tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38150582024-03-14T23:34:26.191-05:00Rich's Catholic ROMM pageFrom the <b>R</b>ecesses <b>o</b>f <b>M</b>y <b>M</b>ind, Random thoughts of a small town orthodox Catholic apologist, parent and grandparent. A view from the pew!
<p><b>recess <i>n</i></b> 1. a secluded or inner place; niche. 2. time when <i>out to lunch</i></p><p>
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</p>Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268035015809729863noreply@blogger.comBlogger277125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815058.post-11706382528437270652024-03-14T23:13:00.002-05:002024-03-14T23:33:53.043-05:00Choosing right Come November, it looks like we will be choosing between a doddering old man and an immature egotistical narcissist. In a population of some 332 million people, is this the best we can do? Surely there are American men and women better suited to lead our nation in the twenty-first century. I place great emphasis on choosing candidates who are pro-life.Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268035015809729863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815058.post-61330420280392189842024-02-18T23:07:00.000-06:002024-02-18T23:07:38.578-06:00Managing side effectsI recently watched a clip of an interview with Jerry Seinfeld where he was asked why he left his most popular show while it was at the top of the ratings. He said all productions hit a peak in quality and eventually start to taper off. He wanted to end his show while it was at its best and before it began to lose appeal. He related that even the best standup Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268035015809729863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815058.post-58035491084099015332024-01-16T23:05:00.001-06:002024-01-16T23:05:29.097-06:00Class updateLeading an OCIA group can be a challenge. Our class began with only six attendees. Sounds simple enough, but all have varying Christian backgrounds. Ages range from 20 to 80. We have a lapsed Catholic and her Lutheran husband, a baptized Catholic who was never catechized in the faith, a grandmother who resents the strict Apostolic Christian household inRichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268035015809729863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815058.post-16591552694258274132023-12-11T22:47:00.007-06:002023-12-11T22:47:54.406-06:00Watching my watchAs many priests do these days, our pastor serves two parishes. He is seventy-five years old and recently eliminated one Mass from the weekend schedule leaving four to be celebrated. When it comes to Holy Days of Obligation, he likes to schedule a morning Mass at each parish one hour apart, plus a Vigil Mass and another on the Holy Day evening. Considering the Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268035015809729863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815058.post-91346494412830347592023-11-13T23:30:00.000-06:002023-11-13T23:30:10.490-06:00Magisterial mayhemThe outspoken Bishop of Tyler Texas, Joseph Strickland, was removed from office by Pope Francis after he refused to resign at the request of the Pope on November 9. Bishop Strickland had been critical of Pope Francis in his social media posts. Nonetheless, outright removal of a diocesan bishop is an unusual occurrence. Bishop Strickland may have sealedRichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268035015809729863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815058.post-22310018704513405122023-10-15T23:17:00.000-05:002023-10-15T23:17:39.581-05:00That's an Order!A few weeks ago, I was beginning to think we would not have anyone in our RCIA class this year. There were no prospects on the horizon. I was disappointed but also somewhat relieved that I might get a little break after doing this for a number of years. Nevertheless, I posted an announcement on the sign in front of the church inviting people to explore the Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268035015809729863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815058.post-30905923780833609852023-09-05T23:41:00.000-05:002023-09-05T23:41:50.925-05:00Matthew 16:13-20 The Gospel on the 21st Sunday in Ordinary time (Year A) August 27, 2023 Mt 16:13-20Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi andhe asked his disciples,"Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" They replied, "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268035015809729863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815058.post-74397169408130903332023-08-15T23:42:00.000-05:002023-08-15T23:42:18.664-05:00A Periodic Self critiqueI first began writing these little monthly blogs in September of 2002. I am sure my thoughts and ideas over the past twenty-one years have been repeated many times over the years. Today, I decided to reread some of my early postings, many of which I don’t even remember writing! The first thing I noticed was the length of my articles. They are generally much Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268035015809729863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815058.post-34093034133891527392023-07-12T23:43:00.000-05:002023-07-12T23:43:28.559-05:00Prepping for Final ExamsYesterday (July 11), we celebrated the Memorial of Saint Benedict. Coincidentally, I just read a prayer attributed to Saint Benedict that was printed the Holy Hour, a meditative book published by Word on Fire that I use during Eucharistic Adoration at my parish. The author of the prayer pledges to do the Lord’s will in all things, and goes on to list the many ways he Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268035015809729863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815058.post-65894380590758948802023-06-15T23:14:00.001-05:002023-06-15T23:14:33.337-05:00What is Honor?When you give honor to someone, you are giving them recognition for service above and beyond the norm. It may be for heroic action or length of service. Some distinguishing quality or achievement has set them apart. We have honor societies, scholarships, halls of fame, medals, trophies and statues. Those so honored become part of a special class of peers. Among those Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268035015809729863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815058.post-11667844088051550512023-05-15T23:00:00.001-05:002023-05-15T23:02:38.930-05:00May I ask you a question?The non-denominational pastor on the local radio station this morning was talking about the Bible being our only guide to what is true. Whether the book is opened or closed, he said the Bible should affect everything we think or do. As a Catholic, I won’t argue with that statement, but I do have questions I would like to ask him. I may not have that opportunity, so I will make aRichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268035015809729863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815058.post-91520664789583850542023-04-16T23:45:00.000-05:002023-04-16T23:45:44.036-05:00Faith and DoubtAfter more than a year of talks with a young man at our parish, he was baptized, confirmed, and made his first Holy Communion at the Easter Vigil. We seldom have more than one person inquiring at any one time. Part of that is due to the fact that we are a very small parish in a very small town, but also may be an indicator that we are not very good evangelizers. I have never feltRichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268035015809729863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815058.post-81490119405209377682023-03-17T23:20:00.004-05:002023-03-17T23:23:07.799-05:00Getting a handle on scandalI came across an article today by Ruth Dudley Edwards titled, Joe Biden must be the world’s worst Catholic. Referring to Biden, she says, “He is, in fact, an appalling Catholic who publicly flouts the church’s most cherished teachings and is about as authentically Irish as a leprechaun hat in a St Patrick’s Day parade.” I don’t know whether he is the world’s worst Catholic. EvenRichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268035015809729863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815058.post-35821209619935125672023-02-16T22:53:00.001-06:002023-02-16T22:53:24.887-06:00Grandparents DayHaving my 5 year-old grandson in a Lutheran pre-kindergarten class presents a few challenges for this Catholic. I am happy he is getting a religious education every day. Of course, I wish it were in a Catholic school, but we have none available in our area. Recently he brought home a spiritual exercise for family devotion as part of their National Lutheran Schools week Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268035015809729863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815058.post-81947602830686220122023-01-04T23:36:00.000-06:002023-01-04T23:36:11.343-06:00Days are getting shorter! I spent much of the Christmas Octave thinking about end times. One of St Thomas Aquinas’ proofs of God’s existence talks about how things come into existence and go out of existence. It was never more apparent to me that much of what I have experienced in my life is in its latter stages of existence. The flu bug struck me on the Wednesday before Christmas. As Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268035015809729863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815058.post-8187023280268889212022-12-15T23:33:00.001-06:002022-12-15T23:33:29.516-06:00Another year end reviewAs we approach the end of another year, it is time to evaluate our parish Synod which may or may not continue into 2023. The stated purpose of the program was to get former members of the parish who no longer attend Mass to come back. If one were to measure the results based solely on that goal, we get an F. However, the meetings were designed to help current members to reach Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268035015809729863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815058.post-74631729723354111932022-11-15T23:32:00.000-06:002022-11-15T23:32:28.182-06:00What's the difference?While channel surfing on a Sunday morning several years ago, I came across what I thought was a Catholic Mass. Living close to Notre Dame, Mass was televised regularly on Sunday mornings, but this did not look like the chapel where the televised Masses usually took place. The officiant was giving the homily, so I decided to watch and listen. It wasn’t until much later in the broadcastRichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268035015809729863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815058.post-48819118894997713962022-10-18T22:59:00.002-05:002022-10-18T22:59:58.553-05:00Man the life votes!Election time again. Living in northwest Indiana, we are inundated with Illinois political ads on Chicago television. Of course, most candidates use their campaign funds to belittle their opponents rather than tout their own record. When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, abortion became the hot campaign topic. In Illinois, that means accusing your opponent of being Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268035015809729863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815058.post-41222221518528313932022-09-15T23:40:00.000-05:002022-09-15T23:40:20.130-05:00Sunday ObligationIt is disturbing to see how many Catholics no longer take their Sunday obligation seriously. Perhaps the temporary dispensation during the Covid pandemic lessened the binding force of the obligation, but Catholics need to understand that missing Sunday Mass without legitimate reason is grave matter. Weekend camping trips, baseball tournaments, parties or vacations are not normally Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268035015809729863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815058.post-64333384728469678492022-08-14T23:38:00.000-05:002022-08-14T23:38:01.077-05:00Synod synopsisI recently wrote about our parish synod effort to evangelize Catholics who no longer attend Mass. The committee decided to offer monthly sessions to our parishioners to help them reach out to family and friends who have lapsed. Committee members were assigned to work in pairs, each pair given a topic to present at one of the sessions. My turn came in July.Fortunately for me, I Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268035015809729863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815058.post-10865488691172597942022-07-17T23:08:00.002-05:002022-08-07T23:10:21.738-05:00What's in a name?Someone posted on a local social media billboard that they had recently moved and were looking for a new non-denominational church. A flurry of responses came almost immediately from a variety of area Christian communities. Some offered endorsements about their pastors, programs, music, or camaraderie. One poster encouraged the seeker to find “the most biblical and sound church Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268035015809729863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815058.post-59105415117803027312022-06-16T23:38:00.000-05:002022-06-16T23:38:19.042-05:00Take heed!But take heed to yourselves; for they will deliver you up to councils; and you will be beaten in synagogues; and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony before them. And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. And when they bring you to trial and deliver you up, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say; but say whatever is given you Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268035015809729863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815058.post-90030763327641671092022-05-20T23:41:00.001-05:002022-05-20T23:43:59.990-05:00A Nod to the SynodOur bishop is asking all parishes in the diocese to participate in a 2022 Synod on Missionary Discipleship. As part of the process, several parishioners, including me, have been assigned to a committee to come up with a plan. Our first task is to submit a planning document before the end of May. As I understand it, we are to focus on evangelizing CatholicsRichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268035015809729863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815058.post-48303225857593366942022-04-23T22:37:00.000-05:002022-04-23T22:37:00.091-05:00The Easter VigilAfter the somber days of Lent, we find ourselves refreshed with the good news of the resurrection. I always look forward to the Easter Vigil service every year. In our small parish, we had only one person baptized this year, and I was blessed to be his sponsor. For anyone who has not experienced the Easter Vigil in a Catholic Church, it may seem aRichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268035015809729863noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3815058.post-51491024626533485892022-03-14T23:00:00.001-05:002022-04-23T22:43:17.081-05:00Russian to judgment Who is your god, Vladimir Putin? Is it power? Is it ego? Is it an ideology? What animates you? Why have you succumbed to man’s ugliest ways? Why are you drawn to evil? Were you bullied as a child? Did your father mistreat you? Why do you have such little regard for your fellow man? Richhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268035015809729863noreply@blogger.com0