"Have you not read that the Creator, from the beginning, made them male and female, and said, 'For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? Therefore now they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man put asunder" (Matthew 19:4-7).
Monday, January 30, 2012
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Monday, October 31, 2011
True Love
Today's cultural norm expects that if you're in a relationship, it's
sexual, and if you intend on getting married you better take a test
drive by moving in together. So if this is truly is the best way for a
couple to start their lives together, why is it that 8 out of 10 couples
break up before marriage or end up divorced?
I would like to point out that only 12% of those who shacked up before marriage are still married 10 years later. But what if you aren't looking for marriage? A Penn State study revealed that even a month of cohabitation reduced the quality of a couples relationship! Yet many profess feelings of true love for their significant other, while the notion of respecting the sanctity and purity was simply old hat. But is love something more than sex? I would argue yes.
Psychologists found that couples who waited until after their wedding night had a relationship that was 22% more stable than others and had a more satisfying relationship. Still 12% claimed better communication and improved "sexual quality". So if you truly loved someone wouldn't you want to start your relationship on the best path possible? Ignorance is hardly an excuse today with examples readily found on the internet...and within our own broken families.
Love and sex are often interchanged by those who follow the cultural norm of today. Sadly, many fall victim to the lie that a sexual relationship means a loving relationship. With 95% of Americans admitting they have had premarital sex by age 30, should it be any surprise that almost 50% of marriages end in divorce?
If you sleep with someone before marriage you are having sex with someone's future spouse. Maybe this doesn't seem like a big deal but wouldn't you prefer it if your future spouse had waited just for you? After all, sex is not love, and love is not sex right? Therefore, there is only one way to ensure true love! Simply put, you cannot sleep with, or live with the person you love before marriage if you want the the absolute best outcome possible.
The emotional and physical consequences of each and every relationship cannot be undone. Since this is truly the one decision that should take precedence over almost all else in life, should not every precaution be taken to ensure that it's done right? Unfortunately for many, the result is a fragile and hollow relationship based on sex, a relationship where each is reduced to objects of self gratification where neither is truly loved for who they are. When the waves of life come pounding against the shores of these relationships it's no surprise that they quickly erode into painful memories of what what could have been. In order to truly love someone you must give them everything you have to offer, and that includes your chastity as it is likely the one thing nobody else can offer.
I would like to point out that only 12% of those who shacked up before marriage are still married 10 years later. But what if you aren't looking for marriage? A Penn State study revealed that even a month of cohabitation reduced the quality of a couples relationship! Yet many profess feelings of true love for their significant other, while the notion of respecting the sanctity and purity was simply old hat. But is love something more than sex? I would argue yes.
Psychologists found that couples who waited until after their wedding night had a relationship that was 22% more stable than others and had a more satisfying relationship. Still 12% claimed better communication and improved "sexual quality". So if you truly loved someone wouldn't you want to start your relationship on the best path possible? Ignorance is hardly an excuse today with examples readily found on the internet...and within our own broken families.
Love and sex are often interchanged by those who follow the cultural norm of today. Sadly, many fall victim to the lie that a sexual relationship means a loving relationship. With 95% of Americans admitting they have had premarital sex by age 30, should it be any surprise that almost 50% of marriages end in divorce?
If you sleep with someone before marriage you are having sex with someone's future spouse. Maybe this doesn't seem like a big deal but wouldn't you prefer it if your future spouse had waited just for you? After all, sex is not love, and love is not sex right? Therefore, there is only one way to ensure true love! Simply put, you cannot sleep with, or live with the person you love before marriage if you want the the absolute best outcome possible.
The emotional and physical consequences of each and every relationship cannot be undone. Since this is truly the one decision that should take precedence over almost all else in life, should not every precaution be taken to ensure that it's done right? Unfortunately for many, the result is a fragile and hollow relationship based on sex, a relationship where each is reduced to objects of self gratification where neither is truly loved for who they are. When the waves of life come pounding against the shores of these relationships it's no surprise that they quickly erode into painful memories of what what could have been. In order to truly love someone you must give them everything you have to offer, and that includes your chastity as it is likely the one thing nobody else can offer.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Blessing of Pets
Blessing of pets just took place here in Belmont, MI not too long ago.
It’s an annual thing around here but personally I find it ridiculous.
We live in a society where the value of an animal is held as equal or
greater than the life of a human being in some cases. I know many
people, including family who show more love and affection to their dogs
than they do to their children or grandchildren. The most distasteful
example would be the young 20 somethings who shack up and then get a dog
or cat and reference their situation like a newly married couple
expecting a baby. A neighbor lost a cat, and after a week of searching
they got a rescue dog and went from yard to yard! Am I the only one
who thinks this insane? How about this; If you have time to get a pet
blessed, could not that time be used to help a friend or family member,
even if only through example or prayer??
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Rumors & Whispers?
So Fr. Edward Hankewicz was just transferred from Sacred Heart of Jesus in downtown Grand Rapids to St. Mary's in Lowell, MI. Another awesome orthodox priest who gets it, farmed out to the far reaches of the Diocese apparently. Remember this is only my perspective so perhaps there really is a legitimate reason for the change up that I am simply unaware of. I have never been to St. Mary's in Lowell. Perhaps they are in need of a priest with a strong backbone? Perhaps St. Mary's is a faithful and orthodox parish crying out for a priest such as this? (Are not we all!!??) If so their prayers have been answered.
A newly ordained priest Fr. Aaron Ferris is now assigned as Parish Administrator to Sacred Heart of Jesus but apparently only for a short time. Plans are in the works for a religious community currently in the Diocese of Kalamazoo, MI to move in and take over the church. What does this mean? I don't have the slightest idea. I did some searching and all I could come up with is the community of St. Phillip Neri House. Seems to fit the bill as they offer the extraordinary form of the Mass in Kalamazoo, MI. Fr. Ferris just wrote in the bulletin this week that he himself is unsure on what will happen but was told by the bishop that his assignment will last at least until January of 2012.
I was hoping that the FSSP would be invited into our diocese but Religious Communities and Orders are not the same apparently and I have to believe that the words used in the bulletin were carefully selected to be accurate. I have a few sources to tap yet regarding these potential changes but for now I am alright with being out of the know. Latin Mass continues unchanged for now and I see a lot of energy and ambition in Fr. Aaron Ferris that I sincerely hope will lead to positive developments where ever he goes. Nobody spends time at Sacred Heart of Jesus without being moved by the Spirit, at least that is how I see it.
A newly ordained priest Fr. Aaron Ferris is now assigned as Parish Administrator to Sacred Heart of Jesus but apparently only for a short time. Plans are in the works for a religious community currently in the Diocese of Kalamazoo, MI to move in and take over the church. What does this mean? I don't have the slightest idea. I did some searching and all I could come up with is the community of St. Phillip Neri House. Seems to fit the bill as they offer the extraordinary form of the Mass in Kalamazoo, MI. Fr. Ferris just wrote in the bulletin this week that he himself is unsure on what will happen but was told by the bishop that his assignment will last at least until January of 2012.
I was hoping that the FSSP would be invited into our diocese but Religious Communities and Orders are not the same apparently and I have to believe that the words used in the bulletin were carefully selected to be accurate. I have a few sources to tap yet regarding these potential changes but for now I am alright with being out of the know. Latin Mass continues unchanged for now and I see a lot of energy and ambition in Fr. Aaron Ferris that I sincerely hope will lead to positive developments where ever he goes. Nobody spends time at Sacred Heart of Jesus without being moved by the Spirit, at least that is how I see it.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Professional Catholics
Recently Michael Voris over at RealCatholicTV.com brought up the issue of Professional Catholics. Like many I have had more contact with the laity who work within the church than with the parish priest. As time has gone on a reoccurring trend has turned into a negative opinion of those who occupy these jobs.
A Parish priest already has too many obligations so I am certainly not suggesting that he take over the supporting roles of so many good and faithful Catholics. On the contrary, I think more good and faithful Catholics should get involved in these supporting roles if they are able. The real problem that I see has to do with those who make being Catholic a career. Career Catholics are very similar to Career Politicians in so much as they both are susceptible to self preservation.
Again I will call on my first hand experience with the some of the Catholic churches in the Grand Rapids area to explain my opinion. Pre-Cana at St. Jude's was largely overseen by the parish secretary back when I was a participant in the program. Speakers were called in to give talks on various topics that pertained to married life. For the most part the program was excellent with the exception of a particular "Catholic" OBGYN doctor who was invited to speak. Not only did he admit that he prescribed contraceptives, he also claimed that he knew definitively that the pill did not work as an abortafacient because otherwise he "would not prescribe it". I know this because I was the lone person in the group to openly challenge him on this topic. I'm glad I did because AFTER he left a few other good and faithful Catholics approached the parish secretary with concerns leading to a announcement that, "The Catholic Church teaches contraceptives are wrong" by the parish secretary after the doctor left. Sadly the announcement was not formal and carried very little weight comparatively.
Marriage preparation is one of the times you actually get to talk to a priest face to face in an office at least a couple of times. I took the opportunity to inform our Pastor at the time about the views of this doctor and what was said by him and our secretary. I also informed him that the good doctor made claims that some men and some women received the wrong chromosomes at birth and therefore may be a man living in a woman's body, etc. You better believe he was shocked and surprised by this revelation! His comments that day were "Well he will not be invited back", but unfortunately he had been a guest speaker for years!! A month later I ran into this particular priest again and asked him if he had approached the Parish secretary about this matter as she was directly involved in the oversight of the Pre-Cana program. He confessed that he had not talked to her yet. I sensed a hesitancy in his demeanor that I had seen all too often, one that made me question if he would ever confront the problem. To this day I do not know if anything was ever done.
Then there is the Parish Council. A group comprised of Catholics who can commit time on a regular basis to "help" the priest with Parish matters. This could be a topic all unto itself so I will leave this as merely an example of another area where a few laity have way too much influence over Parish matters.
Finally I would like to point out how the devil can neutralize good and faithful Catholics who are either employed by the Church or have family members who are employed by the Church. The problem is more of a conflict of interests but in a most diabolical sense. A good and faithful Catholic desires to a profession where they are helping to promote God's kingdom while making a modest earning in the process. Such professions could be a Teacher, Secretary, Youth Group Leader, Music Director, Janitor, or Catechist. But if the Church is your employer your relationship is unique in so much as you cannot be insubordinate right? Let's face it, even if you are the son or daughter of one of these people you better not go to the Parish Priest with any complaints about orthodoxy because you might be sealing the fate of your own parent. The list goes on and on regarding possible scenarios here. I can tell you for a fact that this is true as I know a Youth Pastor who himself said, "I really want to say something to Fr. regarding his illicit changes to the Mass but my mom works for him so.."
I think that says it all. To be a professional Catholic is one of two things in this spiritual war: You are either neutralized by the devil or you are a unwitting participant in a system designed to undermine the Church. Now I don't want to send the wrong Idea that everyone who gets paid to work within the church is a pseudo-disciple of the devil or anything! Many people are able to overcome the devil's machinations with the grace of God. Still there lies pitfalls and traps for those who seek such positions, especially those who wish to make it their career. Ultimately I believe that limits should be placed on how long a lay person can work in the Church sort of like term limits for politicians. Even a priest cannot guarantee how long he will serve at a particular Parish, so why should a lay person?
A Parish priest already has too many obligations so I am certainly not suggesting that he take over the supporting roles of so many good and faithful Catholics. On the contrary, I think more good and faithful Catholics should get involved in these supporting roles if they are able. The real problem that I see has to do with those who make being Catholic a career. Career Catholics are very similar to Career Politicians in so much as they both are susceptible to self preservation.
Again I will call on my first hand experience with the some of the Catholic churches in the Grand Rapids area to explain my opinion. Pre-Cana at St. Jude's was largely overseen by the parish secretary back when I was a participant in the program. Speakers were called in to give talks on various topics that pertained to married life. For the most part the program was excellent with the exception of a particular "Catholic" OBGYN doctor who was invited to speak. Not only did he admit that he prescribed contraceptives, he also claimed that he knew definitively that the pill did not work as an abortafacient because otherwise he "would not prescribe it". I know this because I was the lone person in the group to openly challenge him on this topic. I'm glad I did because AFTER he left a few other good and faithful Catholics approached the parish secretary with concerns leading to a announcement that, "The Catholic Church teaches contraceptives are wrong" by the parish secretary after the doctor left. Sadly the announcement was not formal and carried very little weight comparatively.
Marriage preparation is one of the times you actually get to talk to a priest face to face in an office at least a couple of times. I took the opportunity to inform our Pastor at the time about the views of this doctor and what was said by him and our secretary. I also informed him that the good doctor made claims that some men and some women received the wrong chromosomes at birth and therefore may be a man living in a woman's body, etc. You better believe he was shocked and surprised by this revelation! His comments that day were "Well he will not be invited back", but unfortunately he had been a guest speaker for years!! A month later I ran into this particular priest again and asked him if he had approached the Parish secretary about this matter as she was directly involved in the oversight of the Pre-Cana program. He confessed that he had not talked to her yet. I sensed a hesitancy in his demeanor that I had seen all too often, one that made me question if he would ever confront the problem. To this day I do not know if anything was ever done.
Then there is the Parish Council. A group comprised of Catholics who can commit time on a regular basis to "help" the priest with Parish matters. This could be a topic all unto itself so I will leave this as merely an example of another area where a few laity have way too much influence over Parish matters.
Finally I would like to point out how the devil can neutralize good and faithful Catholics who are either employed by the Church or have family members who are employed by the Church. The problem is more of a conflict of interests but in a most diabolical sense. A good and faithful Catholic desires to a profession where they are helping to promote God's kingdom while making a modest earning in the process. Such professions could be a Teacher, Secretary, Youth Group Leader, Music Director, Janitor, or Catechist. But if the Church is your employer your relationship is unique in so much as you cannot be insubordinate right? Let's face it, even if you are the son or daughter of one of these people you better not go to the Parish Priest with any complaints about orthodoxy because you might be sealing the fate of your own parent. The list goes on and on regarding possible scenarios here. I can tell you for a fact that this is true as I know a Youth Pastor who himself said, "I really want to say something to Fr. regarding his illicit changes to the Mass but my mom works for him so.."
I think that says it all. To be a professional Catholic is one of two things in this spiritual war: You are either neutralized by the devil or you are a unwitting participant in a system designed to undermine the Church. Now I don't want to send the wrong Idea that everyone who gets paid to work within the church is a pseudo-disciple of the devil or anything! Many people are able to overcome the devil's machinations with the grace of God. Still there lies pitfalls and traps for those who seek such positions, especially those who wish to make it their career. Ultimately I believe that limits should be placed on how long a lay person can work in the Church sort of like term limits for politicians. Even a priest cannot guarantee how long he will serve at a particular Parish, so why should a lay person?
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