Why the country is in financial distress...

<quote>"I have never slept here before to save a few bucks, but with the economy so bad I thought that even a few dollars helps," said Analita Garcia of Falls Church, Va., who arrived at a local Best Buy store at 7 a.m. Thursday with 10 family members. She bought a 32-inch LCD TV for $400, slashed from $500, along with an iPod and several DVDs.</quote>
 
Hmm, so you need to save money, yet you need an LCD TV and and iPod and DVDs.... Even if you were getting them for your children, how does this show them any sort of fiscal responsibility?
 
Maybe I'm just mad because I paid $999 for my 32 inch TV 2 summers ago...

Posted bypiscotikus at 3:41 PM 0 comments  

Father Corapi on the election

The American people have now made it abundantly clear who they want to lead them, and the policies and practices that this president- elect has represented for some time, they can now claim as their own. Actions have consequences, and I am sure God has duly noted what our priorities are in the US of A. Economic matters would seem to take precedence over moral matters; money more important than life itself to most people (I guess they don't consider almost 50,000,000 innocent children murdered by abortion part of life). Now we shall see what the fruit of such a tree will be. I predict that we won't have to wait long. In recent months we have seen "corrections" in the stock market, housing market, and banking industries. Now we'll see if God orchestrates a "correction" in a country and a world that has demonstrated quite clearly that it prefers convenience and wealth to life itself. Regardless of whatever happens next, remember there is still a God in Heaven and He loves you. He is infinitely merciful—and He is infinitely just as well.

God Bless You
Fr. John Corapi

Posted bypiscotikus at 4:57 PM 0 comments  

The Passing of a Young Knight

A must read.

http://houseartjournal.blogspot.com/2008/07/passing-of-young-knight.html

Posted bypiscotikus at 10:44 AM 1 comments  

Quote from St. Augustine

You were within, I was without; and I sought you out there.

From Confessions 10-27.

Posted bypiscotikus at 10:25 PM 1 comments  

Quote of the Day

I've been reading "Take Five" by Mike Aquilina and Fr. Kris d. Stubna.
It has nice little 5 minute reflections from St. Ignatius. It is all
based around the work day.

Today's quote hit me pretty hard. "Do not permit the children of this
world to show greater care for the things of time than you show for
eternity."

How many times do we focus long and hard and strive for goals which
are only temporal? If I truly loved Christ like I love and study my
iPhone I'd be a saint. Pray for me.

Posted bypiscotikus at 8:38 AM 1 comments  

Pope in the Bronx!



What a blessing! Pope Benedict XVI is coming to the US in April. When I heard he would be saying 2 public masses I was excited. One would be in Washington and one at Yankee Stadium. I knew Yankee stadium would be awesome! My 2 great loves converging! Most of the tickets go to local parishes so I didn't think I had a chance. I asked my buddy Nathan who lives near Washington to see if he could get tickets for the Washington mass.

On a whim I called the Diocese of Rochester to see if they had any tickets. They didn't and I signed up for the waiting list. Then I asked my mom to check with SS Peter and Paul which is a Byzantine Catholic church. She forgot on a Friday but Saturday in the bulletin Father Mike was looking to see if anyone wanted to go to Yankee Stadium to see the Pope say mass! Heck yeah!!! So I called and along with Sarah and her parents are going in April. I am soo excited.

More updates to follow!

Posted bypiscotikus at 9:45 PM 0 comments  

Weekly wisdom

I have been enjoying Father Corapi's weekly wisdom. If you haven't heard, Fr Corapi is doing a weekly show on his web site for about $10 bucks a month you get the weekly broadcasts. This week Fr spoke about the truth. And at the end he mentioned a doctor who asked him if he could prescribe birth control. Fr. said no. Then he told the story of a couple who were both pharmacists who owened their own pharmacy and after listening to Fr. Corapi realized they could no longer sell OCs. Well there was outrage and protests. But then some of the local Protestant churches started preaching that these people were doing what they thought was right and finally the Carholic churches got behind them as well. Well, they ended up having to open 2 more stores because of the response. God blessed them for their faith. I have heard this story before and have often felt god wanting me to open my own pharmacy. I've been afraid because I know nothing of owning my own store and to be honest I am afraid as well. I have had a friend who recently opened a store but I also recently took a job at the VA pharmacy. This job has minimal exposure to dispensing OCs and the other people I work with know where I stand and take care of those orders for me.



Posted bypiscotikus at 10:37 PM 0 comments  

A quote from St Francis and a new job

"Remember, you are what you are in the eyes of God, and nothing else."

Pray for me as I begin a new job at the VA hospital on Monday. One of my hopes is that with at least 4 pharmacists there at all times I won't have to dispense any birth control. I also hope the regular business hours allows me more time with my family. We'll see.

Posted bypiscotikus at 10:11 PM 0 comments  

Offering it up

I had an opportunity this evening to offer up a little suffering to God. It's something I've been working on to become holier. It's not easy, though it sounds easy, to say "I forgive you/them". But in practice, at least for me tonight, it wasn't easy.

It's times like these you really see how
much God loved us when you look at a crucifix and see Jesus dying (literally) to forgive us.

Posted bypiscotikus at 6:43 PM 0 comments  

Two glipmpses of the Real Presence

Two of the past weekends I have had a great and powerful love for the Eucharist made present to me in the two parishes I've attended mass. I'd like to share them with you.

The first was 2 weekends ago at Ss. Peter and Paul Church in Auburn, NY. This is where I grew up and attended Catholic school and mass all during my childhood. I was home two weekends ago and went to Church with my mom and Grandma on Saturday evening. After I received communion I noticed as I was walking back to my pew, about 25% of the people behind me weren't going up for communion. Now while this may not necessarily be a good thing, what I took from this moment was that people still believe in the real presence and know that they shouldn't receive if in a state of mortal sin. It showed me that reverence is still strong in my home community.

This past weekend I went to Church at St. Mary's in Alexandria VA. As I entered there were signs on all the doors calling to attention the real presence in the tabernacle and to be quiet and turn off your cell phone. Then the priest explained in his homily why he doesn't use Eucharistic ministers (because his Church isn't big enough to require them) and it was the first mass I went to where the priest did not allow a sign of peace. Now I know a lot of people who would be offended by the removal of the sign of peace, but it was easier to contemplate the Eucharistic Jesus at that point in the mass. I think a sign of peace should be offered at the beginning of mass or at some point just after the homily. The Liturgy of the Eucharist needs to be focused on the Eucharist.

The Eucharist is a gift we take so much for granted these days. It no wonder people leave the Church when there is so little attention paid to the Eucharist. It is Jesus! Really and physically present like no other way. If we as Catholics don't live our lives desiring Jesus in the Eucharist every day, how can we expect to bring others to Christ?

I think I'm going to read ECCLESIA DE EUCHARISTIA and put up some commentary in the next few days.

Today is the first Friday of August. Why not find a Church offering adoration and spend some time with the Lord.

Posted bypiscotikus at 11:20 AM 1 comments