Yet. I have some blogging to do, but no time right now to do it. I've discovered my love for the Counting Crows though. Hence my title.
Dorothy Day video clip to watch later.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Oh, my aching knees.
I'm feeling really good tonight and I really hope that the feeling is mutual for my students. Tonight they made their first reconciliations. I was worried they weren't really prepared or ready, but I think they all did wonderfully. One on my girls was really scared, but I saw her smile afterward, so I think she handled it well. They all seem so young and this is such a milestone for them, something I know they will remember and I hope cherish.
I remember things about being 8 or 9, but I don't remember everything but I do remember my first confession. I think I was so much more worried and scared than they were. I truly was anxious for them. I suppose because as their teacher, I had no control over the situation. I worried that they weren't ready or that something would go wrong. When I made my first confession, I was terrified and remembered making my mother come with me. Now in retrospect, she sat nearby but didn't actually come with me. I don't recall having a Reconciliation Service like my students had last night. It was really wonderful. Father was very kind and compassionate. He encouraged them not to be afraid, that anything they told him or any of the priests would be between them and God. It made me feel better as a teacher. I also managed to go to Confession as well, which was spiritually enriching for me at a time when I think I really needed it.
In talking with parents, I think I might have a future priest or maybe even a future nun in my class. Of course, they're only 8 going on 9, so who knows, but I'm very proud of my students. Now... if I can get off my bum and prepare my lesson on The Mass for them for Saturday.
One other thing I realized that if there is something special going on at the church during the week, there is always food. I had a very lovely dinner, thanks to our parish secretary who made goodies for the priests. Leftovers are a blessing.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Priest uncovering beginnings of Final Solution
With all the talk of the SSPX and the Holocaust denying Williamson, I found this article about a French priest who has uncovered the beginnings of the Final Solution. He actually interviewed survivors mostly in the Ukraine and Russia, he saw mass burial graves and has written about previously unknown sites.
Priest uncovering beginnings of Final Solution
By MARIA DANILOVA and RANDY HERSCHAFT
The Associated Press
January 31, 2009
The Holocaust has a landscape engraved in the mind's eye: barbed-wire fences, gas chambers, furnaces.
Less known is the 'Holocaust by Bullets,' in which over 2 million Jews were gunned down in towns and villages across Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. Their part in the Nazis' Final Solution has been under-researched, their bodies left unidentified in unmarked mass graves.
'Shoah,' French filmmaker Claude Lanzmann's documentary, stands as the 20th century's epic visual record of the Holocaust. Now another Frenchman, a Catholic priest named Patrick Desbois, is filling in a different part of the picture.
Desbois says he has interviewed more than 800 eyewitnesses and pinpointed hundreds of mass graves strewn around dusty fields in the former Soviet Union. The result is a book, 'The Holocaust by Bullets,' and an exhibition through March 15 at New York's Museum of Jewish Heritage.
Brought to Ukraine by a twist of fate, Desbois has spent seven years trying to document the truth, honor the dead, relieve witnesses of their pain and guilt and prevent future acts of genocide.
Some 1.4 million of Soviet Ukraine's 2.4 million Jews were executed, starved to death or died of disease during the war. Another 550,000-650,000 Soviet Jews were killed in Belarus and up to 140,000 in Russia, according to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. Most of the victims were women, children and the elderly.
Begun after Germany invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941, the slaughter by bullets was the opening phase of what became the Nazis' Final Solution with its factories of death operating in Auschwitz and other camps, all in Nazi-occupied Poland.
Desbois devotes his 233-page book, published by Palgrave Macmillan in August, to his work in Ukraine, where he says he has uncovered over 800 mass extermination sites, more than two-thirds of them previously unknown.
Since the book was written, he has expanded his search for mass graves into Belarus and plans to look early this year in areas of Russia that were occupied by the Germans.
Sometimes bursting into tears, old men and women from poor Ukrainian villages recount to Desbois how women, children and elders were marched or carted in from neighboring towns to be shot, burned to death or buried alive by German troops, Romanian forces, squads of local Ukrainian collaborators and local ethnic German volunteers.
Even then, it was methodical, Desbois' research shows. First, Germans would arrive in a town or village and gather intelligence on how best to transport the victims to extermination sites, where to execute them and how to dispose of their bodies.
'It was done as systematically as it was done elsewhere,' said John Paul Himka, an expert on the Holocaust and Ukraine at the University of Alberta in Canada, who is not connected to Desbois' work. 'You can read as they're figuring out best way to do this, the best way to shoot ... it's absolutely systematic, no accident here.'
Desbois' interviews and grave-hunting tie in to millions of pages of Soviet archives, heightening their credibility, says Paul Shapiro, of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum who wrote the foreword to Desbois' book.
Father Desbois' work is also having an impact on efforts to preserve Holocaust sites. In December, the 26-nation International Task Force on the Holocaust called on European governments to ensure the protection of locations such as the mass graves Desbois is uncovering, according to Shapiro, who helped draft the resolution.
Among Desbois' key findings is the widespread use of local children to help bury the dead, wait on the German soldiers during meals and remove gold teeth and other valuables from the bodies. His work has also yielded evidence that the killings were most frequently carried out in the open, in daylight and in a variety of ways _ shooting victims, throwing them alive into bonfires, walling up a group of Jews in a cellar that wasn't opened until 12 years later.
Desbois' witnesses are mostly Orthodox Christian, and he comes to them as a priest, dressed in black and wearing a clerical collar, taking in their pain and trying to ease their suffering. Many have never before talked about their experiences.
In the village of Ternivka, some 200 miles south of Kiev where 2,300 Jews were killed, a frail, elderly woman, who identified herself only as Petrivna, revealed the unbearable task the Nazis imposed on her.
The young schoolgirl saw her Jewish neighbors thrown into a large pit, many still alive and convulsing in agony. Her task was to trample on them barefoot to make space for more. One of those she had to tread on was a classmate.
'You know, we were very poor, we didn't have shoes,' Petrivna told Desbois in a single breath, her body twitching in pain, Desbois writes in his book. 'You see, it is not easy to
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Priest uncovering beginnings of Final Solution
By MARIA DANILOVA and RANDY HERSCHAFT
The Associated Press
January 31, 2009
The Holocaust has a landscape engraved in the mind's eye: barbed-wire fences, gas chambers, furnaces.
Less known is the 'Holocaust by Bullets,' in which over 2 million Jews were gunned down in towns and villages across Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. Their part in the Nazis' Final Solution has been under-researched, their bodies left unidentified in unmarked mass graves.
'Shoah,' French filmmaker Claude Lanzmann's documentary, stands as the 20th century's epic visual record of the Holocaust. Now another Frenchman, a Catholic priest named Patrick Desbois, is filling in a different part of the picture.
Desbois says he has interviewed more than 800 eyewitnesses and pinpointed hundreds of mass graves strewn around dusty fields in the former Soviet Union. The result is a book, 'The Holocaust by Bullets,' and an exhibition through March 15 at New York's Museum of Jewish Heritage.
Brought to Ukraine by a twist of fate, Desbois has spent seven years trying to document the truth, honor the dead, relieve witnesses of their pain and guilt and prevent future acts of genocide.
Some 1.4 million of Soviet Ukraine's 2.4 million Jews were executed, starved to death or died of disease during the war. Another 550,000-650,000 Soviet Jews were killed in Belarus and up to 140,000 in Russia, according to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. Most of the victims were women, children and the elderly.
Begun after Germany invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941, the slaughter by bullets was the opening phase of what became the Nazis' Final Solution with its factories of death operating in Auschwitz and other camps, all in Nazi-occupied Poland.
Desbois devotes his 233-page book, published by Palgrave Macmillan in August, to his work in Ukraine, where he says he has uncovered over 800 mass extermination sites, more than two-thirds of them previously unknown.
Since the book was written, he has expanded his search for mass graves into Belarus and plans to look early this year in areas of Russia that were occupied by the Germans.
Sometimes bursting into tears, old men and women from poor Ukrainian villages recount to Desbois how women, children and elders were marched or carted in from neighboring towns to be shot, burned to death or buried alive by German troops, Romanian forces, squads of local Ukrainian collaborators and local ethnic German volunteers.
Even then, it was methodical, Desbois' research shows. First, Germans would arrive in a town or village and gather intelligence on how best to transport the victims to extermination sites, where to execute them and how to dispose of their bodies.
'It was done as systematically as it was done elsewhere,' said John Paul Himka, an expert on the Holocaust and Ukraine at the University of Alberta in Canada, who is not connected to Desbois' work. 'You can read as they're figuring out best way to do this, the best way to shoot ... it's absolutely systematic, no accident here.'
Desbois' interviews and grave-hunting tie in to millions of pages of Soviet archives, heightening their credibility, says Paul Shapiro, of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum who wrote the foreword to Desbois' book.
Father Desbois' work is also having an impact on efforts to preserve Holocaust sites. In December, the 26-nation International Task Force on the Holocaust called on European governments to ensure the protection of locations such as the mass graves Desbois is uncovering, according to Shapiro, who helped draft the resolution.
Among Desbois' key findings is the widespread use of local children to help bury the dead, wait on the German soldiers during meals and remove gold teeth and other valuables from the bodies. His work has also yielded evidence that the killings were most frequently carried out in the open, in daylight and in a variety of ways _ shooting victims, throwing them alive into bonfires, walling up a group of Jews in a cellar that wasn't opened until 12 years later.
Desbois' witnesses are mostly Orthodox Christian, and he comes to them as a priest, dressed in black and wearing a clerical collar, taking in their pain and trying to ease their suffering. Many have never before talked about their experiences.
In the village of Ternivka, some 200 miles south of Kiev where 2,300 Jews were killed, a frail, elderly woman, who identified herself only as Petrivna, revealed the unbearable task the Nazis imposed on her.
The young schoolgirl saw her Jewish neighbors thrown into a large pit, many still alive and convulsing in agony. Her task was to trample on them barefoot to make space for more. One of those she had to tread on was a classmate.
'You know, we were very poor, we didn't have shoes,' Petrivna told Desbois in a single breath, her body twitching in pain, Desbois writes in his book. 'You see, it is not easy to
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Until I post again, Sotto Voice at Clerical Whipsers posted about St. Brigid and part of my Celtic Spirituality post will talk about her.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Watch This Space
For now this is my placeholder for my post on Celtic Spirituality. If I get it written up. Needless to say, I loved the presentation I went to last night.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
At A Place Called Vertigo
25 random things about me meme…
It’s going everywhere. Odd that I haven’t seen it on LJ yet. Got tagged on Facebook, I’ve seen it on blogs I read here, so here’s my version. I'm not going to tag people because most everyone on my friend's list here has already done it, and if not, just do it, if you feel like it.
- I was very lucky that my mom didn’t miscarry me. She had surgery when she was three months pregnant and they weren’t sure if she’d carry me to term. She also believed I was a boy.
- I was confirmed when I was between a year or two years old.
- I hated the book Death Comes for the Archbishop, but I haven’t read it since I was 16 and I didn’t finish it all back then.
- I despise fresh tomatoes.
- I don’t feel like a very good Catholic most days.
- I often feel afraid of success and I think I often try avoid trying new things out of fear.
- I’m fearful of dating again because I got hurt so badly the last time I was dating someone.
- I have loved U2 since the 80s.
- All the characters in my stories have siblings. I think this is because I am an only child and when I was young, I made up an imaginary family—instead of just an imaginary friend. I think that became the basis for my story telling.
- I made all my sacraments at the Cathedral parish but don’t like going there anymore except for special Masses or events.
- Most of my adult best friends, I met online first. Some I still have to meet after how many years or months in the case of new friends.
- I know a lot about many things, but mostly enough to get myself in trouble.
- I love the smell of coffee, I love chocolate covered coffee beans, I adore coffee ice cream, I dunk my biscochitos in coffee but won’t drink the stuff.
- I’ve lived in the same house for almost half my life.
- I may be a practicing Catholic, but I don’t have a crucifix hanging anywhere in my house. I actually don’t even have one.
- I make a killer homemade cheesecake.
- I have asthma.
- I have a crappy stomach, that gets upset at any bad thought.
- I cannot live without music, but I can’t carry a tune.
- I like teaching 3rd grade Catechism more than I thought I would.
- I hate wearing shoes and socks but you should see my collection of both.
- My ancestors were probably Sephardic Jews
- Good or bad, Kit Carson married into my maternal grandmother’s family.
- I haven’t been out of the country before. (Juarez doesn’t count.)
- I’ve only been in love twice in my life.
- Bonus: I was in a sorority in college, Zeta Tau Alpha.
- Double Bonus: Flying things (birds, moths, squirrels that fly etc) scare me. yet I love dragonflies.
Dear God Hope You Got the Letter
On one of the communities I read on LJ there was a discussion about atheism and Christianity. Actually, it was a rant posted by a Christian who is tired of getting bashed by atheists-- or something to that affect. I know lots of atheists/agnostic/non-religious people, most of them are friends and some family. I've never been bashed, belittled or mocked for believing by any of them. I've never had to defend the reasons for my belief. I just find myself feeling awkward talking about my faith around them sometimes. It's obvious that my aunt is very uncomfortable by the subject of Catholicism though. But that's another post.
Also, I know people who are struggling to believe in God. I think I can understand, but in reality, I probably really can't. Believing in God is a really big thing, probably one of the hardest things for a rational person to accept. I've said more flippantly than seriously, that I'm too afraid not to believe, but I also know deep down I have a soul that was created by God. I just know it. I feel it down to the very fiber of my being. By recongizing that I believe in God, then everything else falls into place.
Recently, I've noticed that there are now two sorts of camps of non-believers: atheists and secular humanists. There was a video posted in one of the communities ( by a blogger I read as well) and in the video debate with a Catholic priest, the other debater, a woman, identified as a secular humanist. It was the first time I'd ever really heard the term or the first time I've heard someone self-identify as a secular humanist. She was really fervent about it which I find fascinating. Like many of those in camp two I've read about or see in interviews, it's like they're running away from religion and belief, yet they act just as ferverant about their non-belief it as some of the believers act in their belief. It's almost like their non-belief is their religion, which is something they're fighting againt.
I don't think I articulated any of this well, so I think I'll leave it at that for now. However,
I came across this news story tonight at CNS and thought I'd share the link. Thousands Attend Boulder Debate on Atheism and Religion. Christopher Hitchens (an atheist named Christopher. Ok, that was snarky) and Dinesh D'Sousa debated. It would be interesting to see a mainstream media report about the event.
Also, I know people who are struggling to believe in God. I think I can understand, but in reality, I probably really can't. Believing in God is a really big thing, probably one of the hardest things for a rational person to accept. I've said more flippantly than seriously, that I'm too afraid not to believe, but I also know deep down I have a soul that was created by God. I just know it. I feel it down to the very fiber of my being. By recongizing that I believe in God, then everything else falls into place.
Recently, I've noticed that there are now two sorts of camps of non-believers: atheists and secular humanists. There was a video posted in one of the communities ( by a blogger I read as well) and in the video debate with a Catholic priest, the other debater, a woman, identified as a secular humanist. It was the first time I'd ever really heard the term or the first time I've heard someone self-identify as a secular humanist. She was really fervent about it which I find fascinating. Like many of those in camp two I've read about or see in interviews, it's like they're running away from religion and belief, yet they act just as ferverant about their non-belief it as some of the believers act in their belief. It's almost like their non-belief is their religion, which is something they're fighting againt.
I don't think I articulated any of this well, so I think I'll leave it at that for now. However,
I came across this news story tonight at CNS and thought I'd share the link. Thousands Attend Boulder Debate on Atheism and Religion. Christopher Hitchens (an atheist named Christopher. Ok, that was snarky) and Dinesh D'Sousa debated. It would be interesting to see a mainstream media report about the event.
Monday, January 26, 2009
I know this is all about squee but tonight they broke me again. If only I could cut my class in half. Then I know I could teach them something and if only I could get rid of the problem kids. I'm going to have to talk to my religious ed director tomorrow and it's time to talk to parents. I hate to do it but if it's going to make things go better for me in class, I will.
So... this was me just after receiving First Holy Communion when I was 8. I thought I'd posted this here before, but I can't find the post. I found it and yes, I should tag my posts better.
Ah, yes, the St. Francis Cathedral in the late 70's. There was an article in today's paper (maybe yesterday's) about a bit of the history and styles. Of course, the author had to break up Willa Cather's Death Comes for the Archbishop. Grr! Argh. I hated that book.
So... this was me just after receiving First Holy Communion when I was 8. I thought I'd posted this here before, but I can't find the post. I found it and yes, I should tag my posts better.
Ah, yes, the St. Francis Cathedral in the late 70's. There was an article in today's paper (maybe yesterday's) about a bit of the history and styles. Of course, the author had to break up Willa Cather's Death Comes for the Archbishop. Grr! Argh. I hated that book.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Year of Squee...
Catching up on my Happy Blog reading.
Jen at Musings from the Big U has decided that she's going to do 30 Days of Happy RCC Squee. While I tend to blog fairly frequently, I don't think I have 30 straight days of squee in me. So... I've decided to make it a year long effort. So this means, no bitching, ranting or attempts to discuss any kind of politics in here.
I actually have a comment yet to answer from a post from a couple weeks back, before Dad got sick and I burned out. I still may do that, however, I was going to preface that comment with this: I know a lot of stuff about many things, but most of what I know is enough to get me in trouble. Having said that, I'm going to remember my mission of this blog, which is to post my thoughts, reflections and feelings about being a Catholic GenXer today. That's it.
So... here's my list of things that I'm looking forward to this year as a Catholic. (I'm going to try to do this chronologically. And I'm tired, so look for links and additions later).
This week, one of the sister's from my parish is going to present an evening on Celtic Spirituality and I would like to go to that. She is the one who let me into the church to pray on the day we took my dad to the hospital and I'd like to go to this. I think it will be something worthwhile, interesting and a nice change of pace.
Feb. 2, my catechism students make their First Confessions. It's the first step in their journey to First Eucharist. Tomorrow we have one more class before the Reconciliation service and I really pray that I can help them through it all right. I have yet to prepare my own lesson for that class. I was supposed to do that today. There's always tomorrow.
Ash Wednesday and Lent. It's coming up quick. I can't believe January is almost over. One of my goals this year is to make the annual pilgrimage to Chimayo. I have never done it before in all my years living here. A group from my parish walks the nine miles from Nambe to the little village of Chimayo, which occurs during Holy Week. People walk from Santa Fe and elsewhere, but I'm going to go with a group of people I know and can feel comfortable walking with. I seriously considered it last year but changed my mind at the last minute. I didn't know many people then so I wasn't sure I was comfortable going "by myself."
Then of course Holy Week. I'm planning to attend the Easter Vigil. I experienced Mass on Holy Thursday for the first time ever last year and was blown away by it all. I actually wrote a scene for my novel based upon that experience. Good Friday services were also incredibly moving and I decided that I will never miss those two days as a Catholic ever again. I didn't attend the Easter Vigil and so this year, I plan to attend.
I believe sometime in the spring my friend Patrick, (aka Paedraggaidin) from LJ,
wants to come visit Santa Fe. I'd enjoy showing him, his sister and his new girlfriend around. I'd also enjoy meeting him in real life. He'd be the first person I've met in real life from online that I didn't know from Fandom first. I've only met people I know online because of Fandom. I suppose in some ways being involved in Catholicism related communities, blogs and forums online has been a bit like Fandom. And you know I've been quite a Catholic fangirl lately. I think my real life (non-Catholic, non-religious) friends think I'm a bit obsessed, so what else is new?
I think probably the next big rewarding event will be watching my students make their First Holy Communions. Most people of my generation joke about not receiving good CCD and I honestly can't say that my experience was bad. I clearly remember being told and understanding the significance of the Eucharist. I truly believed at 8 that I was really receiving the Body and Blood of Jesus. I also remember the sisters who taught us that we could not chew the host AT ALL. I remember being told how wrong it was to chew Jesus. I still hear the words every time I go up for Communion today. I can't recall what the sisters looked like. The wore habits, but I don't recall what order they were or who they were but I recall that. My class received on the tongue but now, I usually receive in my hands. I am actually ok receiving either way and people in my parish do both.
Come June, my biggest squee will be the city's annual Novena to La Conquistadora. I'm sure that there are many things else I'll find to squee about in the days, weeks, months ahead.
Today, we, like it seems like a lot of parishes celebrated The Conversion of St. Paul. In his homily, which I really enjoyed, but Father said something that made me smile. I'm paraphrasing badly, but essentially he said not to worry about the wrongs that people do, that their bad behavior is not our problem, it's for God to handle. That made me think about how disheartened I get sometimes when I see all the uncharitable behavior tossed around on the Catholic blogosphere. I hate seeing Catholics being unchristian and unkind to each other. All I can do is try to live as best that I can, to follow Jesus' teachings and follow the Great Commandment, by loving God with all our heard as well as loving our neighbors as ourselves.
And yes, Bambi makes me very happy, even though it's sad.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Who Cares About the Saints?
I just discovered this video clip on a blog I frequent and Fr. Jim Martin SJ, is one of my favorite contemporary Catholic writers right now. I really loved his book My Life With the Saints and in this video he shares one of the stories he wrote about in his book.
Thought I'd share. H/T to the Deacon's Bench for the clip. Looks like I've been visiting The Bench quite a bit lately.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Ahem...I Am Not Done.
Deacon Greg Kandra, from "The Deacon's Bench" wrote a fabulous essay for America Magazine about his experience as a blogger on the Catholic Blogosphere. He talked about the very thing that annoys me about blogging and other bloggers sometimes. It was just the thing I needed to read tonight. So... go read it. I also really recommend his blog as a good one to read.
I'll never have the kind of readership he does, but this is my little corner of the blogosphere and there is no reason to run away.
I'll never have the kind of readership he does, but this is my little corner of the blogosphere and there is no reason to run away.
Moments in Time
Yesterday there were two celebrations/protests/marches on the State Capitol. One in celebration of Roe Vs. Wade and the other was in opposition to it. There was a Pontifical Mass at the Cathedral Basilica celebrated by the archbishop, with Bishop Olmstead of the diocese of Phoenix and the bishop of the Las Cruces diocese in attendance. I didn't go and am not sure I would have gone if I could have. What I wish I had done was had the time to watch both marches, take pictures from both and put together a photo essay of both sides.
There was little coverage of either event, though the march from the Basilica to the Roundhouse made the news and not the other. There is a link here at the Journal North, but I'm not sure it's viewable by non-subscribers.
I find events like this fascinating. I love to study and capture people with the camera. In fact, when I heard Sen. Kennedy was ill again, remembering I'd photographed him once, I dug through the photographs I'd taken for my college photojournalism class and scanned them for posterity sake. I met him once. It was the year that Bill Clinton was running for president the first time, Sen. Kennedy came through on a two-day tour and I was able to get some good pictures of him on the campaign stop. It was really cool for a still idealistic, naive college student to meet and photograph someone as well-known as Ted Kennedy.
That was when I first started to pay attention to politics.
Anyway, I uploaded the Kennedy pictures and a few others. I'd forgotten how much fun I had taking pictures. When I worked at the Rio Grande Sun right out of college, I also had to take pictures with the stories I wrote. Sometimes, I really do think I should have stuck with journalism.
There was little coverage of either event, though the march from the Basilica to the Roundhouse made the news and not the other. There is a link here at the Journal North, but I'm not sure it's viewable by non-subscribers.
I find events like this fascinating. I love to study and capture people with the camera. In fact, when I heard Sen. Kennedy was ill again, remembering I'd photographed him once, I dug through the photographs I'd taken for my college photojournalism class and scanned them for posterity sake. I met him once. It was the year that Bill Clinton was running for president the first time, Sen. Kennedy came through on a two-day tour and I was able to get some good pictures of him on the campaign stop. It was really cool for a still idealistic, naive college student to meet and photograph someone as well-known as Ted Kennedy.
That was when I first started to pay attention to politics.
Anyway, I uploaded the Kennedy pictures and a few others. I'd forgotten how much fun I had taking pictures. When I worked at the Rio Grande Sun right out of college, I also had to take pictures with the stories I wrote. Sometimes, I really do think I should have stuck with journalism.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
I Might Be Done!
I'm considering throwing in the Internets! I was reading a post about the Pope quite possibly considering lifting the Excommunications on the four SSPX bishops and the article was informative and insightful, but the comments.... I'm pulling out my hair here. I know better to read comments on some boards, forums and blogs, but I did it anyway. Why is it that in those places-- doesn't matter if they're liberal, conservative, middle of the road-- the most uncharitable comments get strewn back and forth at each other? Why have I heard the most unchristian and uncharitable words thrown out at other Catholics and non-Catholic Christians?
I've been online and involved in fandom since about 1994- (midseason of Highlander: The TV Series,) when I discovered usenet and met a whole lot of cool people. I've been blogging (well at LJ since 2002) and it's been fun. I've been reading and slightly participating in the Catholic blogosphere about two years-- going on three-- as I first started doing research for my novel, which also coincided on my return to the Church and have found some really, really cool people, I think have made quite a few neat online friends, but I've encountered, well, mostly witnessed, a lot of hostility, animosity and unkind behavior from others, who are not so nice at times.
I've gotten burned out, tired of it all, and really annoyed with people, often fellow Catholics and I'm finding it best to stay away, maybe for good. There are far better things I can do with my time in the evenings-- like go to the gym-- but I enjoy being online and chatting with friends-- via blogs or IM.
I also realize that fighting, nastiness and general bitching at each other isn't just limited to the Catholic blogosphere, but it's where I've seen more of it, not less. It's a bit disheartening.
I may just take a break for a while... or just not venture far iff my blogroll here on the blog.
ETA:
Since I didn't end up making this post private in the the, I just wanted to add: the lunacy also exists on the Sephardic Genealogy list I read. Heh. Sadly there I've encountered a lot of misconceptions about the Catholic church and some mildly and not so mildly insulting diatribes as well. However, right now Messianic Jews are the topic of choice in the war of uncharitable words. Oy.
I think I'm gonna dump that list. Yes, I'm interested in tracing my family tree back to Spain and yes, I believe I have Sephadic ancestry, but I'm just not really in the place in my life where I can take the time to do all the research to do it. The thing is, also the possibility of discovering I have Jewish ancestors does not change who I am or the faith I follow and believe, though, to some of the people on the list it seems like it should. That maybe a post for later.
I've been online and involved in fandom since about 1994- (midseason of Highlander: The TV Series,) when I discovered usenet and met a whole lot of cool people. I've been blogging (well at LJ since 2002) and it's been fun. I've been reading and slightly participating in the Catholic blogosphere about two years-- going on three-- as I first started doing research for my novel, which also coincided on my return to the Church and have found some really, really cool people, I think have made quite a few neat online friends, but I've encountered, well, mostly witnessed, a lot of hostility, animosity and unkind behavior from others, who are not so nice at times.
I've gotten burned out, tired of it all, and really annoyed with people, often fellow Catholics and I'm finding it best to stay away, maybe for good. There are far better things I can do with my time in the evenings-- like go to the gym-- but I enjoy being online and chatting with friends-- via blogs or IM.
I also realize that fighting, nastiness and general bitching at each other isn't just limited to the Catholic blogosphere, but it's where I've seen more of it, not less. It's a bit disheartening.
I may just take a break for a while... or just not venture far iff my blogroll here on the blog.
ETA:
Since I didn't end up making this post private in the the, I just wanted to add: the lunacy also exists on the Sephardic Genealogy list I read. Heh. Sadly there I've encountered a lot of misconceptions about the Catholic church and some mildly and not so mildly insulting diatribes as well. However, right now Messianic Jews are the topic of choice in the war of uncharitable words. Oy.
I think I'm gonna dump that list. Yes, I'm interested in tracing my family tree back to Spain and yes, I believe I have Sephadic ancestry, but I'm just not really in the place in my life where I can take the time to do all the research to do it. The thing is, also the possibility of discovering I have Jewish ancestors does not change who I am or the faith I follow and believe, though, to some of the people on the list it seems like it should. That maybe a post for later.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Thomas Merton Alert
Ok, so on Facebook where I don't have Jesus friended, but I do have the Thomas Merton Facebook club friended. Today I got a heads up for this Lent and Holy Week Resource by Thomas Merton from Ave Maria Press. I picked up a nice book for Advent and Christmas with reflections from St. Francis. Sadly, I put it down after Christmas day, which is also the time I started getting lax with praying as well.
I may try to order before Lent. I think it would be nice.
I may try to order before Lent. I think it would be nice.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Home Sweet Home
Last Dad update also posted to the LJ.
We brought him home yesterday. He was feeling so much better and today he looked great. He hasn't really slept and I'm hoping that today he had some well needed sleep.
The doctor cannot explain what caused his brief illness. He doesn't believe the heart stuff is related and he doesn't believe it's serious. I mean, my dad is 80. He wants him to get an appointment with the heart docs just for a follow up. He also told him to stop taking all the other meds (pain killers and anti-anxiety pills) and just take what he needs for his diabetes and asthma, which are both fairly controlled on the meds. That was also a relief. He also told him to add low-dose aspirin, which may help with all the aches and pains. It's probably not strong enough but we'll see.
Today, after my Catechist workshop, I headed over to there to check on him. I ate lunch with him, and then I came home and slept. I think I finally allowed myself to decompress and rest. I wasn't feeling great today, but I think I knew that I had nothing much to do, so I could take time for myself and rest.
Tonight, I'll have dinner with the folks, I'll watch "Supernatural" tonight. Yay, new episode and I'm all caught up! Hee. Tomorrow, I'll take down Christmas.
Also, thanks for all the thoughts and prayers. It truly meant a lot.
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