Solemnity of the Holy Trinity
St. Clotilda, Widow, (545)
St. Kevin, Abbot, (618)
St. Cecilius, Priest, (248)
It’s been a busy weekend so far. My son has three baseball games this weekend, among other things going on.
I took my son to his Friday evening at his game – and if you haven’t seen it in my Twitter, he won the game ball based on a tremendous hit he had. He drove the ball right over second base. He’s in the eight year old league – it’s the first year that the players do all the pitching and catching.
He had another game this morning at 10am. After the game he and I ran home to get changed and we met up with our parish’s pastor and his wife and son and headed over to lend our support to a Summer (Polish) Festival being held at St. Michael’s R.C. Church in Cohoes, NY.
We had a brief chat with the pastor there, Fr. Peter Tkocz, who is very hospitable. The Polish kitchen was in full swing and the food was top notch. I met a bunch of great folks like Zygmund Fiegel, whose sons head and play in The Figiel Brothers Band. They had the Polkas going full blast – and played some great old time numbers. We also met with some of the vendors who will be appearing at PolishFest ’07.
If you are in New York’s Capital Region, the festival continues tomorrow, beginning with a Polka Mass at 11am. The Festival doors open at Noon and the Festival continues through 8pm. Call 518-664-1877 for more information.
After the Festival my wife and daughter joined us and we attended our Vigil Holy Mass as a family.
My son has a game Sunday morning at 10am, which my wife is covering.
I’ll be at 9am High Holy Mass and 11:30am Holy Mass, after which Fr. Andrew and I are headed off to Syracuse.
Our Bishop Ordinary, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Anthony Mikovsky will be conferring Confirmation on the youth of the Holy Cross Parish just outside Syracuse. It will be great to see the Bishop and assist him during the Holy Mass and Confirmation.
Saints Marcellinus and Peter, Martyrs, (304)
St. Erasmus, Bishop and Martyr, (303)
Saints Pothinus and Companions, Martyrs, (177)
Within the Octave of Pentecost
Saints Pamphilus and Companions, Martyrs, (309)
St. Proculus the Soldier, Martyr, (304)
St. Wistan, Confessor, (849)
From Polish Radio via the Polish American Forum: Slovakia backs down on sheep’s cheese war
Slovakia will withdraw its veto on the registration of the Polish `oscypek‘ highlander cheese. An agreement on the matter has been signed by Poland’s deputy premier and agriculture minister Andrzej Lepper and his Slovak opposite number Miroslav Jurenia.
Slovakia officially filed the veto with the European Commission on February 19th claiming it has for centuries been the producer of a similar type of cheese under the name of `osztiepok’.
If Poland would receive the Recognized Certificate of Origin, its `osztiepok’ could encounter serious barriers in export to other EU markets, Slovakia argued.
However, the Polish side had been successful in explaining to its southern neighbors that a bilateral agreement of December 2005 effectively guarantees the two products and their brand names absolute independence of each other, having entirely different cow milk content and place of origin.
This allows for independent registration of the Slovak and Polish cheese product. The contentious cheese has been produced from times immemorial on both sides of the border in the Tatra mountain region with the initial differences becoming more visible, or rather palatable.
The Polish `oscypek’ continues to be hand made by highlander shepherds and has a cow milk content of only 40%, while in the Slovak `osztiepok’ variety it goes up to 80% and the cheese is produced in seven selected dairy plants with Dutch and French capital participation.
Now if some of my Górale friends or family would just send some over… Oh, and a case of Harnaś as well.
As I noted in my article, Rules are rules, especially if we don’t like you, The Roman Catholic Church uses its prerogative (which it is perfectly entitled to) to discharge folks who don’t follow its beliefs.
There have been numerous articles on the subject. Examples include the firing of unmarried pregnant teachers and the subject I wrote on, the firing of a devoted church youth music director (who happens to be the wife of a PNCC priest on active duty with the U.S. Air Force), and so on.
My feed reader caught two articles today that show the discrepancies and unequal treatment practiced from diocese to diocese.
From NineMSN: Catholic schools in bid to ban non-Catholics
Tasmanian Catholic schools have applied for an exemption to the state’s Anti-Discrimination Act in a bid for the power to turn away non-Catholic students.
Archbishop Adrian Doyle has outlined the new plan, which aims for all Catholic schools to have at least 75 percent Catholic students.
He said the policy would ensure “very strong Catholic ethos and vision” in Tasmanian Catholic schools, and would be slowly rolled out across the state…
— versus —
From RTí‰: Presbyterian gets top Catholic Church post
The Catholic Church in Ireland has appointed a Presbyterian as the head of its child protection unit.
Ian Elliot, Director of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in Belfast, is to become the first Chief Executive of the Church’s National Board for Child Protection.
When he takes up his duties in a month’s time, he will have completed two years on secondment to Northern Ireland’s civil service where he has led a major reform programme for child protection services.
AdvertisementChurch sources say he is the first non-Catholic to be appointed to such a senior post in Irish Catholicism.
OK, so there’s a shortage of Roman Catholics in Ireland!?!
I get that I’m being sarcastic, but doesn’t the Roman Church’s inconsistent treatment of folks make it look all subjective and vindictive?
Again, no problem if the Church chooses to solely hire Roman Catholics, and solely Roman Catholics who follow Church teaching. That might actually represent something – a strength of witness. Instead it looks like it is all ends justify the means Machiavellian. That’s unfortunate.
Within the Octave of Pentecost
St. Petromilla, Virgin and Martyr, (251)
Saints Cantius and Companions, Martyrs, (304)
St. Mechtildis of Edelstetten, Virgin, (1160)
Within the Octave of Pentecost
St. Felix of Rome, Bishop, (274)
St. Eleutherius of Rome, Bishop, (189)
St. Issac of Constantinople, Abbot, (410)
Within the Octave of Pentecost
St. Cyril of Caesarea, Martyr, (251)
St. Theodosia, Virgin and Martyr, (745)
Saints Sisinnius, Martyrius, and Alexander, Martyrs, (397)
Justice will bring about peace; right will produce calm and security.
I could use this homily to make a strong case for the enduring sacrifice of our brothers and sisters. They most certainly responded when called upon.
Rather than being paid, they paid, paid with their lives. So it is with those who serve our country with honesty and integrity. They aren’t in it based on dollars and cents. Many would take a grease burn at McDonald’s any day, for a little less money, over an IED along a roadside in Iraq.
No, there is something more important to them. It is, I believe, grounding in ideals, ideals based in the gospel reality Isaiah prophesied;
Justice will bring about peace; right will produce calm and security.
No, I will not make the case for their sacrifice. It’s already apparent, just look at the headstones around you.
In the years ahead we will be seeing more and more markers in places like this. 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry, HQ Company, 1987 – 2007. We will also see more and more of the wounded and crippled coming home. They will search for jobs and apartments that can accommodate them. They will seek services in an effort to readjust, adapt, and make sense of it all. They will come to pray along side us in our parish.
In the years ahead we will see the veterans of the Second World War pass into history and we will see our Korean and Vietnam vets pass as well.
Again, none of these facts are a mystery to us. Common sense tells us that death is inevitable. Our Christian faith assures us no death is void of hope.
Their sacrifice endures, yet we still ask the question: ‘Why?”
St. Paul gives us an insight:
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Our brothers and sisters who have sacrificed thought about those things, and not by accident. Our history, both as a nation and as a people, founded upon the teachings of Jesus Christ, and owing to the patrimony of the Church, taught them to look for, study, and imitate what is right and good, namely sacrifice.
May their sacrifice be an eternal memory. May their sacrifice teach us to do likewise, to stand for what is right and good against all that would oppress us. May their sacrifice inspire our efforts in protecting the oppressed, and battling against all that is selfish, self-serving, and without merit.
In the end, it is our duty to honor, protect, defend, and promote the Gospel, and the way-of-life shown to us by Jesus Christ in the beatitudes. That duty goes beyond presidents, countries, borders, and even time. It is our Christian duty, the same duty those of integrity have stood and died for throughout the ages. It has been passed on to us and is ours to take-up, cherish, and honor.
Amen.