Kevin Spacey as St. Benedict





The pictures of the saints that were included in the Lives of the Saints book that I had when I was little have forever been burned into my mind. Today I came across the same picture of St. Benedict that was in that book, and it reminded me of something. I have always thought that this picture of Benedict looks a lot like Kevin Spacey. If anyone out there ever feels like making a movie about Benedict, I think you have your man.

Rest in peace Matthew Covey.

A classmate of mine from Steubenville died this weekend. He had been a pretty good friend of mine my freshman year. He was an amazing guitarist and was always in a good mood. Please keep his soul and his family in your prayers.

Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord.
- And let perpetual light shine upon him.

May he rest in peace.
- Amen.

(I want to clarify that this is not a suicide. He died from "cliff jumping" off of a bridge into the Ohio River. This is something that countless Franciscan students have done in the past for fun. There have never been any accidents of this magnitude before.)

Big Family Haters - my #1 Pet Peeve

I was reading this article from the AP on the small increase in the US in larger families. 11 percent of births in 2004 were to women who already had 3 children, up from 10 percent the year before. That's hardly a world-changing event, but I like the direction of the change. The article is pretty balanced as well, even gets a plug in about a Roman Catholic family that refused to have birth control and wanted to have a big family. They totally miss the boat, however, on people who plan and try to have large families - like my wife and I and many of our friends from Steubenville are already putting into practice.

This article mentioned one of the things that makes me absolutely crazy about people in our world today - summarized by "the gasp," "the stare," and "the head shake." It's those middle-aged femi-crazies who stalk supermarket aisles waiting for innocent, unsuspecting women under 35 who have the unmitigated gaul to love their God, love their husband, and believe in the goodness of life enough to manifest if by having more than three children. These goulish keepers of infertility, jealousy, and the culture of death sneer, lift up their noses, and scoff at the obvious ignorance of those who clearly don't realize that pregnacy is just another way for men to enslave women and that children are a curse to the planet that will steal all its precious resources that need to be saved for baby pandas. And that's if they don't come over and tell you just how "irresponsible" you're being.

These people, honestly, make me just want to punch a hole in the wall. The absolute arrogance, the smug confidence in something so antithetical to the very essence of humanity and truth! It's insane! And they stand there like it's the most natural thing in the world to hate children, to think that the future is hopeless, and to have three condos, two cars, four dogs, and not a single person to truely pass on the goodness you've received from God. It makes me so irrationally angry I can hardly stand it. The only time I ever encountered one of these people I had to leave the store I was so angry I was actually bristling with fury. If any of these people try to say something like that to my wife...well, let's just hope for everyone's sake that doesn't happen.

I don't like sounding like Ann Coulter. The fact that this class of people evokes a reaction in me as close to hate as anything I am aware of in myself is not a good thing. Righteous anger is virtuous, but is a path that must be trodden upon with wisdom. Christ drove the money-collectors from the temple, and you better believe if one of these snippering snobs approached my wife or family with their gospel of lies, the "driving out" process would be vigorous indeed. We are not called to "tolerate" darkness, but to dispell it with the light of truth. Love the sinner, hate the sin.

Clearly, I hold nothing against those who don't have kids or those married persons who choose, for legitmate reasons, to not have a large family, or anyone who is actually infertile. I'm against those who have choosen the road of death and despair and are actually surprised when people don't want to follow them down it.

Hail to the Victors! A Fan's Tribute (before disastor strikes...)

It's been a long journey for me as a Maize and Blue fan, and I can't say there haven't been times when I wished I could just shut down the part of me that loves this team. They're a frustrating bunch, seeming to savor the sweet scent of victory, but too greedy to keep it to themselves. They blow fourth quarter leads and undefeated streaks like it's their job, maybe they just want more face-time on ESPN Classic.

But not this year! Harkening back to the Glory Days in '97 (yes, I still have the hat and the shirt from that championship run), the Winged Helmets are flying all over the field, looking like a team that could challenge for the title come January. The best part of it is that we've got that blitz-the-hell-out-of you attitude back again, the one that dares you to drop back and throw, because we can probably get to the fifth step of your drop before you do. Umm, it feels so good!

It's hard not to have the weight hanging there, in the back of my mind like the Swords of Damocles waiting to end the dream at one fell stroke. I can't help the worrying, it's genetic. My dad, the only one in the family with actual ties to Ann Arbor (engineer, graduated back before we started counting time in "years") can't watch the games anymore, they ruined too many Saturdays. I wish I had the strength of will...I can't count to number of Saturday nights I've spent, wishing to God that I could find that part of my stomach that seemed to have fallen out back in the family room by the TV. Always took at least a day to remember that life would go on, that rankings weren't everything, and I could wear all that Michigan apparell again when the season was over.

So, do I think we're going to blow it again this year? Hard to tell, but I think the ulcers are on their way. I'm just so scared that Ron English is going to lose his mind and go into "prevent defense" (more like prevent-your-team-from-winning-defense), that Lloyd will call a 1 yard pass on fourth and 5, and that the demons of the past are all-too unexorcised from the Big House.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

Wife Carrying - This is Getting Serious.


This is one of the best things I have ever seen, and it's just the thing to re-re-restart my blogging career. Here's an except from the authoritative site on the subject, and watch out for those crafty Estonians!

" Tired of football, basketball or other boring sports? Well, come to Finland for the ultimate world sports event: The Wife-Carrying World Championship.

In 1992, the people of Sonkajärvi decided that it was time to revive some long-forgotten traditions: back in the late 1800's there was in the area a brigand called Rosvo-Ronkainen, who was said to have accepted in his troops only those men who proved their worth on a challenging track. In those days, it was also a common practice to steal women from the neighbouring villages.

So that's how this small town in central Finland became the focus of attention of world media and sportshusbands and wives. From year to year a large number of competitors, public, and media from Finland to Canada attend the annual Wife-Carrying rendezvous in Sonkajärvi, doubling the population of the town for the weekend.

The Wife-Carrying World Championship is becoming increasingly popular. If he were alive today, old Rosvo-Ronkainen would have faced tough competition from husbands from as far away as Estonia, Norway, Ireland, or the United States of America. And being fit would just not be enough for Rosvo's troops taking into consideration that qualifying Wife-Carrying competitions are already being held in Estonia, Sweden, Denmark, the USA, and South Korea..."

Also on: ESPN, Wikipedia,

The dreaded "Estonian style carry" - dominating competition since 1994:

Happy Feast Day!



What kind of Steubenville students would we be if we didn't wish the blogging world a happy feast of St. Francis. May we all be inspired by his humility.

St. Francis of Assisi - Pray for us!

"M" for Media Vendetta

The attorney for Florida Rep. Mark Foley, who is accused of sending inappropriate emails to young boys serving as pages, said yesterday that Foley had been molested by a clergyman when he was younger. The article linked above also goes on to mention that he was a Catholic from Boston.

Let me start by saying that, if this did happen it is a terrible tragedy, just as it is that it has happened to so many others. We certainly should be able to (and do) hold our priests to a higher standard. They of all people should know better than to commit such a sin.

This one report is all I have heard, and have heard nothing yet to contradict it, so I am giving Foley the benefit of the doubt and assuming that this really happened. Now, does that mean that he has an excuse for doing these same things with young boys. Absolutely not. Anyone who has been through this is another person who should know better, because they know first hand how devastating it can be to a person. I know people who have gone through sexual abuse as a child, and they did certainly did not turn to that when they got older. They turned to Christ.

What frustrates me most about this is that it seems that the media is now going to use this to shift the blame from Foley onto the Catholic Church. With all of the media's focus on "tolerance" of all, it is still mind-boggling to me how they can lead the charge on one of the last socially acceptable prejudices.

Pray for our Church, and that the hearts of the uneducated are not turned away by these things.

It's time to start looking even more awesome in your Catholic masculinity!

Lionheart Apparel is a new Christian men's clothing company. It was founded by Tarek Saab, a contestant from the Apprentice, and a Catholic U graduate. His products are t-shirts and hats with Christian symbols as logos.

Besides clothing, the company's website has other points of interest.

The "Man of the Month" is currently a musician named Creede Williams. This part of the site includes an interview with him about stayin faithful in fame, and samples of his music.

In the "Lion's Den," each Sunday "features an article from notable Christian men on topics related to Christian manhood." This week's is "Memory or Manhood?" by Kevin Vost, Psy.D.

It is definitely worth checking out.

Viva la Parenthood Revolution!

ZENIT included this article in its weekly wrap-up. It discusses the deline of mother/father families. I would have liked to link to the article, but ZENIT articles do not have their own permalinks, so here it is:

Decline of Mom-and-Pop Families
Kids Left Behind as Parenthood Is Redefined

NEW YORK, SEPT. 30, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Family structures and parenthood roles are being redefined without sufficient consideration for the needs of children. This is the warning of a report just published that describes worldwide trends in family law and reproductive technology.

"The Revolution in Parenthood: The Emerging Global Clash Between Adult Rights and Children's Needs" is published by the Commission on Parenthood's Future. The commission "is an independent, nonpartisan group of scholars and leaders," active in the area of the family, according to a press release on the Web site of the Institute for American Values. The New York-based institute is one of the organizations behind the commission.

The author of the report is Elizabeth Marquardt, a member of the commission and author of the book, "Between Two Worlds: The Inner Lives of Children of Divorce."

The report finds that worldwide trends in law and reproductive technologies are redefining parenthood in ways that put the interests of adults before the needs of children. "The two-person mother-father model of parenthood," it states, "is being changed to meet adults' rights to children rather than children's needs to know and be raised, whenever possible, by their mother and father."

The revolution in parenthood described in the publication comprises a variety of issues: high divorce rates; single-parent childbearing; the growing use of egg and sperm donors; support for same-sex marriage; and proposals to allow children conceived with the use of sperm and egg donors to have three legal parents.

A legal revolution

The report gives a number of examples of far-reaching legal changes in families, often introduced with a minimum of debate.

-- In Canada the law allowing same-sex marriage also included a provision that eliminated the term "natural parent" in federal law, replacing it with "legal parent." With that law, the locus of power in defining who a child's parents are shifts precipitously from civil society to the state, with the consequences as yet unknown.

-- In Spain, shortly after the legalization of same-sex marriage, the government changed the format of birth certificates for all children. In the future they will read "Progenitor A" and "Progenitor B," instead of "mother" and "father."

-- In India guidelines on assisted reproductive technology issued in June 2005 state that a child born through the use of donated sperm or eggs will not have any right to know the identity of the genetic parents.

Pressure for other, more radical, changes is also under way.

-- In New Zealand and Australia, law commissions have proposed allowing children conceived with use of sperm or egg donors to have three legal parents. The proposals fail to address what would happen if the three parents break up and feud over the child.

-- There is increasing support from influential legal commissions and legal scholars in Canada and the United States for the legalization of group marriage arrangements such as polygamy and polyamory, which involves intimate relationships of three or more people.

-- In Ireland a commission on human reproduction proposed that couples who commission a child through a surrogate mother should automatically be the legal parents of the child, leaving the woman who delivers the baby with no legal standing or protection should she change her mind.

France is one of the few countries resisting the rush to change family law. A parliamentary report on the family and the rights of children, issued last January, stated that "the desire for a child seems to have become a right to a child."

The French report also recommended not legalizing same-sex marriage. Among the reasons it gave was concern about the identity and development of children when the law creates a situation in which there are "two fathers, or two mothers -- which is biologically neither real nor plausible." The parliamentary report insisted on the need for a medical justification for assisted procreation, and that the ban on surrogacy should stand.

Adults first

In "Revolution in Parenthood" author Marquardt explains that the changes in parenthood and family structures are leading to clash between children's and parent's interests. "This redefinition," she warns, "increasingly emphasizes adults' rights to children rather than children's needs to know and be raised, whenever possible, by their mother and father."

"A good society protects the interests of its most vulnerable citizens, especially children," Marquardt's report contends. But the core institution of parenthood is being fundamentally redefined, often in a way that orients it primarily around adults' rights.

A common thread in many of the changes is an alleged "right to a child." The desire for a child is indeed "a powerful force felt deep in the soul," admits Marquardt, and the inability to bear a child of one's own is often felt as an enormous loss. "But," she adds, "the rights and needs of adults who wish to bear children are not the only part of the story."

Adoption has long been available for parents unable to bear children. But the use of assisted reproduction methods has transformed the situation, leading to the deliberate separation of children from their biological mothers and fathers. Biology is obviously not everything, the report notes, but at the same time it does matter.

Family structures are also crucial for children. Studies on the lives of children of divorce show enormous negative consequences for them, not sufficiently considered when no-fault divorce was introduced.

The first generation of donor-conceived children are now reaching adulthood. They were mainly conceived by married heterosexual couples using donor sperm. Marquardt cites a number of cases where the children are now speaking out about the powerful impact on their identity when adults purposefully conceive a child with the clear intention of separating that child from a biological parent. The young people often say they were denied the birthright of being raised by or at least knowing about their biological fathers.

In fact, many of these teen-agers and adults are now forming organizations and are using the Internet to try to contact their sperm donors and find half siblings conceived with the same sperm.

Consent

One issue raised by the offspring of donor children is that the informed consent of the most vulnerable party, the child, is not obtained in reproductive technology procedures that intentionally separate children from one or both of their biological parents.

"Revolution in Parenthood" observes that in recent decades a powerful consensus among social scientists has emerged about the benefits of marriage for children. The current redefinition of parenthood, the report says, is reshaping culture and legal systems "in ways that contribute to further deep uncertainties in the meanings of fatherhood and motherhood."

For example, in the United States at least 10 states allow someone with no biological or adoptive relationship to a child, and no marital relationship to a child's parent, to be assigned parental rights and responsibilities as a psychological or de facto parent.

"In law and culture, the two-natural-parent, mother-father model is falling away, replaced with the idea that children are fine with any one or more adults being called their parents, so long as the appointed parents are nice people," the report comments.

These changes will have far-reaching consequences for the family, children and society. "Those of us who are concerned," concludes the report, "can and should take up and lead a debate about the lives of children and the future of parenthood."

It's a small world after all!

My wife gets a Catholic parenting magazine from Our Sunday Visitor, and when her issue came this past Saturday, there was another copy sticking to it. When I looked at the name and address on the second issue, I immediately noticed that it belonged to the mother of one of my students. Now this might not seem like much of shock at a local parish school, but seeing that my school is a boarding school, and the other family lives an hour away in a town of 80,000 people, it was a little more striking.

It is amazing to me how small the world of the Catholic Church is. Things like this actually seem to happen fairly often. People say that we can be connected to anyone on the planet within six degrees, but I think it has to be even closer in the Church.

The New Numa

If you don't know about Gary Brolsma and the Numa Numa dance, you are missing out. This video became extremely popular during my senior year of college and the singing and dancing of it at my wedding dance prompted our DJ to say, "I have never seen a group with this much energy!"

Anyway, Gary is back with a website and a new video, which is not nearly as funny, but considering how embarrassed he was about the first one being seen by millions, it is nice to see him back in the saddle. He deserves to profit from it.

They have the Diocese on computers now! Finally!

I am sure that as you read this everyone will run through a long list of comments regarding the behind-the-times nature of us hicks out here in the backwoods of Arkansas, but the Diocese of Little Rock finally has an official website. Can you believe it? I mean Al Gore only invented the internet about 30 years ago!

Check it out.

Thank you Pope John Paul!

I caught a few seconds of the Today Show the other day, and one of the stories they were covering was a preacher who is getting recognition for what he is teaching about faith and sexuality. They said that it was "very frank" talk about sex, love, and life. One of their comments particularly struck me though.

Lester Holt said that the things the preacher has been saying are things that you "wouldn't normally expect to hear from the pulpit" (paraphrased). My first reaction to this was "why wouldn't you expect to hear about sex from the pulpit?", and then it hit me: not everyone knows the great blessing that was given to us by Pope John Paul, Theology of the Body.

What a blessing it is that we live in the time of a pope with such a dynamic and beautiful vision of human sexuality, who not only beheld the vision, but put it into words for all to hear. I had the great privilege of getting married during this era of Theology of the Body, and I am eternally grateful to our great and glorious God for making us in his image this way, and for giving us such a great shepherd to show us the way to live it.

Thank you.

Prayers still needed.

I asked for prayers a couple weeks ago for my brother and his wife. They did in fact have a miscarriage, and tomorrow will be going through a DNC. Please keep them and their family in your prayers tomorrow.

Awesome Christian music. Jimmy Needham.

My biggest complain about Christian music has always been that most Christian artists are not as talented as their secular counterparts. The discovery of Air1 radio has shown me that that is not always the case, however, if you have never been convinced, I want to recommend Jimmy Needham.

I heard a song of his (Lost at Sea) yesterday and thought it was amazing. A lot of the most musically talented Christian groups (Lifehouse, Switchfoot, etc.) are not distinctly Christian in their lyrics. Well Jimmy Needham is blatantly Christian and blatantly freakin’ awesome on the guitar! Check out some of his songs on his myspace music page.

If you like music, this is worth your time.
If you like Christ, this is worth your time.
If you like both, you can’t miss!

Save the Jordan River.

This has probably been an ongoing thing, but I heard a news story this morning talking about one of the world's most sacred rivers being polluted. My first thought was the Ganges, so when they said the Jordan, I was a bit surprised.

"The faithful wet their faces and arms, shouting “amen” and “hallelujah” after each baptism, unaware that just downstream, raw sewage was flowing into the water.

That’s the split personality of one of the world’s most sacred rivers."

How's this for a fish tale?

Win one for Il Papa!



For the Catholic baseball fan, this post and video from the Holy Whapping is a can't miss! After all, he did start the Vatican sports department!

Waht's taht?

The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae.

The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm.

Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!

Where were you?



I was walking to class at Franciscan, and I overheard a professor telling a colleague that "two planes had crashed," and I took that to mean two planes had collided on a runway somewhere. When class was over I rushed to a TV to find out about the planes, and then I saw the truth. The campus, like the rest of the world, was glued to the TV for the next few days.

A friend of mine who lived across the hall was from Long Island, and his dad was a NYC fireman. He was beside himself, and he couldn't get through to his parents, because all the phone lines were tied up. (His dad was okay)

There were prayer services set up on campus for the rest of the day. The priests were outside on the grass hearing confessions, and the line was over a hundred feet long. Later that night, they set up a prayer vigil and Eucharistic adoration where the priests had been.

It was an amazing place to be. I got to see the reactions of people from all over the country. They, like everyone else it seems, turned to God in time of need.

Help fight diabetes.


Mr wife's maid of honor is walking in a fund raiser for the American Diabetes Association. If anyone would like to help sponsor her click here. We know several people with diabetes, including my father-in-law and Isaac's godfather, so this is definitely something that can touch many lives.

Here is her request:

I am proud to let you know that I will be walking in the America's Walk for Diabetes fund-raising event to benefit the American Diabetes Association. I am taking part in this event because I believe in and support the Association's mission: to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes.

You can help by supporting my fund-raising efforts with a generous contribution. Did you know that more than 20 million Americans suffer from diabetes and another 40 million are at risk for developing diabetes? Your gift can make a difference.

It is fast and easy to support this great cause. You can make your donation online by clicking the link at the bottom of this message. If you want to do even more to help, please consider joining me in this great event. Our efforts will help set the pace in the fight against diabetes.

I greatly appreciate your support and will keep you posted on my progress. Thank you very much!

More information on the American Diabetes Association, its programs and diabetes in general can be found at the Association's Web site: http://www.diabetes.org/home.jsp

For more information on America's Walk for Diabetes, please visit http://walk.diabetes.org/site/PageServer?pagename=AWD_homepage.

As a baseball fan you've gotta love it.



Rookie Anibal Sanchez of the Florida Marlins, making just his 13th big league start, made history by throwing a no-hitter.

C'mon, is there really any question as to who is cuter?!



I know little miss Cruise is getting all the press, but I think baby Isaac wins hands down. Seriously, what is up with that hair?

A Tragic Loss

We all knew it would happen someday, but it is shocking and sad nonetheless. Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, leaves behind a wife, a daughter, and a son who now need our prayers. He also departs from his countless fans to whom he brought much joy with each adventure. One of the Google’s quotes of the day today is from E. E. Cummings:

"The most wasted of all days is one without laughter."

There will certainly be more wasted days now without Steve.

Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord.
And let perpetual light shine upon him.

Similarities in the Saints

Each day in my class I write the names of the day's saints from Lives of the Saints volumes I and II on the board. Something that I have always noticed is that the saints who share a feast day very often have some remarkable similarities (I am not even talking about those who are grouped together on the calendar).

For example, last week St. Augustine and St. Moses the Black shared August 28, and both lived lives of terrible debauchery before turning to Christ. Today St. Rosalia and St. Ida are both descendants of Charlemagne although from the 12th and 9th centuries respectively.

It always makes me wonder if there is anything more to it in God's plan.

These are starting to pile up now...

Another piece today from the WSJ about the declining birth rates around the world. This is an economist's view on the problem, and I think he really misses the ball on the root cause - a fundamental shift in the view of the human person from one of dignity to one of utility. When children are viewed through the lens of economic utility instead of a gift from God, it's a whole new ball game with totally different rules. And I'd have to say that the world is losing at its own game.

Here's the article, and the comments by some that read it, pretty interesting.
Last WSJ article post.
Procreate and Dominate Post.

Let me know what you think.

Prayers please.

My brother and his wife recently found out they were pregnant with number 4. When they went in for their first checkup this week, they were unable to find a heartbeat. They expected that the baby should be about 10 weeks along, so a heartbeat is possible, but when they looked at the baby he only looked to be 5 weeks. Please keep them in your prayers over the next few days.

St. Gerard Mejella - Pray for us!

Papa just keeps on going doesn't he.



My wife and I just sat down in the San Francisco Bread Co. (which is actually where I am writing this) and on their flat panel big screen is a CNN special about the last hours of Pope John Paul. At the time of his death, it was amazing the way that he was evangelizing the whole world even in his last hours, but that his witness is so strong that people are still turning to him almost a year and half after his death is awe-inspiring. I guess he wasn't ready to stop.

Would you trade $10 for a drawing of a $10 bill?



I just saw J. S. G. Boggs in National Geographic. He draws very realistic pictures of currency, and tries to convince merchants to trade his art for the corresponding amount of service. He then gives the receipt to art collectors who often track down the drawing and trade it for thousands.

Can a Catholic Be a Democrat?



This could be an interesting book.

When author David Carlin was a young man, it was scandalous for a good Catholic to be anything but a good Democrat. In the pews, pubs, and union halls of America's cities, millions of poor European immigrants and their children pledged allegiance to the Church of Rome and the party of FDR.

All that changed in the 1960s, with the rise of a new kind of Democrat: wealthy, secular, ideological.

Even as Carlin served the party he loved -- twelve years as a Rhode Island state senator and once a candidate for Congress -- he could only watch in dismay as its national leaders abandoned their blue-collar, pro-life, and religious constituencies and took up with NOW, Hollywood, and the abortion lobby.

So complete has been this transformation that we no longer speak of a natural alliance between Catholics and the Democratic Party. Indeed, Carlin here asks whether today it's even possible to be both a faithful Catholic and a Democratic true believer.

A veteran sociologist, philosophy professor, and author of The Decline and Fall of the Catholic Church in America, Carlin shows how his party and his religion have taken opposite sides in the Culture War. On issues of human life, sex, faith, morality, suffering -- and the public policies that stem from them -- the modern, secularist Democratic Party has become the enemy of Catholicism; indeed, of all traditional religions.

Carlin shatters the excuses that Catholic Democratic politicians employ in a vain attempt to reconcile their faith and their votes, and then, with what he calls the "political equivalent of a broken heart," he examines his own political conscience. As a faithful Catholic and a Democrat approaching his seventieth year, must he now leave the party he's called home since birth?

David Carlin's arguments challenge all religious Democrats to ask themselves the same question.

Free money from an ATM!

I guess this is the same principle as the Arizona voting lottery, although not as risky.

A reminder of things I find troubling in our world.

My wife and I, and of course the baby, had a little date this weekend. Since not everything is at your fingertips in rural Arkansas, we made the 45 minute trek to Red Lobster in Ft. Smith. We entered and were seated with a little stand to hold Isaac's car seat, and we ordered a margarita and an amaretto sour. My wife and I are 24 and 23 respectively and most people say we look younger, so we got carded as we usually do. Being carded typically frustrates me. Not because they do it, but because they usually make some kind of comment like, "Take it as a compliment," or "You'll appreciate it when you get older." Ha Ha.

This time however carried an added annoyance. Why is it that it is not a big deal for us to have a child at our age, but it is have a drink? Say they thought we were under 21, which they obviously thought was possible, (yes, I know they are supposed to card anyone who looks under 27 or whatever, but that is only because it is possible that they are under 21.) no one batted an eye at us having a child, but of course it would be the end of the world for someone underage to have a drink. You also have to remember that this is the bible belt, so I am sure there were plenty of people in there who think having a drink at any age will take you straight to Hell (and if you've never been in the bible belt, no, I'm not exaggerating).

I am sure that this was not nearly this complex to anyone else. I am sure that our waiter never even thought about these things, but that is essentially my point. If someone is responsible enough to care for the life and soul of another human being, one who is absolutely 100% reliant on them, shouldn't they be responsible enough to have a drink of alcohol? The problem is not that our waiter doesn't believe this. The problem is that there are so many people who do both, but are far from responsible enough for either.

It is simply sad to me that we see so much about keeping young people safe from drinking and smoking, but so little about keeping them chaste.

Husbands love your wives.

This weekend saw one of the most misinterpreted passages of Scripture be read at mass. It truly does have far greater meaning to me now being married. It is one of those reading that I yearn for everyone who hears it to understand its truth. So, rather than ramble on in my own explanation of the reading, I would like to refer you to a beautiful and poignant expounding by Fr. Steven Hamilton of Catholic Ragemonkey. Enjoy!

Wives and husbands, you know what to do!

The Colbert Report - A Great Show or the Greatest Show?

Stephen Colbert is a comedian who has become wildly popular in the last two years for a number of reasons, the most important being that the guy is hilarious. Irreverent? Yes. Sometimes crude? Yes. But putting these aside, the guy has some real creative genius. My favorite segment of his show, which unfortunately I can only watch rarely, is "Better Know a District," a 433 part series on the congressional districts and those who represent them. Watch a few of these and tell me you didn't laugh. My favorites (so far) are the District of Columbia, California's 6th, and Georgia's 8th - the Fightin' 8th!

Baby Grace - Rest in Peace Little Angel

Grace Elizabeth passed away in the early hours on Saturday, August 26th, 2006. After a vailent struggle for life against infection and lung collapse, her little heart was just too weak to carry on. She was a inspiration to all around her, and inspired countless acts of generosity. Thanks to all those who answered the call for prayer.

A friend of the family created a Paypal donation site a few days before she died, but if anyone would like to make a donation to help the family, please visit savingbabygrace.com

Hurricane Ernesto Threatens Florida

Excellent coverage of this ongoing drama can be found at The Irish Trojan Blog, a record kept by another ND Law student (how he has time for this I have no idea...). He's "fanatical" about hurricanes if you couldn't tell.

More:
National Hurricane Center
FoxNews - Florida Keys endangered
CNN - downgrade to tropical storm

Boston Catholic Charity Board Members Resign Because Bishop Does The Right Thing

Picked up by the Mallon's Media Watch blog, this story is shocking. Members of the board of Catholic Charities resigned because the Bishop called for Catholic relief agencies, e.g. Catholic Charities, to be exempt from laws requiring these agencies to place some children in gay couple homes.

These board members them had the unmitigated gaul to state that the Bishop's ruling undermined their "moral priority of helping vulnerable children find loving homes." These people, who undoubtably have done considerable good vicariously through this agency, have stepped over the line with that statement. How can a home that by its very construction defies the natural order of Love hope to be one in which Love is welcomed and fostered? I can only speculate that they have allowed the sentimentality of their positions, and I am sure it is a very strong pull, to cloud their judgement of the higher orders of truth.

Mad props to the Bishop of Boston for getting this one right.

Arizona Voting Lottery

Here's a well-thought response to the Arizona Voting Lottery idea. With not at all the angle I was expecting, Jeff Jacoby of the Boston Globe walks though the logic following the assumption that voter turnout is the proper measure of democratic health. Once you start there, anything, including lotteries or giveaways, that can improve that number should make the state healthier. He's got a good read on the situation, and I find myself coming to the same conclusion: voter turnout is not the best measure of democratic health, and even if it was, the best way to improve it is to give honest, conscientious citizens real reasons, real choices at the ballot. Far too many incumbents win elections because of gerrymandered districts, georgraphically tortured to preserve the status quo. Let's give people real political debate over things that matter, and then see how healthy we look.

Procreate and Dominate (Revisited)

As illustrated here at 40:20 some time ago, more and more people are starting to take notice of the repurcussions to society caused by the contraceptive mentality. Here's another gem from the Wall Street Journal. This one focuses on the coming shift in electoral politics as conservatives continue to out-produce liberals on an accelerating basis.

How dare they!



Does anyone else find this a bit silly? Someone in Britain is mad, because Tom and Jerry, yes Tom and Jerry, smoke in a couple of cartoons.

Russian Climbing Video

An incredible display of agility, strength, and freakin' awesomeness! This kind of stuff makes me wish me parents had made me be a dorky gymnast when I was a kid. I may do it to my boys when I get the chance...

Baby Grace


My 1 pound, 1 ounce niece Grace Elizabeth was born on Saturday at 11:59:55 PM. She was born at 24 weeks along, and is only 11 inches long. But, despite her size, she's already a fighter. My wife and I drove up to see her and we were astounded by her tiny perfection. These pictures don't do her justice, she's already quite the looker.

Please keep her in your prayers, as things will be touch and go for some time now.

Yay school!

Well, today is the first day of school us here in Arkansas, so please keep my students and I in your prayers today. Pray especially that their hearts will be open to all of our discussion of God and his majesty this year.

St. Joseph of Copertino - Pray for us!

It's a miracle!

Although I doubt that is supernatural, it is not a bad resemblance. Much better than most "sightings" of Jesus and Mary in everyday objects. At first glance it just looks like a small statue.

Paris Hilton: ‘I think I am a good role model’

I think we could probably have a field day with this!

Ender Petitions for Life

The Web site of Ms. Magazine--yes, it still exists--is calling on readers to sign a petition: "I have had an abortion. I publicly join the millions of women in the United States who have had an abortion in demanding a repeal of laws that restrict women's reproductive freedom."

Well, so much for the right to privacy. If Ms. readers hadn't had so many abortions, there might be more Ms. readers. As for the rest of us, here's a petition we could all sign: "I wasn't aborted."

Having narrowly escaped being aborted, I'd be the first in line. (full text here)

This article is a simple and poignant reminder of the self-defeating selfishness that characterizes the contraceptive mentality. Ms. Gorin's opinion column in today's Wall Street Journal highlights some tragic aspects of life in Soviet Russia that I had never heard of before, such as women with "double-digit abortion counts" being commonplace. Her protrayal of the dialogue between nurse and mother in Israel was especially enlightened for modern times.

The way she spoke of herself as a "second-born" reminded me of the sci-fi Ender's Game book series, a strong offering from Orson Scott Card. In the books Earth is facing a death struggle against possible alien invasion (the "Buggers") and couples are only allowed two children. Ender is a "Third," a pejorative conveying extreme disgust. In both the stories and this column, children who "should" have been aborted turned out to be great blessings to humanity - Ender defeats the Buggers and the men in Ms. Gorin's column become master violinists.

Wouldn't it be great if we could accept the children regardless of whether they were going to be world-savers or great musicians? Wouldn't it be something if we could look at the pregnancies that resulted in tyrants like Nero or Stalin and still say spare the knife? If we can't, we're still utilitarians, nothing more.

Happy Feast Day!



Today is kind of a big one for us:

It is our son's first feast day.

Maximilian is the patron of the church where my wife and I married.

We have both been to Auschwitz and seen the place of his martyrdom, and my wife has actually met Francis Gajowniczek, the man whose place Maximilian took on death row in the camp. Even with that great feat, for which he is so well known, there are many other less well known but equally amazing examples of his holiness, so read this article and pray to this great saint today on his feast!

“Get up and eat, else the journey will be too long for you!”

I found the first reading at mass today to be very inspiring, especially for me as a young married man. My wife and I, while relatively poor and struggling with the pressures of our new life together, are in a remarkably blessed and easy state of life. We have simple needs and wants, no children to love and care for (yet), and a strong bond of love. While listening to this passage from Kings, it struck me that this will certainly not always be the case, hopefully the children part particularly. There is a special grace given to persons during any quiet time in their life, a grace of mending, strengthing, and healing; so that we can be ready for the tasks ahead of us. I hope I don't waste the graces or the time.

ND Here We Come!

My wife and I are packing with a revengence this weekend, getting ready for the big move out to Notre Dame on Tuesday. Hard to believe that I'm going to be joining those crazy Irish fans after a lifetime supporting the Miiiiiiiiichigan Wolverines.

I don't think Lloyd Carr will ever speak to me again.

A very interesting story.

Maybe you have already heard about this, but I just saw it on the Today show this morning. A Mennonite doctor in Pennsylvania refused to give a rape victim the Plan B morning after pill. The girl's mother was outraged. By the way she is Catholic. This article also states that:

"The Pennsylvania Catholic Health Association said the Catholic Church allows emergency contraception in the case of rape if tests for pregnancy and ovulation are negative."

To me this sounds like a complete crock. Besides the fact that this "Catholic" agency is obviously not in touch with the Church, it is also apparently not in touch with reason either. What exactly would be the point of administering "contraception" (abortafacia) to someone who is neither pregnant nor fertile?

It is such a sad thing to me when non-Catholics with correct beliefs are set in opposition to Catholics with incorrect beliefs. I am very proud of this doctor for standing up for his beliefs in a difficult situation. I am very sad for our faith and its overabundance of lukewarm members.

I guess I'm just a proud papa!

In case you haven't noticed, I like showing off my son. Here are a bunch more pictures of the world's cutest child! (And no, that is not up for debate.)

"A Thing of Beauty is a Joy Forever"

One of my favorite quotes expresses what I witnessed a few weeks ago in lovely Cincinnati, OH. Invited to visit a close friend's parents' house for the weekend with my friend and his wife, my wife and I were privileged to attend a 20th Anniversary party marking the opening of a Catholic medical group in that fair city. While we were surprised by the invitation (I had to borrow the neighbor's wingtips), we were blessed to find the event moving in ways beyond pleasant food and conversation.

I have known the Borts for four years now, and while I have come to admire the way they have raised six wonderful children and their incredible generosity, I had not been given a glimpse into Dr. Bort's professional life until that evening. What I saw was an inspiration. Dr. Bort and his "senior partner," whose name I regrettably cannot recall, began a medical practice in 1986 with only themselves and one assistant. They founded it on solid medical practices and the social and moral foundations of the Church; and now, twenty years later the fruits of their hard and righteous labors are plain for all to see. Their small practice has expanded to more than a dozen partners, a large number of nurses and physician's assistants, and a physical therapy center. They have given their patients ethical, wholesome advice for all that time, and, despite their success, remembered to give the main thanks to the Lord and to their patients for trusting them for all these years. They have kept foremost their duty to the Lord and their duty to their patients, and have managed to keep the bottom line ok too. Quite a feat in today's world, and as a law student who is looking to start his own practice in a few years, I have been strengthened and emboldened by the vision they presented.

For it is a vision, and their success goes beyond numbers. There was something more to the celebration than a simple corporate event. There were comrades, sharing old memories and struggles, you might find that anywhere. Beyond all that though, there was something...something impressive, intangible. Something that lingered just beyond the scent of fresh flowers, that hid on the fringe of candlelight, filling the spaces between "Hello" and "How are you," bridging the gap from words expressed to ideas shared. An easy laugh, a twinkling eye, and the comfortable silence shared by those who have toiled long together in a just cause. There was Love in that room, dancing amidst the fork and spoon, and I was blest to behold Him.

The feast that night was not that one promised at the wedding feast of the Lamb, but perhaps it was an appetizer. Such are the rewards for those who bring heaven, the joy that lasts forever, with them no matter where they go.

World Trade Center Movie



This is an outrage! We all need to stand up and protest this explicitly anti-Islamic movie! If this movie is allowed to be shown in theaters, there will be a great uprising of anti-Islamic ideologies and violence! For the sake of all persons of Islamic and/or Arab descent, we must boycott and stand against the spread of this film!

Now, wouldn't it be silly to stand in the way of a potentially beautiful movie, because some might miss the beauty and focus on something that I am sure is not even present in the movie?

Catholics in the headlines.

Someone pointed out today that they found it interesting that with all the things going on in the world right now, fighting in Israel and Lebanon, Castro's health, etc., that the story getting top billing in the news is Mel Gibson for his antics and his "anti-semitism."

I just wonder though, if he was a Methodist, Baptist, Adventist, etc., would he be getting the same attention?

What if he had made a controversial movie about the president rather than a "controversial" movie about Christ?

I don't think so. How about you?

"Live in a manner worthy of the call you have received."

I think yesterday's second reading is very poignant, for this story. How can someone with such a great talent make something as beautiful as The Passion of the Christ, and then fall this far? Well, as he showed us in that movie, he is not the Christ, but is the one driving the nail. What I pray for now is that as few people as possible will disavow the Passion, because of his mistakes. I know that some people will, but I pray that this does not weaken its effect in the hearts of many. Please pray for Mel and for the apostolate of his movie.

Citizen Kane

My wife and I watched Citizen Kane for the first time this weekend, and we both had the same reaction. How do people claim that this is the greatest movie ever? Can I get some help with this?

I realize that the story shows that the simple things in life are the ones we treasure, that family is greater than anything we can buy, but really, I just think that this movie was a lot of wasted time trying to give those simple points.

We're married!

On May 27th, my fiancee Meta became my wife Meta, and now we are living very happily in Buffalo, NY. It's called the "City of Good Neighbors," and it has certainly proved itself to be so. My beloved and I have enjoyed the hospitality of many neighbors, family and friends since we moved in, and I am sure that we will look back on our summer by Lake Erie as a time of great blessings.

I find myself to be so changed, and yet, still so very much the same person I was before we took our vows of lifelong fidelity. This ring on my finger, once so difficult to get used to, such an annoyance, has now become so comfortable I keep thinking I've lost it when it's right there on my finger. The Lord is indeed a good God, a God whose Mercy must always remember Justice, and whose Justice always remembers Mercy. He has been both Merciful and Just to me, but in this time of sweetness at the beginning of our lives together, Meta and I both think mostly of his Mercy.

Oh, the Internet is on computers now...

To all those who wondered why the headline of 40:20 said "two young newly married (not to each other) Catholic men," and yet only ever saw posts from one, well, I don't have a good answer. Call it a long honeymoon, or a lack of internet access, or something involving severely slothful behavior, or whatever you like, but now I hope to be back in the action. My thanks to Jason and those who have stayed with "us," and I hope that 40:20 will be here for a long time to come.

Our prayers are with you Cardinal George.



WGN's coverage of this has been excellent. The cancer of both Cardinal George and the Chicago mayor's wife were announced on the news last night. Cardinal George was the top story and got the first five minutes of the newscast compared to about a minute for the mayor's wife. Today they are having live coverage of how his surgery is going.

I think it is amazing how important the Catholic bishops are to their communities, and not just the Catholic community, but the whole area. I could be wrong, but it doesn't seem like you hear too much about the non-Catholic equivalents of the area. I think this, like the death of JPII, are just another way that God reaches out to the masses with great messages of hope, redemptive suffering, and his overabundant mercy and love.

Keep the Cardinal in your prayers and check WGN for updates today.

So I called the cops yesterday.

Yesterday I saw someone get of a vehicle who had an open beer can next to his seat, so when he got back in to drive away, I called the cops and told them which way he was headed.

I felt like I had a moral as well as civil responsibility to do this. I can't imagine how I would feel the rest of my life is someone (much less my wife or child) got killed by that driver, and I had not reported it. What do you think? Is there a moral obligation in situations like this?

Boys will be boys.

It's going to be so much fun to have a son. I'm not sure though if my wife it quite as ready though.

Wow, check out those bar stools!

Beautiful.

I am so glad that Bush has been consistent in standing against embryonic stem cell research, but what I can't figure out is why so many people are so adamant about developing it, when it is by far not the most promising areas of stem cell research.

If you Google "stem cell research" you get the National Institutes of Health page, and they state that adult cells have been used to treat "leukemia, lymphoma and several inherited blood disorders. The clinical potential of adult stem cells has also been demonstrated in the treatment of other human diseases that include diabetes and advanced kidney cancer." This is under the heading "Have human embryonic stem cells successfully treated any human diseases?" To this question they conveniently avoid answering "no" and give a long list of excuses why they haven't. Mostly they blame it on lack of funding.

Why should we waste our time and money pursuing a less promising route? I am currently painting a dresser for Isaac. When I went to the store the other day did I say, "I bet I could paint this with a broom. I think I'll buy this and try a method that might work." No, instead I just bought a paint brush. I wonder if some doctors and people are just too proud to admit that pro-lifers might just have it right?

Hear some new bands.

Some friends of mine from Franciscan University (household brothers for anyone who knows what that means) have a band that they are pretty proud of. Right now they are trying to get signed by a label, so here is a link to hear some of their music. If you like it, you can vote for them to be signed, and see more of them at their website. Enjoy!

Say hello to Isaac Maximilian!

I just thought I would share with you all his birth announcement. You should feel privileged, we haven't even sent it out to anyone yet!

The announcement was done by Melissa Claire Designs, and no this is not just because she told me I had to say that to post it. She is my sister-in-law, and if anyone has any need for announcements, invitations, etc., please check out her site.

I am proud of TV!

My wife and my mother-in-law have become obsessed with Fox's So You Think You Can Dance. It is the dancing equivalent to American Idol. Last night the main judge was giving a critique to one of the women, and I was very impressed with his comments. My biggest drawback from this show is the outfits (or lack thereof) that are somewhat expected from the women. In his critique of this contestant, the judge said that she should stop relying on her sex appeal. He pointed out that at the beginning, her dancing was based on emotion and beauty, but over the course of the show she has begun to use herself as an object in every dance. He told her she didn't need that.

I thought this was very impressive from a prime time show, that, I am sure, draws a fairly large part of their fan base because of this. I am constantly amazed at how many people "get it" when it comes to Truth, but don't realize that they get it.

A new reason to be mad at the way the world works.

I really truly very strongly dislike the mentality that only accepts planned pregnancies. This is probably not much of a shock to any of you. I am sure I don't need to explain how this is a defective lifestyle, or how it contributes to the evil of abortion, etc, etc. Today though I have a new gripe. Health insurance.

I have been doing some searching for a family health insurance plan, and I finally found one that I like. It has a low deductible, a good prescription plan, and so on, but, oh wait, you have to pay the extra $200 a month for maternity coverage, but they won't pay anything for maternity until you have had the plan for a year! If I could type in a scream I would.

Now why would an insurance company do this. Let's think about it. If my wife an I were on birth control, and therefore not open to unplanned pregnancies, and if on the outside chance pregnancy did happen we could turn to abortion, then I would not get maternity insurance until I was ready to get pregnant. Insurance companies won't make money if people only pay for insurance when they are actually going to use it. So in order to keep people from picking up maternity the month before they need it, those of us who are open to life at any time get the shaft.

I would never say that a pro-choice lifestyle is better, and I probably wouldn't even say that it is easier, but it is more convenient. When we look at our Catholic history though, has convenience ever been a sign of being on the right path? Was it convenient for Francis to sleep on a rock? Was it convenient for Thomas More to oppose the king? Was it convenient for Maximilian to be Polish during WWII? Was it convenient for Mary to be the mother of God? I think I can look at inconvenience as a sign of being on the right path.

Welcome Back!!!

Oh how we missed you!!

Blog Pool

Although I only got three guesses, TO was the only one who got reasonably close to guessing Isaac's stats. Congrats to you TO!

Catholic Encyclopedia Blog.

New Advent, the Catholic Encyclopedia, now has a blog. I am sure this will have great content.

If only we would cooperate.

So I was sitting up with little Isaac at about 3 the other night, and as I listened to him cry I said to him, "I'll give you everything that you need, if you will just cooperate." When I said this I realized that God must feel the same way. He will give us absolutely everything that we need, if only we would just cooperate with him. When we try to fight instead of listen to him and accept his help, we would all be in much better shape.

Isaac Maximilian

I imagine that some of you may have guessed from the posting hiatus that I have been away from the computer for a while, perhaps at a hospital. I would like to introduce Isaac Maximilian. He weighed 6lbs., 7ozs. I cannot even put into words how humbling an experience this is. He is such an overwhelming outpouring of God's grace and love. Please pray for us all.

The Holy Family - Pray for us!
St. Isaac Jogues - Pray for us!
St. Maximilian Kolbe - Pray for us!

Priests are human too!

Every year the priests of my diocese have a retreat at the abbey where I teach, which is only 4 miles from where I grew up. Each year since my brother was ordained in 1998, my parents have hosted a cook-out for all the priests on the first day of the retreat. Having these 40 some priests just having fun at my house has been one of many chances I have had to see priests being "normal." I think that too many people, young men ("priestibili") included, do not ever consider this aspect of the priesthood. I wish that I help more and more people experience this. I think it could only increase vocations.

Here are a few pictures just to illustrate that priests really are normal people too.

The Nigerians love to laugh, which then makes everyone else laugh.



Of course everyone loves food.





My brother schoolin' me in volleyball.



More games.



Even Bishop Sartain (second from left, gray shirt) made it for his last time.

Another Awesome Video!

Did you know that Diet Coke + Mentos = Explosions Galore!?

More Fun Videos.

Baptism Attire.

I would like to clarify something I posted recently. I mentioned how my wife thinks that the baptism tuxedos are cute, but I did not make it clear that she would still opt for the gown for baptism. I have been reprimanded for my lack of clarity, and would never want my wife to look like a "bad" Catholic.

Anyway, it is pretty obvious from all the comments that the gown is the way to go. My wife does still like the bonnet though, so pray for me in that battle!

Just War in Iraq?

Waiting in Joyful Hope has a very interesting take on the War in Iraq. The link is to part 1, and the links to the subsequent parts are at the top of his post.

I personally don't know enough about all the events in Iraq to make a quality post about it, but his points definitely seem valid. Check it out.

Beer! Beer! Beer! Beer!



Ah, what a wonderful time to be men. Just sit back, enjoy a brew, and shrink your prostate!

'Caped Crusader' foils Uptown robbery



Not only is it great to hear about a good deed, but they don't get much more entertaining than this.

"Christianity Helps Make Love Healthy, Says Pope"

This is the heading for an article on the June 6 ZENIT post. The pope addressed the ecclesial congress of the Diocese of Rome on "The Joy of Faith and the Education of New Generations." His main focus, as seen by ZENIT, is that today's youth must be shown that when the Church talks about love and sexual morality, she is not imposing regulations but opening them to true freedom to love. I think this is the most important morality message that youth need to hear.

Since my wife is pregnant she gets in many interesting conversations. Recently she was talking with a non-Catholic who made the statement about birth control, "That's the beauty of not being Catholic, you're free to just go back on the pill." Statements such as this are exactly what the pope is getting at. The world has a distorted view of freedom. Having a Church that helps you know what evils are limiting to your freedom is not restrictive, it is liberating.

True freedom is accepting a woman's body in all its truth, beauty, and goodness and not trying to stop the way it works. When someone takes a pill to stop her body from doing what it is supposed to do, that is not freedom. That simply makes you a slave to the pill.

This is the beauty of the Church. She is never trying to hold you back. She is always trying to show you just how truly free you can be.

I went to a wedding last night, which always makes me think about how many people simply don't realize the joy that comes in having saved sex for marraige. The joy that you feel on your wedding night, getting to share every part of yourself with your spouse for the first time, and recieveing your spouse for the first time is a joy that can be felt in no other way. This again is true freedom. So many people have no concept of this true joy that sex can be.

This is what the Holy Father is wanting to teach here. True freedom in love. The Church offers help to all who want to recieve it. Now all we have to do is show it to them.

Blog pool.

Since everyone seems to want to guess, I thought it might be fun to see your guesses about my soon-to-be-born child. Please make your guesses (gender, date, weight) in the comment section. My wife and I both come from families of 4 boys and girl, the due date is June 27, and I weighed 9 lbs. 5 ozs., my wife was about 7 1/2 lbs.

Let the games begin!

Baptism Attire.

One of my wife's favorite pastimes currently is walking through the infant sections of stores. Because of this I claim to be pretty up-to-date on what's goin' down in the baby fashion world. My wife is constantly trying to tell me that if we have a boy it should wear a bonnet, but I have authoritatively nixed that. Now, I am a little foggy when it comes to the details of my own baptism, but I am pretty sure that I did wear some kind of gown. When you walk through the infant section of stores though, all you see for male baptisms are little white tuxedos. Is this a new trend or have I been sleeping when it comes to baptism attire? Again my wife thinks these tuxes are the cutest things in the world, but I can't quite see it. They seem plain silly to me.

Does anyone know what I am talking about? What is the consensus on baptism tuxes among our faithful readers?

W against Gay Marriage.

Say what you will against George W. Bush, but he certainly has not backed down from his stand against gay marriage.

That is far more than we can say about Hillary.

I for one think defining marriage as between a man and a woman to be more important than gas prices.

How's this for literary critique?!

Ridiculous

Can I just say that I think all of this 6-6-06 stuff is ridiculous. It isn't 666, it's 6,606. Those are not the same! People want to be all literal and precise with these numbers until they realize they are close, and then precision goes out the window. I mean come on, there are 5,490 numbers between them!

Baby picture.

I guess it's been a while since I showed off my two favorite people:



A little different since last time huh? 3 more weeks!

I need to vent.

My wife and I took a little trip last weekend to celebrate our anniversary, and as you all probably know, my wife is about 9 months pregnant. One day we were sitting in the hotel lobby talking to a couple sitting next to us who had 4 kids of their own, and obviously the topic of conversation was having children. Eventually the husband asked us, "So are you on your honeymoon?" I promptly let him know it was our one-year anniversary, but there are several things here that really bug me:

First, it is extremely sad that it is even possible/likely that a young couple would be pregnant and on their honeymoon (and no I don't mean just a couple days pregnant like Steve and his wife might be right now :).

Second, it doesn't seem like it was that long ago that it wouldn't have been proper to ask such a question. I know I am pretty young, but I still remember when being pregnant before marriage was frowned upon.

Finally, and this is the one that really bugs me, I hate, and yes I mean hate, that just because we are a young pregnant couple we get grouped with all young pregnant couples. I know that this isn't really practical, but I just wish there were terms that could distinguish between licit and illicit sexuality instead of just grouping all of us together.

Sorry, I just needed to vent. This is kind of a sensitive issue with me. I guess I could be wrong, but when I have made the sacrifice and struggle to live chastity and wait for my wife as I was supposed to, no one really gets to see it. Yes that seems prideful, but there is probably nothing from my life that I am more proud of than that, and I think that is something worth being proud of.

Lost Season 2



Lost is the only TV show that I watch religiously, and as season two has recently come to a close, it is as good as ever. This show consistently has scenes or entire episodes that can make great catechetical points.

One of the main themes of the series is that all of the castaways are here for a reason, some part of a plan, and that they all have to do their jobs in order for everything to unfold as it should. This is a reflection of God's plan for all of us here, and our dependence on everyone else who is part of the communion of saints. The season finale's title, "Live together, die alone," revealed this well.

The final episode also gave a good example of how the end, no matter how objectively good, cannot justify the means. This is something that I think our society seriously needs to learn.

Anyway another great season, and now a summer of agony waiting for season three.

Any advice?

So now it is just a waiting game. Over the last week or so, I have assembled a stroller, a pack and play, a swing, and several other things that I have already forgotten. On the list this week is installing the car seat and packing a bag for the hospital. So now that the baby is really getting close, do any of you party peoples have any advice for some first time parents on what we should be sure to do before the baby gets here, or what we should be prepared for after it comes?

Now must be the time to panic!

Well today is June first which means that our baby is due THIS MONTH! I guess that means we had better be ready any day now. Any last minute advice, and especially last minute prayers, would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot to everybody!