You scored as Catholic. Welcome to the One, Holy, CATHOLIC, and Apostolic Church! You my Friend are a Catholic. You have a strong sense of something outside of yourself and feel drawn to answer profound questions to satisfy your desires. You recognize that truth isn't self-centered or about inventing something new, but rather following the road map of your heart to a bigger picture. You are probably baptized. Catholic 100% Christian 80% Jewish 45% Cult 40% Anarchist 20% Buddhist 15% Religion created with QuizFarm.com

Woohoo!

My Directory of Catholic Blogs

By creating this directory, I have found some Catholic blogs I had never seen before and am once again amazed at the variety at St. Blog's. For example, Our Homeschool was just added today and the blogger bio reads:

"In my teens I was a liberal Democrat, a practicing Wiccan, and fiercly pro-choice. Wicca went first when I began a relationship with Christ. After experiencing an abortion I began looking into the pro-life side. I found the argument persuasive, and since then have read more and more that has led me to the conclusion that it is wrong to murder the pre-born. Then I began looking at all sorts of issues more conservatively, especially when I had a family of my own. I have come from the other side, and am usually unimpressed with the arguments. I used to use them myself, and have found that most of them don't hold up under scrutiny. I do love a good debate though."

"Now I am a faithful Catholic, and a happy wife and homeschooling mom."

These type of conversion stories abound in St. Blog's and they are all inspirational to a cradle Catholic like me.

Amazing

I kept the right ones out
And let the wrong ones in
Had an angel of mercy to see me
Through all my sins

There were times in my life
When I was goin insane
Tryin to walk through the pain
When I lost my grip

And I hit the floor
Yeah, I thought I could leave
But couldn't get out the door
I was so sick and tired
Of livin a lie
I was wishin that I would die
It's amazin
With the blink of an eye
You finally see the light
It's amazin
When the moment arrives
That you know you'll be alright
And I'm sayin a prayer
For the desperate hearts tonight

That one last shot's a permanent vacation
And how high can you fly with broken wings?
Life's a journey, not a destination
And I just can't tell just what tomorrow will bring

You have to learn to crawl
Before you learn to walk
But I just couldn't listen to
All that righteous talk
I was out on the street just tryin to survive
Scratchin to stay alive

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Tim Drake's new book "Young and Catholic" sounds interesting. I think a long time ago he asked for young Catholics to email him their stories and thoughts and I think I did. I can personally attest to the accuracy of the book's premise and look forward to some uplifting reading.

Gerard Serafin's death made me realize how grateful I am for his wonderful list of blogs. I used this list to surf St. Blog's and appreciated the fact that I continually could find new blogs here. (The St. Blog's webring list is random and some blogs are not updated) Although I have my favorites on my blogroll, I occasionally would try to find a blog I had never seen before and found some gems thanks to Gerard. I have always wished it was in alphabetical order so I could find things easier. I have now done this and put it on a separate blog. I took out some blogs that were not updated recently or that I could not get into, and also added some more. If anyone knows any Catholic blogs out there please let me know so I can add them. I have been using this list to surf around lately and if it works out I will continue to use and add to the list.

I just got home from Book Revue, the largest independently owned bookstore on Long Island. I heard Nelson Demille talk about his just published book Night Fall and my girlfriend had her copy signed by him. He is a fellow Long Islander and Night Fall is a novel based on the Flight 800 crash that occurred off the Long Island coast in 1996. About 200 witnesses claimed they saw a light, like a missile, shooting up towards the plane but the government agencies all concluded it was a spark in the main fuel tank that caused the explosion. Some people are still not convinced and believe it was terrorism, with the intended target being the El-Al flight that was right behind Flight 800's path.

I have never read his stuff, but my girlfriend is a big fan and she must have great taste right? Anyway, an interesting thing about the book is that some local people who donated enough money to certain charities were able to be characters in the book. This is a cool way to help raise money for good causes, including my alma mater, Chaminade High School.

Cardinal Arinze on the Eucharist, the Priest and the Laity

"Arinze said his home diocese in Nigeria has a combined 300 men in preparation for the priesthood in philosophy (pre-theology studies in the minor seminary) and theology (major seminary studies), a comment that drew nods and smiles from the Nigerian nuns sitting in the front row.

The Diocese of Rockville Centre has doubled the number of men it has in formation for the priesthood, Bishop William Murphy said in his closing comments.

"In 2002, we had 17 men in formation for the priesthood," Murphy said. "Just two years later, we have 34."

Check out this interesting correction in today's Newsday:

"A Tuesday story on new warnings about side effects of Mifeprex or RU-486, an abortion pill, incorrectly described the drug as a way to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sexual intercourse. The pill is actually designed to end a pregnancy by causing physiological reaction that causes a non-surgical abortion."

Kathryn Lively's APPLICATION TO DATE MY DAUGHTER is great.

Gerard Serafin, RIP

I was stunned to read that Gerard of A Catholic Blog for Lovers has died. From his writing on his blog he seemed to be a good, gentle, positive soul. He was the one most responsible for my entering the world of St. Blog's since I first discovered Catholic blogs through his List of Catholic Blogs. His history showed that people can be weak but still manage to repent and contribute positively to the Body of Christ. I liked his positive attitude and his love of beauty. I should try to imitate it more on this blog. His blog did not tilt right or left but upward! God Bless him!

Reason # 15,265 why I do not give money to my alma mater, St. John's University:

"A former St. John's University student testified yesterday that he was struck 100 times with a wooden paddle during a fraternity initiation held in Kissena Park in Queens late one night.Brian Chambers, testifying in State Supreme Court in Kew Gardens on his 22nd birthday yesterday, calmly told a jury about a series of beatings in 2003, the last of which prosecutors said led him to suffer kidney failure."

Reason #1 was that while I was there several dumb jocks gang raped a woman and they were supported by many students. Don't believe for one second that this University is even close to being Catholic. St. John's = school for morons, violent thugs, and rapists.

Theo van Gogh and] "Education By Murder" in Holland



" It took 3,000 deaths to wake up Americans, or at least to wake up the half of them who are conservative. Likewise, it took hundreds of deaths in the Bali explosion to semi-wake up Australians; it took the Madrid assault for Spaniards, and the Beslan atrocity for Russians. Twelve workers beheaded in Iraq awoke the Nepalese.
But it took just one death to wake up many Dutch."

Newsday Fraud Report

"For the audit period, ABC found that Newsday overstated its daily circulation by 16.9%, Saturday's circulation by 5.8%, and Sunday's by 14.5%. "

Tragic Accident in Manhattan

"An 80-year-old Roman Catholic nun died tragically yesterday when she was run over by a 221/2-ton flatbed truck while walking with her cane across a busy Manhattan intersection, cops said. "

BOOK REVIEW

The Church Confronts Modernity

Catholic Intellectuals in the Progressive Era
(Thomas E. Woods, Jr. - Columbia University Press)
reviewed by Walter M. Hudson

I saw Thomas Woods give a talk based on his research for this book at a Catholic Studies Center event at Nassau Community College. The talk was interesting enough that I am going to buy the book and next time I see Dr. Woods I will get it autographed.

Here is another positive review of the book.

November 15th, 2000

My Dad died exactly 4 years ago today. He was a typical man of the greatest generation: quiet, unassuming although he did amazing things in his lifetime, family-oriented, good, masculine, decent, loving, selfless, and kind. He worked for a bank for 35 years, collected stamps, read more history books than most people, and absolutely lived for his family. He was simply the most decent man I have ever known and sometimes it feels like the world went to hell after he died. He faced evil in the world without ever becoming mean, nasty or angry and I wish I could learn how he did that. His whole life was his family and I could never be as selfless as he was. The eight months he had cancer were some of the most grace-filled times of my life. He died with as much class as he lived. I hope before I die I can be half as good a man as he was. Rest in Peace, I love you.

"A naked visitor to the Bronx Zoo leaped into a pool of fierce reptiles yesterday - and to the horror of onlookers reached out to touch one of them."

Just for the record, I was nowhere near the Bronx yesterday, so this was not me.

A few weeks ago I attended Mass in a parish that had a beautiful Church. The only negative in this experience was the woman who, before Mass began, invited all to turn to someone nearby and introduce yourself to them. This is not at all necessary and embarrassing to those of us who are (delightfully) introverted and even anti-social. While this is not a Liturgical abuse, I thought of something to do the next time this happens. I will look directly into the eyes of the person introducing themselves to me, warmly smile, grasp their hands and say "Hi, I'm Lucifer, pleased to meet you". I will then return to gazing at my missalette.

"The diversity of opinion, the diversity of voices, the sheer tumult and rough-and-tumble of some of the interactions are a constant source of inspiration, and, oddly enough, a kind of joy."

Steven Riddle on St. Blog's