:-)

HABEMUS PAPAM FRANCISCUM

It's Pi Day, Pi Day....What does that have to do with GOD?

If you have never heard it, THIS will take you a really great song about PI :-) ( safe for work)

Yes, friends, today is PI DAY.... 3.14. In two years it will be really fun, we get two more digits!

A few years ago, Pi Day fell on a Sunday, so I asked the PREP (Sunday School, Religious Education) students to help me figure out  how God is like PI.... and how God is like PIE. Naturally, we had PIE for snack that day while we brainstormed. The younger students didn't understand Pi, but they did PIE. So everyone joined in the fun.

Here are a few of their observations...

God is like PIE...he is always good.
God is like PI... he goes on forever.
God is like PIE...he is sweet.
God is like PI...he is part of the cricle of life ( how awesome is THAT??)

They had other answers, those are the ones I recall off the top of my head.
The point I made to the students was that math- as much as some will grow to hate it as they move into the complicated stuff- has always been proof to me that there is a God- and Pi is the icing on the cake.

You see, I am a scientist by nature. I was a chemistry major first time around in college. Unlike some people who educate themselves out of belief in God, the more I learned, the more I saw God at work...planting Easter eggs for those who bother to recognize them.

Pi... a number that never ends and never repeats itself, and is completely wrapped up in the geometry of  circles- which themselves represent eternity (as in wedding rings). Circular geometry is utterly fascinating! The circumference of a circle is ALWAYS Pi times twice the radius. Always. The area of a circle is always Pi
time the radius squared. Always.

Fibonacci numbers (0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21...)- each number in the sequence is the sum of the two numbers before it. Fibonacci numbers are found throughout nature, you can learn more about them HERE . You can have fun with Fibonacci numbers and Pascal's triangle, too....

And here is another fun observation....
1² + 1² = 1x2
1² + 1² + 2² = 2x3
1² + 1² + 2² + 3² = 3x5
1² + 1² + 2² + 3² + 5² = 5x8
1² + 1² + 2² + 3² + 5² + 8² = 8x13

Do you see the pattern? How cool is that??? The formula is : 1² + 1² + 2² + 3² + ... + F(n)² = F(n)F(n+1)
and it is true for ANY n from 1 upwards.

Avogadro's number. Around here, we jokingly call it avocado's number...which inevitably leads to a discussion about guacamole ( we have a weird collective humor....). 6.02x 10^23 ( I don't know how to type exponents here!). That is the number of atoms in one mole of a substance, and that mole will weigh in grams the atomic weight of that substance. One mole of carbon 12 weighs 12 grams. That's why stoichiometry is so much fun!

The Golden Ratio? You see it everywhere and don't even realize it. That rectangle that just looks.... right?  Probably has Golden Ratio proportions. Architects often use it when designing buildings. Cool stuff.

Look at the basic building blocks of matter: atomic and sub-atomic particles. They are all the same. Put them together the right way and you get hydrogen or helium or gold or YOU.

Move the earth a little closer- or farther- from the sun...and life ceases to exist. 

The higher you get in mathematics and science, the more you can see--- none of this is an accident. It's nothing short of God sending out a 'ping' just to see if you are paying attention. To believe anything else is simply arrogant.

When I was a child, I remember watching "Cosmos" with Carl Sagan (an atheist- just saying). His whole approach was geared toward making us realize how small and insignificant the earth is in the grand scheme of the universe...and we as humans even less so.

Somehow, I missed that feeling as I studied math and science, my wonder and awe saw something different.

When God created it all- from the first minute particle onward...he knew I was going to be a part of his wonderful creation.

And when Jesus Christ hung on the cross, he did it for me.

I am not less than insignificant in the infinite universe. I am a wonderful and unique child of God, desired and planned for by HIM from all eternity....

...and so are you. Don't ever forget that!

Catholic Social Justice- Part One ( and HABEMUS PAPAM!!!)

One of my pet peeves is the misrepresentation of Catholic Social Justice Teaching. Mostly because people either completely misunderstand Church teaching on the matter or they intentionally distort the truth and cherry-pick quotations to suit their purposes.

This is the first of a series of posts about this wonderful body of teachings given to us by the lord through his Church. It will not be an exhaustive treatment; I hope, rather, to break the larger concept into bite-size pieces and present them so that those of you who take the time to read will (hopefully) learn something new or gain a fresh perspective.

What IS social justice teaching?

Catholic social justice teaching refers to a collection of principles that guide a person in making decisions about their behavior in the world-specifically, behavior toward others and especially those less fortunate. It is an example of development of doctrine: the teachings have always been true, but they have not always been put to paper or formally taught as a single body.

Rerum Novarum (by Pope Leo XIII in 1891) and Quadragesimo Ano ( by Pius Xi in1931) are often cited as examples of early formal social justice teaching. In truth, social justice teaching goes back to Christ- and even reaches into the Old Testament. Social justice teachings remind us to be grateful for the blessings we have from the Lord, and to not be greedy about what we have.

Old Testament social justice directives include:
Deuteronomy 15- Loans to other Israelites must be interest free, and in the end of the seven year (sabbatical) cycle, those free loans are to be forgiven. The Israelites were called upon to help their countrymen who needed it- and to always be mindful of the debt that owe to the Lord, who provided the abundance they had to be able to share with those in need.  

Levitucus 23:22- When harvesting a field, you must leave some of the crop behind for gleaners. This allows the poor to work for their share of the grain, rather than begging for it...preserving their dignity. Remember, too-this gleaning was key in the story of Ruth...who becasme an ancestor of Jesus Christ.

I could go on and on. I won't right now, because there is much to say over the series.

In conclusion- I first celebrate and offer a prayer for Pope Francis I, who was elected only 2 hours ago. I had planned this series on social justice for some time and his election tells me the nudging came from the Holy Spirit!

Lord, strengthen your servant Francis I. Fill him with your Holy Spirit, that he may faithfully fill the shoes of the Fisherman and guide the world closer to Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Family- the Garden of Vocations

He's such a goof.
This is Saturday- night entertainment in our home. Two of our children have completely left the nest: the oldest (a daughter) is a nurse in Texas and our middle child ( 2nd oldest son) is in the U.S.Air Force, stationed in Alaska. Spring breaks overlapped for offspring numbers 2, 3 and 5- so I thought it would be fun to put together a care package for their brother, complete with home-made cookies. Everyone added something to the bowl- even GG- so we could say we ALL made them for Steven. We moms get silly ideas like that.

As I waited for the timer, I looked up and saw Joey (child #6, youngest son), with my Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook  before him like the Roman Missal, raising a pizzelle as if he were elevating a host. A few minutes later, he added the collar made from an Aldi's receipt, and I snapped this picture.

It reminded me of Ash Wednesday a few years ago. Joey (then in maybe 2nd or 3rd grade) and I both had the flu and were snuggled up in my bed, content to be miserable together. At one point I mentioned something about being sad to miss Ash Wednesday Mass because it is one I always enjoy. When the rest of the kids got home from school, Joey disappeared for a while. When he returned- siblings in tow- they put together an Ash Wednesday Mass for me. They all had their liturgical assignments and brought the necessary vessels into my room. Joey was the priest (wearing my royal-purple nightshirt). My silver Paul Revere bowl functioned as a ciboria/paten. Glass salad cruets for the water/ Capri Sun. A white bath robe for the server. Linen napkins and tablecloth for the card-table altar. An old Worship hymnal for the Missal.  Apparently there was quite a conversation about an appropriate vessel to use as a chalice, since GLASS/ CRYSTAL is expressly forbidden by the rubrics for Mass (even though one parish continues to use them). Naturally, they had the traditional play-Mass smashed bread hosts.

We had music, readings, a homily (albeit brief), the consecration. Even ashes. Emily was very excited to be the server. They did a good job re-creating the experience.

It wasn't their first time playing Mass. They did it a lot when my our oldest were younger. Steven was always the priest (his insistence). One of my favorite times they played Mass was when we were at our summer home in South Carolina. The little boy who lived next door was over to play- and they included him. He had no idea what was going on, but he played along.

Here I am going to see who really reads theses posts, just because I am curious... I get 30+ views on each one, but rarely are there comments... so check in below. Are you really reading this? :-) Humor me!

As an only child in a marginally Catholic family, I didn't get to play Mass, although I understand it has long been a spontaneous staple of play-time in homes with enough children to pull it off. Watching my children re-create the Mass at home over the years has made me realize a few things.

First- the children do pay attention during Mass. Of course, it helps that we sat in the front row to keep them from being distracted. This is the #1 mistake parents make when taking children to Mass- they sit in the back. When you are all of 3 feet tall, that means the only thing you can see is the tushes of the people in front of you. Not a very interesting way to spend an hour! As our children became old enough to serve at the altar and in other liturgical ministries, they jumped right in because they were intimately familiar with the rituals. Two priests told me they liked having my children serve for them because they knew when something was missing- and would go ahead and fix it without being told. That's pretty cool. Of course, there was also the advantage of getting an entire serving team with ONE phone call.

Second- children do not waste time "playing" meaningless games. Play is a child's work. It how they learn. What do children play? School. Doctor. House. Hot Wheels. Through their play, they are internalizing significant ideas about life. The doctor will always tell the child that the shot might hurt a little- but it will keep them from getting sick. They realize their teachers want them to grow and learn. They see that moms and dads work hard to make a home for their children. And Mass? They see how many people work together to help us all worship the Lord in the highest way possible: the holy sacrifice of the Mass.

Third- children get to try on the liturgical ministries. Would I like to read at Mass? Am I brave enough to cantor or sing in the choir? Would I like to be an altar server? What would it be like to be a priest? We don't ask that question enough of our young men, you know.  About 15 years ago, I did ask a teen if he had ever considered the priesthood. He said he was discerning; he was ordained four years ago. Another young man I asked explored religious life and is now a chaplain. About eight years ago I told one of my 7th graders I wanted the seat next to his mom when he is ordained. Still waiting on that one :-)

When we ask young men if they have considered the priesthood, we are planting an important seed. We should also ask young women about religious life. It is the duty of every Christian to plant those seeds- in our own children, in our grandchildren, in our children's friends, in every young person we have the opportunity to influence. It is never wasted- the thought will return to them, and if they are wise, they will spend time discerning God's will in their lives. The Lord will speak to them and lead them. Just because we think we see something in a young man to lead us to ask the question of him doesn't mean that is his call. But we can never disregard the fact that when we see a guy and think, "He'd make a good priest," that perhaps the Holy Spirit has planted the thought within us- and needs us to plant the seed in that young man.

The family truly is the garden for vocations. And in any garden, we plant the seeds- the Lord decides how they will grow. Married life, religious life, single life- or the priesthood- all are vocations. Our children watch how we live the faith, how it is a part- or not a part- of the decisions we make, the way we behave, our attitudes about Holy Days and Mass attendance in general,  and our attitudes toward the Church and how she hands on the faith as the Lord has established.

If we prattle on about this thing or that being wrong with the Church, if we consistently miss Mass in direct opposition to what God has asked of us, if we don't show any regard for fasting and abstinence....or if we tacitly approve what is objectively wrong (or sinful) by simply saying nothing... we are sowing weeds in the garden. Those weeds can strangling the gentle shoot of a vocation to the priesthood by bad-mouthing celibacy or the all-male priesthood. They strangle vocations by saying women join the convent because they can't find husbands. They strangle vocations by encouraging unchastity and artificial contraception- and artificial CONCEPTION- thus denying God's primacy over our lives and raising smaller families where children hesitate to pursue God's call...because their parents want grandchildren or need someone to carry on the family name.

Will Steven or Joey one day put the Roman collar around their necks? Time will tell. More than anything, I hope my children each actively and prayerfully discern what the Lord is calling them to do with their lives, because thenI know they will be happy.

Plant good seed in the garden of vocations, as much as you can. Nurture those young plants, feed them well with the Eucharist and be sure they have plenty of time in the light of the Lord's presence. Above all, don't plant weeds!

Conclave-related Photos/Memes/Humor: UPDATED REGULARLY!!!

 

 

 

 

We'll see what kind of form this ends up taking, but I have seen some pretty funny- if irreverent - memes and editorial cartoons, and thought it would be great to assemble them.

***** IF YOU FIND SOMETHING, PLEASE EMAIL IT (WITH THE LINK) TO: ROSARIESBYIRENE@AOL.COM*******

 

 

 

 

 The following is the Coat-of-Arms representing sede vacante...now hanging in the USCCB offices:
























Pope Benedict's tweets have been archived... his Twitter is now empty, awaiting the next Holy Father!







Only images of sitting popes may be displayed in Catholic institutions, so at the moments his reseignation became official, Pope Benedict XVI's portrait was removed from the USCCB office..

My Amazing Grandmother

 

Thanks, Pope Benedict XVI: The Interregnum Begins

All forms of media have been saturated with items and news about Pope Benedict XVI’s retirement. Which is why- except for a few words after the announcement- I have avoided the subject. The topic has not been far from my mind, however.

As we enter the interregnum, I’d like to reflect on a few things that some people get, and most people will never understand.

Pope Benedict XVI was exactly the Pope we needed after John Paul II. A Pope usually reigns for about 10 years, so JPII’s reign was extraordinary. I vaguely remember Paul VI’s passing- then John Paul I so soon after. Like many people under the age of 60, JPII was the only Pope I remembered even caring about. Benedict XVI was a lot like him; they were both scholarly, fatherly figures who loved Jesus Christ with their entire being. Sounds like the job description for Pope, actually. Now we may return to the old way- shorter reigns, more of turnover in the job.

The media acts as though this is a big deal. It is- but not for the reasons they push. It is a big deal because the Church is saying goodbye to her beloved Papa. The upside is we are not mourning, as would normally be the case.

The Church is not a business or an organization. She is a family. She operates as a family, not a democracy. Jesus Christ is the head of the Church; the Pope is his vicar. The Pope’s role is to lead the Church as a father- which is why he is called “Papa.” The respected parent is not the one who bows to every whim of the child, letting him do whatever he wishes. The respected parent upholds the rules- and takes time to explain why the rules are necessary. In this case- they are necessary if we see them in view of our eternal destiny.

The body of writings BXVI leaves us is amazing- and more is likely on the way. ( I hope!) Encyclicals and apostolic letters have been the primary writings of most popes- including JPII.  Benedict gave us full-length books, written to be understood by lay Catholics. Not long after he was elected, we were on vacation. I sat by the hotel pool reading The Spirit of the Liturgy, written while he was still Cardinal Ratzinger. (I have read it twice since then- it never gets old) My husband was on the chaise next to me. Enthusiastic about the text, I proclaimed, “Yes. Yes! YES!” Tim asked, “WHAT are you reading?!” “A book by the POPE!” His reply…. “Oh. You sound like an Herbal Essences commercial.” At the time, I was just beginning to delve into the rich treasury of Church writings we have at our fingertips. Spirit was so easy to understand- yet so rich, deep and eloquent. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to understand liturgy in a new and exciting way. I promise, you will never look at the Mass the same!

A newspaper article asked if having “two popes” was going to be a problem for the Church. See? That’s the kind of ignorance in the media. Any Catholic will tell you- there is only one Pope. Benedict will enjoy the honor and respect he deserves in his retirement, but he is no longer our Pope. That makes me a little sad. I will miss him!

Another article suggested a nun be chosen as Pope. Sigh. If you need a refresher on why that will not happen, see HERE.

By far, the most aggravating pundits have been those who insist that the Cardinal- Electors choose a Pope “more with the times,” “more forward- thinking” or “not in the dark ages.” Another example of how people simply do not understand. It is not the Church’s job to bow to the times or the whim of a few people. It is the Church’s role to uphold the teachings of Jesus Christ. Her constancy and consistency and faithfulness to that role have kept her intact for 2000 years. He promised that, you know- when he made Peter the first Pope…and Christ himself promised that the gates of hell will not prevail against his Church.

The Church will not change- cannot change- God’s standards, meaning no change on homosexual so-called “marriage,” ordination of women, or artificial contraception/abortion. Sorry, liberals. It ain’t gonna happen.

So, no matter WHO the next Pope is, no matter where he was born, no matter his political views,  I am confident that he will be elected by the influence of the Holy Spirit. He will uphold the teachings of Jesus Christ. And the One, True Church of Jesus Christ will continue until Christ returns in glory.

Lord, thank you for giving your Church the gift of Pope Benedict XVI. Bless him in his retirement, comfort him in his afflictions, and fill his heart with the gratitude we, your people, have for his service to us. We ask you to send your Holy Spirit to fill the hearts and minds of the Cardinal-Electors as they prepare to enter the conclave. May the man who enters as Cardinal and leaves as Pope be strengthened by our prayers and by your Spirit dwelling within him as he takes the helm of the Barque of Peter. Amen.