Verdad!


Friday, April 11

As I noted in a previous post, my wife and I moved into our first home a little over a month ago. Being first time home-owners, this experience has at times been daunting, at others stressful, but overall, very gratifying. Knowing that we are no longer sinking money into the rental abyss is a great feeling. Now if only the mortgage rates will stay where they are next of couple years. One can hope right? Well, last night, we were fortunate enough to have our house blessed by one of the Parochial Vicars from our parish. What a nice man - Fr. Dwight Hoeberechts, OMI. What an incredible and touching experience. As Fr. Dwight went from room to room, he said a prayer and sprinkled holy water while saying a blessing over the room. He then blessed the doors and windows, our crucifixes, our Rosaries and our medals/crosses we wear everyday. It was a really moving experience – I could feel God’s presence in our house. I'm grateful to my wife - who suggested we do this. I have to admit, it would not have occurred to me. I recommend if you haven't had your home blessed to take part in this wonderful gift from the Church.

posted by Michael Lee on 4/11/2003 04:52:00 PM | link |


I was just re-reading over my previous post and wanted to make a few for the record comments to ensure I really conveyed the message I intended. First, the irritation I expressed is not at the fact that the Boston Globe (or for that matter any media) covered the Scandal with such serendipitous interest, but rather how it was covered. Let me perfectly clear, what those priests did - those who stand rightly accused and proven to be guilty - is unthinkable and speaks to a rot within the priesthood that needs the scourging it is now undergoing. Rather, the frustration I am expressing is directed at examples such as the media - particularly the Globe and its ilk - immediately printing accusations against a priest before they had been properly investigated or vetted. The mass media has an ethical duty to those who are accused of any crime, to extend the benefit of the doubt. For a organization such as the Boston Globe, whose normal coverage incidentally (and rightly) favors the rights of the accused, to suddenly switch perspectives and publicly print slanderous allegations isn’t just unethical journalism – but when coupled with their global reach - becomes slanderous, propagandizing hype. Furthermore, the Boston Globe's rush to print anything coming from VOTF as the gospel of the faithful Catholics, is insidious. Voice of the Faithful is certainly not what it purports to be, but is instead just another heretical and divisive group taking advantage of a tragedy in the Church to try to usurp Magisterial control of the Church. The only thing separating VOTF from its predecessors is they have a global mouthpiece in the Boston Globe and its professional counterparts to promulgate their agenda. So that was a long way of saying the obvious. My intent was to comment on the method of coverage – not the coverage itself. Hope that sets the record straight.

posted by Michael Lee on 4/11/2003 01:46:00 PM | link |


Wednesday, April 9

It was only a matter of time before this foregone conclusion became public. That the Pulitzer committee would continue to further degrade itself by calling the Boston Globe's coverage of the Church's scandal courageous, is unfortunately no surprise. My initial reaction was disgust, followed by resigned indifference to their abysmal journalism, followed by hope. For when it's darkest, the Sun is just right around the corner. I am not surprised that the self aggrandizing press awarded itself its most prestigious honors for some of the most slanted, biased, and false reporting ever noted in journalism. Their reporting was not courageous in any sense of the word. No, it was hype inflicted hysteria, brought about by sloppy reporting and agenda driven papers. Thankfully, in a blow to this type of activity, Bishop Richard Lennen (Apostolic Administrator for the record) of the Archdiocese of Boston on 31 March officially refused an outright bribe offered by VOTF president James Post. In his letter, Bishop Lennen stated that - and I'm summarizing until the Pilot makes the article available online - he could not in good faith accept money from an organization that continues to seek divisiveness rather than unity. Good for you Bishop! It's only a matter of time until the Globe demonizes this action as something it is not. It's useful at times like these, to remember what it means to be Catholic. Catholicism is not just a religion, but rather a way of life, that has often and recently been captured so eloquently by Fr. Richard John Neuhaus' publication - First Things - where he consistently says "Fidelity, Fidelity, Fidelity." (See this recent Neuhaus column here). The Church has this crisis because it and some of its members, have fallen off the path of the Cross; fallen away from Christ and the Church's teachings. Christ never said it would be easy; He never said there would be no temptations; He never said we won't fall and that we won't fail. What he did say is that the Lord's Mercy, Christ's Peace, is available for those who seek it out. May we as a Church while never, ever, accepting what has happened over the past year, nevertheless, pray for mercy, healing and forgiveness - for the victims, for the Church, and yes for the guilty.

posted by Michael Lee on 4/09/2003 01:31:00 PM | link |


Monday, April 7

In an effort to help further spread the word, I offer the following links: Catholic Just War - Great Site! George Weigel's most recent article Another from Deal Hudson It's About More Than Chemical Weapons

posted by Michael Lee on 4/07/2003 02:42:00 PM | link |


What about the mass these days! Just a musing I thought worth beginning my blog again with. My wife and recently moved to New England and joined our local Parish. From the outside, it has the architectural design of an old abbey. From the inside, everything I'd expect of an old church in a very Catholic part of the country. The design is classic Catholic church and leads the unsuspecting by stander to believe that this might even be a "traditional" Catholic Church - if one can say "traditional" anymore. Anyhow, over the past month and a half that we've been in our new home, we've been to almost every mass our parish offers, only to find the music mafia is outrageous as is now almost expected in the modern mainstream catholic church. Gone by the way side is the cantor who used to guide the mass through the entrance, antiphon/responsorial, communion and closing songs. Today's music ministry is altogether different. In our parish, the lady who leads the "music ministry" is out of control. I remarked to my wife that I thought I was in a cabaret lounge this past Sunday during the noon mass. It seems now that everything - EVERYTHING - is sung, co-opted from the congregation and placed in the hands of those who are chosen to minister to our music needs - from the Gloria, to the Creed, to Our Father, etc. This on top of a song to fill every moment of silence that once existed during the mass. In a blog I frequent - Jim - makes reference to the 13th verse of "Be Not Afraid." Frankly, I'd be happy to get 13 verses of a song I am familiar with and is distinctly Catholic. Yet, instead more and more all I can find in local masses are songs that are exceedingly difficult to sing and/or that I've never heard of. Try singing Today We are Good Christians, and Jesus Loves Us in d minor with an oboe solo. YOU CAN'T! Now I want to and almost have to believe that the music ministry honestly believes they are serving the needs of the faithful. I believe that these are for the most part good Catholics who are just a bit misguided in their desire to minister. But as I know many Catholics feel, especially a younger and younger group, the faithful longs for the mass to be just that - a Mass. A time to hear the word of God, to reflect on his presence in our own lives, to pray to him, the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints and to have a few moments of peace at the beginning of a busy week. What we do not long for is a concert disguised as a Mass. Funny, but I've volunteered to be a member of my new Parish's liturgy committee. The stated goal of this committee is to make the mass more vibrant, colorful and entertaining. Need I say it again - it's the MASS - it's not a concert. It's not meant to be entertaining (colorful and vibrant yes). Entertaining only in as much as the faithful entertain Christ in their hearts and minds for the hour they spend openly with him on a weekly basis. It's time the music ministry takes a good hard look at itself and reconsiders its purpose. Music is supposed to subtly complement the mass - not detract from it. If you’re reading this and part of the music mafia - take a good hard look at your ministry, and consider giving us back some time for quite reflection. It's time the music ministry takes a good hard look at itself and reconsiders its purpose. Music is supposed to subtly complement the mass - not detract from it. If you’re reading this and part of the music mafia - take a good hard look at your ministry, and consider giving us back some time for quite reflection.

posted by Michael Lee on 4/07/2003 02:16:00 PM | link |