To My Dad.

Twenty-five years ago today, my father Leo B. McGrail passed away. I write this blog entry for him.

Dear Dad,
You were only 60 years old, so many years left ahead of you. I was 24 at the time, too young and cocky to realize how important a mark you had made on my life. I still remember the last time we spoke. I was working late, and it was slow night. I had the radio on, and something (or perhaps Someone) kept telling me to call you. I put it off as long as I could. Then I heard a song on the radio, Stevie Wonder's "I Just Called to Say I Love You".
So I called you.
We chatted for a while, about things that have long since become unimportant. But I remember you asked if I could go to church with you the next morning. I said that I would. I could tell you didn't expect me to call you that night and you were probably confused about why I called at all! So, I finally said words that I should have said more often and didn't.
I told you that I loved you.
I remember a long silence on the phone. I could hear the crackling in your voice.
You told me you loved too and you would see me tomorrow.
Four hours later, you were gone.
It's been nearly a quarter of a century dad, but I have not forgotten that night, nor the father I wish I could have known better.
You taught me so much Dad. You taught me the importance of work, of morality, of wanting a good strong family. You taught me the importance of education, of reading. You taught me conservative values, to be proud of the country I was born in.
Dad, you'd be so proud of your granddaughter. She reads all the time and is determined to get a good education. She works a full-time job while going to school and has a high sense of morality. She has chosen to be Catholic, which I'm sure you would be proud of.
You'd be proud of your daughter-in-law too. We have what you always sought for, a good strong marriage and family.
I still remember the times we spent together, you took me to my first baseball game at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. You gave me a roof over my head and food on the table. You sacrificed to make sure I had a Catholic education. You had me Baptized and Confirmed in the Catholic Church. You had such musical talent, singing in the choir at our little Catholic chapel in the south side of Pittsburgh. I have not forgotten your dedication to the Latin Mass.
I remember the discussions we used to have. I was so young and arrogant. But I never forgot your words dad, and have come to realize how much of what you said was true. Things were not always happy at home, but I have learned from what I have seen.
Probably the most important thing is, that my feet are just as full of clay as I once believed yours was, if not more. I wish I could be the man you were.
I walked away from the Catholic Church for a time dad, but I have since come back. In fact, choosing to be Catholic makes being Catholic so much better.
Dad, I am continuing with the legacy you gave me. I will stand behind and fight for those things you believed in because I know you were fighting for what is right.
This past summer I had lunch with an old friend of yours, Dave. He misses you as well. We went to a Latin Mass at St. Boniface. When I was young, I had no interest in the Latin Mass, and now I am excited when I go. What a difference 25 years makes.
I think about you every day dad. Sometimes when I hear something that reminds me of you, I bawl like a baby. I miss you so much.
I couldn't go to Mass with you on December 17th 1984, but I can now. Not because I feel I have to, but because I desparately want too.
I have to go now dad, but you never leave my thoughts. I pray a rosary for you and mom every day, and I will continue to.
But for today.
I just called to say I love you.
Your son,
Jim.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suRSfHiI7d4

Most Precious Blessed Mother. Please deliver this message to my father.
Amen.

New Fatima Movie To Be Screened In Major U.S. Cities

Faith's answer to the Da vinci Code:
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=17273

The trailer is here:
http://www.the13thday.com/the-film/trailers/

September 12th is the Feast Day of The Most Holy Name of Mary

In fine, "thy name, O Mother of God, is filled with divine graces and blessings," as St. Methodius says. So much so, that St. Bonaventure declares, "that thy name, O Mary, cannot be pronounced without bringing some grace to him who does so devoutly.". . grant, O Lady, that we may often remember to name thee with love and confidence; for this practice either shows the possession of divine grace, or else is a pledge that we shall soon recover it.
On the other hand, Thomas a Kempis affirms "that the devils fear the Queen of heaven to such a degree, that only on hearing her great name pronounced, they fly from him who does so as from a burning fire." The Blessed Virgin herself revealed to St. Bridget "that there is not on earth a sinner, however devoid he may be of the love of God, from whom the devil is not obliged immediately to fly, if he invokes her holy name with a determination to repent." On another occasion she repeated the same thing to the saint, saying, "that all the devils venerate and fear her name to such a degree, that on hearing it they immediately loosen the claws with which they hold the soul captive." Our Blessed Lady also told St. Bridget, "that in the same way as the rebel angels fly from sinners who invoke the name of Mary, so also do the good angels approach nearer to just souls who pronounce her name with devotion."
Richard of St. Laurence states "there is not such powerful help in any name, nor is there any other name given to men, after that of Jesus, from which so much salvation is poured forth upon men as from the name of Mary." He continues, "that the devout invocation of this sweet and holy name leads to the acquisition of superabundant graces in this life, and a very high degree of glory in the next."
After the most sacred name of Jesus, the name of Mary is so rich in every good thing, that on earth and in heaven there is no other from which devout souls receive so much grace, hope, and sweetness.
Hence Richard of St. Laurence encourages sinners to have recourse to this great name, "because it alone will suffice to cure them of all their evils;" and "there is no disorder, however malignant, that does not immediately yield to the power of the name of Mary." The Blessed Raymond Jordano says, "that however hardened and diffident a heart may be, the name of this most Blessed Virgin has such efficacy, that if it is only pronounced that heart will be wonderfully softened." Moreover, it is well known, and is daily experienced by the clients of Mary, that her powerful name gives the particular strength necessary to overcome temptations against purity.

A Simple Timeline Proves the Early Church was Catholic

This was originally posted by myself on the Catholic Answers Forum:

One of the areas of Church history that has always fascinated me is the study of New Testament era chronology. Protestants act as if the Bible was written like a modern novel. Starting with Matthew on. However, the writing of the New Testament was not that cut and dry. As one puts together a timeline of Church history, including in that works written that are not included in the New Testament, one must reach a conclusion that the early Church was indeed Catholic. By the time the Gospel of John was written for example, the Church was already 50 years old (which forces a Catholic view of John 6). But more importantly, the Christians that lived at the time all have very Catholic views. Not a Baptist among them.I have concocted a timeline here deliberately within a 100 year period between the Resurrection of Christ to Justin Martyr (roughly 130 AD.) Think of it from World War 2 on. There are people still alive to remember the events.
I do not claim this timeline to be exact, but its pretty close:

c. 30-33 - The death and resurrection of Jesus
c. 35 - The conversion of Paul
40s or 50s - James c.
45-49 - Paul's first missionary journey
Sometime between 48 and 58 - Paul writes Galatians
c. 50-53 - Paul's second missionary journey
50s - Paul writes Titus
50s or 60s - Mark written (based on oral tradition set down by Peter).
50s or 60s - Matthew written
51 - Paul writes 1 and 2 Thessalonians
c. 53-57 - Paul's third missionary journey
Spring of 55 - Paul writes 1 Corinthians
56 - Paul writes 2 Corinthians
c. 57 - Paul writes Romans
c. 60 - Paul writes Colossians, probably while in prison in Rome
c. 60 - Paul writes Philemon, probably while in prison in Rome
c. 60 - Paul writes Ephesians, probably while in prison in Rome
c. 61 - Paul writes Philippians, while in prison in Rome
Early 60s - Luke written
c. 60-70 - The Didache is written.
c. 62 - Paul is free
c. 62-64 - Luke writes Acts
c. 62-64 - Paul writes 1 Timothy July 18-19,
64 - The Great Fire of Rome. Emperor Nero blamed the Christians, and a great persecution ensued.
Mid 60s - 1 Peter written
c. 64-68 - Paul writes 2 Timothy from prison
c. 67-68 - 2 Peter
c. 68 - Hebrews is written June 9,
68 - The death of Nero. Sometime between the Great Fire of Rome and the death of Nero, both Peter and Paul were martyred.
c. 69 - Jude
70 - The Seige of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple
c. 70-80- The Epistle of Barnabus is written.
c. 85 - John written Late First Century - 1, 2, and 3 John
95- The Epistle of Clement is written..
c. 95-96 - John writes Revelation
c. 60-120- The writings of Papias (only fragments remain).
c. 105- The Epistles of Ignatius are written as he heads for Rome for execution.
c. 105-125- The Epistle of Polycarp is written.
c. 125-130- The Letter to Diognetus is written.
c. 125-130- The Epistle of Aristides is written.
c. 130- The Martyrdom of Polycarp is written.
c. 130-150- The Shepherd of Hermas is written.
c.100-165- The writings of Justin Martyr, much of it written in the 130s.

Of Fightin' Fundamentalists and Cheatin' Preachers

This past month I learned of yet another fundamentalist preacher caught up in a sex scandal.
He resigned after a year long affair was discovered. It was discovered, as it always seems to be, by the children of the church. He moved and began to wreck revenge on those who exposed him, young people included. He revealed certain details held, in what is supposed to be, pastoral confidence. This soap opera is being played out for all the world to see on a site called the 'Fighting Fundamental Forums'.
From where I am now across the Tiber, I am truly saddened that a church, a marriage, and especially children are going through this. I've seen this re-run before countless times and it is not pretty. To get up into a pulpit every Sunday, after being with your mistress the night before is mind-boggling. For the mistress, to walk into the church, clutching her King James Bible, to hear her married lover preach is equally mind boggling. What creates this obvious contridiction?
Jesus said we must be 'doers of the word, not hearers only'. The glow of being with other 'born again' people will only last so long.
I have seen it a million times over. It's usually the children who notice first that these 'regenerated' christians are not what they appear to be. What happens? At best they don't give up their faith in God, they just stop going to any kind of church.
At worst, they become atheist. I've seen this rerun so many times I can recite the dialogue.
The problem is the whole structure of what these fundamentalist/evangelical churches are based on. The centerpiece of worship is a pulpit for a man. And if that man is immature emotionally, it's inevitable that these things occur. They are almost set up for a fall because of the man-worship.
Does the Catholic Church have scandals in this sex-soaked society? Yes. But the priest is not the center of worship in the Catholic Church. When the priest approaches the altar, the Tabernacle is there with the Eucharist. Jesus is the center of worship, The priest is an instrument. If he falls into sin it does not negate the Eucahistic Sacrifice.
But in fundamentalism, the pulpit is in the center of the church. Oh yes, they will say 'its God we worship and is taught from the Bible. To even suggest that Communion is the center of worship turns fundamentalists into a tailspin. Yet it is the ONE worship COMMAND Jesus gave to His Church, not preaching. A good homily or sermon is important, but that is not the centerpiece of worship.
When a pulpit is the center, for a man who gives his 'interpretation' of the Bible, its inevitable he is puffed up with pride. He is a little messiah with followers, and he begins to believe he is invincible.
Once that pulpit is worshipped, a preacher naturally can reason his way into anything, even the most heinous contridiction of his 'born again' state.
Take that pulpit down, and it must be replaced with something. I've never had a desire to return to that pulpit because I found something greater than a pulpit: the Lord Jesus Christ feeding me with Himself.
People have expressed a desire to pray for the former preacher, his mistress, and their respective spouses.
Who they really need to pray for are the children. They see things far clearer than the adults do.
Pray they take the right path after seeing the hypocrisy of their parents religious error.

The Latin Mass is a Bridge in Time

While on vacation in Pittsburgh recently I attendend a Latin Mass at St. Boniface. One thing I was struck by was that the church was PACKED. And not with people 50+, but with many young people.
Attending Mass there changed my perspective in many areas.
I keep hearing that traditionalists want to 'return to 1962' because they are 'locked in a time warp'. They are 'dinosaurs'.
Baby Boomers are a narcissistic lot. We act as if all history awaited our coming. Indeed, in the secular world, history seems to start with the Kennedy era.
No doubt there was a wind of change in society and culture in the 1960s that affected the religious world as well. When I was a Baptist, I kept hearing the phrase 'old fashioned' hymns or preaching. This cultural shift crossed the Tiber and denominational lines. In the Catholic Church it was called the 'spirit of Vatican 2'.
But who is truly 'stuck in a time warp?
Many modern 'liberal' Catholics cannot seem to fathom a pre-Vatican 2 Catholic Church. 'Folk Masses' seem to be nostalgiic trips back to the 1960s and 70s.
I think the time has come for Catholics to start thinking generationaly. What legacy do we have to carry on for our children? The Catholic Church is 2000 years old. The late 20th century is only one tiny segment of the vast history we are a part of. The 'spirit' of Vatican 2 (as I see it) is already fading. We need to replace it with what we know has worked for two millenium.
At a Latin Mass, I feel as if I have walked into eternity, a place that transcends time and generations. The reverance, and the awe of the Latin Mass provides that 'bridge in time and space'.
Our Pope has opened the floodgates, and I believe we will see more St. Bonifaces all over the world.
Time passes, the Mass remains the same.

Queen Mary

In the ancient world, because the king had many brides, a woman did not receive the title of queen until her son took the throne. The queen was not married to the king, because there were far too many wives vying for such a title. And they couldn’t all be called queen. The position of queen was held by the king’s mother. She was known as the queen mother. If Mary’s Son has become the King of Kings (of both heaven and earth) then the Mother has become the Queen of heaven and earth
Pope Pius XII stated, “Mary is Queen by grace, by divine relationship, by right of conquest and by singular election. And her kingdom is as vast as that of her Son and God, since nothing is excluded from her dominion.”
Our Lord also gave to the Church and each individual soul His Mother, the Queen of Heaven. For many centuries Christians have been accustomed to meditate upon the ruling power of Mary which embraces heaven and earth, when they consider the fifth glorious mystery of the rosary which can be called the mystical crown of the heavenly Queen.
To love Jesus is to also love His mother.