Hump Day Haiku

Blue Christmas
Kids might think, shudder
"Last Christmas" by George Michael
Classic Christmas song Read More

• Hump Day Haiku

Thanksgiving Haiku

By Swissmiss

Hey, Gobble Gobble!

Make haste and get on my plate

Spicy pumpkin pie

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• Hump day before Thanksgiving Haiku

Father Mitch Pacwa & Norm Abram, Separated at Birth?

h/t to Swissmiss

Exsurge Domine

By Swissmiss

The older I get the more I understand that since I've been a Catholic all my life, not necessarily a good or practicing Catholic mind you, but raised and surrounded by Catholics and constantly confirming my belief in the Church as an adult, I realize that I cannot fully see things from any other perspective, specifically relating to my in-laws. It's hard to put my finger on it; I will never have the perspective of a non-Catholic.

To sum it up, since faith and reason are united in Truth, why don't my in-laws move in my direction? Why, quite recently, would a close relation proudly proclaim his desire to leave the Church to become a Lutheran pastor? Why would he think, telling me a Catholic from beginning and to hopeful end, I would react with anything but sadness?

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Rock of ages
Cleft into innumerable bits

Library Thing

I just saw Swissmiss' "Library Thing" widget - it's a site where you can input all of the titles in your personal library. Looks like a good way to organize and keep track of them.

  

  

 

• Library Thing
• St. Monica's Kneeler

Breakdancing Swiss Miss Leprechaun

St. Catherine

Cathy had a blognic-brunch today and she and her generous guests raised $305 for the seminary. God bless them.

I'm the champion

Category: Christendom

During the 14th century, this was the last mainland European country to officially convert to Christianity.

Answer: What is Lithuania?

Weekend Kneeler Jeopardy

I win!

"This US state boasts the largest number of Catholics per capita. (I'm not saying they vote in line with the Church!)" - Swissmiss

Update: What is Rhode Island?
What is Connecticut?*

And it only took 4 guesses + 4 guesses by others, and Swissmiss narrowing it down to a region of the U.S. - lol..

*Just saw that some net sources indicate Rhode Island has the highest percentage but that was my previous guess so I still win. ;)

Jeopardy

From St. Monica's Kneeler:

"Hopefully, these will test the depth and breadth of your knowledge. At least a few to keep you busy this weekend. Good luck and have a wonderful weekend.

Category: Literature

1. This English philosopher wrote an anti-Catholic tract called "Why I Am Not A Christian."

2. This Trappist monk wrote "The Seven Story Mountain."

3. In the Brothers Karamaov by Dostoevski, this brother was driven by a need for spiritual perfection.

4. This French author wrote, "Hell is other people."

St. Alex says, please place your answer in the form of a question in the combox, and say a few Hail Marys while you wait for the answer to be revealed. Demerits for using Google. Educated guesses are welcome and encouraged."

Click here to play

Numerous Cathedrals Were Designed to be Used for What Secular Function?

Swissmiss wrote:
"Numerous cathedrals and basilicas, specifically those at San Petronio, Bologna, Paris and Rome, were designed during the 17th and 18th centuries, to be used for this "secular" function.

St. Alex says, please place your answer in the form of a question in the combox, and say a few Hail Marys while you wait for the answer to be revealed. Demerits for using Google. Educated guesses are welcome and encouraged..."

"AA has it again -- observatories. From the book by Thomas Woods, Jr., How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization, p. 111-112: "The Italian astronomer Giovanni Cassini, a student of the Jesuits Riccioloi and Grimaldi, used the observatory at the splendid Basilica of San Petronio in Bologna to lend support to Kepler's model. Here we see an important way in which the Church contributed to astronomy that is all but unknown today: Cathedrals in Bologna, Florence, Paris and Rome were designed in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries to function as world-class solar observatories. Nowhere in the world were there more precise instruments for the study of the sun. Each such cathedral contained holes through which sunlight could enter and time lines (or meridian lines) on the floor. It was by observing the path traced out by the sunlight on these lines that researchers could obtain accurate measurements of time and predict equinoxes. (They could also make accurate calculations of the proper dates for Easter -- the key initial function of these observatories.)"

Meridan Line. S. Petronio, Bologna

In this sun calendar, a hole in the ceiling of the cathedral projects a shaft of sunlight onto this bronze strip on the pavement below, which is engraved with the days of the year and signs of the zodiac.

• Weekend Kneeler Jeopardy
• Astronomical Basis of Calendars

Prayer Request for Swissmiss

She's still in bad shape - please take a few moments to pray for her.

"Please keep us all in your prayers...a Chaplet of Divine Mercy would be wonderful!!"

• Prayer Request for Swissmiss
• St. Monica's Kneeler

Divine Mercy

Please pray for Swissmiss and her son:

"Now my son has walking pneumonia. I have no idea how he got it because with me being sick lately, he hasn't really gone anywhere.

Please keep us all in your prayers...a Chaplet of Divine Mercy would be wonderful!!"

St. Monica's Kneeler

Prayers for SwissMiss

Prayers please

"Please pray for my father-in-law who just suffered a minor heart attack....."

"Please also remember my mother-in-law in your prayers since she is pretty traumatized by these events."

"And, could you please pray for a relief to my tinnitus...."

"Thank you, I appreciate your prayers very much. As the Carmelites say, may God reward you."

• St. Monica's Kneeler

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• Halloween Kneeler Caption Call

Peace

Swissmiss wrote:

"My neighbors planted a Peace Pole in their front yard yesterday while they strongly support abortion, gay marriage, euthanasia and embryonic stem cell research.

How can we have peace when we turn a blind eye to, or even actively support, what is happening to the unborn, the infirm or the disabled? Or work to break down the family? Peace is something (nearly) everyone wants. All the Popes in recent history have been quite vocal about striving for peace. Many times the Pope's message falls on deaf ears, even among Catholics who should be living our Faith by caring and protecting life from conception to natural death."

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Angel of God

Facebook: Resistance is Futile

• Mortifications courtesy of Facebook