Jeroen just finished a Heritage Burger

... at Jacob's Grill, St Jacobs

Terry.
Sent from my BB

At the Crazy Canuck, St. Jacobs

With Ingrid and Jeroen at St. Jacobs. Supper at the Crazy Canuck.

A day in the life of a 'retired' missionary

Fr. Casimir

I have an eighty-something year old American priest friend who is a 'retired' missionary living in the Mariannhill Monastery Retirement Home for priests and religious in South Africa, Fr. Casimir (Cas) Paulsen c.m.m. He has zillions of friends and fans for whom he publishes a monthly blog. I snipped an extract which you might find interesting.

Saturday, the 21st. was a very interesting day. I was to take a funeral at 11am at the mother church from our branch at Savannah Park. I like to be a bit early just to make sure. I was there by 10:20. I found ladies cleaning the church who knew nothing about a funeral. Hmmmm. The sacristy was open but I couldn’t find any books or hosts or wine or whatever. Eventually I found a chalice and one big host  but there was not water or wine or small host. By this time it was almost 10:45. So I told them I was going back to the Monastery to fetch my things (always have some water and wine and hosts and chalice, etc.) realizing that I should have done that in the first place. By the time I got back it was 5 past eleven and the casket had already been taken into the church. But then, lo and behold, another hearse pitches up and disgorges another casket. Now what. Two funerals. I use my wine and water and holy water because there isn’t any at the parish but, thank God, the catechist is there. So we go to plan B. He know who is in the one casket and I know who is in the other so we just forge ahead. I was proud of our small but powerful choir from Savannah Park. There can never be a service without singing. 

After the Mass, we go to the cemetery. There is no road near the graveside, so the old men have to carry the coffin on a very rough hilly and pot-holey ground for about a football field away.  Some day I will describe how an African is buried, but I will jump over that for now. 

After the filling in of the grave we all go to the house for a meal and to meet some of the family of the deceased. I finally came home late in the afternoon and I am beat.

If you want to read the whole post, here is the link to Fr. Cas. Blog

Happy birthday Ingrid

At the Rusty Anchor on the Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia.  

Terry.
Sent from my BB

Is homosexuality an abomination?

This 'letter to Dr. Laura' (Schlessinger) was doing the rounds in emails in the 2000's. It is still very timely and makes a good read. I reproduce it here off Snopes.


Dear Dr. Laura,

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God’s Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and I try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind him that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate.

I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the specific laws and how to best follow them.

a) When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord (Lev 1:9). The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

b) I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

c) I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev 15:19-24). The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

d) Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can’t I own Canadians?

e) I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

f) A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an Abomination (Lev 11:10), it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don’t agree. Can you settle this?

g) Lev 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

h) Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev 19:27. How should they die?

i) I know from Lev 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

j) My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? (Lev 24:10-16) Couldn’t we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help.

Thank you again for reminding us that God’s word is eternal and unchanging.

Your devoted disciple and adoring fan.

Letter to Aubrey - from Oma

This is the letter I read on the day we buried our granddaughter Aubrey’s ashes on the McLaughlin’s farm in a beautiful spot overlooking Georgian Bay.

May 13, 2017

To my dear Aubrey Elizabeth,

I was so grateful to be able to hold you for those 10 minutes on the day we got to see you.
It reminded me of the ancient Jewish prayer of thanksgiving: If only I can hold you for ten minutes, it will be enough… But of course it was not enough. As I was trying to imprint your features on my memory I couldn’t help thinking of what we would miss – you growing up, celebrating your milestones with you, seeing you smile, run, play. Since then I have been wondering what your relationships with your brother and cousins would have been like. I have tried to imagine what you would look like – that combination of McLaughlin and McCann characteristics that would make you uniquely you and at the same time seeing the similarities that make you visibly part of our extended families.

But those 10 minutes were enough for me to love you with an intensity and clarity that maybe only comes when time is so short. It helped me to understand that your place in the family will never be filled by somebody else. That spot is yours and you will be forever loved and never forgotten.

Love,
Oma.

Aubrey Elizabeth McCann - February 10, 2017

Does God take care of climate change?

Right-wing Social-Conservative Christian Extremist: If there really is such a thing as global warming, God will take care of it.

God: I sent you floods; I sent you drought; I sent you scientists and now I send you Pope Francis.

What Pope Francis (himself a chemical scientist) wants to tell us regarding climate change:

1. Climate change is real, and it's getting worse.
2. Human beings are a major contributor to climate change.
3. Climate change disproportionately affects the poor.
4. We can and must make things better.
5. Individuals can help, but politicians must lead the charge.

This is a Time article from two years ago. It is more timely than ever with the Trump Administration pulling out of the Paris Accord.

The 5 Most Important Points of Pope Francis's Climate Change Encyclical

Pope Francis on June 13, 2015 in Vatican City. Franco Origlia—Getty Images

Anti-abortion does NOT equate to being pro-life

Being anti-abortion does NOT equate to being pro-life - not if your government...

• Brutalizes refugees and migrants, tearing families apart by deporting people who have no greater wish than safety, opportunity and hard work;
• Is willing to rip health care from tens of millions of people;
• Denies climate change and jeopardizes creation itself with retrograde policies on the environment;
• Intends to increase defense spending more than $50 billion while cutting social welfare programs for the most vulnerable;
• And whose leader, the president, boasts openly of sexual conquests that many would describe as assault.

This editorial in The National Catholic Reporter is a must-read for any fellow Knights in the Knights of Columbus.

Pro-life advocates with the Indiana State Knights of Columbus carry a banner past the U.S. Supreme Court Jan. 27 during the annual March for Life in Washington. (CNS/Leslie E. Kossoff)

To the Women in My Life - on International Women's Day

Today is International Women's Day.
There are and have been many famous and wonderful women in the world, but today I wish to acknowledge, honour and thank all the women in my life, past and present.

Chronologically, I have to start with my mothers - both of them, Patsy and Marjorie. And my grandmothers and aunts. Then, and most especially, I have to honour and thank Ingrid, the love of my life and mother of my children; and, of course, her mother. I also need to recognize Ingrid's many friends over the years - sisters in a kind of benign conspiracy of mutual support that men take years to work out even exists, but can never hope to understand, let alone emulate.

At some point my daughters in law and my own daughters took up a special place in that bond of sisterhood with Ingrid and I hope to live long enough to see my granddaughters join that special circle. In the meantime they are already enriching my life beyond anything they could today know or understand. Little, sweet Aubrey, take your place there with pride. You have enriched my life beyond my own ability to comprehend.

To all the women in my life, without you there would be no life and no life worth living. Thank you.
And to the myriad other women who strive, unrecognized, to make this world a better, kinder, more loving place, thank you.

A Letter to God

This letter is the composite articulation of reflections on conversations with close family of a little girl who died in the womb.

Dear God,

Part of me is thinking this may as well be "Dear Santa"; I don't even know if you exist. I think you probably do because I don't know how else the sun, the moon and the stars, the earth and the sky would exist. But anyway, right now, I want you to exist. I need you to listen to me. I hope you are there, and listening.

I want you to know that I am hurting, heartbroken for my little girl. If you are God you would know that, but I need to tell you. My pain is so, so deep. She didn't deserve this. She was just there in the womb for over eight months making us happy with anticipation - healthy and kicking. And then she died. Her heart just stopped beating. Suddenly she was dead. Oh, God! How cruel. How unbelievably cruel. For her, for me, for all of us who knew her and loved her. Why? Not the medical, clinical why - although that as well - but how could you let this happen?

We all had all these hopes and dreams. Her room and bassinet all ready. Friends and family gave pretty clothes for her and we all imagined how sweet she would look in this and that, surrounded by cute soft toys.

We did get to dress her up - but only after she was taken from the womb, stillborn. She looked so perfect, so innocent, so lovely. Oh, God, dear God. Why? Why? Why? How could this have happened like this? So close. So near to the end. Our little girl never got the chance, never got the chance to be a baby, to be on the breast, to be loved.

But we did love her. No. We love her still. We love her memory. Oh, God, are you listening? Is she with you now? Is there life after death? Please, let it be so. Please let her be our little angel there with you.

Are you there? Are you listening? Dear God. Please be there. Please be here. With us. Now. We need you. We need you so.

Does Trump himself believe his own falsehoods?

Ignoring everything else and just looking at Trump's false assertions, I have three concerns in degrees of comparative greatness when I read The complete list of all 33 false things Donald Trump has said as president so far.

NICHOLAS KAMM / AFP/GETTY IMAGES

1. I am greatly concerned that the President of the United States publicly tells untruths on what appears to be an habitual basis.
2. It concerns me even more that millions of the American public either believe these falsehoods unquestioningly or don't seem to care that he may be lying and continue to support him in Congress and the Senate and in the media.
3. My greatest and deepest concern, however, is that Trump himself appears to believe many, if not all, of these untrue assertions, many of which are oft repeated by him. If that is indeed the case, then the President of the United States is delusional, even if sincerely so. Can it really be that a delusional man has access to "the codes" that could trigger nuclear war?

Banning abortions only stops the safe ones

I am pro-life and anti-abortion.

I just wish life were that simple.

I remember when I was a boy that the Catholic mother of my friend phoned my non-Catholic mother to ask her if she would help her abort her baby. (Illegal in South Africa with stiff penalties.) My mother, who did not realise I could overhear her side of the conversation, said she certainly would not but she did know somebody who did that stuff.

My friend never did get that or any other baby brother or sister. I know that their family struggled financially compared to us, and I know how our family struggled and had to do without things that lots of other people seemed to have.
Life is complex and people suffer terrible stress that clouds judgement and removes freedom.

Much as I want to defend unborn children and their God-given right to life, I don't think it is for me to judge others by my religious and moral standards or to impose my religious and moral standards by turning them into legislation.

I am very conflicted by all of this. Those who disagree with me, please try not to judge me too harshly.

Pro-Life and pro-life: is there a difference? For me, huge.

Jan. 27 joint letter to President Donald Trump from some Catholic groups.

This letter from some Catholic groups in the United States of America exemplifies the difference that I see between the pro-life movement and Pro-Life, which seems to me to place extraordinary if not exclusive emphasis on being "Pro-Birth". If you are truly pro-life then your concern has to extend beyond protecting the unborn and, in protecting the unborn, to do so in the most compassionate and effective way possible in the long term, not merely the most vociferous and judgemental - which is a common perception of Pro-Life. Interestingly, another difference between pro-lifers and Pro-Lifers seems to manifest in a difference of support for Donald Trump as president.

Jan. 27 joint letter to President Donald Trump by National Catholic Reporter on Scribd