Now Praying for...

My wife, who became an American citizen yesterday.

(And let's pray for the country while we're at it...)

Great Quote III

“There's no such thing as life without bloodshed. I think the notion that the species can be improved in some way, that everyone could live in harmony, is a really dangerous idea. Those who are afflicted with this notion are the first ones to give up their souls, their freedom. Your desire that it be that way will enslave you and make your life vacuous.”

-Cormac McCarthy, New York Times interview, 1992

Now praying for...

My wife, who will take the oath of citizenship on July 18th. It's been eleven long years...

Backsliding

I made the decision this last Lent to go back, full-time, to my parish, which celebrates mass in the ordinary form. After a long period of "discernment", I decided that I was going to have to tough it out, no matter how infantilized the mass was with guitars, hand-holding and bad music (and I will raise you up on Eagle's wings...). After all, I thought, the priests seem orthodox. As long as they preach the faith...

Then this, in last Sunday's homily, concerning the understanding of God's will:

"For instance, some question why we don't ordain women yet in the Catholic church. They need to understand that God may have a reason not to ordain women yet in the Catholic Church."

The emphases aren't mine. They were audible.

My two eldest children, twelve and ten, were with me.

So, this evening I am going to mass in the extraordinary form about 25 miles from here to think things over.

Great Quote II

What shall I say first? What shall I keep until the end? The gods have tried me in a thousand ways. But first my name: let that be known to you, and if I pull away from pitiless death, friendship will bind us, though my land lies far.

I am Laertes' son, Odysseus.

-Homer
The Odyssey