Now That's a Down to Earth Bishop (Elect)

When Bishop-Elect Paul D. Etienne was asked what it was like to recieve the phone call informing him that Pope Benedict XVI had named him bishop of Cheyenne he said:

Well, it was bizarre. I don’t know what else to say. Archbishop Sambi called the office at the parish and it was my day off. We had to play phone tag. I was up at the [family] farm with a chain saw, working in the woods. And, when he called, I was just getting out of my pickup truck.

I was in my Carhart jeans and in my work boots, and had nothing to take notes with. I was just sitting there in my truck listening to him tell me that I’ve just been named [a] bishop. And he had to say ‘Cheyenne’ four times before I could understand what he was saying.

I still just can hardly believe it. It’s a very unusual experience. What can I say?

Read the whole interview and get the rest of the story, like how hard it was to keep it a secret, by clicking here.

A Nun's Story?

A recent op-ed piece in the New York Times by Maureen Dowd criticized, rather rudely I might add, the visitation of American Convents. What she wrote has led many to ask why we need this visitation. I mean really, what could nuns be up to that would make the Holy See want to look into what is happening at American Convents?

Well, one example might be something I recently found in a parish filing cabinet (I won't say which parish) in the file entitled RCIA (God save us!). I found three volumes of a series entitled "Woman's Song" published by (again, God save us!) the National Religious Vocation Confrence. It has all manner of strange sprituality and feminist propaganda filling its pages, including this little ditty:

Praise our Goddess in Her Universe

Praise Her in the Womb of Her Birthing

Praise Her for nurturing deeds

Praise Her with harmony and melody

Praise Her with dance and song

Praise her with strings and pipe

Praise Her with Sounding cymbals

Praise Her with dancing children

let everthing that has breath

Praise our Goddess in Her Universe

-Lucy Edelbeck, O.P.

That, dear friends, is why the good sisters need to be visited.

Spiritual Warfare

Recently I was talking to someone who was very troubled by the current moral and spiritual situation in the world. As politicians seem to be allowing, and in some cases openly promoting, immorality, many people are losing hope. In some way, I think we can all identify with this persons fears and concerns. Then, I came across a touching and encouraging passage from St. Faustina’s Diary on a blog I read regularly, so I thought I might share it with you.

In this passage, St. Faustina is recounting words spoken to her by our Lord. He said

“My daughter, I want to teach you about spiritual warfare. Never trust in yourself, but abandon yourself totally to My will…Do not bargain with any temptation; lock yourself immediately in My Heart and, at the first opportunity, reveal the temptation to the confessor. Put your self-love in the last place, so that it does not taint your deeds. Bear with yourself with great patience. Do not neglect interior mortifications… Shun murmurers like a plague. Let all act as they like; you are to act as I want you to.

…If someone causes you trouble, think what good you can do for the person who caused you to suffer. Do not pour out your feelings. Be silent when you are rebuked. Do not ask everyone’s opinion, but only the opinion of your confessor; be as frank and simple as a child with him. Do not become discouraged by ingratitude. Do not examine with curiosity the roads down which I lead you. When boredom and discouragement beat against your heart, run away from yourself and hide in My heart. Do not fear struggle; courage itself often intimidates temptations, and they dare not attack us.

Always fight with the deep conviction that I am with you. Do not be guided by feeling, because it is not always under your control; but all merit lies in the will… I will not delude you with prospects of peace and consolations; on the contrary, prepare for great battles. Know that you are now on a great stage where all heaven and earth are watching you. Fight like a knight, so that I can reward you. Do not be unduly fearful, because you are not alone. —Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, Divine Mercy in My Soul, n. 1760 (emphasis added)

I encourage you to take this passage to prayer and let the Lord stir up in your heart courage and a spirit of fearlessness so that we can fight the good fight and never give up.