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December 31, 2004
Best of 2004, Part 1
Papal Breakin' Video
Name that Church
For Those About to Rock...
The Testament of Truth
Testament - A New Consciousness Bible
The Means of Total Control Over Society
The Sacred Geometry Mysteries of Jesus Christ
My Review of "The Passion of the Christ"
Seattle U's Blessed Sacrament Chapel
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 08:17 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
A Church Based in the Second Amendment?
That is what it seems the Mercy Seat Christian Church takes as its fundamental text. They have all sorts of information on it - even in regards to duck hunting!
Now, you'll also notice that they take a strong stand against birth control. They also have their own Q&A Catechism.
Someone go prostelytize these people, we need them as Catholics!
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 07:57 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Put "Jesus Is Lord" In the Constitution
I've been running for servant, and president since June 6th, 1994. Try supporting candidates in Christ in your church, and see what happens. Keep me posted. Your brother by faith, Gene
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 07:47 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 29, 2004
These Would Make Fine Gifts For Bishop Carlson!
As many of you may know Bishop Robert Carlson of Sioux Falls, SD was appointed today as Ordinary of The Diocese of Saginaw. Let's say that Bishop Carlson has a little different "pastoral style" than his predecessor in Saginaw, so with the tough road ahead of him I am sure he'd appreciate a gift. How about a nice stole made by the Sisters of Saginaw. In fact, here is one of the Sisters modeling one now!
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 03:09 PM | Comments (18) | TrackBack
A Dilemma
The Saints will be playing the Panthers for a possible playoff spot this weekend. I am not sure for whome to pull. I have always been a Saints' fan, but I haven't watched them at all this year because they have been so sporatic and so pathetic. I have been pulling for the Panthers and Jake Delhomme who I think could vie for the MVP of the NFC if they make the playoffs. If either one makes it, I guess it will be a win-win situation. The Panther's have the edge, but the Saints have been hot the past few weeks. Any predictions?
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 02:29 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
Insanity
What in the world is Preterism? Not too sure, but here is the best quote from the page:
It has been usual to say that the Spanish Jesuit Alcasar was the founder of the Praeterist School.. But to me it seems that the founder of the Præterist School is none other than St. John himself.
The Jesuits founded Preterism - why does that not surprise me?
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 02:25 PM | Comments (12) | TrackBack
Best of the Year
As the year of 2004 draws to a close, I am planning a "Best of 2004" post (or series of posts) with all the funniest and nuttiest things that appeared on my blog during the past year. I have my own ideas as to what should make the list, but I would like to open the floor for nominations!
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 07:55 AM | Comments (9) | TrackBack
Creepy and POD
Are the nuns that supposedly haunt this place really scarier than some of the other "sisters" I write about in these pages?
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 07:46 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 28, 2004
Picture from NYC Trip
Thanks to Dawn for hosting the picture and adding the commentary!
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 09:19 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
Earth-Friendly, or Just Plain Nutty?
Earth-Friendly: Re-Visioning Science and Spirituality through Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas, and Rudolf Steiner by Sister Adrian Hofstetter
For some reason I am betting St. Thomas would not put his imprimatur on this book. As for Rudolph Steiner, as one reader writes:
Steiner was the founder of Anthroposophy. (The Catholic Encyclopedia will tell you about the Church's condemnation of it.) Prior to founding Anthroposophy, Steiner founded the German branch of the Theosophical Society. He was a clairvoyant, and his "religion" promotes a form of "spiritual science" that involves contacting the Akashic Record.
He wrote mystery plays which are still performed at the international headquarters of the Anthroposophical Society in Switzerland called the Gotheaneum. One scene in the play "The Portal of Initiation: A Rosicrucian Mystery" describes the initiation as an event of spirit possession of the heroine. Steiner was a follower of Goethe.
When is someone going to put a stop to this foolishness!?
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 09:17 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
December 27, 2004
Eucharistic Reflection no. 11
So often we approach Holy Communion to only “receive” Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament never realizing that we must also “give” to the Lord while we are there. As Bishop Fulton Sheen once wrote, “The communion rail is a place of exchange. The people give time and they receive eternity; they give self-denial and receive life; they give nothingness and receive all.” Jesus gives himself to us in the Eucharist, but we must also give ourselves to him there – our lives, our joys, or trials, and our sufferings. It is truly an exchange of gifts. If we approach the Eucharist only looking to receive, the Lord will not be able to work the miracle of grace in us that he so desires to accomplish. We come bearing the gift of our entire existence and he will take it up into his perfect gift of self transforming and perfecting it.
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 09:37 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
Sad. Sad. Sad.
Readers of this blog know that I am a big Clint Eastwood fan. I was very much looking forward to seeing his new film "Million Dollar Baby" - but after seeing the above review, I think I might skip it. Don't read the review unless you want to be spoiled as to the ending.
And in the same vein, here is another recently critically acclaimed film about the same subject.
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 09:37 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
December 26, 2004
Bible argument blamed for boiling oil attack
I wonder over which Bible passage were they arguing?
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 08:29 AM | Comments (16) | TrackBack
December 25, 2004
Wis-Dumb Magazine
As I promised a few days ago, here is my Christmas gift to you my faithful readers. While in New York City last week I happened to stumble upon an interesting magazine on the sidewalk. The magazine was called Wisdom of the heaven, earth, body, mind and soul (not sure if it is the magazine of some religious order or not). Anyhow, is is a veritable cornucopia of nuttiness! Just click on the magazine's home page to see! To make life easier for you though I will be presenting a few of my favorite items over the twelve days of Christmas!
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 10:31 AM | Comments (7) | TrackBack
Christmas Gives Me Harmonization
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 10:23 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
I'm Dreaming of a POD Christmas
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 08:24 AM | Comments (20) | TrackBack
December 24, 2004
Iowa: It's easy to spell
Recent news sends LSU fans quaking in their boots as we approach the Capitol One Bowl. It seems that semi-finalists from the 2004 Miss Iowa Pageant will be filling in as the Hawkeye defensive line in order to give Iowa a chance against LSU's blistering running game.
When asked about this daring move, Iowaphile Fr. Henry Huber was quoted as saying, "I wonder if even this will be enough to give us a chance against the behemoth that is LSU? We grow 'em big and strong over here in the Corn State, but I don't think nearly big enough to handle that offense."
Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 01:38 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
Merry Christmas, Sucka!
Here we see Fr. Sibley hunting for Christmas elves with his friend's FN LAR. Very nice!
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 01:22 PM | Comments (12) | TrackBack
Dirty Harry Goes to Church
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 08:08 AM | Comments (10) | TrackBack
December 23, 2004
A Christmas Gift to All My Readers
This Christmas you can all be excited because I have a special gift for you, my faithful readers (yes even the ones that leave rude comments and then get banned). It will be a series of posts from articles and ads taken from a particularly nutty magazine that I happened upon in NYC. Look for my first installment on Christmas Day!
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 10:29 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
Myth and Advent #3
Today in the final installment of our "mythological" advent homilies we will attempt to look at the intention behind the reality of Christ being born of the Virgin Mary, and what makes this intention different than those of other myths and religions. We have already seen how the incarnation and Virgin birth was different from pagan myths, now we must see why - for what fundamental reason the Second person of the Trinity became man and was born of the Virgin Mary.
Our friend Joseph Campbell gives his explanation as to why in mythology types of incarnations occur. He writes, "The procreating power is everywhere. And according to the whim or destiny of the hour, either a hero-savior or world-annihilating demon maybe conceived - one can never know." Fortunately, this paradigm of incarnation does not apply to Christianity. The God of Jesus Christ is not like the gods of the Greeks who can at any moment set their fancy upon one of the daughters of men, and spiral downward to consummate their desire with her. Nor does it depend on the whim of the Trinity to descend as either a benevolent savior or evil destroyer - he is only one, the God of life and mercy. Our God always acts towards a specific end, and guides all of human history toward that end - the salvation of man. And our God always has the same fundamental intention in acting - not desire, not whimsical fancy, not having a certain incompleteness apart from his creation that demands an incarnation. No he acts for one reason alone - love. This is the why of the incarnation - "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
It is because he loved us and wants to save us from our sin that he became man and later died on the cross. No other religious myth has this specific thing, as much as they may seem similar to Christianity, this will always remain the main difference - the motive of love. What's more, God's love did not necessitate him becoming man, it was a totally free choice to "will the good for the other" through the incarnation. This is a radical difference between paganism and Christianity - the Christian God is distinct from and is not dependent upon his creation. He does not need us to be complete, or to feel "self-fulfilled," nor are we some "pantheistic part of him" - in fact we did not even have to come into existence through his creative act. We are the fallen, sinful, finite creatures and he is the almighty, perfect, yet all-loving God who does not need us, yet who still loves us. This makes the mystery of his incarnation even more compelling - that he did not have to do it, that he did not have to love us so. But he did and thus became man - wedding himself to our humanity in the bridal chamber of the womb of the Blessed Virgin and later consummating his love for us, his sinful bride on the cross. This Christmas, he is not the God come as wrathful judge, but as loving bridegroom.
So where does this all leave us? As usual, I will let CS Lewis sum it up, "Being a Christian does mean thinking that where Christianity differs from other religions, Christianity is right and they are wrong. As in arithmetic there is only one right answer to a sum, and all other answers are wrong; but some of the wrong answers are much nearer being right than others." Our analysis of Christianity in light of mythology should lead us to a deeper realization of the uniqueness of Jesus Christ. Although other myths and religions might seem similar, whatever is true and good in them, inevitably must lead to him (and come from him) who is the singular divine reality who entered into our created world. And this bears a real responsibility for those who believe in him - a responsibility to love like him by participating in the divine life which we have been given through the incarnation, and doing so to show the world that he is the fulfillment of all of history and the center of our lives.
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 10:26 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Clone Your Pet
Rover had to be put down? Little Kitty crawled into the car engine? Never have to worry about the tragic loss of a pet again! Just save some of its DNA and clone it when it is gone!
I am not sure if this site is a joke or not. I am leaning towards not.
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 10:25 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
December 22, 2004
Myth and Advent #2
Today we continue our "analysis" of the uniqueness of Christ in reference to parallels with other "pagan Christs" (or god-hero figures), and how these parallels actually help to reinforce the singular reality that is Christianity instead of harming it. We will proceed by looking at how Christ is unique, particularly in his incarnation and birth to the Blessed Virgin.
One of the major recurrent themes in mythology is that of the incarnation and virgin birth of a god-hero. The stories of the birth of religious hero-figures from Quetzalcoatl to Mithras all bear similarities to the birth of Jesus - the birth of a miraculous child to a simple virgin, a birth foretold for ages by the prophets of the land. But how is the birth of Christ different?
First of all, the story of Christ is not one of a man born of a virgin who through a series of trials becomes a god - he is true God at the moment of his conception, he existed as the Son from all eternity, and continues to be so in his resurrected body. Joseph Campbell, considered the "father" of modern mythological research wrote, "Jesus… can be regarded as a man who by dint of austerities and meditation attained wisdom." He's got the Christian myth all wrong by reading it in light of other pagan myths where the hero figure journeys on the road to divinity.
The second difference is the exact opposite of the first, one which Campbell posits as another possible interpretation of the Christian myth. He writes, "on the other hand, one may believe that a god descended and took upon himself the enactment of a human career." This is the same error of many of the early Christological heresies - that God took on only the "appearances" of being a man. In addition, it is also the position of most, if not all the other myths. These are tales of a god who becomes man for any number of reasons (this is the topic of the next and final reflection on why God became man). Yet they all differ at one point or the other in reference to the Christian incarnation myth. As mentioned above for most the God never becomes fully incarnate - while remaining fully divine he assumes only the appearances of a man, or takes on only a part of human nature. This is not so with Christ - while remaining fully God he is fully man. There is nothing in our humanity that was not assumed (and thus not redeemed) in the incarnation. For others the incarnate god loses some of his divinity when he becomes man - not so with Christ, he remains fully divine in his humanity. Still for some the god sheds his humanity after his earthy sojourn or mission is over. How radically different that is from Christ's whose entire purpose of his mission was to remain hypostatically united to humanity for the rest of eternity. This is the historical heart of the singularity of Jesus Christ - true God before his incarnation, true God and true man in his incarnation, and still true God and ever truer man after his resurrection stretching forth now into the eternal ages.
But the even greater scandal is that Jesus came as true man and as true child. Reading the childhood lives of most pagan god-figures one finds stories of miracles, healings, prodigies, and prophecies. Yet one will not find such fanciful tales in the nativity or childhood accounts of Christ's life - in fact the gospels that did concoct such notions were rejected by the Church for this very reason. The baby Jesus was a real baby, who cried and wet his pants and did all things that babies do. True, he matured quickly (having the beatific vision in his humanity and being God did not hurt I'm sure), but scripture does tell us that he grew in wisdom and grace.
And it is this reality, as CS Lewis was quoted last time as saying, that makes Christianity different from the other pagan myths. This reality of a child wrapped in swaddling cloth, lying in a manger with his mother, foster-father, shepherds and sheep is what makes it all so immanently believable, and so remarkably enduring. The other myths sound so far fetched that they seem like some man was trying to hard to produce what we humans would expect the divine to be. And this is where the Christian myth lends even more so to its credibility for, again borrowing from the insights of CS Lewis, "Reality… is usually something you could not have guessed. That is one of the reasons I believe Christianity. It is a religion you could not have guessed… It is not the sort of thing anyone would have made up. It has just that queer twist about it that real things have."
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 02:42 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
Iowa - State of Corn
With just over a week until the Capital One Bowl, I would like to extend my sincerest condolences over the humiliating loss that Iowa will receive at the hands of LSU.
Back at the North American College the guys from Iowa were always eager to let everyone know how great their state was. I admired their fidelity since it was going to be hard to convince anyone (especially someone from Louisiana) that a square piece of land filled with corn was all that special.
Feel free to return to this blog over the next few days for more trash talking.
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 08:17 AM | Comments (13) | TrackBack
Loyola in NO Celebrating Diversity
NEW ORLEANS -- Loyola University New Orleans officials are heralding the school's new Center for Intercultural Understanding as "a place to celebrate diversity."
The center's purpose, according to its mission statement, is to "create and maintain a campus environment where students, faculty and staff will be able to recognize, respect and celebrate our differences and commonalities."
Those differences include age, social and economic status, sexual orientation, educational background, marital status, ethnicity, gender, individual traits, ability, race, cultural heritage and religious beliefs, the mission statement says.
"It is obvious we come from different races, genders, ethnicity, backgrounds and ideas. But when we are talking about education, it is obvious that we should not only teach but learn from one another," Loyola President Kevin Wildes said. "This center puts us in a forward position."
I would like to take this moment to thank the Jesuits at Loyola in NO for saving me the work of having to satirize this. It is very sucessful in satirizing itself.
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 07:59 AM | Comments (9) | TrackBack
December 21, 2004
Tis the Season...
About every two or three months a number of unsavory characters pop up in the comments section of my blog - alas, that time has come around again. It is fortunate that it comes around Christmas time so that I can give them the gift of banning their IP address from being able to comment on my site and it gives others the opportunity to leave them Christmas messages. One individual who is at the top of my Christmas List this season is Andrew. Not only does he insult me but he also isults one my my readers (who happens to be a good friend) in the comments section of the "Me thinks the Lady Doth Protest too Much" post. Merry Christmas!
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 04:13 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Rooftop Coffee Bar at St. Peter's
The bar on the roof of Christendom's largest church opened several months ago without fanfare but even many Vatican officials and employees did not know about it until Monday when an Italian paper splashed the "discovery" on its front page.
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 12:19 PM | Comments (8) | TrackBack
Myth and the Advent of Christ #1
I would like to begin by offering a series of reflections on the "uniqueness" of Christ. I would like to set these in two particular frameworks: 1) within that of the Incarnation and birth of Christ, the event which Advent is situated in between, 2) within that of the questions of myth and the modern plurality of religions (i.e. the problem of syncretism).
The twentieth century has seen a flourishing of the study of myth, mythology, and religion with fantastic insights in how myth helps to generate meaning for our lives. Names such as James Frazer, Joseph Cambpell, and CJ Jung come to mind as scholars who have helped to advance these studies, but also as men who have helped to strip Christianity of it's long held position as being "unique" among world religions and myths. The stories of the Old Testament and those surrounding Jesus' life are seen as Christian "interpretations" and "adaptations" of pre-existing pagan myths of the fall from innocence, the great flood, the virgin birth, and the incarnate God-hero's journey to self-enlightenment and eventual redemption for all of creation. By comparing the similarities of the "myth" of Jesus to other religions, Christ appears to lose his uniqueness among the parallels with other Divine-figures such as Horace, Krisna, Mithras, and Buddha, in fact he looks to be nothing more than a copy of them. Essentially, these thinkers helped lay the foundation for today's religious pluralistic relativism - Christ as one among equals.
But we as Christians as difficult as this "challenge" to the authenticity of revelation is, must respond to the question of the "uniqueness" of Christ in the opposite manner, that similarities between Christian revelation and ancient myths can argue for the truth of Christianity, not just against it. This is the thesis of CS Lewis, one of this centuries greatest "mythological" scholars and authors, as he explains in one of his letters, "Now the story of Christ is simply a true myth: a myth working on us in the same way as the others, but with the tremendous difference that it really happened: and one must be content to accept it in the same way, remembering that it is God's myth where the others are men's myths: i.e. the Pagan stories are God expressing himself through the minds of poets, using such images as he found there, while Christianity is God expressing himself through what we call 'real things.' Therefore it is true, not in the sense of being a 'description' of God (that no finite mind could take in) but being the way in which God chooses to (or can) appear to our faculties... We must not be nervous about 'parallels' and 'pagan Christs': they ought to be there - it would be a stumbling block if they weren't."
So this is our point of departure, an affirmation of the parallels between Christ and the Pagan myths and religions, one that Vatican II hinted at when it said that other religions "often reflect a ray of that truth which enlightens all men" (Nostra Aetate 2). An affirmation acknowledging the possibility that somehow God was revealing himself in a hidden mysterious way in these Pagan cultures, pointing all religions and myths to the singularity of Jesus Christ. Yes, there exists a difference, things that set Christ and Christianity apart as distinct amidst the parallels, and that is what we will explore during the rest of Advent, especially concentrating on the virgin birth of Christ and upon his being as truly God become truly, truly man.
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 12:01 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
Advent Reflections
With Advent soon coming to an end, I thought it appropos to post a series of reflections I preached at a convent in Rome about five years ago. There is one theme, but three sections. Today I will post the first one, and then another one each day for the next two days.
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 12:00 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Stop the Madness!!!
More nuttiness from kooky left-wing nuns:
During Lent last year, the Saint Mary's campus did the traditional Stations of the Cross and a new Earth Stations. (Sr.) Turgi said the Earth Stations recalled the suffering of the Earth as the body of God.
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 08:36 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
I'm Gonna Give You a Knuckle Sandwich!
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 08:34 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
Fr. Guido Sarducci - Prophet?!
She got in with only 3 lousy miracles--and I understand two of them was-a card tricks.
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 08:27 AM | Comments (8) | TrackBack
December 20, 2004
Methinks the Lady Doth Protest Too Much
These questions about the foundations of the Church’s teaching (on homosexuality) and these challenging human experiences of good and evil suggest that now might well be an occasion to re-evaluate the teaching. Such evaluation might lead to change or to reaffirmation. In an open and honest search for the truth, the Church could gather experts of various disciplines and perspectives along with people of different orientations sharing their experiences of life-giving and love-giving commitments. All this in the context of trust in the Spirit’s guidance.
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 12:03 PM | Comments (17) | TrackBack
Japanese Jesus
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 11:59 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
Eucharistic Reflection no. 10
If the Son of God first chose to come to us as a child, it is therefore only fitting for him to remain with us in the Sacrament of the Eucharist. First he comes as tiny babe, now he arrives so small under the appearances of bread and wine. First he comes wrapped in swaddling cloth, now he comes enfolded in the hands of a priest. First he comes in a manger, now he resides in the tabernacle. First he comes into the world dependent on his Blessed Mother for food, now he comes to nourish is with his body and blood. First he came to the worship of the Three Kings, now he comes to the adoration of Catholics devoted to the Eucharist throughout the world. First he comes as a perfect sign of the Father’s saving love for man, now he remains as that sacrament of the Eternal life promised to us if we eat of his body and drink of his blood. Indeed the mystery of Christmas and the mystery of the Eucharist are one and the same.
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 06:25 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
December 19, 2004
NARAL Outraged at Peterson Death Sentence
"We decry the inhumanity of the death penalty for a man who simply exercised his choice to end a pregnancy and to end the woman who was harboring an unwanted fetus," said an unnamed NARAL spokesman. "This emotional jury decision shows no respect for Mr. Peterson's reproductive rights. It's a sad day for America and may have a chilling effect on the hundreds of physicians nationwide engaged in similar work."
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 07:02 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
Now that is what I call Dialogue!
I took a sneak peek today at the ROTK extended edition DVD before our Trinilogy Marathon tomorrow. Without a doubt my new favorite scence in the trilogy is the added scene of the confrontation with The Mouth of Sauron at the Black Gate. For those of you who have seen it, The Mouth of Sauron is arguably one of the creepist creatures ever to be featured in film. Not to give the scene away, be TMoS rides out to tell the heros that Frodo is dead and to taunt them. So Aragorn, without saying a word rides up to him on his horse and lops off his head! Man oh man! In all seriousness, this is a perfect hermeneutic for dialogue with evil: don't get caught in the trap, end negotiations immediately. Speaking of that, in case anyone was wondering what I might like for Christmas.
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 06:57 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Back from NY
Got back from New York last night. As usual, I had a great time. Looking back I am amazed I was able to do so much in so few days. When the pictures are ready, I will post a few on my blog. Here are a few highlights: a theological discussion period at The Montfort Academy, visiting with Dawn Eden, Fr. Joseph Wilson, Fr. George Rulter, and others, and seeing an opera at the Met. Hopefully, I will give more details later.
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 06:47 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
December 13, 2004
New York City
I'll be heading up to NYC tomorrow for a few days so blogging will be light (if not non-existent). I am going for a mixture of business and pleasure. I hope to return with pictures and stories.
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 09:14 PM | Comments (10) | TrackBack
Eucharistic Reflection no. 9
As our reverence for The Body of Christ in the Eucharist grows so should the reverence that we have for our own human bodies grow. St. Paul tells us in his First Letter to the Corinthians, “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take Christ's members and make them the members of a prostitute? Of course not! (Or) do you not know that anyone who joins himself to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For ‘the two,’ it says, ‘will become one flesh.’ But whoever is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him” (1 Cor 6:12-15). In what more intimate fashion are we able to be joined to the Lord than in the reception of the Eucharist? So if we are joined to him, our bodies are members of him - of his Eucharistic body. This truth should bring us to a greater awareness of the dignity of our own body and why we should avoid anything that would damage its great value, particularly sexual impurity.
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 07:32 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Posse of Parishioners Pounce Pilferer
"He got a lecture from five or six parishioners while he was in the police car," said Mazur, who said he knows Bell from the neighborhood. "I lectured him, too, later. He knows who I am and what we stand for. We serve all the needy of our neighborhood, with our food and our homeless shelter for women and our day care for kids and the cookouts . . ."
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 05:55 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
December 12, 2004
Clerical Fashion Show
Fr. Sibley is keeping warm this winter with a 100% wool Dominican Scarf from the Blackfriars in London. Great for keeping the cold and the heresies out!
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 08:05 AM | Comments (16) | TrackBack
Happy Gaudete Sunday!
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 08:02 AM | Comments (42) | TrackBack
A Great Christmas Story
The Trappistine Nuns in Dubuque, Iowa, aren't allowed to talk. But God knows they'll be moved when they get a box with 23 colorful hats, complete with pompoms, for Christmas. And they'll surely say lots of prayers for the young woman with Down syndrome who made them.
I just hope the nuns will be wearing the hats over their veils.
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 06:20 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Sorry About the Comments Spam
I've received several e-mails about the bots that are spamming some of my comments boxes with objectionable material. There is not much we can do to stop it, but we will try to have it removed.
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 06:19 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
Nun Ad Offends Down Under
An unholy row has erupted over Brumby's bakery's latest television campaign, which depicts nuns singing the praises of their bread products. In the offending gospel-inspired advertisement, a choir – including of habit-wearing nuns – sing "Give us this day our daily bread" as they sing and dance around Brumby's products.
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 06:17 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
December 10, 2004
Great Article
The Islamization of Europe? by David Pryce-Jones
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 08:39 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Caption Contest
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 07:27 AM | Comments (46) | TrackBack
December 09, 2004
I'll Show You Plagues
The folks who made this site and this TV program better watch it before the Lord God of Hosts unleashes a few plagues on them. And Rameses will have been long dead so they won't be able to blame it on him.
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 04:28 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
The Duke Boys in Raton Rouge
And Burt Reynolds is playing Boss Hog!!!
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 12:35 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
December 08, 2004
150th Anniversary of the Immaculate Conception Dogma
It was on this day 150 years ago that Blessed Pope Pius IX declared the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.
Here's a little theological point about the dogma for you. The Immaculate Conception does not refer to the physical conception fo Mary in the womb of St. Anne. Instead it refers to her "animation" or infusion of her immortal soul, as Bl. Pius IX writes:
The person is truly conceived when the soul is created and infused into the body. Mary was preserved exempt from all stain of original sin at the first moment of her animation, and sanctifying grace was given to her before sin could have taken effect in her soul.
In other news, people are still finding away to insult the Blessed Virgin.
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 08:05 PM | Comments (10) | TrackBack
The Falcon's Lair
For those of you who were wondering the falcon (or actually hawk) hunt went relatively well on Sunday. Well, actually it wasn't so much a hunt as a falconry demonstration. I did get to see two of the hawks chase down a squirrel though. I did get to hold the hawk though - a truly majestic bird. The whole experience made me think of this famous falcon. The picture shown above should make you think of this.
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 04:43 PM | Comments (7) | TrackBack
December 07, 2004
New from Michael Rose
Mr. Rose has a new book and a new website dedicated to church architechture. Very interesting looking.
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 07:33 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
December 06, 2004
Eucharistic Reflection no. 8
If you walk through the hushed halls of any hospital at night, your eyes will inevitably gaze into a room where a loved one sits shadowed and waits in silence with the sick patient lying on his bed of pain. What an apt analogy for so many of our own experiences with Our Eucharistic Lord. True, we might see ourselves as the one keeping vigil, making reparation for the curses and calumnies that Jesus must endure each day throughout the world. But isn’t it more suitable to reverse the positions and see ourselves as the ill one resting in the stilled darkness with Our Lord as the Divine Physician taking on our burdens and healing our souls as he waits with us? He acts, although imperceptibly, as we find a welcome respite from the trials and sufferings of our life in this vale of tears.
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 05:30 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
December 04, 2004
Father's Keepin' It Real
I'm not sure what this priest is telling these gang members, but you've got to admire his effort. I'd imagine that it would be pretty dangerous work.
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 01:00 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
St. Bernard on Hunting... Heretics
Looking toward the spiritual dimension of tomorrow's hunt, I thought it beneficial to meditate on what St. Bernard had to say about hunting as an allegory for battling heretics:
If we continue the allegory, taking vines to represent Christian congregations, and foxes heresies, or rather heretics themselves, the interpretation is simple: heretics are to be caught rather than driven away. They are to be caught, I repeat, not by force of arms but by arguments by which their errors may be refuted. They themselves, if it can be done, are to be reconciled with the Catholic [Church] and brought back to the true faith. This is His will, that all men should be saved and brought to the knowledge of the truth. This is what he shows us when he says not simply 'Catch the foxes', but 'Catch us the foxes'. It is for himself and his bride, that is the Catholic [Church], that he orders these foxes to be apprehended when he says 'Catch us the foxes'. So if an experienced and well-instructed churchman undertakes to debate with a heretic, he should direct his intention to convincing him of the error of his ways in such a way as to convert him, bearing in mind the saying of the Apostle James, that anyone who causes a sinner to be converted from the error of his ways will save his soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. But if he will not be converted or convinced even after a first and second admonition, then, according to the Apostle, he is to be shunned as one who is completely perverted. Consequently I think it better that he should be driven away or even bound rather than be allowed to spoil the vines.
Read him expound on this subject here and here.
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 11:56 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
POD - It's Official!
Thanks to one of my readers, I now know that POD is listed in the Acronym Finder. Just click here to see.
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 06:54 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
December 03, 2004
Fun with Falconry
Harris Hawk, with skull-crusing action!
This weekend a group of us are going hunting rabbits - with Hawks! I cannot think of anything more behind kicking than falconry. The man who is the Master Falconer in the State is going to be bringing some of his Harris Hawks and we are going to set them loose on some rabbits!
The Harris hawk is a hunting falconer's favorite: it reaches 2 feet in height, has a wingspan of 3 ½ to 4 feet, and can weigh up to 2 ½ pounds. They say that their eyes can read newspaper headlines across the full length of a football field (Don't ask me how they know that; I didn't know hawks could read…).
I will be blessing the hawks and the hunt. After the hunt, we will be cooking up the rabbits. I promise to give a full report when I return.
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 07:37 AM | Comments (22) | TrackBack
POD Pictures of St. Francis Xavier
This site has several POD pictures of the great Jesuit saint. Here is a great one:
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 07:33 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
December 02, 2004
The Liberal Catholic Church International
What is going on here?!?!?! Look how seemingly POD this "ordination" is. And see all of this oppressive non-inclusive language:
We believe that God is Love, and Power, and Truth, and Light; that perfect justice rules the world; that all His sons shall one day reach His feet, however far they stray. We hold the Fatherhood of God, the Brotherhood of man; we know that we do serve Him best when best we serve our brother man. So shall His blessing rest on us, and peace for evermore.
Then you see the name of their church as "liberal" and read some foolishness like this:
The Liberal Catholic Church permits to lay members entire freedom in the interpretation of Creeds, Scriptures and Traditions, and of the Liberty. It asks only that differences of interpretation be courteously expressed.
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 11:00 PM | Comments (9) | TrackBack
A Misleading Headline
Habits hard to break for jailed nuns
Uh, as you can see from the pictures - the sisters broke the "habit habit" years ago. Instead it should read "Haz Mat Habit Hard to Break For Jailed Nuns."
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 10:45 PM | Comments (5) | TrackBack
THe Recent Register Article
As some of you might know the National Cathoic Register did one of those "Priest Profiles" on me a month or so ago. For those interested in reading it, I found a copy of it online.
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 07:59 AM | Comments (12) | TrackBack
December 01, 2004
Dancing Saints
From those wacky Episcopalians in San Francisco - it is the Dancing Saints Icon! Queen Elizabeth and Malcolm X? Bwahahahahah!!!!
Posted by Fr. Bryce Sibley at 07:53 AM | Comments (34) | TrackBack