I AM A CAT AND I WILL SLEEP WHERE I LIKE !!

Tuxedo kitteh on the keys



Tabby kitteh on the strings (almost)



Will the little plant make it?



The larger plant will make it.



The tree will survive, but will the kitteh?

Thanks to Doug.

THE GODLY WISDOM OF DOROTHY DAY

As I was cleaning out my "Documents" files, I came across these quotes from Dorothy Day, the founder of the Catholic Worker Movement, which I had saved some time ago. Her words seem very wise today.

Dorothy Day on the "undeserving poor":

The Catholic Worker attitude toward those who were welcomed wasn't always appreciated. These weren't the "deserving poor," it was sometimes objected, but drunkards and good-for-nothings. A visiting social worker asked Day how long the "clients" were permitted to stay. "We let them stay forever," Day answered with a fierce look in her eye. "They live with us, they die with us, and we give them a Christian burial. We pray for them after they are dead. Once they are taken in, they become members of the family. Or rather they always were members of the family. They are our brothers and sisters in Christ."

Dorothy Day on the works of mercy:

If I did not believe, if I did not make what is called an act of faith (and each act of faith increases our capacity for faith), if I did not have faith that the works of mercy do lighten the sum total of suffering in the world, so that those who are suffering in this ghastly struggle somehow mysteriously find their pain lifted and some balm of consolation poured on their wounds — if I did not believe these things, the problem of evil would indeed be overwhelming.

The website of The Catholic Worker has further information on Dorothy Day.

THE CIRCUS IS IN TOWN!

Click on the image for the larger view of the stars of the Republican circus.

Mark Mosely at The Lens has the scoop.

Before the 2011 Republican Leadership Conference opening event Thursday, a delegate began chatting with me about the conference. She explained that she was a “Mitt Romney girl.” She pointed to the photo of the former Massachusetts governor on the cover of the Liberty Today newspaper. Presidential candidate, U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., also graced the May 2011 cover.

“Wouldn’t they make a good-looking ticket?” the delegate asked me in an eastern Pennsylvanian accent.

“Oh sure,” I agreed.

“Of course any of [the GOP nominees] would be better than the goofball we have in the White House now.” Then she leaned over and confessed: “I don’t like chocolate candy.”

The exchange took place in the morning and set the mood for Mark for the jollity that was to follow.

The afternoon session began no less awkwardly. Republican Party of Louisiana Chairman Roger Villere walked onstage in a white suit while “Fanfare for the Common Man” played. Villere asked everyone to rise for the Pledge of Allegiance, but no flag was on the stage or on the video screens. I’d brought a small flag and was about to offer it, but Villere quickly suggested that attendees could pledge allegiance to the tiny flag pin on his suit lapel.

As they say, you can't make this stuff up.

Roger Villere in his white (linen?) suit oozes Uptown New Orleans, and "common man" is not the first words that leap to mind when I think of Villere.

And no flag?!! How can this be?!! At most Republican gatherings, the stage is lined with more flags than you can count. Methinks someone or someones will pay a heavy price for the missing flags.

Read the rest of Mark's account. Imagine! He attended two circuses on one day.

BAREFOOT AND FOREVER LAUGHING - PART TWO

My very own copy of the video by MadPriest
(inspired by Bishop Clumber) with images of our dear friend, Kirstin Paisley, set to music.

Your very own copy awaits you at YouTube.

BOROWITZ REPORTS

Greece Offers to Repay Loans with Giant Horse

Steed Wheeled Into Brussels at Night

Read the rest at The Borowitz Report:

Image from Wikipedia.

BAREFOOT AND FOREVER LAUGHING

Watch the video set to music of images of Kirstin Paisley by MadPriest at Of Course, I Could Be Wrong...

PRAY FOR KIRSTIN AND ANDEE...

...and read Kirstin's post at Barefoot and Laughing titled The right decision...at the right time.

A and I looked at each other, and we both teared up. We knew. And it was okay. I looked back at the doctor. I knew the words were mine to say: “Not in our hearts, really.” She, God bless her, cried with us. And she got us connected with a palliative care doctor, who is working with us until he can get us connected with hospice.

This is the care I need. This is the care I finally had the readiness, and the courage, to ask for. I’ve been fighting for three years. That’s enough. Just saying, “I want hospice,” gives me so much peace. I don’t need to fight to the bitter end. I don’t need to be a warrior anymore. I can let go as my body wants to, into as much comfort as possible.

Please visit Kirstin's blog and read her beautiful and eloquent words which come straight from her heart.

Kirstin, may God the Father bless you, God the Son heal you, God the Holy Spirit give you strength. May God the holy and undivided Trinity guard your body, save your soul, and bring you safely to his heavenly country; where he lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.

We pray, O Lord, for those whom you have called to care for Kirstin, especially Andee. Strengthen them by your life-giving Spirit, that by their loving ministries Kirstin may be comforted and her suffering alleviated. Grant, O Lord, your peace that surpasses understanding to Kirstin and her caregivers, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

PS: I love the picture of Kirstin. I hope she likes it, because I use it over and over.

WE ARE SPARED...FOR NOW

From the Baton Rouge Advocate:

A state Senate committee Wednesday rejected legislation that would erect a 10 Commandments monument on the State Capitol grounds.

Some members of the Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee expressed concerns that House Bill 277 would lead to litigation.

"These are tight times. I'd rather spend money on services than litigation," said state Sen. Lydia Jackson, D-Shreveport.

The Louisiana House passed the bill to erect the monument, and the Louisiana Senate killed the bill. The state budget is stretched thin; worthy programs are being cut or eliminated. We surely don't need to spend money on building a monument to the 10 commandments or on litigation over the monument once it's built. I laughed at the headline in the print copy of the newspaper, which was written by a person with a sense of humor:

SENATE SMITES MARKER IN FEAR OF LAWSUIT

All right!

PARISH PROPERTIES BELONG TO THE DIOCESE OF NEW WESTMINSTER

From Bishop Michael Ingham of the Diocese of New Westminster in the Anglican Church of Canada:

Supreme Court Denies Leave to Appeal
Statement by the Bishop of New Westminster

Thursday, June 16, 2011 the Supreme Court of Canada released its Decision refusing Leave to Appeal from the November, 2010 decision of the BC Court of Appeal. At that time, the Court of Appeal upheld the Trial judgment which found that the four parish properties under dispute are to be held in trust by the Diocese of New Westminster for those who wish to worship in the Anglican Church of Canada. We are thankful that the litigation launched against the Diocese of New Westminster is now at an end.

The money, time, and energy taken up by this long and unnecessary conflict can now be directed back to the real work of the Church.

We are, and continue to be, respectful of genuine differences of conviction among faithful Christians. In a spirit of mutual respect, it is now time to move forward together.

No member of any congregation in this Diocese need leave the buildings in which they worship. However, the clergy who have left the Anglican Church of Canada must now leave their pulpits. I will work with these congregations to find suitable and mutually acceptable leaders, so that the mission of the Church may continue in these places.

I pray that in time these sad divisions may be healed.


The Right Reverend Michael Ingham
Bishop of New Westminster

Report from CTV.

Thanks to Janet for the links.

PLANS FOR THE FUTURE RC ORDINARIATE IN THE US

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette blog:

Wednesday’s session of the meeting of the U.S. conference of Catholic Bishops was a feast for ecclesiology wonks of both the Catholic and Episcopal/Anglican persuasion. Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington DC, better known to my readers is the former bishop of Pittsburgh, reported on the progress of starting an ordinariate – a sort of non-geographical, nationwide diocese – for Anglican parishes that wish to convert en masse to Catholicism.

The project stems from a constitution that Pope Benedict approved in 2009, following years of lobbying by some theologically conservative Anglicans worldwide, particularly in Australia. One was founded in England and Wales in January and Cardinal Wuerl said that he wouldn’t be surprised to see one in the U.S. by the end of 2011. But in the meantime there are complex issues to address, ranging from retraining for priests to assisting Anglicans who are divorced and remarried through the annulment process in the Catholic Church. He also addressed a mistaken public perception that married priests will remain the norm in these Anglican-heritage parishes.
....

Cardinal Wuerl is a good friend of Archbishop Robert Duncan of the Anglican Church in North America, who is on record that he doesn’t expect many parishes in his new church to be interested in converting to Catholicism. Many of them identify with the evangelical or charismatic traditions rather than Catholicism. And the ACNA bishop for Anglo-Catholics in that body has said that he’s not interested because of differences with the Catholic Church over papal authority and other doctrinal issues.

Friendship only goes so far for "Archbishop" Duncan.

“It’s only the first generation that will have married clergy. In the second generation the intention is that candidates for priesthood coming out of the community will be celibate. Provision has been made for an ad hoc petition [for an exception] to the Holy See, but the presumption is that this is for the first generation,” he said.
....

Ultimately the inquirers will be sorted into three categories: Those who can he ordained as Catholic priests after a specially-developed nine-month intensive seminary course; those who require more intensive seminary education and "those whose formation histories would not recommend them for either of these options.”

Among those who will not be accepted as Catholic priests are those who were originally Catholic priests and left the Catholic priesthood for the Episcopal or Anglican churches, Cardinal Wuerl said.

“They are automatically excluded. . . A former Catholic priest cannot apply for this,” he said.

So. To the priests who left the Roman Catholic Church, married, and now wish to be welcomed back into the RCC fold as a priests, forget about it. And any Roman Catholic priests who have ideas, you are forewarned.

Married Anglican bishops can be ordained as Catholic priests, but not as Catholic bishops, Cardinal Wuerl said. This maintains a tradition shared with Orthodox Christianity, which has a married priesthood, but celibate bishops.

Sorry, Your Graces, no mitres for you.

A practical and pastoral problem is the number of Episcopalians and Anglicans who are divorced and remarried. While such remarriage requires permission of the bishop in the Episcopal Church, the Catholic Church requires an annulment in which a church court determines that the first marriage didn’t meet the church’s standard for a sacramental union. He asked the bishops to make their marriage tribunals available to these couples. Causes for a declaration of nullity can range from having signed a pre-nuptial agreement, to a marriage forced by pregnancy to being hung over on the day of the wedding.

I did not know being hung over on the day of the wedding invalidates a marriage. Actually, what I've seen a time or two is a groom and his groomsmen who have obviously been hitting the bottle on the very day of the wedding. I wonder what the rules are about that situation.

The tribunals will determine “what can be regularized,” he said. But if there are no grounds for annulment, “then there is the pastoral decision of who cannot, therefore, receive the Eucharist.”

All right, then. Do I have this right? Converts will be received into the RCC church, but they will not be able to take communion until they obtain an annulment. Come on in, but don't come to the table. The folks who are divorced will have to get what looks to me very like another divorce, a Roman Catholic divorce with only a change of name to an annulment.

There you have it - a glimpse of the rules for parishes, bishops, and priests who wish to join the RCC en masse.

Two items of note in the announcement by Bishop Cardinal Wuerl:

The St. Mary’s faculty member in charge of it is the Rev. Jeffrey Steenson, formerly the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande, who was received into the Catholic Church in 2007.

Hmmm.

And:

Once all of that documentation [on the clergy] has been sent to the Vatican, the candidate will cease celebrating the Anglican Eucharist.

Why would an Episcopal priest continue to preside at the Eucharist after he believes his orders are invalid?

Thanks to Ann V. for the link.