bearing blog

bearing blog


bear – ing n 1  the manner in which one comports oneself;  2  the act, power, or time of bringing forth offspring or fruit; 3 a machine part in which another part turns [a journal ~];  4  pl comprehension of one’s position, environment, or situation;   5  the act of moving while supporting the weight of something [the ~ of the cross].

  • Ste. Therese would have liked this guy.

    Husbands Anon has discovered the "little way," whether he knows it or not:

    I have discovered the secret to being an adult: Deny your childish urges. I used to think of myself as fairly sophisticated, but as I catch glimpses of myself in action, I realize that that is not the case.

    An example: I usually make everyone’s sandwiches for the day. Why is it, that I catch myself trying to select the ‘best sandwich’, and label it mine? The one with the extra half slice of cheese, or the extra-thick spread? How stupid and selfish is that? The solution, of course, is to either select the best sandwich and make sure that Neen gets it, or else try and choose the best one for myself subliminally.

    If I pick two plates out of the cupboard, and one has a slight smear of dried food that escaped the washing up, I can no longer keep the clean one for myself. I have to either use the slightly dirty one myself, or put it in the sink.

    He kind of makes fun of himself for having these thoughts, but that’s the way to do it.  Of course, it’s better if you don’t advertise to the world what you’re up to. 

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  • A great mom-blog.

    Breed ’em and Weep, by Jennifer Mattern.  Where has this one been all my life?

    A good post to start with is this one.

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  • “Housewarming.”

    Harvest gold in the papal apartments?  Here’s the scoop.  Be sure to read the comments.

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  • Do they, or don’t they?

    The "We Are Church" movement came out of the group "Call To Action."  Both call themselves "Catholic."  They have always held dissenting views, but in general I respect the right of people to self-identify as Catholic if they have been received into the Church and have not renounced it.

    Now Domenico Bettinelli points to this bizarre press release, aimed at the Catholic synod of bishops dedicated to the Eucharist.

    Insisting – as the Instrumentum laboris does – upon the "Sacrifice of the Cross", "Sacrifice of the Altar" or "Sacrifice of the Mass" actually conveys to many believers the concept of a hurt, angry God, who requires reparations for offenses committed against him. In order to placate God’s wrath, God desires Jesus’ death on the cross.

                In concert with many theologians, we think this "sacrificial" idea should be abandoned. The Eucharistic celebration should instead be presented — as suggested by a careful interpretation of Scripture — as done in memory of the whole of Jesus’ life…

                We equally hope that, while professing the mystery of Eucharist and believing the risen Christ is truly present in it, there should be full freedom in philosophical and theological discussions of this mystery, precisely because Scriptures do not explain the "way" of this "presence". This convergence in claiming the "presence" and maintaining freedom in the explanation of its possible "how" is what was envisaged by the ecumenical agreement achieved in Lima in 1981 in the document "Baptism, Eucharist, Ministries", which was also signed by Catholic theologians.

                The contrary persistence of insisting upon “transubstantiation" dogma to explain Christ’s presence in the Eucharist, as Instrumentum laboris does, triggers and strengthens a magical, materialistic, and legalistic mentality, in which Jesus is seen descending on the altar at the time the priest pronounces the words "This is my body, this is my blood…". That happens at the expense of the invocation of the Holy Spirit, of other holy moments of Eucharist and, obviously, of "convivial" or communal facets.

                Furthermore, we are more than puzzled by every form of devotion, which is usual in the Eucharistic cult (for example, Eucharistic adoration, processions, etc.) in which the sacralization of Eucharist has a plain role, making an idol of the Eucharist….

    I wonder if the members of We Are Church who assent to this statement have actually read it.  The logic escapes me.  Okay, so they are "believing the risen Christ is truly present in" the Eucharist; that’s fine.  So they want to say that no one knows exactly how it is that Christ can be present in it; that’s fine too.  But then, why are they "puzzled by" devotion to the Eucharist itself?

    Now, I can understand why nonbelievers are often puzzled, if not scandalized by Eucharistic adoration.  But:  Why should someone who claims to believe Christ is really in there be puzzled?  Domenico puts it succinctly:  "Duh, you can’t make an ‘idol’ out of God Himself."

    I think that what they really are is embarrassed by devotion to the Eucharist; either that, or the truth is they don’t believe Jesus is really present there, and they’re just saying they believe it — they may think they believe it — to maintain some thread by which they can call themselves Catholic.   I suppose a third possibility is that they don’t believe Jesus is God.   And of course the fourth possibility is that they don’t much care whether their press release actually, you know, makes any sense.

    I don’t suppose "Call to Action" will be renaming itself "Call to Abandon Eucharistic Doctrine" anytime soon.

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  • A good day to read Finslippy.

    Here.

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  • Harriet Miers: Bad Writing.

    Jim Lindgren of the Volokh Conspiracy posts some excerpts from Harriet Miers’s writings and observes,

    We all make typographical errors… but her writing has that airy feel of someone trying to sound important by regurgitating empty platitudes… Note the incorrect comma in the last sentence and the plodding first sentence….

    [I]f these are representative examples of Harriet Miers’ writings, she will be among the least able writers to serve on the Court in recent years. In my opinion, the majority of students whom I supervise for independent senior research projects at Northwestern Law write better prose than the passages published in the Texas Lawyer under Harriet Miers’ name.

    These are serious and substantial arguments against Miers’s confirmation, right down to the last comma.  Imprecise writing — yes, even imprecise punctuation — signifies imprecise thinking, or laziness, or both. 

    (And yes, I know that the standard rule is to write Miers’ confirmation, not Miers’s confirmation.  I prefer the latter, as do Strunk and White; Miers is not the plural of Mier.   We don’t write the dress’ hem or the Mass’ conclusion or Minneapolis’ mayor, do we? Perhaps someday the rest of the English-speaking world will come around and see it my way.)

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  • Want erectile dysfunction? Ride your bike.

    New studies indicate the traditional bicycle saddle is worse than previously thought.

    OK, I want one of these for Christmas now.

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  • I’m “Upbeat.” What are you?

    Take the 2005 Political Typology Test.  It must be scientific, ’cause the Pew Research Center is promoting it, and I hear about them on NPR all the time!

    I bet you thought I was a "Pro-Government Conservative."  Not so!

    Upbeats express positive views about the economy, government and society. Satisfied with their own financial situation and the direction the nation is heading, these voters support George W. Bush’s leadership in economic matters more than on moral or foreign policy issues. Combining highly favorable views of government with equally positive views of business and the marketplace, Upbeats believe that success is in people’s own hands, and that businesses make a positive contribution to society. This group also has a very favorable view of immigrants.

    I admit, it’s not what I expected.  On the other hand, I am generally cheerful.

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  • Glasses.

    Rich Leonardi criticizes the Archdiocese of Cincinnati’s stemware. 

    Exhibit A is the quotation from the rules of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacrament:

    The Bishops’ Conferences have the faculty to decide whether it is appropriate… for sacred vessels [i.e., chalices and ciborium — the containers that hold the Eucharist] to be made of other solid materials …. It is strictly required, however, that such materials be truly noble in the common estimation within a given region, so that honour will be given to the Lord by their use, and all risk of diminishing the doctrine of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharistic species in the eyes of the faithful will be avoided.

    Reprobated, therefore, is any practice of using for the celebration of Mass common vessels, or others lacking in quality, or devoid of all artistic merit or which are mere containers, as also other vessels made from glass, earthenware, clay, or other materials that break easily. This norm is to be applied even as regards metals and other materials that easily rust or deteriorate."

    Exhibit B is a photograph of Archbishop Pilarczyk presiding over Mass, an array of plain wineglasses before him.  "Pottery Barn" indeed, or maybe Target.

    Bottom line:  Place the Eucharist in noble, not ignoble containers.   The Gospel may be a  "treasure in earthen vessels," (2 Cor 4:7) but the Eucharist is not.  Glass isn’t allowed because it can break.  Will someone please tell me why on earth anyone would bother flouting this rule?  It isn’t cost; spending priorities maybe, but not cost.

    Are Catholic pastors ashamed to use rich stuff, scandalized by the thought that someone will criticize us because we didn’t sell the chalice to give to the poor?  Goodness, I’m not a proponent of skimping on Church art in general — why should we come to a place of tasteful emptiness when we are called to the fullness of life? — but if you’re going to pare down, don’t do it with the Eucharist itself.  It’s the most important stuff in the building and the containers that hold it ought to indicate: here be the Holy of Holies.  If you’re going to do that, would it not be pretty powerful to have a generally spare Church with an exquisitely carved, lovingly detailed Tabernacle and sacred vessels.

    Maybe the liturgist thinks it’s more meaningful for the people to be able to see the liquid in the glass, when it’s raised up during the Consecration.  I am not sure why this should matter.  It looks like wine.  Traditionally the appearance of the stuff, namely its persistent refusal to look like what we say it is (with a few notable exceptions), tends not to help us have faith in the Real Presence.   

    UPDATE.  "Papa Ratzi" and his commentors discuss this in the comments to this unrelated, and very funny, post:

    Thank you for your kind offer, but I already have a ‘classic’ refrigerator in harvest gold. Perhaps your mother could donate hers to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and then use the second collection at Mass to purchase metal chalices to donate to the Archdioceses of Cincinnati or Los Angeles; apparently those regions are suffering from a severe metal shortage and have to use glass goblets for Mass.   [–Papa]

    Dear Papa, we had a metal shortage here too before we got a new parochial vicar. Suddenly, the shortage abated and we haven’t had an issue since. The parochial vicar must have had connections to the metal business.  [–Linda]

    The curious shortage in precious metals affecting parts of the United States is indeed a very unusual thing. It seems that the problem is that many of the priests of a certain age do not realize that precious metals are generally found in deep and dark places, like say, mines or the cupboards in the sacristy.

    Instead, they seem to be under the illusion that precious metals are to be found at their local Pier-One Imports, and when they can’t find gold chalaces there the silly things pick up tea cups or class goblets or wooden cups or some such silly thing.

    Perhaps an apostolic letter "Looking For Gold In All the Wrong Places" could be issued on this topic. It has happened from time to time that priests who look find that perfectly suitable chalaces are sitting right in their own sacristy cupboards if they only look.  [— DarwinCatholic]

    Nice.

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  • Justin Martyr.

    Part of a series.

    Justin Martyr (100-165) is also called Justin the Philosopher, at least by Encyclopedia.com, and if you scan through the several works that are reliably attributed to him, as well as others that are plausible but not certainly his, it is easy to see why.  His work is full of references to Greek culture, mythology, and literature.

    The Catholic Encyclopedia calls Justin Martyr the best-authenticated Christian writer of the second century. 

    Here’s a bit from Chapters 109 and 110 of the Dialogue with Trypho,   in which Justin quotes Micah 4:1-7 and then explains it.

    This is as follows:

    "And in the last days the mountain of the Lord shall be manifest, established on the top of the mountains; it shall be exalted above the hills, arid people shall flow unto it.

    "And many nations shall go, and say, Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and they shall enlighten us in His way, and we shall walk in His paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

    "And He shall judge among many peoples, and shall rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into sickles: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

    "And each man shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree; and there shall be none to terrify: for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it. For all people will walk in the name of their gods; but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever.

    "And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will assemble her that is afflicted, and gather her that is driven out, and whom I had plagued;

    and I shall make her that is afflicted a remnant, and her that is oppressed a strong nation. And the Lord shall reign over them in Mount Zion from henceforth, and even for ever."

    And when I had finished these words, I continued: "Now I am aware that your teachers, sirs, admit the whole of the words of this passage to refer to Christ; and I am likewise aware that they maintain He has not yet come; or if they say that He has come, they assert that it is not known who He is; but when He shall become manifest and glorious, then it shall be known who He is. And then, they say, the events mentioned in this passage shall happen, just as if there was no fruit as yet from the words of the prophecy.

    O unreasoning men! understanding not what has been proved by all these passages, that two advents of Christ have been announced: the one, in which He is set forth as suffering, inglorious, dishonoured, and crucified;

    but the other, in which He shall come from heaven with glory, when the man of apostasy, who speaks strange things against the Most High, shall venture to do unlawful deeds on the earth against us the Christians, who, having learned the true worship of God from the law, and the word which went forth from Jerusalem by means of the apostles of Jesus, have fled for safety to the God of Jacob and God of Israel;

    and we who were filled with war, and mutual slaughter, and every wickedness, have each through the whole earth changed our warlike weapons,–our swords into ploughshares, and our spears into implements of tillage,–and we cultivate piety, righteousness, philanthropy, faith, and hope, which we have from the Father Himself through Him who was crucified;

    and sitting each under his vine, i.e., each man possessing his own married wife. For you are aware that the prophetic word says, ‘And his wife shall be like a fruitful vine.

    Justin’s point:  Prophecies of the Messiah that point to a coming into glory are not inconsistent with the ignoble death of Jesus of Nazareth on the cross, because a second advent is expected.  The prophecy of swords and ploughshares and so on has already come to pass, because already in the mid-second century, people of multiple nations — including those historically at war — have heard the Good News and come to believe, becoming unified in Christ.

    Here comes a passage that moves me.

    Now it is evident that no one can terrify or subdue us who have believed in Jesus over all the world. For it is plain that, though beheaded, and crucified, and thrown to wild beasts, and chains, and fire, and all other kinds of torture, we do not give up our confession; but the more such things happen, the more do others and in larger numbers become faithful, and worshippers of God through the name of Jesus.

    It’s true:  the persecutions of the early Church were great, and they began with the Apostles themselves.   All met ugly deaths at the hands of people who hated their message.

    It would not be truthful to say that I converted because of the witness of the martyrs — I did not learn about them until much later — but truly, no other body of facts strengthens my faith more in times of doubt than the historical knowledge of what happened to Peter (crucified under Nero), Andrew (crucified), James son of Zebedee (killed by Herod Agrippa I), Jude Thaddeus (martyred in Persia), Philip (martyred in Phrygia), Bartholomew a.k.a. Nathanael (flayed in Armenia), Paul (beheaded at Rome), etc.   Going to your death because you insist that your story is true is, in my opinion, a pretty strong argument against your having made it up, no matter what the reason is for your alleged fabrication.

    Justin seems to think that Christianity’s survival of the martyrdoms is also evidence of Divine blessing.

    For Just as if one should cut away the fruit-bearing parts of a vine, it grows up again, and yields other branches flourishing and fruitful; even so the same thing happens with us. For the vine planted by God and Christ the Saviour is His people.

    But the rest of the prophecy shall be fulfilled at His second coming. For the expression, ‘He that is afflicted [and driven out],’ i.e., from the world, [implies] that, so far as you and all other men have it in your power, each Christian has been driven out not only from his own property, but even from the whole world; for you permit no Christian to live. But you say that the same fate has befallen your own nation. Now, if you have been cast out after defeat in battle, you have suffered such treatment justly indeed, as all the Scriptures bear witness; but we, though we have done no such [evil acts] after we knew the truth of God, are testified to by God, that, together with the most righteous, and only spotless and sinless Christ, we are taken away out of the earth. For Isaiah cries, ‘Behold how the righteous perishes, and no man lays it to heart; and righteous men are taken away, and no man considers it.’

    In case you didn’t guess from the name, Justin was martyred too.  Marcus Aurelius’s handiwork.

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  • More desecration.

    Strange story from Decatur, Alabama:  Church-service assault.

    After communion at the 11 a.m. Mass, a man and woman came forward, screaming.

    Then, to the shock and horror of the Rev. Joe Culotta and his congregation, the man turned over the cherished century-old marble altar. It tumbled down the steps and smashed onto the floor, ripping up carpet in front of the first-row pews.

    Four people, all in their twenties, were arrested. 

    "They were screaming something about Catholics worshipping idols and other things…."

    The priest speculated that the attack was a response to this article about saints’ relics that appeared in the local paper yesterday.  A relic of St. Pius X and one said to be of St. Ursula were installed under the altar.  It’s unclear from the two articles whether the relics were damaged in the attack.

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  • This is my new favorite stuff.

    <homer simpson>

    mmmm….. twenty-three grams of fat per serving.  </homer>

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