What have I been doing the last 8 weeks at work?

Immaculate Conception Parish - rural Kellogg, MN

Today I assisted at Mass (n.o.) at Immaculate Conception Parish between Plainview and Kellogg, MN.  What  a beautiful country parish!!  Not much info out there on the parish.  (Renovation done approx. 7 years ago.)  This parish shares the Pastor with St. Joachim Parish in Plainview, MN.  Shared bulletins can be found here.

The basics:
Immaculate Conception Church
22032 County Road 18, Kellogg, MN 55945
(507) 767-4939

Mass Times (N.O.):
9:00 AM on Thursday
10:30 AM on Sunday

Definitely worth a look, the parishioners here are very friendly and seem to want to keep things beautiful - praise God.

.....oh, yeah.....saw a guitar in the choir loft - was not heard during Mass---only beautiful signing today.

What I call "fun"

Traditional Latin Mass.......4 year old style

How does your kid "say" Mass?  Can a Papa be prouder?

Combine Latin and Metal

Think this is the future of the Traditional Latin Mass community in the USA?  Might be a way to get the fallen away mental metal heads back.

I found this "band" when doing a search on Groove Shark for Regina Coeli.  Yeah - uuhhhhhmmmm ya.  Listen ............... if you dare.  Sensitive Traddy's might want to sit down........and pray................a lot.

from the above website................"This website will feature Catholic music that is written and performed by Catholic musicians. We will feature music reviews, interviews with musicians and a forum will be set up to promote the discussion of topics that are of interest to Catholic musicians.There are many websites that feature Christian metal bands; we wish them well with their ministry. This website is intended to promote Catholic Metal bands and artists whose music reflects the truth of Christ that is revealed in his Catholic Church.  The essence of metal music's energy combined with that of the Holy Spirit can be summed up by our motto, "Praising Him loudly!". The potential that this musical form has of delivering Christ's message and fulfilling the call to evangelize (which Pope John Paul II said was so necessary) [not sure this is what the Holy Father had in mind] might prove Catholic Metal music to be one of the most powerful."  [I have my doubts, ya know Gregorian chant  - pride of place - and all that stuff]

Yeah.  Me thinks mmmmmmmmmmmmmm NOT.

Heard Today?

Given by His Holiness St. Pius X (September 1, 1910)
To be sworn to by all clergy, pastors, confessors, preachers, religious superiors, and professors in philosophical-theological seminaries.

I . . . . firmly embrace and accept each and every definition that has been set forth and declared by the unerring teaching authority of the Church, especially those principal truths which are directly opposed to the errors of this day.

And first of all, I profess that God, the origin and end of all things, can be known with certainty by the natural light of reason from the created world (see Rom. 1:90), that is, from the visible works of creation, as a cause from its effects, and that, therefore, his existence can also be demonstrated:

Secondly, I accept and acknowledge the external proofs of revelation, that is, divine acts and especially miracles and prophecies as the surest signs of the divine origin of the Christian religion and I hold that these same proofs are well adapted to the understanding of all eras and all men, even of this time.

Thirdly, I believe with equally firm faith that the Church, the guardian and teacher of the revealed word, was personally instituted by the real and historical Christ when he lived among us, and that the Church was built upon Peter, the prince of the apostolic hierarchy, and his successors for the duration of time.

Fourthly, I sincerely hold that the doctrine of faith was handed down to us from the apostles through the orthodox Fathers in exactly the same meaning and always in the same purport. Therefore, I entirely reject the heretical' misrepresentation that dogmas evolve and change from one meaning to another different from the one which the Church held previously. I also condemn every error according to which, in place of the divine deposit which has been given to the spouse of Christ to be carefully guarded by her, there is put a philosophical figment or product of a human conscience that has gradually been developed by human effort and will continue to develop indefinitely.

Fifthly, I hold with certainty and sincerely confess that faith is not a blind sentiment of religion welling up from the depths of the subconscious under the impulse of the heart and the motion of a will trained to morality; but faith is a genuine assent of the intellect to truth received by hearing from an external source. By this assent, because of the authority of the supremely truthful God, we believe to be true that which has been revealed and attested to by a personal God, our creator and lord.

Furthermore, with due reverence, I submit and adhere with my whole heart to the condemnations, declarations, and all the prescripts contained in the encyclical Pascendi and in the decree Lamentabili, especially those concerning what is known as the history of dogmas. I also reject the error of those who say that the faith held by the Church can contradict history, and that Catholic dogmas, in the sense in which they are now understood, are irreconcilable with a more realistic view of the origins of the Christian religion. I also condemn and reject the opinion of those who say that a well-educated Christian assumes a dual personality-that of a believer and at the same time of a historian, as if it were permissible for a historian to hold things that contradict the faith of the believer, or to establish premises which, provided there be no direct denial of dogmas, would lead to the conclusion that dogmas are either false or doubtful. Likewise, I reject that method of judging and interpreting Sacred Scripture which, departing from the tradition of the Church, the analogy of faith, and the norms of the Apostolic See, embraces the misrepresentations of the rationalists and with no prudence or restraint adopts textual criticism as the one and supreme norm. Furthermore, I reject the opinion of those who hold that a professor lecturing or writing on a historico-theological subject should first put aside any preconceived opinion about the supernatural origin of Catholic tradition or about the divine promise of help to preserve all revealed truth forever; and that they should then interpret the writings of each of the Fathers solely by scientific principles, excluding all sacred authority, and with the same liberty of judgment that is common in the investigation of all ordinary historical documents.

Finally, I declare that I am completely opposed to the error of the modernists who hold that there is nothing divine in sacred tradition; or what is far worse, say that there is, but in a pantheistic sense, with the result that there would remain nothing but this plain simple fact-one to be put on a par with the ordinary facts of history-the fact, namely, that a group of men by their own labor, skill, and talent have continued through subsequent ages a school begun by Christ and his apostles. I firmly hold, then, and shall hold to my dying breath the belief of the Fathers in the charism of truth, which certainly is, was, and always will be in the succession of the episcopacy from the apostles. The purpose of this is, then, not that dogma may be tailored according to what seems better and more suited to the culture of each age; rather, that the absolute and immutable truth preached by the apostles from the beginning may never be believed to be different, may never be understood in any other way.

I promise that I shall keep all these articles faithfully, entirely, and sincerely, and guard them inviolate, in no way deviating from them in teaching or in any way in word or in writing. Thus I promise, this I swear, so help me God.

Found at The Last Martyrdom

Spoken today......hmmmmm......maybe by a few.  NOT the majority.

Happy Birthday to my lovely wife!!!!!

I won't say her age, but a blessed birthday to this wonderful woman, wife, and mother!!!!!!!!

Activity for next years' retreat?

Ignore the "new age" dialogue.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGHLINERS from Cedar Wright on Vimeo.

Get ready, strengthen the core.  Well, what ya think? 

From - "In Need of Mercy"

"It's time for your Exodus!!! I see another parallel here: Just like Moses, you have to stop on the border of the promised land (WI) on the Jordan River (Mississippi) and have to wander around less fertile land (MN) for 40yrs."     In need of Mercy















About right

Archbishop Raymond Burke - beacon of Orthodoxy - follow up

A few days ago I posted on a speech given by Archbishop Burke.  Courtesy of Real Catholic TV, here is the video of said speech.  And if you prefer to read the text, this link is for you.  Sorry, couldn't embed.

The title of the speech and document is

CATHOLIC ORTHODOXY;
ANTIDOTE AGAINST THE CULTURE OF DEATH
by
+ Raymond Leo Burke
Archbishop Emeritus of Saint Louis
Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura

Welcome to Saint Joachim's (St. Joachim) - Our new Parish

As we will be moving to Plainview, MN soon, my wife did some searching at the parish while she was in town. Saint Joachim's (St. Joachim) has not escaped the 60's and 70's, but there do appear to be some great remnants- a high altar for one. More will be posted after we move. Here are some pics.  Mass times/details below.  The sister parish is Immaculate Conception in rural Kellogg, MN.

These are some of my favorite stained glass windows I have ever seen!!!

I left out the picture of the guitar just outside the sanctuary (Gather Us In the hens and the chickens....).  I am told I need to build a rapport before taking that one on.   HHHHMMMMMM we'll see.  Bonus - they have Adoration of the (exposed) Blessed Sacrament 4 days a week 24 hours a day. (Tuesday - Friday)

UPDATE:
11/19/2011

Mass times - all N.O.  Holy Days and special Masses posted as needed

Monday - No Masses

Tuesday - 8:30 AM

Wednesday - 10:00 St. Isidore's nursing home chapel

Thursday - 9:00 AM Immaculate Conception in rural Kellogg
                  5:15 PM

Friday - 8:30 AM

Saturday - 4:30 PM anticipatory Mass

Sunday - 7:45 AM
               9:15 AM
               10:30 AM Immaculate Conception


Confessions are heard Saturday from 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM (or by appointment.) with an accompanying Holy Hour.  The Holy Hour prior to the anticipatory Mass is no longer.


Parish office 507-534-3321

900 West Broadway
Plainview, MN 55964

Add'l info - you may notice above the high Altar that St. Paul is missing something.  Someone took his sword because it "represented violence."  Well......we are the Church Militant.....are we not?  Anyway - pray for this parish - LOTS of healing and growth and teaching of the faith needs to be done.  And it's meeting resistance.

Forced Abortions for Chinese women

Al Jazeera.Net

Forced abortions for Chinese women

( http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2010/10/201010208145793266.html )

The Child - a documentary

Check out this new documentary coming in November. 

How to protect Parents rights

"This is from Women of Grace
Parental Rights Amendment
The following video features a trailer is for the documentary “The Child.” The documentary provides an eye opening look at the current state of parental rights in the United States and how the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child threatens to undermine the individual rights of families and parents."
HT Catholic Parents Online

Archbishop Raymond Burke - beacon of Orthodoxy

Part 1


Part 2 - The follow up..

Intercessors of the Lamb shut down

FOR RELEASE October 15, 2010


Archbishop Lucas shuts down Association of the Hermit Intercessors of the Lamb Archdiocese to care for 48 displaced members

October 15, 2010 (OMAHA, NE) –

Today, Omaha Archbishop George J. Lucas shut down the Association of the Hermit Intercessors of the Lamb, a contemplative, intercessory, and mixed (lay men, women, and clerics) public association of hermits.

Lucas suppressed the Catholic association after a majority of lay directors of Intercessors of the Lamb, Inc., the association’s civil corporation, impeded him from helping the association accomplish the necessary reforms identified by a recent canonical visitation. “What began as a desire for pastoral solicitude and an effort at positive reform resulted in the refusal to accept the assistance and jurisdiction of the Church by a majority of the lay board members,” Lucas said.

Lucas tried on several occasions to meet with directors of Intercessors of the Lamb, Inc. to share his vision and hope for the hermit community. The majority of the board refused his invitations and took steps to undermine his pastoral oversight of the association.  Last winter the newly installed Archbishop Lucas was approached by Nadine Brown, the Intercessors’ foundress and former director, to request his guidance in determining the group’s future. In an effort to familiarize himself with the association before advancing

Brown’s goals, Lucas had canon law professor the Rev. James J. Conn, SJ, JD, JCD act as his delegate in conducting a canonical visitation of the Intercessors.

At Lucas’ request and with Brown’s agreement, Conn examined the association’s governance structure, in addition to reviewing the doctrinal, spiritual, moral, and financial aspects of the association. His findings prompted Brown’s resignation and the appointment of the Rev. Gregory P. Baxter trustee of the Intercessors for a period of up to 12 months. Baxter, pastor of St. Margaret Mary Parish in Omaha and a former chancery official, was charged with providing the order, structure and vision that were found lacking in the association. A majority of the civil board rejected Lucas’ and Baxter’s guidance, which prevented the archdiocese from moving forward because it lacked the cooperation of the civil board of directors.

“It was my hope from the beginning that the Intercessors and the archdiocese would move together on this path to the next step,” Lucas said. “Unfortunately, the canonical visitation revealed a number of alarming issues. For reasons that they have refused to share with me, the board of directors does not want to work with the Church to implement the necessary reforms.”  Lucas further stated the directors’ position is in stark contrast to the members living as a community at the Intercessors’ Ponca Hills campus. He said the community was excited when he agreed to help the association chart a new course for the future.

According to Deacon Timothy F. McNeil, chancellor of the Archdiocese of Omaha, all Catholic institutions and apostolates in the archdiocese must have a connection to the Archbishop of Omaha. “When the association asked to be recognized as a Catholic entity in accord with Church law, it agreed to recognize the pastoral authority of the archbishop and follow Catholic practices,” McNeil said. “In other words, you cannot make the claim you’re a Catholic organization and at the same time separate yourself from the teaching, sanctifying, and governing role of the archbishop.”  Now that the association is suppressed, public worship and the celebration of the sacraments are prohibited on the Intercessors’ property; priests and deacons are forbidden from ministering at the property; donors are advised that their contributions will not go to support the mission of a Catholic organization; Intercessors of the Lamb, Inc, is no longer affiliated with the Catholic Church; and the chapel on the campus is no longer a Catholic chapel. Moreover, the vows of the members ceased at the moment of suppression.

McNeil said Catholics worldwide are encouraged to refrain from participating in Intercessors-sponsored activity.  McNeil said Lucas received the consent of the association’s internal governing council before suppressing the association. He further stated that Lucas’ decision was also influenced by Conn’s findings, which reflected negatively on Brown’s leadership.

Conn’s findings included: errors in governing documents; serious disunity within the community; widespread dissatisfaction with leadership; lack of safe environment policies; questionable financial practices; violation of its own proper law; use of intimidation tactics to secure obedience from members; inability of members to articulate the Intercessors’ charism; lack of financial transparency; violating norms governing alienation and acts of extraordinary administration; a flawed understanding of prayer and spiritual discernment; absence of good human resources; confusion and violation of internal forum and external forum in formation and governance; absence of adequate economic stewardship; illegitimate and irreverent custody of the Blessed Sacrament; and confusion over the administration of Mass offerings.

Lucas said when he assumed governance of the association his primary goal was to use his pastoral role to help the faithful members associate as a community that was in harmony with the Church. When the association’s civil board made it impossible for him to exercise his pastoral function, Lucas said he had no choice but to suppress the association.

Lucas is now providing pastoral care in a different manner. He provided a bus Friday morning to transport 48 former members from the Ponca Hills campus to temporary housing in the archdiocese. He is also providing food and clothing for the 48. “My concern is for the welfare of the individuals who joined the Intercessors with the intention of doing the Lord’s work,” Lucas said.

HHHHHHMMMMMMMM - I am sure more will come of this.  I know many people who liked their spirituality.  I am more of a traditionalist - the Old Mass suits me better.  I was told by a friend that this order was not allowed to come into the Diocese of Lincoln, Bishop Bruskewitz put the hammer down on that one.

Traditional Latin Mass

I noticed someone did a search for a Traditional Latin Mass near Baraboo, WI recently and they ended up here.  I hope they found what they were looking for.  If not, here is some info that may be of help in the future.  The only TLM near Baraboo, WI is offered by the Society of Jesus Christ the Priest.  There is a cluster of Parishes close to Baraboo in the Diocese of Madison.  Here is a good starting point to begin your search.  It is the website for St. Norberts Parish in Roxbury, WI.  Beautiful parish, well said Mass - NO liturgical abuses in the TLM or NO masses.  A haven in the wilderness if you ask me.  Much info can be found on them with a simple google search.  The Badger Catholic has also posted on this.  Any for some eye candy, here are some pics taken in August 2010.

Burn - New documentary on Detriot Fire

I must confess, I did know Detroit was in rough shape, I had no idea it was this bad.  Knowledge about ones surroundings is good.

CAUTION - some rough language in this trailer

The Crowbar

Could you do this?

The interesting point I need to make here is.......are people able to do this?  In order to take an oath regarding something, one must know what they are swearing to.  Far too may catholics wouldn't know what they are holding themselves to.  I think before we could do this, we have an obligation to inform all those who were, and still are, mislead by false teachers.

Prudence

Normally I am in total agreement with Mr. Voris - and I am not saying I disagree with this episode.  I do think that prudence needs to be used with "luke warm" type catholics.  Sometimes guns blazin is the best way to  handle things...............sometimes you need kid gloves.  I don't know, I am still on the fence.  One thing I do know without hesitation - they DO need to be told, taught, and if necessary, disciplined.  The pastoral question is that of form.  I'm a guns blazin kinda guy, but individual pride is a hard sin to overcome.  I often think that most people who have been lied to (intentionally or not) have a difficult time admitting that fact.  Perhaps they think it shows weakness?  Bottom line?  People need to be taught the truth - period.  How and at what pace?  The following makes a good point.

Clarification on...well...just watch.

This needs to be watched.............many don't understand this.  Not only can we know and live this, we must.

Fr. Rocky presents 5 Virtues.............

..................................................Parents, Grandparents and all! You won't want to miss this great event! Please pass it on!
God bless you & yours,
Colleen

Catholic Parents Online (H/T)

Five Virtues All Catholic Parents Should Pass on to Their Children

Join Relevant Radio Executive Director and Co-Host of "Go Ask Your Father TM" Rev. Francis J. Hoffman (Fr. Rocky) for an engaging program for parents and grandparents at the Church of the Maternity of Mary, 1414 N. Dale Street in St. Paul, MN on Wednesday, November 3rd at 7:00 pm. Father will present "The 5 Virtues All Catholic Parents Should Pass on to Their Children". There is no cost.

http://www.relevantradio.com/Document.Doc?id=473
 
 
........I didn't realize Fr. Rocky was Opus Dei..............I knew I liked him for a reason.

Past and Present - After thoughts of the retreat

 Past.....................

And present......................................................

                                                                                                                                                                         

Different types of Battle....perhaps the same war. Thanks to Fathers Martin, O'hara, and Burish for all they do.

The Power of Imitation: A Father’s Secret Weapon

I have a bad habit that I picked up years ago at military school. I was taught to spit shine, not the polite way with polish and water, but the old fashioned way with black Kiwi and spit. I thought nothing of my old habit until one evening several years ago during a meeting of the Wood Shoeshine Club.

Like it or not, when my children were younger I had an automatic shoeshine club whenever I shined my shoes. All I had to do was sit down with dirty shoes and polish and my younger children ran to collect their shoes and join me.

One memorable evening while I was (unconsciously) spit shining my shoes, I had to leave the room for a few minutes. When I came back into the room I discovered one of my daughters imitating my behavior – with a slight modification. If spit shining was good enough for Dad, then she felt “lick shining” would be even better. I stared in amazement at my three-year-old daughter licking her shoes. It was a rude awakening to the power of imitation that a father has with his children.

Fathers are often blind to the universal inclination of children to imitate them. Our children are always watching our actions, even when we are not aware of it. When one of my sons was two years old, my wife Karen would find pennies in his dirty diapers. My son had observed that I put money in my wallet and then stuck it in my back pocket. Since he had no wallet or pocket, he just stuck loose change he found around the house down the back of his diaper. His wanting to be just like Dad with money gave new meaning to the expression “filthy lucre.”

Every child is a born imitator. Your children do not have to be trained to imitate observed behavior [good or bad]. They will do it automatically.

Adapted from Legacy: A Father’s Handbook for Raising Godly Children.

HT Steve Wood

New play with a different view on abortion

Info on the Play

Want to go?

» What: “Jenny,” a pro-life musical.

» When: 7 p.m. Oct. 14 at the University of St. Thomas [yeah, I know - but its worth a shot] , O’Shaugh­nessy Education Center; 7 p.m. Oct. 15 and 16, and 3 p.m. Oct. 17 at St. Andrew in St. Paul; and 8 p.m. Oct. 28 at the University of Minnesota’s Coffman Memorial Union.

» Cost: Free; a free-will offering will be taken. Suggested donation is $10 per person, $20 per family.

» More info: Contact Bob Hindel at (651) 271-6405 or rehindel@isd.net.

HT Catholic Parents Online

Solutions to the Problem

Often times many "Traditional Catholics" get the label of griping about things that are happening without offering solutions.........................the solutions are presented...........often the solutions are not what they want to hear...........a little white truth is hard to take.

Stereotyping for the next generation.

A while back we were doing some house chores when I noticed something interesting.  The Boy was outside washing his car..................................

.............................While Wheatsie was vacuuming her room. 

Just struck me as interesting.

Smoke a stogie, have a burger, and throw back a Coke-Stick it to the fun police

Mother Saves Baby that Doctors Left for Dead

Full Story with Video

HT Catholic Parents Online

Religion in the Modern World

I think the Badger Catholic has this sweater in his closet.


HT - S.H. in Lincoln

Pictures from the Diocese of Lincoln

While some friends were here last weekend, we visited the Cathedral (the Lord is there, other than that - not much to see.)  The Cathedral is the protestant looking church in the first seven pictures.  The rest of the pics are from the Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary in Denton, NE.  OLGS is a seminary for the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter and was just consecrated this spring.  Enjoy the photos on Picasa.

Help a group out

If you are looking for a worthly place to donate some tax write offable donations please consider
Catholic Answers.

They run catholic.com, and do a great job with their radio programs.  CA has brought many back to the faith including this guy, and do it well.  They aren't as "traditionalist" as they could be, but for a post Vatican II orginaization, you can't get any better.  No need to worry about truth coming from them - they are the real deal.  So, if you have a few extra dollars around, give a shout and help them out.  Their website is filled with tons of free stuff, worth well more than a simple donation. 

Prayer Request - I'm hittin' it hard

As many of you know, things are never dull in our life.  Whirlwinds of change, that seem never ending.  To that end, I am asking my friends, acquaintances, and those who just happen upon here to join me in a novena for a private intention - although most of you know - so, if you are so inclined............here are some suggestions.  (No I am not doing them all, just some suggestions.)

Sacred Heart of Jesus Novena

Novena to Saint Rita

Novena to St. Joseph

Novena of the Twenty-four Glory Be to the Fathers - St. Thérèse of Lisieux

Thank you

Audio Sancto

Sermons in plain English on Catholic dogma, doctrine, and devotion. 

What and who is Audio Sancto?

Audio Sancto is a website created and maintained by Catholic laymen who record and publish sermons [traditional minded homilies] by Catholic priests, with the permission of the priests who preach them. 

Good stuff.

The Social Costs of Pornography

I know, I know, another post on porn - what is this guys deal right?  Well, it would seem that unless someone gets the facts out to the people in the streets few know how damaging or addicting pornography can be.  And, really I don't know too many people who are soooo strange that they actually search out pastoral letters from Bishops (hidden jems if you ask me) and obscure studies performed by groups that the average person walking down the street won't look come by in passing.  What prompted this post was a sermon I heard yesterday at Mass, along with a dinner conversation later that evening.  The following is a brief summary of what the sermon and conversation consisted of last night. 

Sources:
Blessed Are the Pure In Heart - A Pastoral Letter on the Dignity of the Human Person and the Dangers of Pornography -- Most Reverend Robert W. Finn, Bishop of Diocese Kansas City ~ St. Joseph

The following is just a sample, I realize that most people do not want a 22 page document to read -  if you do, the link is above. 
The scope and costs of Pornography


􀂃 According to 2004 IFR research, U.S. porn revenue exceeds the combined revenues of ABC, CBS, and NBC (6.2 billion). Porn revenue is larger than all combined revenues of all professional football, baseball and basketball franchises. The pornography industry, according to conservative estimates, brings in $57 billion per year, of which the United States is responsible for $12 billion. Internet Pornography and Loneliness: An Association? Vincent Cyrus Yoder, Thomas B. Virden III, and Kiran Amin. Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity, Volume 12.1, 2005.
􀂃 The Internet accounted for US $2.5 billion of the adult industry’s revenues. Dirty Downloads Ready to Go on iPods, Ron Harris, www.macnewsworld.com, 2005.
􀂃 According to a March, 2004 figure, there were 800 million rentals each year of adult videos and DVDs Overdosing on Porn, Rebecca Hagelin. http://www.worldandi.com/.
􀂃 Current estimates are that $20 billion is spent annually on adult videos (sales and rentals).
􀂃 Half of all hotel guests order pornographic movies. These films comprise 80% of inroom
entertainment revenue and 70% of total in-room revenue. Sex-Film Industry Threatened With Condom Requirement, Nick Madigan. The New York Times, 24 August, 2004 .
􀂃 Cable pay per view amounted to $2.5 billion.
􀂃 Magazines accounted for $7.5 billion. Scope of Internet Pornography
􀂃 In 2004, there were 4.2 million pornographic websites; 372 million pornographic pages.
􀂃 Daily there were 68 million pornographic search engine requests (25% of requests).2003.
􀂃 Sex is the number one topic searched on the Internet. Overdosing on Porn, Rebecca Hagelin. www.worlandi.com, March, 2004.
􀂃 Daily there are 2.5 billion pornographic emails (8% of total emails). 2004.
􀂃 The most common ways people have accidentally reached pornographic content on the Web are pop-up windows (55%), misrepresented links (52%), misspelled URLs (48%) and auto links within emails (23%) Fifty Percent of Workers Spend Nine Days a Year on Personal Surfing at Work. Cerberian Inc. and SonicWALL, 20 July 2004 .
􀂃 There are 100 thousand websites offering illegal child pornography (U.S. Customs
Service estimate). Adult Internet Pornography Statistics
􀂃 70% of 18 to 24 year old men visit pornographic sites in a typical month. 66% of men in their 20s and 30s also report being regular users of pornography. First-person: The Culture of Pornography, R. Albert Mohler, Jr., Baptist Press, 28 December 2005 .
􀂃 20% of men and 13% of women surveyed admitted to accessing pornography at work. Internet Pornography Statistics. Internet Filter Review, 2004.
􀂃 There are 40 million US adults who regularly visit internet pornography websites
􀂃 One out of three visitors to all adult web sites are women.
􀂃 Women favor chat rooms two times more than men. Effects of Pornography
􀂃 40% of adults surveyed believe that pornography harms relationships between men and women. Consensus Among American Public on the Effects of Pornography on Adults or Children or What Government Should Do About It, Harris Poll, 7 October 2005. http://www.harrisinteractive.com/.
􀂃 30 percent of surveyed adults said their partner’s use of pornography made them feel more like a sexual object Marriage Related Research, Mark A. Yarhouse, Psy.D. Christian Counseling Today, 2004 Vol. 12 No. 1. August, 2004.
􀂃 One out of every six women grapples with addiction to pornography. Internet Pornography and Loneliness: An Association? Vincent Cyrus Yoder, Thomas B. Virden III , and Kiran Amin. Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity, Volume 12.1, 2005.
􀂃 47% of Christians surveyed said pornography is a major problem in the home.
􀂃 As little as six hours exposure to soft core porn (anything designed to arouse one sexually) is enough to destroy the viewer’s satisfaction with his or her spouse; decrease the value of faithfulness; decrease the ability to be with one person and cherish that person; and increase the thought that women enjoy rape. Survey 2004 Children and the Internet
􀂃 Children use the Internet. 96 percent of kids have gone online; 74% having access at home and 61% use the Internet on a typical day. Kids stay connected, USA Today snapshots. 5 January, 2004.
􀂃 In a survey reported in 2000, 21 percent of teens say they have looked at something
on the Internet that they wouldn’t want their parents to know. A World of Their Own. Newsweek, 8 May 2000. Children Internet Pornography Statistics
􀂃 90% of 8-16 year olds using the Internet have viewed pornography on line (most while doing homework). 2004
􀂃 Eleven years old is the average age of first Internet exposure to pornography. 2004.
􀂃 Among underage viewers of pornography, children 12 years old to 17 years old are the largest consumers of Internet pornography. 2004.
􀂃 A survey of 600 households conducted by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children found that 20% of parents do not know any of their children’s Internet passwords, instant messaging nicknames or email addresses. Only 5% of parents recognized the acronym POS (parent over shoulder) and only 1% could identify WTGP (want to go private?), both of which are used frequently by teens when instant
messaging Ads target online victimization of children. USA Today, 20 May 2004.
􀂃 Incidents of child sexual exploitation have risen from 4,573 in 1998 to 112,083 in 2004, according to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children Reports of Child Exploitation up. USA Today Snapshots, 17 February, 2005 .
􀂃 Child Pornography generates $3 billion annually. Internet Filter Review. 2004.
 
[Many people wonder why I harp so much on men being real men - if Men were Men this would not need to be a post.]
 
Next -
 
The Social Costs of Pornography, a study performed by The Witherspoon Institute.
The consultation on "The Social Costs of Pornography was organized by the Witherspoon Institute in conjunction with the Institute for the Psychological Sciences in Washington, DC and held at Princeton University, December 11 - 13, 2008. The consultation was hosted by Robert P. George, Senior Fellow of the Witherspoon Institute and McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton University. This meeting assembled leading experts in the fields of psychiatry, psychology, neurophysiology, philosophy, sociology, law, and political theory to present a rigorously argued overview of the problem of pornography in our society and to make recommendations. The primary purpose of the meeting was to examine the real nature of pornography in its moral and social consequences.
 
It is essential to note the scholars who participated in this consultation represent a wide range of political perspectives, but share a common interest in addressing pornography's devastating social cost. At the two-day-long consultation, ten scholars delivered papers on subject-specific aspects of pornography's impact, and approximately twelve scholars served as discussants throughout the meeting. This format ensured that the papers will be energetically critiqued in order to promote a fair and in-depth assessment of the issues in question.

NOTE: The following videos may contain graphic language that conveys the reality of contemporary pornography and its impact on men, women, and children.

Pornography's Effect on Interpersonal Relationships

Ana Bridges from Design4 Marketing Communications on Vimeo.


The Impact of Pornography on Women:
Social Science Findings and Clinical Observations

Jill Manning from Design4 Marketing Communications on Vimeo.
 
More can be found on the website.

Sermon on Pornography - August 2, 2009

Project Truth : A Youth Defence Project

Props to the Irish for stickin' it to the Man.  AAAHHHHHHHHHRRRRRGGGGG
Catholic Parents OnLine

More Retreat Pics from Angels Lake 2010

Courtesy of BB

We have more pictures (BB Picasa Pics) from the retreat at Angels Lake.  Thanks to BB for the pics, the conversation, and the use of his chair after he went home.  Also, a BIG thanks to his wife for allowing him to come, as they had a child less than two weeks before the retreat.  May God bless her for that great sacrifice.

St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church Lincoln, Nebraska

The Oratory of St. Francis of Assisi finally gets a website - and not a shabby one at that.  The site was added very recently and fills a void that many of the faithful have wanted.  When doing a search for St. Francis, many are directed to the diocesan website, which leaves a bit to be desired. 

"Pax et Bonum!

Welcome to St. Francis of Assisi Church, an Oratory of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter. All of the Sacred Rites celebrated at St. Francis are exclusively conducted to the Liturgical Books of 1962. St. Francis is at the service of, and open to all the Faithful of the Diocese of Lincoln by the expressed permission of His Excellency Fabian Wendelin Bruskewitz. The church is newly renovated and is open daily for liturgy, devotions, and meditation. Masses are offered daily and Confessions are heard before every Mass. Visitors are always welcome and we look forward to meeting you. May God reward you!"

In Jesu et Maria,
Rev. Fr. Roberto Cano, FSSP

 

At the website you can find out more regarding the Traditional Latin Mass, the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, Mass times, photos, and more.  Please take some time to browse, learn, and then come enjoy the beauty that is found in the Traditional Mass.
 
Oratory of St. Francis - Lincoln, Nebraska

Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter

Diocese of Lincoln
 

Phones, sports, and vampires - ya know the everyday stuff.

Excerpt from a newsletter from Steve Wood at Dads.org


September 2010, Volume 16, Issue 4


Smart Fathers and Smartphones
One of the goals of a smart dad is to find a job or profession that supports the family financially and that also allows him to get home for dinner with the family. I realize that some special situations and professions make regular family dinners a goal difficult to achieve. Nevertheless, it should be a father’s goal to have regular dinners with the family. It’s one of the simplest ways to build family solidarity and to keep teens from submerging into negative peer culture.


The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia has released their fifth special report on the importance of families eating together. Here’s what they discovered:


“Over the past decade and a half of surveying thousands of American teens and their parents, we have discovered that one of the most effective ways parents can keep their kids from using substances is by sitting down to dinner with them. Compared to teens who have frequent family dinners (five to seven per week), those who have infrequent family dinners (fewer than three per week) are:


• Twice as likely to use tobacco or marijuana; and


• More than one and a half times likelier to use alcohol.


The research shows clearly how important it is to get to the dinner table with your kids.”


This year’s special report looked into the effect of Blackberries, cell phones, smartphones, and other electronic gadgets on family dinners. The researchers found that electronic disruptions sabotaged the positive effect of family meals. For family meals to have positive effects fathers and all other members of the family can’t be texting and focusing on a smartphone every time it vibrates. The researcher’s advice was simple, clear, and direct: all members of the family should turn off all phones and electronic gadgets during family meals.


I concur with the advice from the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse. Smart dads turn off smartphones during family meals.


Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI on Sports
“Sports are not merely the exercise of muscles, but the school of moral values and of training in courage, in perseverance, and in overcoming laziness and carelessness. There is no doubt that these values are of greatest interest for the formation of a personality, which considers sports not an end in itself but as a means to total and harmonious physical, moral and social development.”


(John Paul II, 1984 Address to European Olympians in L.A.)


“Sport has a notable educational potential above all in the realm of youth and, because of this, it is of great importance not only in the use of free time, but also in the formation of the person. Hence, it is necessary that, in our time – in which we see the urgent need to educate the new generations – the Church continue to support sports for young people, fully appreciating also competitive activity in its positive aspects, as for example, in the capacity to stimulate competitiveness, courage and tenacity in the pursuit of objectives avoiding, however, all tendencies that pervert its very nature with recourse to practices that are also dangerous to the organism, as is the case of doping.”


(Benedict XVI, 2009 Address to Pontifical Council for the Laity’s seminar on sports and education)


Vampires
The latest stage of the descent into the occult paganization of youth is the vampire craze. The Twilight vampire-romance novels, movies, and DVDs are a runaway success. The first Twilight film grossed over $392 million worldwide. The first Twilight book stayed on the New York Times Best Seller list for 91 weeks. The Social Security Administration reports that Bella, the love-struck heroine in the Twilight tales, is now on the list of the top 200 girls’ names. It says a lot about our culture when parents name their baby daughter after a girl who turns into a vampire.


A few months ago, I called a Catholic priest out-of-state whom I had never met or spoken to before. He was shaken when I called, having just hung up the phone from talking to his priest friend. It seems that two teenagers had called his friend asking the priest if he could put them in touch with a vampire. This depressing call revealed just how debased and toxic our culture has become.


A Barna research report (Teens and the Supernatural – Barna.org) found that “three quarters of America’s youth have engaged in at least one type of psychic or witchcraft-related activity, beyond mere media exposure.” The report stated that 77% of Catholic youth have experimented with psychic and witchcraft-related activities (such as: consulting Ouija boards, participating in séances, casting spells, mixing magic potions, etc.).


Here are a couple of good resources for fathers seeking to protect themselves and their teens from the vampire plague:


The Spiritual Counterfeits Projects, an Evangelical anti-cult and occult organization, has a special issue of its journal devoted to the vampire craze.


The well-known Catholic author, Michael O’Brien, has written a book entitled Harry Potter and the Paganization of Culture.


Although O’Brien masterfully analyzes the literary value of Potter, Twilight, and other fantasy literature, the chief value of this book is its mature spiritual discernment. Many Catholics have made a huge mistake thinking that the chief questions about the Potter and Twilight novels are primarily questions of literary merit. This notion completely misses the threat posed by these novels which is deceptive and attractive spiritual portrayals of the dark side.


Consider that the unparalleled success of both the Potter series and the Twilight series came from authors who say that their stories just burst into their minds. Stephenie Meyer, author of the Twilight novels, said, “Bella and Edward were, quite literally, voices in my head. They simply wouldn’t shut up.” J.K. Rowling said that “the character of Harry Potter just popped into my head, full formed. Looking back, it was all quite spooky!” Are these just two literary coincidences or two inspirations from the demonic?


O’Brien warns, “Christian parents everywhere are facing the dilemma of raising their families in the midst of a tsunami of cultural corruption.” Teens calling a Catholic priest for help in locating a vampire, parents naming their daughters after Bella the vampire, and the extreme popularity of all things related to vampires, are just three indications of the paganization tsunami sweeping over our land. O’Brien’s book carries my strong recommendation for those fathers who desire wisdom in protecting their children from an invasive cultural corruption.

e5 Men Monthly Reminder

This Wednesday is the first Wednesday of the month

 
 
 
 

Yeah, its been blogged about....but its too good not to

I don't know how he made it through the whole song without laughing.  Oh Marty.

Previous Marty posts

The culture tells us it's ok......what about facts?

NEW OXFORD REVIEW
September 2007

Cohabitation: Ten Facts

By A. Patrick Schneider II
Patrick Schneider II, M.D., M.P.H., who holds boards in family and geriatric medicine and who received a Masters in Public Health from Harvard University, is in private practice in Lexington, Kentucky.

"Cohabitation -- it's training for divorce." -- Chuck Colson (1995)

1. Cohabitation is growing: 35 to 40 years ago cohabitation was rare; it was socially taboo. Growth by decade was: 1960s (up 19 percent), 1970s (up 204 percent), 1980s (up 80 percent), 1990s (up 66 percent), but up only 7.7 percent between 2000 and 2004. All told, cohabitation is up eleven-fold (U.S. Census Bureau, "Unmarried-Couple Households, by Presence of Children: 1960 to Present," Table UC-1, June 12, 2003).

2. Relationships are unstable: One-sixth of cohabiting couples stay together for only three years; one in ten survives five or more years (Bennett, W.J., The Broken Hearth: Reversing the Moral Collapse of the American Family, 2001).

3. Greater risk of divorce: The rate of divorce among those who cohabit prior to marriage is nearly double (39 percent vs. 21 percent) that of couples who marry without prior cohabitation (ibid.).

4. Women suffer disproportionately: Cohabiting women often end up with the responsibilities of marriage -- particularly when it comes to caring for children -- without the legal protection (ibid.), while contributing more than 70 percent of the relationship's income (Crouse, J.C., "Cohabitation: Consequences for Mothers and Children," presentation at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Oct. 11-14, 2004, U.N. Tenth Anniversary of the International Year of the Family).

5. Greater risk of STD: Men in cohabiting relationships are four times more likely to be unfaithful than husbands (ibid.). In 1960 there were only three STDs; now there are two dozen that are incurable. Cases of STD have tripled in the past six years. The rate of STD among cohabiting couples is six times higher than among married women (Crouse, J.C., Gaining Ground: A Profile of American Women in the Twentieth Century, 2000).

6. Greater risk of substance abuse and psychiatric problems: A UCLA survey of 130 published studies found that marriages preceded by cohabitation were more prone to drug and alcohol problems (Coombs, R.H., "Marital Status and Personal Well-Being: A Literature Review," Family Relations, Jan. 1991). Depression is three times more likely in cohabiting couples than among married couples (Robbins, L., Rieger, D., Psychiatric Disorders in America, 1990).

7. Higher poverty rates: Cohabitors who never marry have 78 percent less wealth than the continuously married; cohabitors who have been divorced or widowed once have 68 percent less wealth (Cohabitation Facts website).

8. Children suffer: The poverty rate among children of cohabiting couples is five fold greater than the rate among children in married-couple households (Bennett, op. cit.). Compared to children of married biological parents, children age 12-17 with cohabiting parents are six times more likely to exhibit emotional and behavioral problems (Booth, A., Crouter, A.C., eds., Just Living Together: Implications of Cohabitation on Families, Children and Social Policy, 2002). Likewise, adolescents from cohabiting households are 122 percent more likely to be expelled from school and 90 percent more likely to have a low GPA (Manning, W.D., Lamb, K.A., "Adolescent Well-Being in Cohabiting, Married and Single-Parent Families," Journal of Marriage and Family, Nov. 2003). Children find themselves without grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins; the family tree is pruned (Bennett, op. cit.).

9. Society pays: The U.S. has the highest incarceration rate in the world, with two million souls in federal and state prisons and local jails. In 1980 the figure was just over 500,000 (Bennett, op. cit.). Seventy percent of juveniles in state-operated institutions are from fatherless homes (Drake, T., "The Father Factor: Crime on Increase in ‘Dad Free' Zones," National Catholic Register, Jan. 2007). Three-fourths of children involved in criminal activity were from cohabiting households (Crouse, op. cit.).

10. Cohabitation breeds abuse, violence, and murder: Abuse of children: Rates of serious abuse are lowest in intact families; six times higher in step­families; 14 times higher in always-single-mother families; 20 times higher in cohabiting biological-parent families; and 33 times higher when the mother is cohabiting with a boyfriend who is not the biological father (Crouse, op. cit.). Abuse of women: Compared to a married woman, a cohabiting woman is three times more likely to experience physical aggression (Salari, S.M., Baldwin, B.M., "Verbal, Physical, and Injurious Aggression Among Intimate Couples Over Time," Journal of Family Issues, May 2002), and nine times more likely to be murdered (Shackelford, T.K., "Cohabitation, Marriage, and Murder: Woman-Killing by Male Romantic Partners," Aggressive Behavior, vol. 27, 2001). This data is consistent with similar data on children.

Cohabitation is bad for men, worse for women, and horrible for children. It is a deadly toxin to marriage, family, and culture. With great insight and wisdom Pope Benedict XVI has recently written in Sacramentum Caritatis (March 13, 2007) that among the four "fundamental values" that are "not negotiable," second only to respect for human life is "the family built upon marriage between a man and a woman."

© 2007 New Oxford Review. All Rights Reserved. September 2007, Volume LXXIV, Number 8.

H/T Catholic Parents Online