Coucoumellisms

  Thanks to Martin Luther and his 95 theses, Christians were freed (among other things) from the troublesome necessity of doing good works (or paying for indulgences) to gain salvation. By Shakespeare’s time, many texts no longer have Christianity as a central theme; instead, Christianity is moved to the back burner in secular texts and rarely mentioned. In older medieval texts, even epic Pagan stories of kings and thanes like Beowulf have Christian themes running through them and allusions to a Christian God. In Twelfth Night, upon a gentleman’s arrival at the gate, Sir Toby declares, “Let him be the devil an he will, I care not. Give me faith, say I . ” (Shakespeare 1.5.125-126) In other words, leave him alone; release him of any expectations. Leave him free to be what he wants. What manner of person he is, what station in life he has, his rank or class do not matter; they are of little consequence. He could be the devil, Satan himself if he wanted to be, and it would not matter...

I read through this document called Catholic Social Teaching and Racism. I want to comment on the following bits of it. The Many Faces of Racism: "Catholic teaching “emphasizes not only the individual conscience, but also the political, legal and economic structures...”[6] Racism is about people and about group behaviors and societal organization. Individual racism includes conscious acts, spontaneous attitudes, “the tendency to stereotype and marginalize,”[7] indifference, and “the triumph of private concern over public responsibility…” [8] "Laws such as U.S. segregation or South Africa’s apartheid [9] represent blatant systemic racism. More subtle racism treats groups as “second-class citizens with regard, for instance, to higher education, to housing, to employment and especially to public… services...”[10] Even more subtle racism is now masked in appeals to equality that guarantee that past inequalities are perpetuated by blocking corrective efforts. “At times protestati...

Since the beginning of the coronavirus shutdown, eating was never banned, only eating out in restaurants. Talking and writing were never banned, only restricted to the bare essentials in public places. Praying was never banned, only praying in groups in public places. Listening to music was never banned, only going to public concerts. Drinking alcohol was never banned, only drinking at public bars. And get this: masses were never banned, only public masses.  As Catholics, we believe that the Holy Mass is the most important prayer. Jesus's sacrifice on the cross is what saved the world and Holy Mass is the continuation of that sacrifice. The continuation, not the repetition, as protestants think, (there is a difference) of that sacrifice. On the night that he instituted the sacrament of the Eucharist, Jesus said: "Do this in memory of me." That's a direct order, and it's in the Bible. God made himself man and came to earth to save us from sin, but He doesn't ju...

Or "The Best Time I Ever had in a Pub". It was a Tuesday evening in late April or early May.  I normally work evenings past midnight, but that particular week, I got off at 8:00.  My friend Marcia had just recently found a good job, and wanted to celebrate.  So we went to a pub in the Old Saint-Jean; Glen Morgan's Irish Pub. Glen Morgan's - St-Jean-sur-Richelieu No one goes out to a bar on a Tuesday. The Pub was empty, almost, except for a group of military men in one corner.  Since there was no one else, they had commandeered the music, and were playing all kinds of old classic rock songs and laughing and singing along and generally having a grand time. After sitting by ourselves for a little under an hour, and observing them from our corner, Marcia and I decided we wanted to join in on the fun too.  So we went and sat at two available stools at the bar next to them, which immediately prompted welcoming cheers from them.  They bought us drinks ...

  But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes.  ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless.  Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and  foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will  be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’   (Matt 22:11-13)   I came across another version of the "Which of These Made a Vow of Poverty?" memes on facebook the other day, and I re-posted it with my own commentary, but I'd like to add a few things; one was pointed out by a friend, and the other I came across while reading Bible stories to my two youngest. WHAT is the point of this meme? That it is morally wrong to wear ceremonial robes to a ceremony? So what now? We can't wear wedding dresses to a wedding? We can't wear graduation robes to a graduation? Military personnel ...

Imagine this scenario for a minute: You ordain a straight priest.  You ask him to take vows of obedience, chastity and celibacy.  Then you put him in a women's monastery for the rest of his life, where he will be sharing meals, activities, common rooms and bathrooms with all kinds of women, many of them young and attractive.  Does expecting him to remain chaste and celibate while spending most of his time with women sound a little far-fetched? But then can one expect the same of a gay priest who spends most of his time in a community with other men, some of them also gay, and many of whom are quite attractive? For a man who has no desire at all for marriage with a woman, to be asked to give up marriage and live all his life with men he is attracted to is either an excruciating, intolerable, practically impossible sacrifice in the case where he does remain faithful to his vows of celibacy and chastity, or it is not a sacrifice at all. Can a gay priest ever really und...

I get e-mails from Amnesty International, and most of the time, I support them.  I don't give them money, because they do support abortion, but every once in awhile, I'll sign their petitions, because mostly, they work to free political prisoners, who, for the most part, are working for change in places where corrupt governments are in power, and doing it in a respectful, peaceful way.  This is not exactly the case for Pussy Riot: Pussy Riot is a Russian feminist punk-rock collective based in Moscow. Founded in August 2011, it has a variable membership of approximately 11 women ranging in age from about 20 to 33, who wear brightly colored balaclavas and use only nicknames during interviews. They stage unauthorized provocative guerrilla performances in unusual public locations, which are edited into music videos and posted on the Internet. Their lyrical themes include feminism, LGBT rights, opposition to Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom they regard as a dictat...

I'm beginning to think there is more to this idea that men should be the "head of the household". There is the obvious - men are physically stronger; but that's not it.  It goes deeper than that, and it isn't that women are in a lower class, and need to be told what to do either.  It isn't that at all.  Being the head does not make you the boss. If men are the head of the household, it goes without saying that women are the heart. Peter Kreeft compares men, in a talk that he gives, to reason and women to faith.  In general, this is true.  We are complementary.  He goes on to say that Christianity is a marriage.  Not just between Christ and his bride the Church, but between man (Adam) and Eve (woman), between Reason (which started with the Greek philosophers) and Faith (which started with Judaism and is completed in Christianity). When a "divorce" happens between faith and reason, the Church weakens. I know quite a few men, who seem to be ...

I just read yet another article on the subject of this "plague within the Catholic Church", so bear with me while I rant once again. According to this article (I think it was Le Journal de Montréal), pedophilia has been a plague within the Church all throughout history, the first record of it being in 300 something after Christ. Now, I won't deny this, but to put this into perspective, I can pretty much guarantee you that pedophilia has been a scourge EVERYWHERE for a very long time.  Not just within the Church, and most likely in higher numbers outside of the Church.  As is the case today. I have known a lot of priests and religious, and a lot of Catholics.  I do not personally know any pedophile priests, nor do I personally know any victims of priests.  However, one of the ex-coaches of my children's soccer club is a pedophile, now serving time in jail.  (Why do I not hear anyone questioning the integrity of the soccer club?)  Also, someone living a...

(This needed to be translated) If ever Facebook needed a "dislike" button, it would be for this picture:    ... with the following caption:   GUESS WHICH ONE MADE A VOW OF POVERTY? Well, I ask you, guess which one has no salary?  The right answer is:   Neither one .  The pope does not receive a salary .  All his needs are taken care of by the Vatican.  When he leaves on a trip, he takes out just enough money to cover his expenses , and that is all.  When the pope dies, in general, he leaves all his personal possessions to the Vatican, (with the exception of Pope Paul VI who left a few small items to his secretary). What other world leader has no salary?  If Prince William wanted to buy himself a slick sports car for afternoon ballads in the English countryside, I am certain he would not hesitate to do so.  And yet, he too lives off of money "donated" by his "faithful followers", (otherwise known as income tax). ...

Si jamais Facebook avait besoin d'un bouton "N'aime pas" Ce serait bien pour cette photo-ci:  ... accompagnée de ce commentaire:  DEVINE LEQUEL DES DEUX A FAIT VOEU DE PAUVRETÉ ? Et bien, devine lequel des deux n'a pas de salaire?  La bonne réponse est : Ni l'un, ni l'autre.  Le pape n'a pas de salaire .  Tout lui est fourni au Vatican,  il peut sortir assez d'argent pour couvrir ses besoins lors des voyages et c'est tout.  Quand le pape meurt, en général, il laisse ses possessions personnelles au Vatican, (à l'exception de quelques petites choses laissées à son sécretaire par le pape Paul VI) Quel autre "dirigent" dans le monde n'a pas de salaire?  Quand le Prince William veut s'acheter une belle voiture de sport pour des ballades dans le campagne anglais les dimanches après-midi, je suis certaine qu'il ne s'en prive pas.  Pourtant, lui aussi, vit de l'argent "donné par ses fidèles...

I have always loved dresses.  There is just something so romantic, so flirty, so feminine and girly about a nice dress.  When I wear a dress, I'm a princess, a lady, a classy babe.  You could twirl me around a dance floor or take me to tea.  We could walk down a red carpet or take the boardroom by force. I also like my jeans.  When I wear my jeans, no mountain is too high to be scaled; no children's toy too lost to be found; no river too far to walk; no chore too hard to be done.  When I'm in my jeans, I'm your best friend, the one you're comfortable with.  We could curl up in a corner and chat or roll in the autumn leaves.  Clothes are just clothes, but they have the ability to take us places in our minds and in our hearts.  Clothes reflect how we feel about and perceive ourselves.  Clothes are fun.  Clothes can take you away from reality and inspire the imagination.  Why else is Hallowe'en (and the ensuing costume pa...

So apparently, (don't ask me for references, this was a comment made to me by someone), the pope has banned vuvuzelas. Huh? Yeah, all the journalists were saying, at least he's letting us keep our chairs.  (This said in a smug tone, with a smirk) So I am supposed to be ashamed to be Catholic now, because the pope has banned vuvuzelas? 1.  I doubt the pope banned them himself, I suspect that the people who work with him to organize public audiences probably banned them. 2.  Technically, I'm sure vuvuzelas haven't been banned per se, not in general as the first comment seemed to suggest.  Catholics may still blow vuvuzelas at soccer games without having to visit a confessional afterwards.  They've probably just been disallowed from public audiences with the pope, because... 3.  ... as hard as this may be for some people out there to understand, some of the catholics (I'd even hazard a guess that most of the catholics) going to see the pope in a...

I found out from Maryssa's catechism teacher last night that the parishes are no longer allowed to send announcements for catechism through the school system anymore.  So, parents who want their children to go to catechism will no longer be informed of the availability of classes, nor the inscription times.  The parish will have to rely on ads in newspapers from now on.  (If that doesn't get banned too in future) Now if no one were allowed to put publicity through schools, that would be one thing, but I happen to have sent publicity through my kids' school myself, in hopes of recruiting new players for my daughter's soccer team.  I have also received all kinds of publicity from summer camps and other places through the school. So it's quite obvious that we are only banning one group here. Wouldn't you call that discrimination? I sure do. What about my right to information?  Why is it that a minority "élite" can decide for me what kind of info...

One of my pet peeves is hearing the typical atheist/agnostic come up with the war between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland as an example of how religion spurs war. Let's review this shall we?  Englishmen crossed the waters to Ireland and conquered it.  Most of Ireland managed to boot the English out eventually and become their own country again.  Unfortunately, a small parcel was not so lucky.  The English stayed. A hundred years pass.  Two hundred years pass... The descendants of the original Irish are still Irish.  The problem is, the descendants of the English can no longer be considered English.  For generations, they have not lived in England.  Therefore, they too are Irish. However, all is not well in the state of Northern Ireland.  The conquerors (aka the descendants of the English) are still nagging the conquered (aka the descendants of the original Irish) and this is creating a little unrest. Now, we could have c...

Maryssa did her first confession this evening. She is in second year of Parish catechism, and on the way to being confirmed and receiving Holy Communion. I also talked with a lady I often see at mass, a good Catholic lady, about my age, with a daughter about Jean-Alexandre's age or older and another about Nicolas's age. Would be nice to get to know her even better.

I wanted to go to mass yesterday with the kids and get the ashes for Ash Wednesday, but when I phoned in the afternoon, to find out when the service would be, th elady who answered said there weren't any, there had been a mass in the morning and that was it. "In all of the churches?!" I asked, amazed. "In all of the churches." She replied. "They'll be doing the ashes at Sunday mass too." Yes, but it won't be Ash Wednesday anymore, it'll be the first Sunday of Lent. (Pouts) Why is there only the one service in the morning? Nobody could have gone to that, not with school and stuff. I don't get that...

... as mothers go. I make my kids come to mass with me, but I think I have a fairly decent balance of control and tolerance. I do not think that I am either overly strict nor overly lenient. I do not have unreasonable expectations. My kids must stay in the pew that we are in, but the younger ones are allowed to move freely one end of it to the other. They are not allowed to freely roam the church. They are allowed to get up a couple of times to go to the bathroom or blow their nose (and stretch their legs while they are at it), as long as they are not going every 5 minutes. I ask that they do not talk or yell, but they are allowed to whisper to each other. They bring Catholic books and colouring books, and sometimes a toy or two. I know that mass is long and incomprehensible at that age, but I do not believe that what I ask of them is a herculean task by any means. I reward good behaviour, (well, tolerable behaviour anyway) by going to Tim Horton's afterwards. I think I a...

At mass today: Nicky: Where's Jesus? Me: Over there in the front. The bread becomes Jesus. Nicky: Where? Me: Over there on that big table in the front, it's called an altar. Nicky: Where? Me: It's the bread on the table, Jesus turns the bread into himself so we can eat him. Nicky: Eat Jesus? But we will kill him. Me: No, we can eat Jesus because he makes the bread become his body, so we can eat him without killing him. Nicky: Why? Me: Ummmm, so he can be our spiritual food. Nicky: But we will kill him. Me: No we won't that's what is cool about it, Jesus turns the bread into his body so we can eat him, but without killing him. Nicky: That's not cool, that's AWESOME.

The weekend is coming again. I enjoy weekends. All of my kids are home, my husband is at home, I don't have to get up at 6:30. But every weekend there is a certain factor of stress that eats away at me more and more as the years go by. It is the uncertainty of how-am-I-going-to-get-everyone-to-mass? Summers aren't so bad, because soccer activity is mainly limited to weekdays, except for tournaments, which can be very worrisome, because then I have to find masses in places I am not familiar with at times that will not interfere with games. (Or annoy the husband too much) This weekend, I am going to see some very dear, old friends. They go to mass too, although I am not sure of the frequency. We'll be there most of the weekend, which makes it kind of hard to get to a mass without being impolite and leaving. If we ALL went to mass, it would be one thing, but since they are too good hosts to leave my husband behind while we go off, I think I'll be the only one to go. Which ...