This is my dear grandmother. She is the kindest and sweetest human being I've ever known. She turns 89 (WOW!!) today and still enjoys occasionally playing her poker machines here in Vegas. I'm going to skip night out with my friends today so I can take her out to eat and to take a crack at her favorite machines. Wish her luck!
By the way, I DO NOT gamble. I think it's the most boring and lackluster pastime I can think of. So, while she plays her machines, I sit next to her with my iPod in "shuffle" mode and babysit for the next three hours. Now wish ME luck. LOL!
It speaks volumes about the individual who is welcomed into the hallowed ground of the September 11th attacks in New York City by Catholics and non-Catholics alike. It speaks just as loudly when you are barred from entering the resting place of so many.
This man will be allowed to enter Ground Zero and pray. He will find solidarity with the families who still mourn their loved ones.
This man was PROHIBITED from setting foot on the hallowed ground.
Folks, I'm done with Vegas. With the traffic jams, incessant road work, crime rate, and congestion, I feel like a solitary crouton living inside a tossed salad. When I got here almost twenty nine years ago it was a very different place. The mob was still influential in Las Vegas, but they weren't interested in breaking into your house, your car, or your personal life (assuming you weren't doing business with them). The only place to enjoy Vegas for me is from outer space.
This is my personal anthem:
I’d love to have a cottage in Nantucket Island. This is where I’d like to live:
As I wrote in a previous post, I have an unswerving affection for the style of worship found in the Eastern Rite of the Catholic Church. Although all Eastern Churches do not share the exact same liturgy, as a whole I detect a greater sense of mysticism (mystery of God) in their liturgical and ceremonial praxis. In this post, and in a series of posts to follow, I will detail some of the differences between Roman Catholics and our brethren of the Easter Church. Tied into this subject matter is the historicity that brought about the split between churches in communion with the Bishop of Rome and those who call themselves Orthodox. It's a bit more intricate than what some people think.
The Icon Screen or iconostasis
In most of the Byzantine Catholic Churches a very visible structure measuring several feet high, and comprising of three doors and a number of panels, separates the sanctuary and the altar from the nave where the congregants gather. This structure, called the icon screen or iconostasis, can reach all the way to the ceiling of the Church, and is decorated with icons of Jesus, saints, and the Mother of God (theotokos). The iconostasis also contains three doors: two single doors to the left and the right of it with a double door in the center. This double door is called the Royal or Holy Doors because only the Eucharist, Bishop, or priest can pass through it.
The icon screen’s primary functionalities are that of separator (keeping the sanctuary and the altar divided from the nave) and also as a connective conduit between Heaven and Earth. As a separator it symbolizes the tremendous gulf between humanity and God, and the incomprehensible love God has for His creation by reaching out to us and becoming one of us. As a link, we can think of the iconostasis as the point of demarcation where Heaven and Earth connect.
In the Byzantine tradition, the readings to the congregations are chanted facing the congregation. But during the solemn Eucharistic sequences of the mass, the priest stands within the sanctuary with his back to the congregation. This practice impresses in the minds of the congregants the significance of the Consecration and the special veneration applied to such action.
Sadly, in order to conform with Western architecture, many Byzantine Churches removed the icon screen from their liturgical traditions. In recent times, however, they have found greater popularity and are experiencing a restoration to the place they once held.
This You Tube video, although not in English, shows the Consecration beginning inside the sanctuary. To avoid cacophony, either mute the You Tube video or pause the music player.
Father James Swenson, Pastor of St. Bridget’s Catholic Church passed away peacefully Wednesday, April 2, 2008.
Father Swenson was born July 26, 1928. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Reno-Las Vegas on January 4, 1974. When the Diocese of Las Vegas as erected in 1992 Father Swenson chose the Diocese of Las Vegas to be his diocese.
Father Swenson has been serving the parish of St. Bridget’s as Administrator and later as Pastor since July 2, 1984. At the time of normal retirement age for priests of the diocese, Father Swenson would hear nothing of it, he loved serving God’s people and continued in his ministry until his illness prevented him from going to the parish. Father’s favorite message was “I work for the Lord”. He gave great inspiration to many, many people.
Through the years, he has been instrumental in building this parish to over 500 families. He was responsible for the first 24 hour Eucharist Adoration in the diocese, which allowed all parishioners of the diocese to spend quiet prayer time any time of the day or night.
Recently, Father Swenson took on the huge challenge of building a new Church, which was dedicated by the Most Reverend Joseph A. Pepe on February 3, 2008. Unfortunately, Father Swenson was too ill to attend, but this Dedication Mass was overflowing with parishioners.
I will never forget a mass Father Swenson concelebrated with a Dominican priest who was visiting St Bridget's. During the Prayer of the Faithful, a short prayer was recited for more priestly vocations for the Las Vegas diocese. At the end of that prayer Father Swenson added, "And let us pray for good men for the priesthood. We have too many nuts already." I wanted to hide under the pew.
The man was a firecracker. His funeral mass was on April 8th.
Please keep Father Swenson in your prayers tonight.
Please click on the "pause" botton of the music playing to the side before watching the video.
When I was in fifth grade, Ms. McVeigh brought her guitar to school every Thursday and we (the class) would spend the morning singing. One of the songs we performed regularly was "The Rainbow Connection", written by Paul Williams and Kenneth Ascher. Originally performed by Kermit the Frog in the opening sequence of The Muppet Movie, this song has been covered by countless number of artists in many different languages. In 1979 it received both an Oscar and a Golden Globe nomination but it lost to "It Goes Like It Goes" (can anyone remember this song?) from the film Norma Rae. Goes to show that winning a distinguished citation does not equal longevity.
If you have children, please share this song with them. If you are an older kid, like me, but never heard this song before, then here’s a chance at a decent childhood.
Puerto Rican born José Luis de Jesús Miranda claims that he is Jesus Christ. More specifically, he describes himself as the Anti-Christ. He believes himself to be the Jesus Christ of the Second Coming, but also self applies the term anti-Christ because according to him people are no longer to follow the teachings of the Old Testament and focus entirely on the teachings of Paul. To emphasize this point, Miranda has tattooed the numbers 666 on his forearm and many of his followers - to emulate their dear master - have as well. With Pope Benedict's visit to the US this month, Mr. Miranda has once again called upon the destruction of the Catholic Church (Gee, I wonder why?)and has declared that sin and hell are non-existent. Furthermore, he calls prayer a waste of time and the Ten Commandments anachronistic and inconsequential moral guidelines.
Miranda, a sixty one year-old father of four, is a former heroin addict who did jail time in Puerto Rico for petty theft. He claims that in 1973 he had the epiphany that revealed to him he was Jesus Christ reincarnate, when a host of angels spoke to him in a dream. He now leads the "Creciendo en Gracia," Spanish for "Growing in grace" church (which uses a seal very similar to that of the United States government) that has exercised belligerent tactics in order to sway or intimidate congregants of larger churches. In Florida, as well as in Latin America, they have disrupted services and smashed crosses and statues of Jesus.
Mr.Miranda believes that someday he will lead the biggest and most powerful government ever seen on earth.
The Little Critter is home and resting comfortably. He seems a little subdued, and I'm guessing that is due to the pain medication the doctor gave us to administer. He will be on anti-biotics for the next six weeks, and on Monday he's back to the vet to have the stitches removed. I would like to thank once again all my blogger friends for you prayers, concern, and well wishes! *MUAH* to all of you (except if your a guy)!
The doctor gave specific instructions that he is to drink a lot of water, something we have not forced him to do. He's been at his bowl several times today, and shows signs of returning many times more.
You know, he was scheduled for a bath and haircut - which he hates more than the doctor - before this happened. Now we have to wait a few weeks until he is all healed before we can bathe him and groom him.
Makes you wonder if the little bugger had this all planed out.
The Critter is having emergency surgery this afternoon. Yesterday the doctor discovered he has stones and today he was unable to go to the bathroom. Please say a prayer for him. I'll keep you up-to-date.
Greatly appreciate it. Tom
UPDATE: The little Critter came of out surgery just fine this afternoon. They removed approximately 15 tiny stones that had clustered into a bigger one. The doctor (I'm still waiting for a return phone call from the technicians who are keeping watch over him tonight) told us that he was resting comfortably, and that his tongue "was sticking out and was showing good color." The doctor said he wont know the full extent of his condition and recovery until tomorrow. If all goes well, I should be able to pick him up from the vet by noon. I will post again tomorrow with another update.
A big THANK YOU to all of you for your prayers and concern. God bless you all!
