6-13-06
Greetings!
I was talking to a gentleman who is studying for the diaconate for the Diocese of LaCrosse this morning. He was describing their spiritual and intellectual formation. It's a 4 year process and pretty rigorous!
The detail that pleasantly surprised me the most? At each formation weekend, they have All-Night Eucharistic Adoration from Friday night till Saturday morning 7am Benediction. The 24 men each take a shift before our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. Further, he said the men all seem to really enjoy that time. (All the more striking because they have classes all day Saturday, so sleep is a precious commodity!)
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, especially all-night Adoration seems to be gaining more and more currency these days. We have all-night Adoration at our annual college retreat and the young people all say it's one of their favorite parts. Likewise, a number of the retreats I have attended have had that feature, and it has proven quite fruitful.
How true is the statement by Fr. Joe Hirsch, Diocesan Vocations Director, "You'll find your vocation in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel."
Phil's Tidbits:
-I recently came across a report regarding Planned Parenthood's profits…again millions of dollars this past year. This is of course aided by numerous government contracts, grants, and tax dollars.
One wonders, amidst Planned Parenthood's professions of altruistic concern for women's rights and health….why aren't they a Not-for-Profit organization? And if they indeed were….would they even survive? Just wondering…..
A report from Spain proposes legislation to give apes "human rights". Wow.
Drive to give 'human' rights to apes leaves Spanish divided
By David Rennie
(Filed: 10/06/2006)
Spain could soon become the first country in the world to give chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans and other great apes some of the fundamental rights granted to human beings under a law being proposed by members of the ruling Socialist coalition.
The law would eliminate the concept of "ownership" for great apes, instead placing them under the "moral guardianship" of the state, much as is the case for children in care, the severely handicapped and those in comas, said the MP behind the project, Francisco Garrido.
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Great apes held in Spanish zoos would be moved to state-built sanctuaries, unless there was a risk that moving them would harm their emotional welfare, he said.
The law would also make it a criminal offence to mistreat or kill a great ape, except in cases of self-defence or medical euthanasia.
As a first step, Mr Garrido, a Green MP for Seville who sits with the Socialists, will propose a resolution on the rights of great apes before the parliament's environment committee at the end of this month. He said he expects the committee to approve the resolution which already has received the public support of ministers.
Mr Garrido said he was confident that either the government, or the ruling Socialist majority, would introduce a Great Apes Law after the summer recess.
The Roman Catholic Church has expressed concerns about his resolution.
The Archbishop of Pamplona and Tudela, Fernando Sebastian, has said that only a "ridiculous or distorted society" could propose such a law.
"We don't give rights to some people - such as unborn children, human embryos, and we are going to give them to apes," the archbishop said.
And finally, with summer upon us…a story from Amy Welborn about modesty, and what one priest has done about it:
In an effort to rid his church of the sight of young women's bare midriffs, a Catholic priest in Cinisello Balsamo, Italy posted a sign at the entrance of his church that reads: "God knew what your navel looked like even before you were born, so there is no need to expose it in church." Although guards at major churches in Italy routinely keep out people wearing skimpy attire, the priest says he resorted to the signs because his parish cannot "afford guards to keep out the low-cut jeans and high-cut tops.
St. John Vianney had his own unique way of dealing with such things. In Ars at the time a form of dance was introduced that the saint considered quite immoral. He took action by both preaching against it and by hanging a sign on the neck of the statue of St. John the Baptist in the church. The sign read "He lost his head over a dance." He would also at times pay the fiddler engaged for dance as much or more than he normally earned to stay away from the dance.
Announcements:
Theology on Tap---Theology in a casual atmosphere for those 21-39 years old, at Pete's Pub & Grill. Begins Wednesday, July 12th!
God bless you!
Phil Lawson
The Areopagus is a regular email for adults that includes various reflections, tidbits, news and events. Hope you find it fruitful!