven now. And this comes from being in the Presence of the Blessed Sacrament. This is because before the Holy Eucharist we experience in some measure what we will have in heaven. Sometimes–maybe often–we may not have a feeling of this happiness before the Blessed Sacrament. Why?
The reason is that our sensory powers, our desires, our tastes, the things in our imaginations and memories often are not centered on the right things. As a result, we often come before the Lord in an unpurified state. We have to yield all our powers to Jesus in the Holy Eucharist and let Him transform them. We ought to abandon and humble ourselves before Him in adoration and in love. If, instead, we are impatient with our lack of purity of soul, and go about looking for other things of the world to fulfill our already disordered desires, then we will never have any happiness in the Presence of the Blessed Sacrament. Or if we present ourselves filled with distracting thoughts, thinking about ourselves, our doubts, our disturbances rather than giving our hearts entirely to Christ, we will not do much good aside from a few prayers recited from memory or out of a prayer book.
Corpus Christi is the day when we reaffirm our faith in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist: His Body and Blood, His soul and divinity, under the appearances of bread and wine. This is the objective truth: He is there. It is also a day of adoration of Christ in the Holy Sacrament. This is the truth that depends upon our participation. Will we give Him what is His due?
We have the Blessed Sacrament exposed for adoration everyday but Sunday in our convent chapel. There are now some hours of adoration that need to be covered. Maybe this is the moment you are being given the inspiration to consent to make this one hour, once a week commitment. If you come, you will find the Lord. Whether you find the happiness you seek, depends on how you approach Him. Again, perfect happiness you will only have in heaven, but the foretaste of it is offered to you now in adoration. Please consider making that extra something in your life that can bring about the most significant change for the better. There are sign-up sheets at the side entrances of the church for you to indicate that you will be there. So many of your fellow parishioners are already benefiting from this. Why should you be left out?
Fr Perrone
The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of the Lord, or simply Corpus Christi, is observed today. Much like Ascension Day, this ‘Thursday’ feast has been transferred to Sunday. Thursday was the traditional day for this because Corpus Christi is a liturgical echo of Holy Thursday, the day on which our Lord instituted the most Holy Eucharist. In Catholic countries this Thursday would be a holiday and so all would be able to participate in the midweek ceremonies. In our non-Catholic country, it is good that those not exempt from work can still become involved in the festivities of the day by celebrating Corpus Christi on a Sunday. So, here we are.
I found a book in my liturgical library that offered some good thoughts for us to ponder today. I would like to summarize them, giving them my own twist.
Sometimes a useful distinction–one we may not always realize–is made between joy and happiness. Too often we think of these words as synonyms, but they are not. Joy is something essentially interior. It comes from giving, most especially from giving ourselves to God. And we can give Him our all. But happiness comes from getting something, and we cannot have all–at least in this life. God will give all to us in heaven, where we will be both full of joy and full of happiness in His Presence.
So, we can be fully joyful in this life, but not completely happy. Yet there is a way we can have a foretaste of heaven now. And this comes from being in the Presence of the Blessed Sacrament. This is because before the Holy Eucharist we experience in some measure what we will have in heaven. Sometimes–maybe often–we may not have a feeling of this happiness before the Blessed Sacrament. Why?
The reason is that our sensory powers, our desires, our tastes, the things in our imaginations and memories often are not centered on the right things. As a result, we often come before the Lord in an unpurified state. We have to yield all our powers to Jesus in the Holy Eucharist and let Him transform them. We ought to abandon and humble ourselves before Him in adoration and in love. If, instead, we are impatient with our lack of purity of soul, and go about looking for other things of the world to fulfill our already disordered desires, then we will never have any happiness in the Presence of the Blessed Sacrament. Or if we present ourselves filled with distracting thoughts, thinking about ourselves, our doubts, our disturbances rather than giving our hearts entirely to Christ, we will not do much good aside from a few prayers recited from memory or out of a prayer book.
Corpus Christi is the day when we reaffirm our faith in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist: His Body and Blood, His soul and divinity, under the appearances of bread and wine. This is the objective truth: He is there. It is also a day of adoration of Christ in the Holy Sacrament. This is the truth that depends upon our participation. Will we give Him what is His due?
We have the Blessed Sacrament exposed for adoration everyday but Sunday in our convent chapel. There are now some hours of adoration that need to be covered. Maybe this is the moment you are being given the inspiration to consent to make this one hour, once a week commitment. If you come, you will find the Lord. Whether you find the happiness you seek, depends on how you approach Him. Again, perfect happiness you will only have in heaven, but the foretaste of it is offered to you now in adoration. Please consider making that extra something in your life that can bring about the most significant change for the better. There are sign-up sheets at the side entrances of the church for you to indicate that you will be there. So many of your fellow parishioners are already benefiting from this. Why should you be left out?
Fr Perrone
Blogger not cooperating on picture uploading
We have to wait yet another day for more Corpus Christi 2006 photos. My first attempt to upload a photo today, resulted in.....nothing. That is the usual problem. Experience tells me that I may as well forget it for today.
I've actually got enough content for about 3 or 4 more days worth, in the manner I have been posting. Close to 300 were shot, but many are redundant. I used a feature that enables action shots to eliminate blur and just held the button down on many of the photos involving motion. Just holding down the button, the shutter was opening and closing several times per second, as long as I held it. I took the cream of each crop and the rest just get saved for potential later use.
All in all, I hope to have around 100 keepers that will go on to a disk, made available through the Assumption Grotto Giftshop and Cafe.
I was reminded by one of our priests, that I am on the hook to supply disks for Easter and Divine Mercy - a promise I made. If he finds me blogging, with no disks of Easter available yet again, I may need to avoid him - especially in confession where I may find my blogger-wings clipped for a time as a lesson in temperance is taught.
.....Hmmmm - perhaps tomorrow evening! It's my only chance.
I've actually got enough content for about 3 or 4 more days worth, in the manner I have been posting. Close to 300 were shot, but many are redundant. I used a feature that enables action shots to eliminate blur and just held the button down on many of the photos involving motion. Just holding down the button, the shutter was opening and closing several times per second, as long as I held it. I took the cream of each crop and the rest just get saved for potential later use.
All in all, I hope to have around 100 keepers that will go on to a disk, made available through the Assumption Grotto Giftshop and Cafe.
I was reminded by one of our priests, that I am on the hook to supply disks for Easter and Divine Mercy - a promise I made. If he finds me blogging, with no disks of Easter available yet again, I may need to avoid him - especially in confession where I may find my blogger-wings clipped for a time as a lesson in temperance is taught.
.....Hmmmm - perhaps tomorrow evening! It's my only chance.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Pro-Choice Democrats Trumped by Abortion Survivor as Colorado House Prepared to Recognize Planned Parenthood
I won't waste any commentary on this because res ipsa loquitur - the thing speaks for itself! In this case, it is the testimony of assistant minority leader of the Colorado House, Ted Harvey.
June 16, 2006
Planned Parenthood Celebration Jolted by Abortion Survivor
by Ted Harvey, assistant minority leader, Colorado House
She sings the anthem to applause, then her secret is revealed to stunned silence.
I want to share with you an awesome experience I had in the Colorado House of Representatives on May 8. It is a humbling experience to look back and realize that God used me to play a role in His divine orchestration.
I was leaving the House chambers for the weekend when our Democrat speaker of the House announced that the coming Monday would be the final day of this year's General Assembly. He went on to state that there were still numerous resolutions on the calendar which we would need to be addressed prior to the summer adjournment. Interestingly, he specifically mentioned that one of the resolutions we would be hearing was being carried by the House Majority Leader Alice Madden, honoring the 90th anniversary of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains.
As a strong pro-life legislator I was disgusted by the idea that we would pass a resolution honoring this 90-year legacy of genocide. I drove home that night wondering what I could say that might pierce the darkness during the debate on this heinous resolution.
On Saturday morning, I took my 8-year-old son up to the mountains to go white-water rafting. The trip lasted all day. As we were driving home, exhausted and hungry, I remembered that I had accepted an invitation to attend a fundraising dinner that night for a local pro-life organization. One of my most respected mentors had personally called me several weeks earlier and asked me to attend, so I knew I'd have to clean up and head over.
After our meal, the executive director of the organization introduced the keynote speaker. I looked up and saw walking to the stage a handicapped young lady being assisted to the microphone by a young man holding a guitar.
Her name was Gianna Jessen.
Gianna said "Hello," welcomed everyone, and then sang three of the most beautiful Christian songs I have ever heard.
She then began to give her testimony. When her biological mother was 17 years old and seven and a half months pregnant, she went to a Planned Parenthood clinic to have an abortion. As God would have it, the abortion failed and a beautiful 2-pound baby girl was brought into the world. Unfortunately, she was born with cerebral palsy and the doctors thought that she would never survive. The doctors were wrong.
Imagine the timing! A survivor of a Planned Parenthood abortion arrived in town just days before the Colorado House of Representatives was to celebrate Planned Parenthood's "wonderful" work.
As I listened to Gianna's amazing testimony, the Lord inspired me to ask her if she could stay in Denver until Monday morning so that I could introduce her on the floor of the House and tell her story. Perhaps she could even begin the final day's session by singing our country's national anthem!
To my surprise she said she would seriously consider it. If she were to agree, she wanted her accompanying guitarist to stay as well. A lady standing in line behind me waiting to meet Gianna overheard our conversation and said that she would be willing to pay for the guitarist's room. Gianna then said that she would think about it.
As I was driving home from the banquet, my cell phone rang. It was Gianna, and she immediately said, "I'm in, let's ruin this celebration." Praise God!
When Monday morning came, I awoke at 6 a.m. to write my speech before heading to the Capitol. As I wrote down the words, I could sense God's help and I knew that this was going to be a powerful moment for the pro-life movement.
Following a committee hearing, I rushed into the House chambers just as the opening morning prayer was about to be given. Between the prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, I wrote a quick note to the speaker of the House explaining that Gianna is an advocate for cerebral palsy. I took the note to the speaker and asked if I could have my friend open the last day of session by singing the national anthem. Without any hesitation the speaker took the microphone and said, "Before we begin, Representative Harvey has made available for us Gianna Jessen to sing the national anthem."
Gianna sang the most amazing rendition of The Star Spangled Banner that you could possibly imagine. Every person in the entire chamber was completely still, quiet and in awe of this frail young lady's voice.
Due to her cerebral palsy, Gianna often loses her balance, and shortly after starting to sing she grabbed my arm to stabilize herself, and I could tell that she was shaking. Suddenly, midway through the song, she forgot the words and began to hum and then said, "Please forgive me; I am so nervous." She then immediately began singing again and every House member and every guest throughout the chambers began to sing along with her to give her encouragement and to lift her up.
As I looked around the huge hall I listened to the unbelievable melody of Gianna's voice being accompanied by a choir of over 100 voices. I had chills running all over my body, and I knew that I had just witnessed an act of God.
As the song concluded the speaker of the House explained that Gianna has cerebral palsy and is an activist to bring awareness to the disease. "Let us give her a hand not only for her performance today, but also for her advocacy work," he said. The chamber immediately exploded into applause -- she had them all in the palm of her hand.
The speaker then called the House to order, and we proceeded as usual to allow members to make any announcements or introductions of guests. For dramatic effect, I waited until I was the last person remaining before I introduced Gianna.
As I waited for my turn, I nervously paced back and forth praying to God that he would give me the peace, confidence and the courage necessary to pull off what I knew would be one of the most dramatic and controversial moments of my political career.
While I waited, a prominent reporter from one of the major Denver newspapers walked over to Gianna and told her that her rendition captured the spirit of the national anthem more powerfully than any she had ever heard before.
Finally, I was the last person remaining. So, I proceeded to the microphone and began my speech.
At this point the chamber exploded into applause which lasted for 15-to-20 seconds. Gianna had touched their souls.
Ironically, Alice Madden, the majority leader and sponsor of the Planned Parenthood resolution, walked over to Gianna and congratulated her.
As the applause began to die down, I raised my hand to be recognized one more time.
BANG! The gavel came down.
Just as I was finishing the last sentence of my speech -- the climax of the morning -- the speaker of the House gaveled me down and said, "Representative Harvey, I will allow you to continue your introduction, but not for the purposes of debating a measure now pending before the House."
At which point I said, "Mr. Speaker, I understand. I just wanted to put a face to what we are celebrating today."
Silence.
Deafening silence.
I then walked back to my chair shaking like a leaf. The Democrats wouldn't look at me. They were fuming. It was beautiful. I have been in the Legislature for five tough years, and this made it all worthwhile.
The House majority leader wouldn't talk to me the rest of the day.
Was it because I introduced an abortion survivor, or was it because we touched her soul? She could congratulate an inspirational cerebral palsy victim and advocate, but was outraged when she discovered that the person she congratulated was also an abortion survivor.
The headline in The Denver Post the next day read "Abortion Jab Earns Rebuke." The majority leader is quoted as saying, "I think it was amazingly rude to use a human being as an example of his personal politics."
Yes, Representative Madden, Gianna Jessen is a human being. She was when she was in her mother's womb, and she was when she sang the national anthem on the floor of the Colorado House of Representatives.
The paper went on to quote Gianna, stating she was glad I told her story.
"We need to discuss the humanity of it. I'm glad to be able to speak up for children in the womb," she said. "If abortion is about women's rights, where were my rights?"
All I can say is, "Glory to God!" He orchestrated it all, every minute of it, and I was so honored to have been chosen to play a part. May we all continue to be filled with and to fight for the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Copyright © 2006 Focus on the Family.
All rights reserved. International copyright secured
QUESTION: Does anyone know if the vote took place, and if so, what was the outcome?
More on Gianna Jessen
Folks, this is truly one special woman in our midst. It's not just the miracle of having survived the brutal process of saline abortion, but the fact that she has shown mercy and forgiveness to the mother who attempted to terminate her life.
(Note: There are several sites with Gianna's last name spelled incorrectly and this prevented me from finding her website. The correct spelling is "Jessen" not "Jensen").
Gianna's website (not yet fully operational, but forthcoming and soon to be in my sidebar!)
Article at Abortion Facts website
Testimony of Gianna Jessen: Hearing on H.R. 4292, the "Born-Alive Infants Protection Act of 2000"
Article when Gianna was only 14 (now 29).
April 2005 article in the Telegraph (UK)
June 16, 2006
Planned Parenthood Celebration Jolted by Abortion Survivor
by Ted Harvey, assistant minority leader, Colorado House
She sings the anthem to applause, then her secret is revealed to stunned silence.
I want to share with you an awesome experience I had in the Colorado House of Representatives on May 8. It is a humbling experience to look back and realize that God used me to play a role in His divine orchestration.
I was leaving the House chambers for the weekend when our Democrat speaker of the House announced that the coming Monday would be the final day of this year's General Assembly. He went on to state that there were still numerous resolutions on the calendar which we would need to be addressed prior to the summer adjournment. Interestingly, he specifically mentioned that one of the resolutions we would be hearing was being carried by the House Majority Leader Alice Madden, honoring the 90th anniversary of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains.
As a strong pro-life legislator I was disgusted by the idea that we would pass a resolution honoring this 90-year legacy of genocide. I drove home that night wondering what I could say that might pierce the darkness during the debate on this heinous resolution.
On Saturday morning, I took my 8-year-old son up to the mountains to go white-water rafting. The trip lasted all day. As we were driving home, exhausted and hungry, I remembered that I had accepted an invitation to attend a fundraising dinner that night for a local pro-life organization. One of my most respected mentors had personally called me several weeks earlier and asked me to attend, so I knew I'd have to clean up and head over.
After our meal, the executive director of the organization introduced the keynote speaker. I looked up and saw walking to the stage a handicapped young lady being assisted to the microphone by a young man holding a guitar.
Her name was Gianna Jessen.
Gianna said "Hello," welcomed everyone, and then sang three of the most beautiful Christian songs I have ever heard.
She then began to give her testimony. When her biological mother was 17 years old and seven and a half months pregnant, she went to a Planned Parenthood clinic to have an abortion. As God would have it, the abortion failed and a beautiful 2-pound baby girl was brought into the world. Unfortunately, she was born with cerebral palsy and the doctors thought that she would never survive. The doctors were wrong.
Imagine the timing! A survivor of a Planned Parenthood abortion arrived in town just days before the Colorado House of Representatives was to celebrate Planned Parenthood's "wonderful" work.
As I listened to Gianna's amazing testimony, the Lord inspired me to ask her if she could stay in Denver until Monday morning so that I could introduce her on the floor of the House and tell her story. Perhaps she could even begin the final day's session by singing our country's national anthem!
To my surprise she said she would seriously consider it. If she were to agree, she wanted her accompanying guitarist to stay as well. A lady standing in line behind me waiting to meet Gianna overheard our conversation and said that she would be willing to pay for the guitarist's room. Gianna then said that she would think about it.
As I was driving home from the banquet, my cell phone rang. It was Gianna, and she immediately said, "I'm in, let's ruin this celebration." Praise God!
When Monday morning came, I awoke at 6 a.m. to write my speech before heading to the Capitol. As I wrote down the words, I could sense God's help and I knew that this was going to be a powerful moment for the pro-life movement.
Following a committee hearing, I rushed into the House chambers just as the opening morning prayer was about to be given. Between the prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, I wrote a quick note to the speaker of the House explaining that Gianna is an advocate for cerebral palsy. I took the note to the speaker and asked if I could have my friend open the last day of session by singing the national anthem. Without any hesitation the speaker took the microphone and said, "Before we begin, Representative Harvey has made available for us Gianna Jessen to sing the national anthem."
Gianna sang the most amazing rendition of The Star Spangled Banner that you could possibly imagine. Every person in the entire chamber was completely still, quiet and in awe of this frail young lady's voice.
Due to her cerebral palsy, Gianna often loses her balance, and shortly after starting to sing she grabbed my arm to stabilize herself, and I could tell that she was shaking. Suddenly, midway through the song, she forgot the words and began to hum and then said, "Please forgive me; I am so nervous." She then immediately began singing again and every House member and every guest throughout the chambers began to sing along with her to give her encouragement and to lift her up.
As I looked around the huge hall I listened to the unbelievable melody of Gianna's voice being accompanied by a choir of over 100 voices. I had chills running all over my body, and I knew that I had just witnessed an act of God.
As the song concluded the speaker of the House explained that Gianna has cerebral palsy and is an activist to bring awareness to the disease. "Let us give her a hand not only for her performance today, but also for her advocacy work," he said. The chamber immediately exploded into applause -- she had them all in the palm of her hand.
The speaker then called the House to order, and we proceeded as usual to allow members to make any announcements or introductions of guests. For dramatic effect, I waited until I was the last person remaining before I introduced Gianna.
As I waited for my turn, I nervously paced back and forth praying to God that he would give me the peace, confidence and the courage necessary to pull off what I knew would be one of the most dramatic and controversial moments of my political career.
While I waited, a prominent reporter from one of the major Denver newspapers walked over to Gianna and told her that her rendition captured the spirit of the national anthem more powerfully than any she had ever heard before.
Finally, I was the last person remaining. So, I proceeded to the microphone and began my speech.
Members, I would like to introduce you to a new friend and hero of mine -- her
name is Gianna Jessen. She is visiting us today from Nashville, Tennessee, where
she is an accomplished recording artist.
She has cerebral palsy and was
raised in foster homes before being adopted at the age of four.
She was
born prematurely and weighed only 2 pounds at birth. She remained in the
hospital for almost three months. A doctor once said she had a great will to
live and that she fought for her life. Eventually she was able to leave the
hospital and be placed in foster care.
Because of her cerebral palsy,
her foster mother was told that it was doubtful that she would ever crawl or
walk. She could not sit up independently. Through the prayers and dedication of
her foster mother, she eventually learned to sit up, crawl, then stand. Shortly
before her fourth birthday, she began to walk with leg braces and a walker.
She continued in physical therapy and after a total of four surgeries,
she was able to walk without assistance.
She still falls sometimes, but
she says she has learned how to fall gracefully after falling for 29 years.
Two years ago, she walked into a local health club and said she wanted a
private trainer. At the time her legs could not lift 30 pounds. Today she can
leg press 200 pounds.
She became so physically fit that she began
running marathons to raise money and awareness for cerebral palsy. She just
returned last week from England where she ran in the London Marathon. It took
her more than eight-and-a-half hours to complete. They were taking down the
course by the time she made it to the finish line. But she made it, nonetheless.
With bloody feet and aching joints, she finished the race.
Members would you help me recognize a modern-day hero -- Gianna Jessen?
At this point the chamber exploded into applause which lasted for 15-to-20 seconds. Gianna had touched their souls.
Ironically, Alice Madden, the majority leader and sponsor of the Planned Parenthood resolution, walked over to Gianna and congratulated her.
As the applause began to die down, I raised my hand to be recognized one more time.
Mr. Speaker, members, if you would allow me just a few more moments I would appreciate your time.
My name is Ted Harvey, not Paul Harvey, but, please, let me tell you the rest of the story.
The cause of Gianna's cerebral palsy is not because of some biological freak of nature, but rather the choice of her mother.
You see when her biological mother was 17-years-old and 7-and-a-half months pregnant, she went to a Planned Parenthood clinic to seek a late-term abortion. The abortionist performed a saline abortion on this 17-year-old girl. This procedure requires the injection of a high concentration of saline into the mother's womb, which the fetus is then bathed in and swallows, which results in the fetus being burned to death, inside and out. Within 24 hours the results are normally an induced, still-born abortion.
As Gianna can testify, the procedure is not always 100 percent effective. Gianna is an aborted late-term fetus who was born alive. The high concentration of saline in the womb for 24 hours resulted in a lack of oxygen to her brain and is the cause of her cerebral palsy.
Members, today, we are going to recognize the 90th anniversary of Rocky Mountain Planned Parenthood…"
BANG! The gavel came down.
Just as I was finishing the last sentence of my speech -- the climax of the morning -- the speaker of the House gaveled me down and said, "Representative Harvey, I will allow you to continue your introduction, but not for the purposes of debating a measure now pending before the House."
At which point I said, "Mr. Speaker, I understand. I just wanted to put a face to what we are celebrating today."
Silence.
Deafening silence.
I then walked back to my chair shaking like a leaf. The Democrats wouldn't look at me. They were fuming. It was beautiful. I have been in the Legislature for five tough years, and this made it all worthwhile.
The House majority leader wouldn't talk to me the rest of the day.
Was it because I introduced an abortion survivor, or was it because we touched her soul? She could congratulate an inspirational cerebral palsy victim and advocate, but was outraged when she discovered that the person she congratulated was also an abortion survivor.
The headline in The Denver Post the next day read "Abortion Jab Earns Rebuke." The majority leader is quoted as saying, "I think it was amazingly rude to use a human being as an example of his personal politics."
Yes, Representative Madden, Gianna Jessen is a human being. She was when she was in her mother's womb, and she was when she sang the national anthem on the floor of the Colorado House of Representatives.
The paper went on to quote Gianna, stating she was glad I told her story.
"We need to discuss the humanity of it. I'm glad to be able to speak up for children in the womb," she said. "If abortion is about women's rights, where were my rights?"
All I can say is, "Glory to God!" He orchestrated it all, every minute of it, and I was so honored to have been chosen to play a part. May we all continue to be filled with and to fight for the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Copyright © 2006 Focus on the Family.
All rights reserved. International copyright secured
QUESTION: Does anyone know if the vote took place, and if so, what was the outcome?
More on Gianna Jessen
Folks, this is truly one special woman in our midst. It's not just the miracle of having survived the brutal process of saline abortion, but the fact that she has shown mercy and forgiveness to the mother who attempted to terminate her life.
(Note: There are several sites with Gianna's last name spelled incorrectly and this prevented me from finding her website. The correct spelling is "Jessen" not "Jensen").
Gianna's website (not yet fully operational, but forthcoming and soon to be in my sidebar!)
Article at Abortion Facts website
Testimony of Gianna Jessen: Hearing on H.R. 4292, the "Born-Alive Infants Protection Act of 2000"
Article when Gianna was only 14 (now 29).
April 2005 article in the Telegraph (UK)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)