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 Website: http://defend-us-in-battle.blogspot.com
Profile: An Alaskan Catholic Husband and father... who blogs on the side and in his spare time is an attorney.
Recent posts by Defend Us In Battle:
Pope Benedict has called the movement towards the implementation of the new translation of the Roman Missal a: “New Task” His statement at the end of his letter announcing the approval of the new translation states:
“A new task will then present itself,” the Pope affirmed, “one which falls outside the direct competence of Vox Clara, but which in one way or another will involve all of you — the task of preparing for the reception of the new translation by clergy and lay faithful.”
He acknowledged that “many will find it hard to adjust to unfamiliar texts after nearly forty years of continuous use of the previous translation.”
“The change will need to be introduced with due sensitivity,” the Pontiff said, “and the opportunity for catechesis that it presents will need to be firmly grasped.”
He added, “I pray that in this way any risk of confusion or bewilderment will be averted, and the change will serve instead as a springboard for a renewal and a deepening of Eucharistic devotion all over the English-speaking world.”
The “opportunity for Catechesis” falls not only on the priests and bishops but also on us as Catholic faithful. He explains that this change should not create confusion but be a “springboard” for “renewal” and a “deepening of Eucharistic devotion.”
As a Catholic father, I find this opportunity as the perfect way to help in the “reform of the reform.” I know that some have called the “reform of the reform” a hollow call and lackluster movement, but if not now, when? Is this not the perfect opportunity to reclaim the Mass? To bring it back from the throws of puppet shows, altar gatherings, ad-libbing, liturgical improvisation, and “Church-u-tainment”?
Many of the changes will require Catechesis to not only help the faithful learn the differences, but to also ACCEPT them. How
And said: amen I say to you, unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
-Matthew 18:3
My wife said something to me that clicked something in my brain. It involves a problem that has been plaguing me for a long time. One that has been exacerbated since we moved to our new state and joined a new parish that is more “progressive” or more “modern” (for a lack of better descriptions.)
The problem is a certain way that some “teachers of the faith” explain the cathechesis on “difficult” subjects. Instead of just explaining a concept – they water it down. They act as if there is no possible way that we could learn it, so they create some “fun” way to present it, couched in the idea that it will help the children learn. I am not sure who “they” are afraid won’t be able to grasp the concept… the adults or the kids. What really irks me, is when they are afraid that adults will see through this patronizing pedagogy and explain that by teaching us this way… we can better teach our children.
 Wait! Kids believe essentially what we tell them, why do we have to convince them of these things?Don’t believe me? How many of you know of a child (or did once yourself) believe you could fly via a cape/umbrella/etc…? How many of you believed in Santa Clause or the Easter Bunny? We have millions of kids each day that believe that there is a little plump fairy that flies around the world collecting teeth and giving the loser of said
By Defend Us In Battle on March 19th, 2010 | Category: MiscellaneousI really appreciated Scott W.’s post on St. Joseph’s Day as a Solemnity. I would be remiss though if I didn’t add my own post for St. Joseph’s day since I am after all named after him. Plus I want to help this blog community grow, because I think fatherhood is a forgotten “art” in the Catholic world, at least in terms of the online world and this blog is the best at recapturing that “art.”
For my take on St. Joseph’s day, for this post, I won’t go into the prayers or customs of the day. You can find that in many other places, and in fact I included that in my larger post on the subject over at my blog: St. Joseph’s Day.
Instead I would like to talk about my first memories of this Solemnity, or Feast Day, that I remember as a child. You see, it is very easy for days like St. Patrick’s Day to remain on our mind throughout the years because an importance (unfortunately a secular one) has been placed on it. Yet a solemnity, which as Scott W. explained that is so honored and important that it supercedes a friday of lent, is easily forgotten in our culture.
So I wish to tell you a story that has stuck with me since I was a child, and has always made this day special to me – apart from the fact that I am named for the Saint of the day. It has to do with the Swallows and the Mission at San Juan Capistrano (Taken from: Sanjuancapistrano.net):
The miracle of the “Swallows” of Capistrano takes place each year at the Mission San Juan Capistano, on March 19th, St.
I have never posted before on the site itself; mostly because I my first child wasn’t born yet 
So I proudly announce the birth of my first daughter Lucy
Born: 21 Jan, 2010 @ 5:20am AKT; 7lbs 5.5oz, 20.5 inches
We had several names picked out but when she was born, she had her eyes WIDE open! (St. Lucy is the patron saint of eyes.) But the meaning is a little more than that. You see, Lucy comes from the Latin word for ‘light’ or ‘daylight.’ She was born in the dark of an Alaskan winter morning. The morning after my father passed away. He had been sick for sometime and my mom called me the morning of the 20th to let me know things did not look good. Obviously we could not fly home. Later that evening, I was about to pick up the phone to call my parents to let them know that my wife had started having contractions and gone into full labor. As I went to grab my phone, it rang. My mom informed me that my dad had died. It hit me like a ton of bricks obviously, but when I looked at the clock I realized that it was around 11:00pm down in Michigan. He knew… he didn’t wan’t to “ruin” our special day. That is just how he was. So I cried for a bit, my sister and my wife’s sister were here, and we took an hour to just grieve. But then as I know he would have wanted, I focused on my wife. 10 hours later our daughter was born.
So you see, Lucy is our lightness in the dark. They say the darkest part of a
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