Mac rocks...

ElPrado was itty bitty small.. fit on a bookshelf, and consumed an average of 40 watts. It was 10x10x6 inches in size. Then it went *POOF* and blew 4 capacitors on the motherboard and took out the PSU.

Now... I am not a mac boy. I didn't have any grudge or anything against them - but until the last two years, there was no good reason to own one. But then Apple did the right thing.. they put Intel chips in their boxes and started reasonably matching performance and price with Dell & HP.

So I got a Mac Mini with a core 2 duo chip. Bought the $15 keyboard and headed home.

And all I can say is... get one. It is the best machine I've ever had. It's the best user environment I've ever seen. It's the quietest machine I've never heard. And the prices are reasonable. And this sucker averages about 25 watts ... about 25 bucks a YEAR in electricity.

I can see clearly now

One of my Dad's favorite songs, in celebration of a really important breakthrough in my treatment.

"Thou shall do the dance!"

:)

The Last Word

on the Holy Father's recent documents. I promise.

I submitted this to our local Catholic newspaper. Comments welcome.

Re: (removed) Letter to the Editor

Although I can belt out a pretty intense Sanctus, I am surprised by Ms. B's assessment of those of us who aren't danicing, shouting, whistling and singing at the top of our lungs at Mass.

She wrote:
That might upset those who insist that the People of God should only obey, pray and pay. That might upset those who say that we have to be quiet in church like some unthinking creature on the lowest order of the human evolutionary scale.

Firstly, there is a tremendous, outrageous need for the virtue of obedience in our society. I can not imagine denegrating such an important requirement of the Church! My 4th grade daughter's vocabulary book defined chaos as "a want of order." How in the world can you have order without obedience??

Furthermore, there is a time for quiet, thoughtful prayer, and a time for prayer in motion.

A quiet Liturgy provides me the opportunity to focus on the Word of God as heard from the primary source.

It allows me the time I need to to internalize the message as a directive for the week.

I am then able make connections interiorly in the hope that I may humbly but enthusiatically carry the Light of Christ to the world throughout the week. As the mother of five, I have plenty of opportunities for raucous rejoicing Monday through Saturday!!!

I have no particular attachment to the extraordinary form of the Liturgy, but I find it intriguing.

As a student of languages, I admit to being quite delighted to read the translations of a Novus Ordo Latin Mass. The language contains a specificity and palpable texture that I appreciate in this nebulous age.

Truth be told, though, we participate in a quiet, reverent English language Mass for the sake of our youngest children. I do believe it is incredibly important for them to hear the Mass in their own language.

In a world saturated with vivid images, tanatilizing aromas, and ceaselss audio, it is equally important that my children participate in a Liturgy which gently elevates their senses rather than one which bombards or flattens their senses.

Incense, candles, statuary, flora, the soothing sounds of Gregorian chant, processions, long lines of altar boys...

In our minds, these things bespeak careful consideration of the word sanctuary, give balm to the battled soul, and are a joy to offer and receive.

In conclusion, it gives one pause to note that , nationally, more than a handfil of 1970 Missal children, now adults,are seeking this convergence of the "old" and the "new." The old lines clearly still exist, but many of the arguments are perceived as an anachronism.

Simply put, if one can accept Life Teen as a valid liturgical practice, why in the world can't the same person accept, indeed rejoice in, the wide availability of the extraordinary (Tridentine) Mass?

Peace and grace,
me
St. William the Confessor Parish

I can only Imagine - Catholic Version

I love this song so much I put it on Sean's First Communion CD.

We both enjoyed this video very much today.

Hope you do, too!

Like_youknow

So, um, the world is having a difficult time accepting, you know, that the Pope writes with precision???? About something he knows "a lot" about??!?!?

(I mean, he's like, German, you know? Precision is kind of, um, inherent in that language, isn't it?)

Love this video posted by the Roman Sacristan.
Also love his post on Organic Liturgy

Everything "Old" is new again?!

No, but it might just feel like it.

The Motu Proprio issued by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI is very interesting.

Our parish priest included the copy of the letter B16 wrote explaining what the document is and is not.

If your parish did not offer this to you, click anywhere on this text to read!!

I am a cradle Catholic. I began backing away from the Church when my all-girls, Catholic High School began including ballerinas dancing the bread and wine up to the altar.

Eventually, I ran from the Church.

Thank God, I returned many years ago, but there was a serious void.

I have been to all varieties of Masses, and can honestly say that I am blessed at my parish. The vernacular Mass is not at all less reverent than the Novus Ordo Latin Mass.

Anyway, I do not care what language the Mass is available in, as long as it bridges the chasm between this valley of tears and the divine. I prefer to contemplate the Sacred Mysteries in near silence, and do not seek to be "revved up" or "entertained" during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

I understand others prefer this, but I don't like it one bit.

There, I said it.

I figure God gave me 5 very energetic children to keep me in high gear all week.

On Sunday, I need some time to "rest in the Lord."

Which I literally do for 15 minutes after receiving Holy Communion.

IF people will ignore the media and actually read what the Holy Father wrote, I truly believe great graces will come from it. We attended the Novus Ordo Mass in Latin regularly from 2000-2002, and reading the translations from Latin to English was a tremendous eye-opener.

Below are 3 videos on the subject, just for grins. I don't intend to insult anyone's sensibilities. I found them amusing reflections on the deformations of the liturgies I had to endure as a post-Vatican II child.

Motu Proprio Deo Gratias!

Hello Moto (Proprio)!

Summorum Pontificum celebration

Muddy Muddy Muddy

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