February 2005 Archives

This is an open call to any thoughts, reflections or ideas related to the sociologial dimension of the teachings of the Catholic Church. I am currently studying the Sociology of Sexuality at The University of Texas at Austin and the professor is not a strong beacon for the Church, to say it mildly. I am looking to write a response paper outlining the Catholic Church's teaching through a sociological lens.

To clarify, I am outlining the teachings of the Church. I realize and acknowledge that the Church, for right or wrong motives, have otherwise influenced society outside the scope of its actual teachings. My examiniation is limited to explaining how the Church per se is not in error; however those within the Church has erred in their application.

Since this is a Sociology of Sexuality course, I plan to focus on many aspects of the Church that deal with sexuality- the idea of marriage, sex only within marriage, birth control, priestly celebacy, prohibition of gay unions into the fold of Christian marriage, etc. I am not limiting myself to those topics but they are the ones I wish to spend the most time with.

Please leave me comments via this or e-mail.

The Brandon Kraft Foundation is slowly getting more and more off the ground. Form 1023, the IRS form to be formally declared a non-profit entity, is a long, painful form to fill out. Thankfully, the IRS revised it in November giving a much more user-friendly form for me to use. I don't know if I would ever get the old one done- it had all these references to tax law and asked questions about if you apply under that provision or not but it never explained anywhere what was actually the provision. For example, if would ask something like (just making this up):

Does your organization meet any of the following provisions?
1708(c)2
1708(d)1
1708(e)3
1751(a)4
1752(b)5
If you selected none, please attach an explanation.

Thankfully, they ask all the same questions but they explain what they're asking for. The problem is now not figuring out what they're asking but simply writing out what they want. The biggest roadblock now is the lack of a formal budget. The form requests a projected three-year budget (for an organization that is so 'young') and frankly, your guess is as good as mine on what kind of donations the Foundation will be able to pull in over the next three years and to what programs we would expand.

In July, when I filed the original articles of incorporation with the Texas Secretary of State's office, I made one extremely important blunder: I did not include certain provisions about our chartiable purpose that the IRS requires. I was somewhat impulsive on getting it started, what can I say? After learning that lesson, today I filed the proper amendments with the Secretary of State's office.

I am really looking forward to seeing where this all goes. Stay tuned for more updates...

Reports are now saying the Pope John Paul II has a tracheotomy. A tracheotomy, sometimes called a tracheostomy, is a surgical proceedure creating a small hole in the person's neck and inserting a small tube to allow air to proceed to the trachea after by-passing the mouth and nose.

The operation is usually done under general anesthesia and from what I can remember from medical science classes, takes about two weeks to recover. Of course, the Pope is an 84-year old man so the recovery timeframe is outside my knowledge.

The Vatican released a statement this morning announcing that the Pope was taken back to the hospital and a hospital guard said that the Pope arrived sitting up on a raised stretcher.

CNN is now reporting, via Italian media sources, that doctors are considering the use of a tracheotomy in the treatment of John Paul II.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.

All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

This hit me in a unique way last night. In reflecting upon the opening of the Gospel according to St. John, we are first called to the Word- the Logos. The Logos, who we later learn in John to be Jesus Christ is also the Word spoken by God. If you recall the Genesis story of creation, God said let there be light; God spoke the Word and it came into being. Everything came into being by the Word, the Word which is Christ Jesus who is God.

All that was created was created through Jesus Christ. In the beginning, when man and woman were formed in God's image, we lived with God, in God. Through the fault of man, we forfeited this reality. We gave up our existence with Him and in Him. We destined ourselves to the eternal fate of being separated from the Word which created us.

God saw that this was not good and not pleasing to him. In the due course of our salvation history, God willed that his creation- what was created when he spoke the Word- should be brought into communion with Him. The terror and tyranny of sin should no longer be able to stake the preeminent place it had claimed since the fall.

But how was he to save us from our own faults? Man lost our place with God, man had to gain it back. Yet, through human nature, we are not able to fully and completely resist the temptation of sin. How then are we to be saved? How can God work through creation, fulfilling his covenants with the limitations of man? He promised Noah he would no longer simply wipe us out and attempt to start fresh. How is God, in his infinite goodness, able to save us from ourselves?

The Word. The Word through which we were created, initially giving us unity with God, was needed to sanctify humanity again. But, it is man who must save man? God so loved his creation that he spoke the Word, accepted by man (Mary), so that the Word may be born as flesh. The Word became Man, being both infinitely God and infinitely man, was able to reconcile all things in Him. The Creator and the Created, together in being, in one flesh, is the only way the fall of man can be reconciled to the holiness of God.

In the middle of looking at this, we are not to say that previously man was void of God- void of holiness. No, God still rested with man but our fall, a "mortal sin" in the language of modern hamartiology, destroyed "charity in the heart of man by a grave violation of God's law; it turned man away from God, who is his ultimate end and his beatitude, by preferring an inferior good to him." (CCC 1855). Our violation of God's law kept us from enjoying the rewards of Him. We could still be holy men before the Word was made flesh, but we still had the stain of sin upon our souls and thus unable to enjoy in the forfeited fruits of the Word.

Now, our salvation history progressed to where the Word was Flesh. The Creator and the Created in the same being now existed. A Man was born who was perfectly without sin by His own doing (only because He was also infinitely divine). The Adam of Old lost for us the fruit but now existed a new Adam. The newly firstborn of creation. We are all, however, children of the first Adam. We all have original sin because of this. Simply God's existence as Man can not reconcile this.

God, the Logos made flesh, desiring to reconcile all things in Himself according to the will of the Father (since after all the Father spoke the Word, thus the Word is at the will of the Father), had to offer up the ultimate sacrifice: a sacrifice so great that it counterbalanced the Great Fall.

The Word, by the hands of men, sacrificed Himself to the Father. The greatest action of God, short of creation itself, to that point in human time, the incarnation of God in Man, was forfeited by the Incarnate Word. In the final action of Jesus Christ through his earthly body was to extend that flesh as the bridge between heaven and earth. Being man without sin, his sacrifice was what was needed to bring all men back to God.

So again, the life, the light of the human race, was able to shine forth through Christ.

Our salvation history is a long, complex yet simple history. God made man. Man turned away from God. God attempting to reach his people over and over and constantly having man turn away. God sending himself as the everlasting covenant. God and Man in the same being, the new Adam who cannot, will not, turn away from God. We, being children of the Fallen can now, through baptism, join the washing away the sin of the old through the blood of the Cross and enter the brotherhood of the New Adam.

Playing a little catch up...

Do notice that on February 14th, the Senate was led in prayer by a Rev. Valentine.

Opening my snail-mail today, I read:

You have been selected, as indicated above, to receive honorary award recognition by having your biography published in the 28th Annual Edition of The National Dean's List, 2004/2205. ... The National Dean's List is the largest, most prestigious publication in the country recognizing gifted students selected by their deans, comparable faculty members of other educational organizations.

I just shake my head.

As I have mentioned in previous posts, comment spam has caused a number of headaches for me. Comment spam, thankfully, has been reduced to only a couple of day after implementing some extremely basic proceedures to deter spammers. I have a timetable for the implentation of stronger solutions; however, for the moment, the dam seems to be holding.

The next situation which developed was Trackback Ping Spam. Trackbacks are great, in theory. The idea is if I, as a weblog author, saw something on your weblog that I really liked, I could not only write about it on my website but send your weblog a "trackback ping". Your site would list the trackback pings it has received to direct your viewers to my website to "continue this discussion" on whatever topic.

I love the idea and wish I used it more myself. However, currently, the only people who have "trackbacked" to me has been spammers.

Movable Type's parent company, Six Apart, along with other blogging vendors and most major search engine companies have combined together to create a new standard: rel="nofollow". The nofollow standard would have the weblog's automatically add a "nofollow" tag to any link in a comment or a trackback. This tag would tell search engine "spiders" not to count those links in figuring out the particular rank of a website.

What does this have to do with spam? Spammers have been sending comment/trackback spam not to gain new visitors directly. By having all these thousands of pages linking to their website, places like Google and Yahoo would think to itself, "wow, a lot of people link to this site. It must be great! Promote it on the results page". Then when you, a websurfer, searched for "online poker", the spammer's website would be near the top of the list.

By adding this standard, the industry has, in effect, shut this door. Currently, I simply removed the trackback script to disable ALL trackbacks to my weblog <sarcasm>big loss</sarcasm>. I'll be implementing the nofollow tag within the next 24-48 hours and will reassess the suspension of trackbacks.

The Second Reading from the Office of Readings today (the Monday of the First Week of Lent) was from St. Gregory of Nazianzen and was particularly proper for today.

In the cycle of the church calendar, fixed dates do not reoccur in any real, usual fashion. For example, today is both the first Monday of Lent and February 14th, the feast of Sts. Cyril and Methodius or traditionally, St. Valentine's Day. The first Monday of Lent and St. Valentine's day are seldom the same day.

But today, it is and the second reading, on the subject of showing one another God's generosity, is perfect for today. It starts with:

Recoginze to whom you owe the fact that you exist, that you breathe, that you understand, that you are wise, and, above all, that you know God and hope for the kingdom of heaven and the vision of glory, now darkly as in a mirror but then with greater fullness and purity. You have been made a son of God, co-heir with Christ. Where did you get all this, and from whom?

On Valetine's Day, as a culture, we celebrated eros, as I mentioned in my previous post. On a different, higher level, we celebrated, as we celebrate everyday, a gift from God. God has given us the ability to experience love for him, love for our brothers and love for our lovers.

St. Gregory continues:

Brethen and friends, let us never allow ourselves to misuse what has been given us by God's gift. If we do, we shall hear Saint Peter say: Be ashamed of yourselves for holding on to what belongs to someone else. Resolve to imitate God's justice, and no one will be poor.

God has given to us infinite love. His love extends to us in so great a fashion that not only did he send his only Son to us but he died for us. Our creator loved his creation to the point of sacrificing himself to ransom back for us the life that we forfeited through original sin.

There are those who live amongst us who are poor in spirit. Not only have we recieved God's love, as have those who are poor in spirit, but we know of this love. Who are we to contain it only in ourselves?

As Christians, we are called to preach the Good News to all through our thoughts, words and deeds. While this calling is universal to all who have been washed of sin through holy baptism, on this day in our secular culture we are called to preach it evermore so. Our culture has a special knack for getting so close to expressing an universal truth- love- yet falls so far by forgetting the faith that it must be rooted in.

On this day of love, we are called to spread what we have been given- God's love- and, by our actions, show the world the love which has been given to all of us. "Let us put into practice the supreme and primary law of God. He sends down rain on just and sinful alike, and causes the sun to rise on all without distinction." So we too must spread the love and knowledge of God without distinction.

Today is St. Valetine's Day to most of the Christian-Secular world. Traditionally, this feast day was dedicated to various symbols of love and affection stemming from St. Valentine. While various stories float around about who exactly he was- a priest, a bishop- the Church was never quite able to figure it out exactly for herself after he became more of a legend.

That being the case, the Church wishing to preserve its General Calendar for feasts and celebrations to that which they could verify and would help ignite the faithful, removed St. Valentine's feast day in the wake of Vatican II. Valentine is not alone as St. Christopher and others suffered this fate. First, it should be noted, that the act of the Church removing the saint from the General Calendar means nothing, in and of itself, to the "cult"- or devotion- of the saint. If you go to any Roman Catholic Church, you'll be celebrating Monday of the First Week of Lent with possibly a commemoration to Sts. Cyril and Methidius. If you want to celebrate St. Valentine's, head to any Catholic Church celebrating the Traditional calendar by indult (i.e. the churches that celebrate Mass according to pre-Vatican II rubrics).

The concept of St. Valentine's day, now, focuses on eros. It focuses the love between people that extend beyond simply brotherly love. Eros is the human desire and passion to be with another person in a deep intimate relationship. It is sexual love, not just sex, but sexual love.

Looking at it within that context, it gives us a time to step outside of our lives and look to those whom we love. A time for a husband or a wife, a boyfriend or a girlfriend, that person you've started to date and not really sure where it's going, whomever to step back and honor the other. It is a chance to honor the person for the feelings and emotions they give to you and stir up inside yourself. While modern culture has taken this to it's predictable extreme at times, ignoring any religious outlook that anyone may have on it, it is very fitting that this celebration of eros- human love- originated from a Saint.

Jesus Christ, as is true with all forms of love as he is love, demonistrates to us what true eros is, within the proper context of actual, true love. While lust is the desire and passion for another person sexually, eros is the desire and passion to experience love with another person in virtue of them being a sexual being, in the true sense. We are all created as sexual beings. We have sexual desires and drives. One of the many difference between lust and eros is that lust looks at another as a sexual being with a view of what that person can do for you. Eros is looking at another person as a sexual being and realizing what grace and beauty God has given them. Further, it is the understanding that with all forms of love, love is sacrifice. We are to give of ourselves to any form of love- agape, filia, eros, whatever. Christ gave us the ultimate example of self-sacrificing love by his death upon the cross. Christ gave us the example of agape- love between God and man that we must extend to the whole human race. Christ blessed us with the example of filia- the love he shared, in his human person, between himself and the disiciples. Christ blessed eros when blessing the wedding at Cana.

That all being said, we cannot simply seperate the aspects of love when speaking of another person. We can not simply love someone with the love of eros. We are called, as sharers in the Divine Word, to experience agape with everyone. Any relationship with eros that does not have agape is a relationship that is not built on a strong foundation.

We celebrate in our secular culture a date of love. A date of finding someone to sweep you off your feet and shower them with love and affection. Our secular culture is not wrong in that. Our culture simply does not extend the message out to it's natural conclusion. We must keep our love and passion within the context of our faith. Without our faith, without Jesus Christ, without God who is love, our celebration of love is a celebration of nothing.

So, when you send a text message to, dial the phone number of, or knock on the door of your Valentine, keep in mind the fullness of what you are celebrating.

On Saturday, I went to St. Mary's Cathedral with the rest of my roommates to participate in Project Andrew. Project Andrew is a chance for young men to come together with Bishop Aymond and various priests of the dioceses for Mass and discussion on the priesthood.

The Mass was beautiful. This was the second time I've been to the Cathedral since the renovation had been completed and the first time I've been able to sit past the back of the church much less the third row. In short, the Mass was beautiful. Afterwards, we went to the Donahue Center, part of the St. Mary's Cathedral School, and had a discussion on different aspects of the priesthood and discernment.

Project Andrew has this unique ability to stir up feelings in me that I have long been able to keep in check. Last year, I went and ended up applying to the seminary. This year, I have a bit more restraint but it does remind me that there is something in my life that I am longing for that I yet to find.

The challenge is how to find that longing. Obviously, Project Andrew says visit the seminary and figure it out. While one theory says that sounds like a great idea, there is a definite risk and challenge involved with that. I am not concerned with the risk or challenge of the seminary itself; I am held up on the risk and challenge of leaving Austin. There are doors that open before me constantly here- some professional, some academic, some romantic- and I am not wanting, much less ready or prepared, to close those doors.

Project Andrew does an amazing job of reawakening myself to my inner longing towards God. How to fulfill those desires is something that I have not figured out in the least yet but I am reminded that they are there.

Yesterday, I went on a short tour of South Austin in the context of the Congregation of Holy Cross. I met Fr. John Korcsmar, CSC, the provincial of the CSC's Southern Province at the Provincial House off of South Congress.

First, he took me to this area near South 2nd and Live Oak. I could find it again in a car but cannot remember the actual streets. Holy Cross founded three parishes in the area- Holy Family, a now-defunct African-American parish, San Jose, a Hispanic parish and St. Ignatius, a standard run-of-a-mill parish. The old parish hall for Holy Family was still standing. The concept was to found three parishes and over time, the "ethnic" parishes would cease to have a purpose after the immigrants became more "American." This is the path that Holy Family took.

A couple of blocks down the street, he took me to the original San Jose parish church. The building is now being used for worship by an Orthodox church.

Our next stop was the current San Jose. San Jose Catholic Church is a huge campus. A large church, a community center, a high school, an office, the old church (now a parish hall?). There are signs at the end of the city streets saying "End City Maintenance" marking where the campus begins. San Jose is now under the leadership of Diocesan priests. CSC has a strong relationship with the school as some of the teachers are of the Congregation.

He took notice that from the parking lot of San Jose, you can see both St. Ignatius and St. Edwards University.

We drove to St. Edwards' Campus Ministry office and I listened in on a meeting between Fr. Rick, CSC- the campus minister, and Fr. John. Interesting stuff going on.

We continued to Dolores Parish. It is quite a distance away from our previous stops but we had an interesting discussion of the history of the area including the involvement of the parish with the community.

It appears that Holy Cross, as is true of any religious order, does do some good work. So far, I do not feel a strong attraction towards them. I have investigated them for a short while now and I simply do not feel a longing towards what they provide. It was an enjoyable tour nonetheless.

As I don't have class on Friday, I'm using Thursday nights to catch up on e-mails and notes that I've flagged for follow-up but hadn't had time during the week to catch up.

During this Year of the Eucharist, the Apostolic Penitentiary published a degree marking certain indulgences for the special period of time.
"A Plenary Indulgence is granted..."

Participation

"each and everytime they [the faithful] participate attentively and piously in a sacred function or a devotional exercise undertaken in honor of the Blessed Sacrament, solemnly exposed and conserved in the tabernacle." In other words, anytime you actively pray some sort of devotion (rosary, stations of the cross, etc) before the Blessed Sacrament.

Evening and Night Prayer

"to the clergy, to members of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, and to other faithful who are by law obliged to recite the Liturgy of the Hours, as well as to those who customarily recite the Divine Office out of pure devotion, each and every time they recite - at the end of the day, in company or in private - Vespers and Night Prayers before the Lord present in the tabernacle." Praying the Evening or Night Hours before the Blessed Sacrament

To those who are unable...

"The faithful who, through illness or other just cause, are unable to visit the Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist in a church or oratory,... in their own homes, or wherever they may be because of their ailment, if, ... with the intention of observing the three usual conditions as soon as possible, they make the visit spiritually and with the heart's desire, ... and recite the Our Father and the Creed, adding a pious invocation to Jesus in the Sacrament." Those who are too sick to visit the Sacrament may still participate in the graces otherwise mentioned in the decree

Those who are really ill...

"If they are unable to do even this, they will receive a Plenary Indulgence if they unite themselves with interior desire to those who practice the normal conditions laid down for Indulgences, and offer the merciful God the illnesses and discomforts of their lives"

For us in Austin, we are blessed to have a number of perpetual adoration chapels, not to mention every church has the Blessed Sacrament reserved somewhere.

To note, the "three usual conditions" required for a plenary indulgence is after the indulgenced act to participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the reception of Holy Communion and prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father.

I would like to celebrate the Year of the Eucharist in some way at the University Catholic Center; we'll have to see what we will be able to execute.

Continued under the "Extended Entry" of this post is an ZENIT article from January 17th regarding "Why Indulgences". It's a good yet concise look at some of the theology regarding indulgences.

I only have time for a ten-minute post, so I will try to keep this brief.

The season of Lent is upon us and, personally, it is one of my favorite times of year. In this season, the Church calls us more so than usual, to a life of conversion.

The life of a Catholic is a life of conversion. We are called to constantly strive to make tomorrow better than yesterday and the next day better than that. We are called to constantly look at our lives and then look at our model- Jesus Christ. He is perfect but we are not. We are called to constantly seek the perfection that we claim in using the name Christian.

The beauty of this season is that the entire Church takes a moment to breathe- to step back. We all look at ourselves and realize that none of us are close to reaching the goal. That's okay though. That's okay because God, in his infinite mercy, acknowledges that life is not simply about how perfect we are on the last day but the struggle and path we take to get there. Some of us have it easier than others; I have been complaining a lot as of late, but truth be told, the life of a white, male, student of meager means who calls a community like the University Catholic Center home does not have to face nearly the struggles of, for example, people in Africa trying to celebrate their faith as a priest or two is killed every other month for simply being a priest.

Back to the point, God, in his infinite mercy and love, knows that despite our failures we maintain a faith in him. We may forget the feeling of that faith, but it is still there. The season of Lent is the Church's acknowledgement that, though we are sinners, we strive towards the everlasting life offered to us by Christ's crucifixion and resurrection. The celebration of the offering of Christ's life and his following resurrection is the culmination of this season of Lent. We are preparing ourselves to stand before God while remembering the most sacred of events. Christ institution of the Eucharist and the Priesthood on the night before he died. His death. His rising to new life. But, while we can never truly understand the mysteries that these events contain, we can not understand on even a merely human level, the mystery of those events without inner conversion and peace.

As we continually convert ourselves from the focus of this world to the focus of the next, we are continually preparing ourselves to experience the mysteries of Christ. Our conversions do not need to be great and grand all the time. While it is laudable and indeed quite a blessing when someone makes a grand conversion from complete darkness to light- someone, for example, who had previously been unchurched now entering into the light of Christianity- our conversions in our daily life are seldom ever going to be such huge events.

We hear in the lives of the Saints of many members of the Church Triumphant who led horrible lives of sin, found a great moment of conversion and then continued life being the greatest of all believers on earth. All of us, those who have had made great conversions and those who have not, are called to seek our sanctity in a much more subtle way. We are called to take each moment of every day and make it a moment of conversion. We fail in this and we are not perfect, but we are called to make forward progress.

The season of Lent is a natural season to remind us of that. The organic nature of Lent and Easter calls us to convert ourselves followed by great jubilation. This relationship, between acknowledging failures and celebrating the grace given by God, is what the Church constantly calls us towards- inside and outside of Lent.

During this holy season, through the grace of God, may we be filled with every strength and blessing so that we can live our lives as a constant conversion towards Christ.

Welcome to the season of Lent! As tradition dictates, this is the time when Catholics all over the world give up various things to help push an inner conversion as we prepare for the Easter mysteries. Since we have sinned and are saved as a community, I want to throw out some of the issues I'm working on this Lent so that any and all of you may be your brother's keeper. Most of these things are things I've been meaning to do for sometime, but "tomorrow" always seemed like a good day. Since tomorrow is always a day away, I never started these things.

I digress. Since no person is an island, I'm asking all of you out there, as most of you probably already do, to encourage everyone else on their Lenten penances. In order for anyone to call me out on any of those, below are some of the things I'm going to try this season...

Fast Food

Both financial and trying to eat better

Cussing

The obvious trying to kick the habit.

Soda

Trying to eat better and water is a lot better too

Wasting Time

This one is obviously harder to quantify; however, I really need to stay on the ball this semester.

Skipping Class

While I say this one at the start of every semester, it's time to reclaim the student inside that I used to be.

I may amend the list as I remember anything I previously told someone I would try to work on but that's what I can think of at the moment.

In light of wasting time, back to work. Peace during this holy season!

Girls sued for delivering cookies

Two girls, 17 and 18, of Durango, CO, baked cookies in July, packaged them into little gift sets with cards wishing a good night.

Around 10:30 p.m., they visited a neighbor's house to deliver the cookies. According to the neighbor, she saw shadowy figures and they "banged" on the door. The neighbor heard no response to her query as to who this mysterious figured could be. The girls left, perhaps delivering the cookies.

The neighbor, scared by these figures, spent the night at his sister's house followed by a visit to the hospital when she awoke still shaking with an upset stomach.

The girls offered an apology and to pay the neighbor's medical bills; however, the neighbor refused and opted to sue instead.

The court awarded her $900 to cover the medical bills.

I simply give no comment.

Steve Johnson, pastor of the Family of Faith Church of Nazarene, Waco, starts the House on the 2nd with this prayer: (718 words)

God and Father of us all, we thank you for granting us another day. We praise you for your creative and sustaining energy, for the beauty of all that surrounds us each day, and for the opportunity to be here today.

Father, our chief desire in the hours to come is to live our lives in a manner that is pleasing to you. And we believe that you've shown us the right way to live in the life of your son, Jesus Christ. Jesus was a great man, a great teacher, a healer, a miracle worker, a good son, a good brother, and a good friend. But the quality that makes him the best model for us today is the way he led people. He led by serving.

Father, your son, Jesus, gave the greatest seminar on leadership in the history of humanity when he knelt before 12 dusty, sweaty fisherman and washed their feet. He served these men when they should have been serving him. He served them with no expectation of return. He would serve them in an even more dramatic way in the days to come by laying down his life for them.

God, we come to you in need of your help. We ask first of all, that you would remind us of who we are and where we have come from. Some of the brightest and most talented men and women in the country are in this room today. Each of these representatives has distinguished themselves is some manner and made themselves a respected and admired leader. But help us to remember why we are here. We are here because farmers and lawyers, dentists and plumbers, soccer moms and janitors, 5-year-old preschoolers and 80-year-old pastors have asked us to come here and represent them, to put a voice to their dreams and a name to their hopes. God, in the face of this awesome responsibility and privilege, will you give these men and women the gift of a servant's heart?

Father, there are many important things that must be discussed and decided today and in the days to come. The tasks are large, the expectations are huge, and the problems are daunting. But God, if you empower each of these representatives to truly take upon them the heart and lifestyle of a servant, as modeled by Jesus himself, then nothing will be impossible for them. If you will remind them today that they represent the hopes and dreams of the citizens of the great State of Texas, and that their task here is to represent those hopes and dreams, not to push forward their own personal agenda, then great hopes and dreams will be accomplished indeed.

Lord, as we prepare to serve you and the people of Texas today, we take a moment to ask for you blessings on others who are in need of your strength. We pray for President Bush and his staff as they lead our great nation. Give them wisdom, stamina, and perseverance in the face of all that they must deal with today, and may they share our servant heart as they seek to lead this country. Be with those who have endured much hardship in Indonesia and the surrounding areas. Lay your hand of mercy upon them, and lend strength and courage to those who are giving of themselves in the restoration and recovery efforts there. Finally, be with the men and women of our armed forces who are serving us all over the world today, providing us with freedoms that we take for granted and safety that we can't live without. Fill them with hope and courage as they give their lives for their country and shield us with their honor and bravery.

Loving Father, one of your servants once said, "Use power to help people. For we are given power not to advance our own purposes nor to make a great show in the world, nor a name. There is but one just use of power, and it is to serve people." (George Bush, Inspirational Quotes & Insights for Leaders) May we indeed use the power, and the position, and the influence we have today to serve. We pray these things in the name of Jesus Christ, the one who served and saves us. Amen.

Rev. Lisa Greenwood Wolcott of the First United Methodist Church, Commerce led the Senate: (146 words)

O God, as You anointed leaders and called prophets of old, so today You call representatives of Your people, leaders of this age: Men and women who love Your people and can walk with them, who feel their pain and share their joys, who dream their dreams and strive to accompany them to their common goal. Dear God of the ages, inspire the minds and hearts of all the women and men to whom You have committed the responsibility of government and leadership in our great state. Give to them the vision of truth and justice which transcends the barriers we have constructed by human means. Bless the work that is accomplished, the decisions that are made, and the process in the midst of it all; may it always be to a greater glory than our own. In Your holy and gracious name we pray. Amen.

Just about a day later, Rev. Waylon D. Sias, pastor of the Marlin Missionary Baptist Church, leads the House on the 3rd: (240 words)

To our Lord and the God of the universe, we offer this prayer on behalf of our governor and the Texas House of Representatives as they begin their legislative session for the year of 2005. We ask you for guidance, direction, and unity as they make decisions that will improve our schools, city, and state. We ask for and seek your direction and strength to put aside any differences and personal agendas so that the common good for all men might be accomplished.
Lord, take control of their minds and hearts, that they might remember that our children are in need of direction and instruction and all are important from the state house to the poor house. Remember our unemployed, our homeless, the uneducated, the fatherless, the church, the un-churched. The young as well as the old, the rich, the poor, and help us to know that we all have a responsibility to do all we can to help and represent those who cannot help themselves.

Combine us Lord, for a house divided against itself cannot stand. Together we stand, divided we fall. And Lord, as we close this prayer please remember our President and his staff, our troops at home and abroad. We ask for your divine protection as we fight for freedom and peace for all people, and that our great State of Texas may be an example for states and nations to follow. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Finally, Rev. Stephen Warren, First Baptist Church, Buda, leads the Senate on the 3rd: (161 words)

Our heavenly Father, creator and sustainer of us all, we humbly come before You asking that You give to us Your wisdom in everything that we do and try to accomplish in this day and in the days to come. Bless our leaders of our state as they seek to lead our state. We thank You for the love that You continually give to us. Please forgive us when we fail You and forget to acknowledge You. We ask that You be with our men and women who are so gallantly serving in our armed forces and that You keep them safe and out of harm's way. Please give comfort and peace to the families that are remaining here at home as they wait for their loved ones to come home. Lord, continue to watch over our great state and nation and be with our leaders as they seek to serve us. In Your precious name we ask these things. Amen.

Catholic World News is reporting that Archbishop Franc Rode, the prefect of the Congregation for Consecrated Life, relayed that the Pope thanks everyone who had prayed for him upon his hospitalization yesterday.

Archbp. Rode conveyed this during his homily as he celebrated Mass in the Vatican basilica for the annual Day for Consecrated Life. Pope John Paul II had originally been scheduled to preside over the Mass until his recent illness forced him to cancel his public engagements.

Today, Bishop Vincent Rizzotto of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston lead the House in prayer (313 words):

Good and gracious Lord. At the beginning of this day, we stand before your holy presence and worship you as the source of all grace. We praise and bless you as the God who has been ever faithful to the cries of your people.

We raise up to you these men and women of the house of representatives from the State of Texas. They convene in this place charged with the mission of service to the varied people of this state. Assist them with your inspiration and with your guidance. Give them the vision to see that their office is one to serve all of the people who inhabit this land; the men and the women; the elderly and the young; the people of varied creeds, races, and tongues; and the people from every corner of this state.

As they gather to work and deliberate together, assist them with the grace of hearing so that they may be open to new ideas and learn from each other. Give them the gift of tolerance and civility, so that they may receive the thoughts and proposals of one another and search for that which best serves the people; and finally, encourage them to look for that which builds the common good, not just the good of a few, especially the good of those who have little or no voice.
Amidst the complexities which confront all of us in this modern world, we pray that you will give all of these men and women the grace of inspiration to seek the right thing and the gift of courage to be leaders in establishing your kingdom of peace, justice, and love.

O God, walk with us in our journeys, and let us come to our end knowing that we have done the best that we can. We pray this in faith, in hope, and in love. Amen.

For the Senate, Bishop James Tamayo of the Diocese of Laredo gave the opening prayer (160 words):

Heavenly Father, Your spoken word brought forth the heavens and the Earth. By Your word, man and woman were created in Your most holy image. You spoke and there was beauty and order, unity and peace. And You said, "It is good." With the beginning of each new day, You call us to be stewards of Your creation. May Your holy wisdom guide the men and women of the 79th Texas Legislature, and in particular this Senate Chamber. May these servant leaders be conscious of the impact their words have in addressing the needs of all people in Texas. Guide the words spoken in committee, the words used in debate on this floor, and the words printed in the Senate bills so that they speak words that uplift and strengthen the spirit of the people of Texas. Then will these legislators hear Your word when at the end of the day You say, "Well done, good and faithful servant." Amen.

Catholics led both prayers as today was Catholic Advocacy Day for the State of Texas.

CNN and Fox News are both reporting that the Pope has been taken to the hospital. Fox is making the story sound much more urgent than CNN with Fox saying that he was "rushed" to the hospital catching his own staff off guard. CNN echoes Vatican reports that the Pope is one of millions who have caught the flu.

Fox, repeating what the AP heard, reports a "breathing crisis."

Today in the Texas House, Sherry Lindemann, my former government/economics/History of the Americas/World History Topics teacher at the Hirschi Math-Science International Baccalaureate Magnet High School, was honored by HR 131 for being named the Texas State Teacher of the Year.

From my very limited experience in education, it seems like it is seldom that teachers are recognized for what they do every day. I did not realize this myself at all until recently just how talented, hard-working, dedicated, caring, etc etc, a person has to be in order to maintain the level of academic stimulation in the classroom as Sherry (as her former students fondly call her) were able to with us for year after year.

Sherry is one of the few teachers that stand out in my academic career- and that says a lot. I have had far more than my share of amazing teachers. The only thing I wish is that I could study under her longer as some of the academics of old used to be able to do.

And so, the 79th Session of the House of Representatives for the State of Texas passed the following resolution:

House Resolution 131
WHEREAS, Hirschi High School teacher Sherry Lindemann of
Wichita Falls has been named the Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year
in recognition of her exemplary record of service to the youth of
the Lone Star State; and

WHEREAS, In winning the prestigious accolade, Ms. Lindemann
was selected from nearly 300,000 educators from across the state
and earned the opportunity to speak at a number of teaching
conferences, as well as the chance to meet with President George W.
Bush; and

WHEREAS, Although originally planning on a career in law, Ms.
Lindemann followed in the footsteps of her parents and became an
educator after serving as a substitute teacher; over the course of
her 16-year career, she has earned a master's degree and taught at
nearly all of the schools in the Wichita Falls district, including
tenures as a traveling adapted physical education teacher and an
instructor at the junior high magnet school; currently, this
exemplary educator holds class at Hirschi High School, teaching its
International Baccalaureate history program; and

WHEREAS, Sherry Lindemann embodies the highest ideals of her
noble profession and she is a role model for students and peers
alike, forging a lasting impression on the lives of innumerable
young Texans; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas
Legislature hereby congratulate Sherry Lindemann on winning the
Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year title and commend her for her
commitment to the students of Wichita Falls; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Ms. Lindemann as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.

The Vatican Press Office announced today that "As expected, the flu-like symptoms affecting the Holy Father persist. As a consequence, his appointments for the coming days have been postponed. In particular, the general audience scheduled for tomorrow, Wednesday February 2, will not take place."

Well, I've been remiss on keeping this updated. My gallon schedule is trying to fit into a pint milk carton.

If you notice, on January 25th, both the House and the Senate were led in prayer by Catholic priests. During the day, HR 72, a resolution "commemorating the 2005 annual conference of the Catholic Health Association of Texas" and SR 16, resolving that "the Senate of the State of Texas, 79th Legislature, hereby commend Catholic health care for its unwavering dedication to preventive and direct health care and welcome its leaders to Austin" were both approved. Various Catholic hospital administrators were present in the Senate and recognized as guests.

As far as the prayers are concerned, on January 31st, the same minister lead the prayer for both the House and the Senante, using virtually the same prayer. This would be the first time this has happened this year. Without further ado, below are the "Prayers of the State" for the past week.