Face to Face is a turn off

With all due credit to the Catholic Cartoon Blog,
may I add Face to Face confession, most times I just don't wish to be in a counseling session, I want CONFESSION. I just cannot sit and talk to my parish priest, I want some privacy, give me an old fashioned confessional, not a reconciliation room
The Egyptian




The Curt Jester had a post on New Year's Day about which Holy Day of Obligation is the most neglected, which led to some interesting discussions in the ComBox.
http://www.splendoroftruth.com/curtjester/archives/2009/01/feast-with-the.php

This cartoon was sparked recently when I heard a priest lament that only 37 people showed up for the Advent Penance Service. On a regular Sunday, I think we get upwards of 1000-1500 people for our 2 masses. I may be overshooting it a bit. So the 37 number was pretty sorry.

But in my 10 years back, I can count on one hand when I've heard a priest specifically mention something being a sin. And I think I can further count on this one hand while one finger is stuck in my ear. Abortion? Once. Birth Control? Once. Homosexuality? Once. The Big Three in our culture today, and I've heard them specifically mentioned probably just once each. And that's misleading, because the abortion and birth control issues were raised in one homily - by a transitional deacon, no less. (As a side note, I ran into this deacon the following week and told him that he hit a home run with his homily - he actually had tears in his eyes. My guess, and it's only a guess, is that he was probably upbraided for being so bold.)

If, in today's Church, practically NOTHING is a sin, then what exactly would need to be confessed? God loves everyone, He's never mad about what we do, and everything "bad" we do can be reasoned away with buckets full of Oprah & Dr. Phil psychological babble.

CATHOLIC WORSHIP

See Father Longnecker's blog
http://gkupsidedown.blogspot.com/2009/01/catholic-worship.htm

now this is worship, beautiful altar

Christmas at Egypt

some late Christmas pictures, St Joesph, Egypt, rhe original set from my youth covered the entire St Joesph altar, went nearly to the ceiling with mountains and trees, dozens of animals and Shepherds. our new priest in the 1970's announced that the display was a distraction from the altar (and Him) so in the spirit of V II he burned the display except for the wood manger and some of the figures, and set it in front of the altar, Egypt also has a beautiful window portraying the annunciation, fitting for the Christmas season, The windows at St Joesph, seem so rich in color and shading, so many church windows seem so washed out, I don't know why maybe I'm just biased

Bad Liturgy

give this a read, good grief I'm glad none of our priests have fallen this badly

http://www.lostlambs.net/2009/01/good-shepherd-parish-bad-liturgy/

Latin Mass Society

Some time ago I received an anonymous note

"What do we have to do to get the TLM said up here?? I'm from Mercer county as well and go to Dayton for the mass! Who must we talk to?"

SOOOOOO, who wants to start a Latin Mass Society up here, I'm game but need names, feel free to leave a comment, the Diocese does not monitor me ( I don't believe, if they do I'm flattered), please no anonymous postings, it's safe

the Egyptian

serene

Just thought I would post a night time pic of our simple crib in the front yard, just some straw bales and an old pallet for a top, my digital camera doesn't do the best at night, my lovely daughter cut out the figures for a Vo-ag project two years ago, sometimes her dog Susie, (code named Big and Ugly) will lay with them and keep watch, funny since a year ago she got whacked on the behind with Joesph for chewing on him ;>)

Wedding Mess

two pics from a wedding "mess" that I and the Better Half attended,in Cincinnati. This is a "Catholic" church?, Honestly I was offended, looked more like one of several protestant churches-halls I have been in over the years. Looks like a civic building on the outside and when you enter you see rows of class rooms and offices, even a health clinic, finally a set of crappy modern art brass doors and then you see--? I mean really, the Priest cracked a joke when the Bride stumbled on the steps, his sermon was a Broadway tune accompanied by the pianist, he explained to us folks from the northern part of the diocese that he didn't use "servers" because he felt it demeaning to make anyone wait on him, the tabernacle was in the sacristy, and there was a small Madonna statue, with some kind of sculpture of glass filled with colored water in front of her off in a corner on a ledge, St Joesph, off on a mission I guess. Saddest part to me was the reaction of the older parishioners from back home, "How delightful and original, modern, refreshing", I personally thought it blasphemous, it seems that the over 60 crowd will like anything that is not orthodox.

Next morning The Better Half and I attended a Latin Low Mass in a old downtown church, my first since my childhood, and my wife, (a convert) has never been to one, I fell in love with it, quiet, reverent, no happy-clappy, hand holding crap, good singing by the choir, the Priest gave one of the best sermons I have heard in years on the third commandment, an installment of his series on the 10 commandments, no mention of obscure modern authors, just plain clear theology and to the point, said more in four minuets than most get out in ten. Communion at the rail, what a wonderful thing, My other half didn't quite know what to make of it, Oh well