Feast Day of St. Macrina

Image from The Orthodox Church in America.


To cleanse your palate after my previous post, go to Padre Mickey's site to read his lovely post on the saint of the day. El Padre likes the saints from the early history of the church, so I leave them to him.

From the Diocese Of Wenchoster

Image from Pharisaios.

Recently, I received the latest update from the Diocese of Wenchoster on a new features included on the diocesan web site. The Frankly Unfriendly Catholic section is one innovation:

Welcome to the web page of the Frankly Unfriendly Catholics, upholding the one true apostolic anglo-catholic faith.

On this site you can learn about the appalling apostasies we oppose and those we affirm:

Frankly Unfriendly Catholics was formed to promote the one true apostolic anglo-catholic faith unpolluted by modern apostate liberals; tone-deaf simpering evangelical blasphemers; or women.

You can join us and become a F[rankly] U[nfriendly] C[atholic] buddy or read about and nominate a heretic.

While you are here why not take the F[rankly] U[nfriendly] C[atholic] quiz and discover if you are a Frankly Unfriendly Catholic Wit?

I debated whether to post this, because, although I left the Roman Catholic Church some 11 or so years ago, I have tried to keep my critical statements to a minimum. I learned much that was good while I was in the fold, and I want to give credit where credit is due. Many members of my family and many of my friends remain members of the Roman Catholic Church.

But the recent statements from the pope regarding other members of the Body of Christ are of a piece with statements which embarrassed me greatly by their arrogance while I claimed membership in his church. I say "his church", because I cannot for one minute imagine Jesus making exclusionary statements like the pope's.

The man in the red hat, pictured above, has been frankly unfriendly to Christians who are not members of the Roman Catholic Church. Whether the views he expresses are old or new, they manifest an unseemly pride, which is hard for me to line up with the teachings of the Gospels.

From the BBC:

Pope Benedict has approved a new text asserting that Christian denominations outside Roman Catholicism are not true Churches in the full sense of the word.

....

Other Christian denominations, it argues, cannot be called Churches in the proper sense because they cannot trace their bishops back to Christ's original apostles.

The rest of us who call ourselves Christians and attend what we call churches, are, alas, not really attending church at all. Those of us who have bishops are deluding ourselves if we think they are truly bishops, and our priests are not "real" priests, because they were ordained by bishops who are not "real" bishops.

It would follow that we do not have the "real" Eucharist, because the Eucharistic services are presided over by one who is not a "real" priest.

Many respond that this is nothing new, and I agree with them. This is what I was taught as a child many years ago, but I had hoped that the pope would have distanced himself from this type of language, which I find frankly unfriendly.

I thought it best to respond with borrowed humor.

UPDATE: Dennis in the comments informs me that the section is about Anglo-Catholics, and I have got this all wrong. He is correct. But it's funny, and it works - sort of, even though it's not about the pope's church. Certain of the Anglo- Catholics think that they are "real" Catholics, but, of course, the pope does not agree.

Judgment sometimes falls upon us in this life on earth. For ridiculing a fellow Christian, I am hoist on my own petard.

The Circle Of God's Grace

At the Episcopal Cafe, in Fr. Richard Helmer's column, "A Word From The Edge", he says of the present troubles in the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion:

It seems that indeed these days everyone has something to be offended about – to justify spitting out a harsh word or two about the situation in the greater Church....In a bit of a temper, I delivered a scathing brand of humor...and judging by the comments in response, much to the delight of those on this side of the questions at hand in the Communion.

Those words of Richard brought me up short, because I've spoken my share of harsh words that were better left unsaid. I've done my part to add to the tensions within the church.

Richard goes on:

For this reason, I set aside almost all my claims to taking offense. But to my more conservative sisters and brothers (and there are many), there is one accusation I do take exception to. That is the notion, implied or explicitly articulated, that our ecclesiastical and theological position here somehow divorces us from the grace of God, from the hand of God’s blessing.

I, too, set aside many claims to take offense, because of my words which might have given offense. But, as I read Richard's words that followed, I was overcome by a feeling of sadness - one of many times I have felt that emotion at the state of our church. I started to comment at the Episcopal Cafè, but I thought better of it, and decided to say my piece here.

That we have come to this in our church, to the point that members of the church feel the need to cry out, "We are, indeed, included in the circle of God's grace! We are not heretics!" That we have come to this is so very sad.

God bestows grace freely, and who are we to judge who is within or without the circle of of God's grace? I, too, take offense at judgments about who's in and who's out. We are all of us sinners, saved by God's grace, and our role as followers of Jesus is to love God and love each other.

Can't we come together and agree on that, at the very least?

Just Because....Part 2

The Madonna and Child with Two Angels - Sandro Botticelli
Museo Nazionale di Capodimonte, Naples. Image from Wiki.

Mary’s Song of Praise

And Mary said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’

Luke 1:46-55

Just because I love Botticelli's Madonna paintings and just because I love Mary's magnificent prayer of praise and thanksgiving to God, The Magnificat, was reason enough for me to give you this.

And then these words came to me:

O Blessed One

Mother of God, O holy one,
Inside your body, the Word made flesh,
As an infant suckled at your breast.
The God-child, cared for gently, lovingly,
Grew in wisdom and in grace.

Mother of God, what did you know?
Were you sad? Were you fearful?
Midst the joy of family life,
Did you feel a piercing in your heart?
O blessed Mary, pray for us, sinners all.

June Butler (7/17/07)

How Good Am I?

Not too bad, but not good enough. I don't understand how I am more evil than Padre Mickey, and even MadPriest. Pseudopiskie is the only one I know of who is more evil than I.

Could it be due to my writing about my senator, David Vitter, and his use of DC escort services? Something's not right here.

Gertrude Stein On The Pope

From the MadPriest, who took it from Shimmy and added the balloon.

To me, this is one of the funniest cartoons ever on the pope. I burst out laughing when I looked at it. The quote from Stein, in a balloon, with her stolid portrait are just perfect. I can hear her saying the words.

No one commented on it at Of Course I Could Be Wrong, not even me, until a few days ago, so I suppose it's not for everyone, but I felt it was neglected at Shimmy's and MadPriest's sites, and I wanted to post it again and give all of you another chance to show proper appreciation.

Belatedly, I left a comment for Shimmy, too.

Rick, I'm afraid you will think me disrespectful of my former and your present leader, but remember: I did not say this. Gertrude did.

Chacun à son goût.

He Didn't Do It

From CNN:

Well, he didn't do it before he did do it.

(CNN) -- Sen. David Vitter broke a week of silence on Monday and, with his wife by his side, denied allegations he had relationships with New Orleans prostitutes.

"I know this has hurt the relationship of trust I've enjoyed with so many of you," Sen. Vitter said Monday.

Media reports surfaced in the past week linking the Louisiana senator to a well-known prostitution case in New Orleans. Vitter attributed those charges to "long-term political enemies" and people seeking money.

"Those stories are not true," he said.

Vitter admitted he made calls to an alleged prostitution operation in Washington, offered an apology "to all those I have let down" and vowed to resume his work in the Senate.

....

"No matter how long ago it was, I know this has hurt the relationship of trust I've enjoyed with so many of you," he said. "I will work everyday to rebuild that trust."

The family-values Republican also addressed what some critics see as his hypocrisy, saying he's been "trying to live up to the important values we believe" since admitting to his mistakes.

"If continuing to believe in and acknowledge those values causes some to attack me because of my past failure, well, so be it," said Vitter, who does not come up for re-election until 2010.

"I'm not going to answer endless questions about it all over again and again and again and again. That might sell newspapers but it wouldn't serve my family or my constituents well at all," he said.

The end?

Feast Day of William White

Illustration from Wikipedia.


READINGS

Psalm 92:1-4,11-14 or 84:7-12
Jeremiah 1:4-10
John 21:15-17

From Wiki:

The Most Reverend William White (April 4, 1748 N.S. – July 17, 1836) was the first and fourth Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, USA (1789; 1795-1836), the first Bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania (1787-1836, and the second United States Senate Chaplain (appointed December 9, 1790).

White was largely responsible for the Constitution of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. At his suggestion, the system of church government was established more or less as we have it today.

From the Lectionary:

Before the American Revolution, there were no bishops in the colonies (partly because the British government was reluctant to give the colonies the kind of autonomy that this would have implied, and partly because many of the colonists were violently opposed to their presence). After the Revolution, the establishment of an American episcopate became imperative. Samuel Seabury was the first American to be consecrated, in 1784 (see 14 Nov), and in 1787 William White and Samuel Provoost, having been elected to the bishoprics of Pennsylvania and New York respectively, sailed to England and were consecrated bishops on 14 February by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Archbishop of York, the Bishop of Bath and Wells, and the Bishop of Peterborough.

....

He served as Chaplain of the Continental Congress from 1777 to 1789, and then as Chaplain of the Senate.

White was largely responsible for the Constitution of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. At his suggestion, the system of church government was established more or less as we have it today.

....

A section follows from White's writings on Church Government.

The power of electing a superior order of ministers ought to be in the clergy and laity together, they being both interested in the choice. In England, the bishops are appointed by the civil authority, which was a usurpation of the crown at the Norman conquest, but since confirmed by acts of parliament. The primitive churches were generally supplied by popular elections; even in the city of Rome, the privilege of electing the bishop continued with the people to the tenth or eleventh century, and near those times there are resolves of councils, that none should be promoted to ecclesiastical dignities, but by election of the clergy and people. It cannot be denied that this right vested in numerous bodies, occasioned great disorders; which it is expected will be avoided, when the people shall exercise the right by representation.


PRAYER

O Lord, who in a time of turmoil and confusion raised up your servant William White, and endowed him with wisdom, patience, and a reconciling temper, that he might lead your Church into ways of stability and peace: Hear our prayer, and give us wise and faithful leaders, that through their ministry your people may be blessed and your will be done; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.


With name changes, this prayer would serve quite well for the leadership in the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion today.

On A Lighter Note

My daughter forwarded this to me:

Only great minds can read this

This is weird, but interesting!


fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too

Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can.


i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! if you can raed tihs forwrad it


FORWARD ONLY IF YOU CAN READ IT.

I'm one of the 55 out of a hundred who was able to read it, so I'm forwarding it to "Wounded Bird" readers.

How The Mighty Fall

David Vitter was a Rhodes Scholar. He should have known better. He could have taken a lesson from his own State of Louisiana's recent history from Rep. Bob Livingston, or he could have gone back further to the late 19th century.

From Roger in the comments, here's a link to an article at Huffington Post by Karen Dalton-Beninato, on past shenanigans by one Louisiana politician which led to his untimely death at the hands of a prostitute:

It was 1870, and State Sen. Beares was shot by famed New Orleans Madam Hattie Hamilton. His obituary in the Ouachita Telegraph read:

"State Senator Beares, of Catahoula, died recently in the same city from the effects of a pistol wound received under rather mysterious circumstances. His mistress, Hattie Hamilton, was arrested for complicity in the act, but was released. Catahoula and Winn parishes are without a Senator."

Hattie had a colorful history before she became involved with Senator Beares. She must have been quite a woman because Sen. Beares "fell hard" for her in spite of the fact that Hattie had "a glass eye and other infirmities."

It's a puzzle to me why folks strive to gain high positions and then proceed to risk everything by engaging in activities that can bring them down. I suppose that once they're in positions of power, they begin to see themselves as invulnerable. Those who judge and excoriate others seem to be most prone to this type of behavior.

According to my friend Oyster, conservative Louisiana bloggers are now calling for Vitter's resignation.

Near the end of the HP piece is this quote from Bertrand Russell's "The Conquest of Happiness":

"People who wish to have a high opinion of their own moral excellence have therefore to persuade themselves that they have achieved a degree of unselfishness that it is very unlikely they have achieved, and hence the endeavor after saintliness comes to be connected with self-deception of a kind that easily leads on to persecution mania."