PathToHoliness

Your slacker blogmaster really needs to get with it here and with election day today I just had to get back on track. It’s an important day in America and I hope everyone will exercise their civic and moral duty.

I attended a Sarah Palin rally here in Missouri yesterday and it was a lot of fun. Estimates are 18,000 at the State Capitol. You can see more pics here.

You’ll get the distinct impression from this post that I support voting McCain-Palin.

You are correct. I see this as a very clear choice. Unfortunately, I have some very liberal friends who I believe have convinced themselves so much that they hate our current President that they’ll vote for anyone without seriously thinking it through. They argue that there’s really not much one man can do so why worry? But then why are they so angry at President Bush? I know. It doesn’t make sense and it’s all based on emotion and not thoughtful and prayerful consideration.

We need to move our country back toward the kind of faith filled values that started it. Our country’s founders weren’t liberal anarchists. They very carefully and prayerfully considered what they were doing and acted accordingly. I thank God they did.

You should know how pro-life Chelsea and I are and I believe that’s enough reason to vote for McCain-Palin. However, there are so many more. I’m a small businessman and there’s no way I could support the policies of the O-man. We’re looking at a socialist who could have full Congressional support. That should be pause for anyone who wants to have a job and opportunities in the future.

Oh and btw. Hank Jr. sang a variation of one of his hits, called “McCain-Palin Tradition.” I think you will enjoy it.

October is the Month of the Holy Rosary. Bishop Finn had an excellent homily on the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary (Oct. 6.) The Mass was broadcast live on EWTN (video covers the procession through Bishop Finn’s homily):

Or read the homily online. And excerpt:

Hail Mary! We cry out again and again at her invitation. We persevere in trusting prayer – through the rhythms of the rosary – because she is Mother of God and our Mother. She who through the merciful plan of the Eternal Father gave the world its Redeemer wants us to know and love her Son. The mysteries of her life, of Jesus’ life, and of our lives are all intertwined. In the mystery of the Incarnation, Jesus Christ, God made man, unites Himself in some way to every man, and reveals to us who we are, and what is our high calling. (Gaudium et Spes, no. 22)

Mary’s rosary is our picture book of faith, hope, and love. Here in the unfolding images of Christ life: In His joys, through His luminous love, in His sorrows, in His glories; he prepares us for everything that will take place. The will of God is being realized in each event of Christ’s life, in Mary’s life, and in our life. And Mary will help us say “Yes,” and give our free and full assent to His divine plan.

October is also Respect Life Month. Be sure to especially pray the rosary for life this month – and for the election of good pro-life politicians in two weeks!! From Bishop’s homily:

Every day human life is under attack. If it were not enough that our elected leaders and judges too often have failed to stand up for vulnerable pre-born babies, or the disabled or the dying, every election campaign seems to be a referendum on the dignity and value of human life. Candidates who would stand with us valiantly against abortion or assisted suicide are labeled “extreme” and fanatical. Mary, we will not abandon your dear children, but we know that the proponents of these evils will not give up without a fight. Our Lady of the Rosary, Our Lady of Life: Win among us the battle we cannot win without your help. Turn back the culture of death in our nation. Save us from the tyranny and deceit of Choice. Hail Mary, Hail Mary, Pray for us sinners.

The Church has approved a series of apparitions from Our Lady to Benedicta Rencurel occurring between 1664 and 1718:

h/t Jimmy Akin

h/t Catholic Media Review – click here for more information about the video.

Here is Pope Benedict’s video message for the U.S. The theme for his visit: Christ Our Hope

h/t: MONIALES OP ~ Dominican Nuns

Benedict in America

This is great (h/t the Catholic Knight):

Visit Catholics Come Home

This looks like a very powerful documentary, from the same people (Grassroots Films) who brought you “Fishers of Men”. I’ve never seen Fishers, but have heard amazing things about it, so I finally ordered it from Amazon a few days ago.

How to fit in at any church – pretty stupid, but kinda silly, too:

Thank you, God, for mac n cheese:

OMG! This is adorable – a little girl singing “Indescribable”

Here’s another Gospel singing small fry. We might be seeing her try out for American Idol sometime in the future:

Opus Dei is providing short video clips of founder, St. Josemaria Escriva on its website. The latest one is about:

When St. Josemaria was a young parish priest, there was a milkman who entered his Church every morning for a few seconds. “Jesus, here is John the milkman.” To the young priest, that prayer seemed simple and beautiful.

Here’s where you can find the video.

On the occasion of the 5th anniversary of his canonization, we offer a weekly video of Saint Josemaría.

In the last years of his life, St. Josemaría held many conversations with various groups of people. During them, he would explain points of Christian doctrine and Opus Dei’s spirit. These short videos allow you to see and hear him presenting these teachings.

I hope your spanish is good.

Ben Stein’s back in the movies. This time he’s taking a look at Creationism and the scientists who have risked their careers defending it, or at least attempting to explore it. Ben is convinced that the rabid attempt to stifle the idea of Creationism is due to a certain amount of fear and even uncertainty on the part of neoDarwinists. What I really can’t figure out is why Creationism is equated with Christianity by those who condemn it. There are many non Christian religions who believe in the existence of a higher power. Teaching Creationism does not mean teaching the Bible.

Anyway, look for this movie in theaters next month:

h/t: Regular Guy Paul

Resources:
Reasons to Believe – I’m reading this right now and it’s excellent
Faith and Reason

Lol! I couldn’t resist this!

(ht: What’s Wrong With the World by way of Driving out the Snakes)

There is another one from a girl’s perspective here. I wish I had video from the talent show when I was at Ave Maria and a group of girls re-wrote the lyrics to the Pussycat Dolls song “Don’t Cha?”. The new song went: “Don’t cha wish your girlfriend was chaste like me? Don’t cha wish your girlfriend prayed the rosary?” etc… It was great.

This is a cute video from That Catholic Show on the intimidating Catholic Catechism.

As I’ve been surfing through SQPN, the Catholic podcast network and finding many cheap online viagra other good things. My favorite is the Secrets of Harry Potter podcast by Brother Giles Baker. Mark Shea has called Harry Potter the, greatest Christian fantasy epic of our generation. I typically just enjoy Harry Potter as a good story with characters I really care about, not thinking a whole lot about religious imagery, but this podcast brings a lot of that imagery to light.

There are also podcasts for the secrets of The Lord of the Rings, Narnia, Star Wars and even The Pirates of the Carribean.

Previous HP posts:
Catholics and Harry Potter
To Rowling’s Credit
A Pro-Life Harry Potter?
Harry Potter, Magic and Contraception

Since I have written a few times about Mother Teresa and her spiritual darkness, I thought I’d also share this video of Stephen Colbert interviewing Fr. James Martin about just that.

Previous posts:
Blinded by the Light
Darkness Within Faith

Thou whose glory above the heavens is chanted by the mouth of babes and injacts, thou hast founded a bulwark because of thy foes, to still the enemy and the avenger (Psalm 8:1-2).