The Sneakers (A Catholic novella) Chapter 4: Shocks 'n Struts
Food for Thought:Technological Barbarians
Feast Days of the Week: 19-25 August 2007
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Friday, August 17, 2007
The Sneakers Chapter 4. Shocks 'n Struts
Prologue: The Thrift Store
Chapter 1: Vicki
Chapter 2: Stupid pill
Chapter 3: Maze
Chapter 4: Shocks 'n Struts
Chapter 5: Shocks 'n Struts
"So that was his reaction? Go get an abortion?" Johnnie snapped her chewing gum and tore open a Twinkie. She didn't really like Twinkies, and her jeans were getting a little tight, but they were the only thing left in the doggone breakroom machine.
"Yeah. He told me I had my whole life ahead of me, and blah, blah, blah. It was all about him, really. Not me. Not the baby. I gotta admit, though," Vicki looked lugubriously around the grubby breakroom of the Shocks 'n Struts Auto Parts Store, with it's dingy, painted cinderblock walls, tall dented trash can and crumbling bulletin board, "law school does seem a bit far off right now."
"Yeah. I guess ya gotta finish at th' community college first." Johnnie smiled slyly as she addressed this observation to the remainder of her Twinkie, which she then popped into her mouth. "Well, what do you want to do?"
"You mean, do I want to abort the baby? Oh, Johnnie, I don't know. I don't know what to do." Vicki tapped the table with her fingers. "Y' know what gets me? We've been living together for six months now, and it's like he's a stranger. A complete stranger. He didn't... I mean, it's like this is all my problem and he didn't have anything to do with it."
"Well, it is your problem." Johnnie dabbed the crumbs from her lips with surprising grace. She had to use the wrapper, though, because the paper towel dispenser was empty. Friggin' Harry's too cheap t' buy paper towels. Sheesh. "I mean, of course he's a stranger. You're just shacked up. You're not married or anything. Believe me, honey," Johhnie looked wisely at Vicki, "I know."
When Vicki had come to work at Shocks 'n Struts, Johnnie had taken her under her wing. We've gotta be friends, she'd said, were the only girls workin' this dump. Having grown up in Potter's Cove, Vicki knew a lot of the long time residents. New faces trickled into the town, though; and Johnnie was one of those, having moved down from Bangor. For that matter, Harry, the store's new owner, had just bought the place a year or so prior; he'd come up from, she wasn't sure, Portland or somewhere down south. Though she was only a couple of years older than Vicki, Johnnie seemed infinitely wiser, especially regarding men. She had, Vicki knew, just given her most recent shack up the boot. Can't find a job? I don't want you hangin' around. Or so Johnnie said she'd told him.
"Johnnie, have you ever been..."
"Pregnant? Oh. Lordy, no. This girl makes doggone sure that doesn't happen."
"Well, suppose you were. What would you do?"
Johnnie glanced at Vicki, and her usual swagger disappeared. She looked thoughtful. Vicki wondered if her eyes were glistening a little, but she couldn't be certain. Johnnie let out a little sigh, as if she'd come to an unexpected but important decision.
"Sweetie, I told you a little fib. I did get pregnant once, a few years back." Vicki sat quietly, waiting. "It was some guy I knew. I was just eighteen, and he was a bartender at a place where I used to hang out up. He was cute. So, I started going back to his place with him, y' know, after the bar closed." Johnnie smiled, a sweet, slightly sad smile. She's a nice person, thought Vicki. The realization came as kind of a surprise, a little treasure she'd encountered unexpectedly. Johnnie's a nice person.
Johnnie continued. "It became kind of a regular thing, goin' home with him every night after work. I told people he was my boyfriend. We even went to a movie once."
"Charlie and I went to a movie once. Can you believe it? That was before I moved in with him."
"I can believe it, honey. That was your mistake, y' know. Moving in. Anyway, this guy, well, after awhile I thought I loved him." Johnnie gave a little shrug. "So this went on for a little while, me hanging out at the bar, and going to his place after closing. We never talked about nuthin' really. I mean, nuthin' important. I never told him I loved him or anything."
"Did he ever say anything like that to you?"
Johnnie laughed. "Nah. He never said anything like that. Our relationship was, you know, just physical." Vicki giggled, and clapped her fingertips over her mouth. "That's OK," Johnnie continued, "I laugh about it, too. Better' n' crying. So, after a few months of this, well, I was pregnant. How 'bout that?"
"What did you do?"
"Hmmpf. I told him, of course. His reaction was, well, it was like Charlie's. Surprise, annoyance, like why're you tellin' me this." Johnnie's face became serious. "Right up front, though, he said he pay for the abortion. So, down to Planned Parenthood I went, and had the abortion."
"Did he go with you?"
"Nah. Didn't even ask. He paid for it in advance, though. Over the phone. He put it on his credit card."
"Then what?"
"Then that was the end of it. I stopped going to the bar, and stopped going home with him." Johnnie's eyes were full now, no mistaking it. "Y' know, my mother started me on birth control pills, when I was in high school. She took me down to the doctor, and got me a prescription. She never told me not to have sex. We only talked about it once. She said I was a beautiful girl, an' she knew I was gonna go out and do it. That's what she called it: doing it. She couldn't stop me, she said, but I had t' be careful."
"Well, would you? Not have had sex, I mean, if she'd asked you?"
"Maybe. I dunno. It never happened, she never told me not to, so I don't know. But if she'd said something like I just shouldn't do it, maybe if we'd talked about it, an' she told me why I shouldn't do it, well... she told me not to do drugs, and I didn't do them. Anyway," Johnnie wiped a single tear, "Vicki, I wish I hadn't had the abortion. I don't know what I would've done, maybe put the baby up for adoption. It was wrong, Vicki, what I did. I had that life inside of me, and I killed it. Me." Johnnie's eyes were dry now, and she searched Vicki's face intently. "But, y' know the other mistake? I shouldn't have created that life to begin with. Not the stupid pills, I mean..."
"You mean you shouldn't have had sex."
Johnnie laughed. "You're a smart cookie, you're learning, quicker'n I did. That's right. I shouldn't have had sex. Not with that guy, not with any guy, not unless we were married." Johnnie looked hard at Vicki, a penetrating stare. "Sweetie, can you believe it? My mother never told me that. I wish she had. My teachers never told me that. All they ever did was talk about sex. Sex, sex, sex, from the earliest I can even remember. You went through all those sex ed classes."
Vicki smiled, a wicked smile. "Yeah. It wasn't just the classes, though. Everything at school was about sex, straight sex, gay sex, oral sex, anal sex, birth control pills, birth control shots, rubbers on bananas, it's all you ever heard, it's all you saw, it's all you ever talked about. I sort of figured there really wasn't anything else to life, to the world, but sex. No wonder we were always charged up."
Johnnie laughed. "It's sure all I thought about. But you know what they did in my grandmother's day? They just didn't have sex until they were married and ready to start a family. And, they didn't talk about it all the time. They talked about other things, did other things. Imagine that." Johnnie shook her head with a laugh. "Imagine that."
"OK, ladies, lunch is over." Harry called from out front. "I need some help on th' counter, and Johnnie I need that power steering pump over t' A&J's soonest. Let's go now..."
Johnnie rolled her eyes. "The moron. I've talked to posts smarter'n him." The girls stood up, Johnnie bouncing her crumpled up can off the wall into the trashcan. She looked seriously at Vicki.
"Sweetie, I know what you're going through. I know what you're feeling. But you shouldn't abort that baby. I don't know what'll happen if you don't; it'll change your life sure. Mebbe you'll give it up for adoption. I don't know. But, sweetie, trust me. You have a heart. You abort that baby and you'll be sorry for the rest of your life."
Vicki nodded. "I just feel so confused."
"I know. But they're just feelings. Not important. It's not what you feel that's important, Vicki. It's what you do. You remember that."
Vicki gave Johnnie a hug. "Thank you, Johnnie. I need a friend."
"We all do." Johnnie patted her back. "C'mon, ladies," she mimed. "Lets get going."
Return to Contents
Return to CMW
Copyright 2007 Timothy P. Collins
All rights reserved.
Chapter 1: Vicki
Chapter 2: Stupid pill
Chapter 3: Maze
Chapter 4: Shocks 'n Struts
Chapter 5: Shocks 'n Struts
"So that was his reaction? Go get an abortion?" Johnnie snapped her chewing gum and tore open a Twinkie. She didn't really like Twinkies, and her jeans were getting a little tight, but they were the only thing left in the doggone breakroom machine.
"Yeah. He told me I had my whole life ahead of me, and blah, blah, blah. It was all about him, really. Not me. Not the baby. I gotta admit, though," Vicki looked lugubriously around the grubby breakroom of the Shocks 'n Struts Auto Parts Store, with it's dingy, painted cinderblock walls, tall dented trash can and crumbling bulletin board, "law school does seem a bit far off right now."
"Yeah. I guess ya gotta finish at th' community college first." Johnnie smiled slyly as she addressed this observation to the remainder of her Twinkie, which she then popped into her mouth. "Well, what do you want to do?"
"You mean, do I want to abort the baby? Oh, Johnnie, I don't know. I don't know what to do." Vicki tapped the table with her fingers. "Y' know what gets me? We've been living together for six months now, and it's like he's a stranger. A complete stranger. He didn't... I mean, it's like this is all my problem and he didn't have anything to do with it."
"Well, it is your problem." Johnnie dabbed the crumbs from her lips with surprising grace. She had to use the wrapper, though, because the paper towel dispenser was empty. Friggin' Harry's too cheap t' buy paper towels. Sheesh. "I mean, of course he's a stranger. You're just shacked up. You're not married or anything. Believe me, honey," Johhnie looked wisely at Vicki, "I know."
When Vicki had come to work at Shocks 'n Struts, Johnnie had taken her under her wing. We've gotta be friends, she'd said, were the only girls workin' this dump. Having grown up in Potter's Cove, Vicki knew a lot of the long time residents. New faces trickled into the town, though; and Johnnie was one of those, having moved down from Bangor. For that matter, Harry, the store's new owner, had just bought the place a year or so prior; he'd come up from, she wasn't sure, Portland or somewhere down south. Though she was only a couple of years older than Vicki, Johnnie seemed infinitely wiser, especially regarding men. She had, Vicki knew, just given her most recent shack up the boot. Can't find a job? I don't want you hangin' around. Or so Johnnie said she'd told him.
"Johnnie, have you ever been..."
"Pregnant? Oh. Lordy, no. This girl makes doggone sure that doesn't happen."
"Well, suppose you were. What would you do?"
Johnnie glanced at Vicki, and her usual swagger disappeared. She looked thoughtful. Vicki wondered if her eyes were glistening a little, but she couldn't be certain. Johnnie let out a little sigh, as if she'd come to an unexpected but important decision.
"Sweetie, I told you a little fib. I did get pregnant once, a few years back." Vicki sat quietly, waiting. "It was some guy I knew. I was just eighteen, and he was a bartender at a place where I used to hang out up. He was cute. So, I started going back to his place with him, y' know, after the bar closed." Johnnie smiled, a sweet, slightly sad smile. She's a nice person, thought Vicki. The realization came as kind of a surprise, a little treasure she'd encountered unexpectedly. Johnnie's a nice person.
Johnnie continued. "It became kind of a regular thing, goin' home with him every night after work. I told people he was my boyfriend. We even went to a movie once."
"Charlie and I went to a movie once. Can you believe it? That was before I moved in with him."
"I can believe it, honey. That was your mistake, y' know. Moving in. Anyway, this guy, well, after awhile I thought I loved him." Johnnie gave a little shrug. "So this went on for a little while, me hanging out at the bar, and going to his place after closing. We never talked about nuthin' really. I mean, nuthin' important. I never told him I loved him or anything."
"Did he ever say anything like that to you?"
Johnnie laughed. "Nah. He never said anything like that. Our relationship was, you know, just physical." Vicki giggled, and clapped her fingertips over her mouth. "That's OK," Johnnie continued, "I laugh about it, too. Better' n' crying. So, after a few months of this, well, I was pregnant. How 'bout that?"
"What did you do?"
"Hmmpf. I told him, of course. His reaction was, well, it was like Charlie's. Surprise, annoyance, like why're you tellin' me this." Johnnie's face became serious. "Right up front, though, he said he pay for the abortion. So, down to Planned Parenthood I went, and had the abortion."
"Did he go with you?"
"Nah. Didn't even ask. He paid for it in advance, though. Over the phone. He put it on his credit card."
"Then what?"
"Then that was the end of it. I stopped going to the bar, and stopped going home with him." Johnnie's eyes were full now, no mistaking it. "Y' know, my mother started me on birth control pills, when I was in high school. She took me down to the doctor, and got me a prescription. She never told me not to have sex. We only talked about it once. She said I was a beautiful girl, an' she knew I was gonna go out and do it. That's what she called it: doing it. She couldn't stop me, she said, but I had t' be careful."
"Well, would you? Not have had sex, I mean, if she'd asked you?"
"Maybe. I dunno. It never happened, she never told me not to, so I don't know. But if she'd said something like I just shouldn't do it, maybe if we'd talked about it, an' she told me why I shouldn't do it, well... she told me not to do drugs, and I didn't do them. Anyway," Johnnie wiped a single tear, "Vicki, I wish I hadn't had the abortion. I don't know what I would've done, maybe put the baby up for adoption. It was wrong, Vicki, what I did. I had that life inside of me, and I killed it. Me." Johnnie's eyes were dry now, and she searched Vicki's face intently. "But, y' know the other mistake? I shouldn't have created that life to begin with. Not the stupid pills, I mean..."
"You mean you shouldn't have had sex."
Johnnie laughed. "You're a smart cookie, you're learning, quicker'n I did. That's right. I shouldn't have had sex. Not with that guy, not with any guy, not unless we were married." Johnnie looked hard at Vicki, a penetrating stare. "Sweetie, can you believe it? My mother never told me that. I wish she had. My teachers never told me that. All they ever did was talk about sex. Sex, sex, sex, from the earliest I can even remember. You went through all those sex ed classes."
Vicki smiled, a wicked smile. "Yeah. It wasn't just the classes, though. Everything at school was about sex, straight sex, gay sex, oral sex, anal sex, birth control pills, birth control shots, rubbers on bananas, it's all you ever heard, it's all you saw, it's all you ever talked about. I sort of figured there really wasn't anything else to life, to the world, but sex. No wonder we were always charged up."
Johnnie laughed. "It's sure all I thought about. But you know what they did in my grandmother's day? They just didn't have sex until they were married and ready to start a family. And, they didn't talk about it all the time. They talked about other things, did other things. Imagine that." Johnnie shook her head with a laugh. "Imagine that."
"OK, ladies, lunch is over." Harry called from out front. "I need some help on th' counter, and Johnnie I need that power steering pump over t' A&J's soonest. Let's go now..."
Johnnie rolled her eyes. "The moron. I've talked to posts smarter'n him." The girls stood up, Johnnie bouncing her crumpled up can off the wall into the trashcan. She looked seriously at Vicki.
"Sweetie, I know what you're going through. I know what you're feeling. But you shouldn't abort that baby. I don't know what'll happen if you don't; it'll change your life sure. Mebbe you'll give it up for adoption. I don't know. But, sweetie, trust me. You have a heart. You abort that baby and you'll be sorry for the rest of your life."
Vicki nodded. "I just feel so confused."
"I know. But they're just feelings. Not important. It's not what you feel that's important, Vicki. It's what you do. You remember that."
Vicki gave Johnnie a hug. "Thank you, Johnnie. I need a friend."
"We all do." Johnnie patted her back. "C'mon, ladies," she mimed. "Lets get going."
Return to Contents
Return to CMW
Copyright 2007 Timothy P. Collins
All rights reserved.
Food for Thought: Technological Barbarians.
The excerpt in small brown print below is from the article, When Doctors Become Terrorists, published online at NEJM here July 16, 2007, and is slated to be published in the print version in August. I encourage you to read the entire article. The author points out that "ideology and ideals" can play a part in physicians becoming terrorists, along with the belief that "the ends justify the means", and he correctly uses those physicians who participated in the Nazi death camp experiments as examples.
Medical metaphors were used to justify every stage of the Nazi genocidal campaign against the sick, the mentally ill, and the racially impure... Along with all the professions, doctors were enthusiastic supporters of National Socialism, but many also played a central part in the justification and execution of genocide... When Dr. Karl Brandt faced the hangman after being convicted at Nuremberg for his role in murder and perverse medical "experiments," he showed neither remorse nor insight and continued to believe that his actions had been justified by the need to save Germany from those whose "lives were unworthy of life".
My question is this: although I doubt it was the author's intent, could not his same arguments be applied to those physicians coetaneous to the terrorist doctors; those physicians among us (and they are in the vast majority within the medical profession) who not only perform, but deeply believe in the righteousness of contraception, abortion, in vitro fertilization (with the attendant destruction of embryos as a necessary part of the procedure), euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research, as well as that growing panoply of emerging technologies dependent on the destruction of human life at it's earliest stages? Are we not entering a brave new world where the technological barbarian is ascendant in way never before imagined?
Medical metaphors were used to justify every stage of the Nazi genocidal campaign against the sick, the mentally ill, and the racially impure... Along with all the professions, doctors were enthusiastic supporters of National Socialism, but many also played a central part in the justification and execution of genocide... When Dr. Karl Brandt faced the hangman after being convicted at Nuremberg for his role in murder and perverse medical "experiments," he showed neither remorse nor insight and continued to believe that his actions had been justified by the need to save Germany from those whose "lives were unworthy of life".
My question is this: although I doubt it was the author's intent, could not his same arguments be applied to those physicians coetaneous to the terrorist doctors; those physicians among us (and they are in the vast majority within the medical profession) who not only perform, but deeply believe in the righteousness of contraception, abortion, in vitro fertilization (with the attendant destruction of embryos as a necessary part of the procedure), euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research, as well as that growing panoply of emerging technologies dependent on the destruction of human life at it's earliest stages? Are we not entering a brave new world where the technological barbarian is ascendant in way never before imagined?
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Feast days of the week 19-25 August, A.D. 2007 (1962 liturgical calendar).
SECOND PART OF THE LITURGICAL YEAR: THE EASTER CYCLE (MYSTERY OF THE REDEMPTION).[1]
III. THE SEASON AFTER PENTECOST
Sunday, 19 August, 2007 (Bl 8x7)
Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost (II)
"We have been initiated into spiritual life by the Sacrament of Baptism, and strengthened, perfected, by the Sacrament of Confirmation. The Feast of Pentecost has celebrated the efficaciousness of Baptism and Confirmation: the graves and fruits given by the Holy Ghost. The Church recalls in the Liturgy today the duty of charity which derives from them." (Br 3x7)
Epistle: First Letter of Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, 3:4-9. (Bl 8x7)
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 10:23-37.
St. John Eudes, Confessor (III) (Rd 2x4)
"St. John Eudes, born in Normandy, was educated by the Jesuits. Ordained Priest, he founded the Congregation of the Priests of Jesus and Mary, called Eudists, and the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity. As preacher, writer and founder he promoted public devotion to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. He died A.D. 1680."
Lesson: From the Book of Ecclesiasticus, 31:8-11.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 12:35-40.
Monday, 20 August, 2007
St. Bernard, Abbot, Doctor of the Church (III)
"St. Bernard, born of noble Burgundian parents, was a monk of the Cistercian Order, a branch of the Benedictine Order. He became Abbot of the famous monastery of Clairvaux, which he himself had founded. The writings, sermons and letters of this great Doctor rendered invaluable services to the Church. He also preached the second crusade, and died at Clairvaux A.D. 1153."
Lesson: From the Book of Ecclesiasticus, 39:6-14.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, 5:13-19.
Tuesday, 21 August, 2007
St. Jane Francis Fremiot de Chantal, Widow (III)
"Born at Dijon, Jane Frances was a bright example as daughter, spouse, mother and widow. She founded the Order of the Visitation, guided by St. Francis de Sales. She died at Moulins A.D. 1641."
Lesson: From the Book of Proverbs, 31:10-31.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, 19:3-12.
Wednesday, 22 August, 2007
The Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (II)
"Mary began her journey along the road to perfection at a height to which other Saints arrived only at the end of a long life of saintliness. In all other children of Adam original sin prevented the divine generosity from having a free course. But Mary was created immaculate, and therefore the grace of God streamed into her soul without check or hindrance. Her sinlessness, her heavenly purity, directed every action, every movement to God. Her heart was the pattern and model of all virtues, of all purity! 'Blessed are the pure in heart!'"
Lesson: From the Book of Ecclesiasticus, 24: 23-31.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. John, 19:25-27.
Sts. Timothy, Hippolytus & Symphorian, Martyrs (Comm.)
"These martyrs though commemorated together suffered in different persecutions, Timothy under Maximian, Bishop Hippolytus under Alexander, and the youth Symphorian under Aurelian."
Thursday, 23 August, 2007
St. Philip Benizi, Confessor (III)
"St. Philip was born at Florence of the noble family of Benizi. He entered the Order of the Servites as a lay brother. Ordained a priest, he was made General of the Order."
Epistle: First Letter of Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, 4:9-14.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, 1:1-16.
Friday, 24 August, 2007
St. Bartholomew, Apostle (III)
"St. Bartholomew the Apostle, whose name means: son of Tholomy, is believed to be the same as the Nathaniel whom the Master praised as the Israelite in whom there was no guile. He preached the faith in India and Armenia. He was flayed alive and beheaded A.D. 71."
Epistle: First Letter of Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, 12:27-31.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 6:12-19.
Saturday, 25 August, 2007
St. Louis IX, King, Confessor (III)
"The pious queen of France, Blanche, educated her son Louis IX to be a model for all kings in his faith, courage, and love of justice. He undertook two crusades to reconquer the Holy Land. The plague, which decimated his army in Africa, struck him down and he died at Tunis. This most Christian king reigned from 1226 to 1270."
Lesson: From the Book of Wisdom, 10:10-14.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 19:12-26.
[1] Remarks are abstracted from The Daily Missal and Liturgical Manual, from Editio Typica of the Roman Missal and Breviary, 1962
(Baronius Press Limited, London, 2004, in conjunction with the Fraternal Society of St. Peter, www.baroniuspress.com)
III. THE SEASON AFTER PENTECOST
Sunday, 19 August, 2007 (Bl 8x7)
Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost (II)
"We have been initiated into spiritual life by the Sacrament of Baptism, and strengthened, perfected, by the Sacrament of Confirmation. The Feast of Pentecost has celebrated the efficaciousness of Baptism and Confirmation: the graves and fruits given by the Holy Ghost. The Church recalls in the Liturgy today the duty of charity which derives from them." (Br 3x7)
Epistle: First Letter of Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, 3:4-9. (Bl 8x7)
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 10:23-37.
St. John Eudes, Confessor (III) (Rd 2x4)
"St. John Eudes, born in Normandy, was educated by the Jesuits. Ordained Priest, he founded the Congregation of the Priests of Jesus and Mary, called Eudists, and the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity. As preacher, writer and founder he promoted public devotion to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. He died A.D. 1680."
Lesson: From the Book of Ecclesiasticus, 31:8-11.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 12:35-40.
Monday, 20 August, 2007
St. Bernard, Abbot, Doctor of the Church (III)
"St. Bernard, born of noble Burgundian parents, was a monk of the Cistercian Order, a branch of the Benedictine Order. He became Abbot of the famous monastery of Clairvaux, which he himself had founded. The writings, sermons and letters of this great Doctor rendered invaluable services to the Church. He also preached the second crusade, and died at Clairvaux A.D. 1153."
Lesson: From the Book of Ecclesiasticus, 39:6-14.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, 5:13-19.
Tuesday, 21 August, 2007
St. Jane Francis Fremiot de Chantal, Widow (III)
"Born at Dijon, Jane Frances was a bright example as daughter, spouse, mother and widow. She founded the Order of the Visitation, guided by St. Francis de Sales. She died at Moulins A.D. 1641."
Lesson: From the Book of Proverbs, 31:10-31.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, 19:3-12.
Wednesday, 22 August, 2007
The Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (II)
"Mary began her journey along the road to perfection at a height to which other Saints arrived only at the end of a long life of saintliness. In all other children of Adam original sin prevented the divine generosity from having a free course. But Mary was created immaculate, and therefore the grace of God streamed into her soul without check or hindrance. Her sinlessness, her heavenly purity, directed every action, every movement to God. Her heart was the pattern and model of all virtues, of all purity! 'Blessed are the pure in heart!'"
Lesson: From the Book of Ecclesiasticus, 24: 23-31.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. John, 19:25-27.
Sts. Timothy, Hippolytus & Symphorian, Martyrs (Comm.)
"These martyrs though commemorated together suffered in different persecutions, Timothy under Maximian, Bishop Hippolytus under Alexander, and the youth Symphorian under Aurelian."
Thursday, 23 August, 2007
St. Philip Benizi, Confessor (III)
"St. Philip was born at Florence of the noble family of Benizi. He entered the Order of the Servites as a lay brother. Ordained a priest, he was made General of the Order."
Epistle: First Letter of Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, 4:9-14.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, 1:1-16.
Friday, 24 August, 2007
St. Bartholomew, Apostle (III)
"St. Bartholomew the Apostle, whose name means: son of Tholomy, is believed to be the same as the Nathaniel whom the Master praised as the Israelite in whom there was no guile. He preached the faith in India and Armenia. He was flayed alive and beheaded A.D. 71."
Epistle: First Letter of Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, 12:27-31.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 6:12-19.
Saturday, 25 August, 2007
St. Louis IX, King, Confessor (III)
"The pious queen of France, Blanche, educated her son Louis IX to be a model for all kings in his faith, courage, and love of justice. He undertook two crusades to reconquer the Holy Land. The plague, which decimated his army in Africa, struck him down and he died at Tunis. This most Christian king reigned from 1226 to 1270."
Lesson: From the Book of Wisdom, 10:10-14.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 19:12-26.
[1] Remarks are abstracted from The Daily Missal and Liturgical Manual, from Editio Typica of the Roman Missal and Breviary, 1962
(Baronius Press Limited, London, 2004, in conjunction with the Fraternal Society of St. Peter, www.baroniuspress.com)
Friday, August 10, 2007
This week in CMW (Friday, 10 August, 2007)
The Sneakers Chapter 3. Maze.
Prologue: The Thrift Store
Chapter 1: Vicki
Chapter 2: Stupid pill
Chapter 3: Maze
The nurse midwife paused before opening the door to the examining room and, pulling the outpatient folder out of the little plastic box on the wall, she flipped it open and scanned the cover sheet. A little box in the upper right hand corner of the sheet was labeled, "Reason for Visit." In it was the phrase, neatly handwritten by the office secretary, "Positive pregnancy test." The midwife glanced quickly through the chart. Long time patient, no real medical problems... Pap smears, birth control pill prescription renewals. Not much else. She gave a light knock on the door, and went in.
"Hi, Vicki, I'm Marla, the nurse midwife here at the office. How're you today?"
Vicki was sitting on the exam table, legs swinging over the side. She had not been told to change into an exam gown, so she sat there in her street clothes, swinging her legs back and forth. She studied the midwife, who was older, in her forties, maybe. Her eyes moved to the woman's wedding band, and then flicked back to the woman's face. Vicki didn't remember seeing the midwife before, but then, she didn't come to the doctor's office very much.
"Hi. Okay, I guess." Vicki kept swinging her legs.
The midwife pulled up a stool. "What can I do for you today?"
Swing, swing, the legs went back and forth. Vicki studied the way her kneecaps moved up and down with the motion. Then she said abruptly, "I have a positive pregnancy test."
The midwife's hesitation was nearly imperceptible. "Right," she said, looking again at the lab report paper clipped on the inside of the chart. Her clinical instinct told her to go slowly; after all, this patient hadn't scheduled an OB intake visit, as patients usually did when they found they were pregnant. "The one we ordered for you to obtain prior to your visit is positive. It's something the front desk does, helping you get the test ahead of time, to expedite the process."
"Yeah. So, I guess that means I'm pregnant for sure."
"That's generally what it means." Marla crossed her legs, deciding how to best move the interview onto a more fruitful path. "It's good enough for us to schedule the OB intake screen, go through the question list, and set up the first OB visit. Is that," Marla spoke carefully, "what you'd like to do?"
"But, I was on the birth control pill," Vicki said, ignoring the question.
"Did you miss any?"
"No. Honest. I'm really good about it. I didn't want to get pregnant."
Now we're getting somewhere, thought the midwife, mindful of the complexity of the emerging problem as well as the limited time she had to discuss it. Aloud, she said, "Birth control pills do fail from time to time. Any form of contraception can, even if practiced perfectly. What is it you'd like to do, now that you're pregnant?" Often the direct approach was the best.
"I don't know."
Bingo. Marla sat quietly in the silent room, an open, friendly expression on her face. After a pause, Vicki continued.
"I really don't know. I'm not married, I can't afford a baby, my boyfriend doesn't want it. He said..." Vicki stopped swinging her feet. She had become aware that she was banging her heels against the metal side of the table. "He said I should get an abortion."
Marla let the word hang in the air, dissipating through the room for a few seconds. Then she asked, "Is that what you want to do?"
Vicki just stared. The midwife continued gently. "Vicki, I understand your problem. It's not that uncommon, you know. You really have three choices. You could have the baby, and raise it yourself. You could have the baby, and put it up for adoption. We can put you in touch with agencies that would assist in that. Or, you could have an abortion."
"I don't know if I could put my baby up for adoption."
"Many young women in your position say that. Paradoxically," Marla continued gently and carefully, "sometimes the same young woman in a hard situation like yours who says she wouldn't put her baby up for adoption because she thinks it would be cruel, does choose to go through with an abortion."
Vicki thought about that for a moment. Her eyes were damp, glistening, but no tears came. She looked at Marla. "I guess that doesn't make much sense, does it?"
"No, it doesn't. Leastways, not to me. Vicki, do you want an abortion?"
"I... no. No, I don't want an abortion. You're right, it doesn't make sense. I don't see how I could part with my baby, put it up for adoption. It would be so hard for me. But, it would be the right thing to do, if... if the choice was that or abortion." Vicki gave a little nervous giggle. "I've been thinking about this. I really have. I even came in here mostly to ask for a referral, you know, to find out where to go to get one. An abortion, I mean. But every time I tell myself that's what I intend to do, I just... I just know that's the wrong thing to do. I just know it," she repeated. "It presses on my heart."
"Vicki," Marla leaned forward, "it's okay to want to keep your baby. That's a good thing, not a bad thing. I'm certainly not going to talk you out of it. But we need to discuss a few things. It will be hard, being pregnant, a single mom. Do you have any family here?"
Vicki shook her head. "No. I grew up here. But my folks are divorced, they've both moved out of state. I dunno why I stayed, I guess I just like it here."
"No brothers or sisters? Uncles or aunts?"
"No. Just me."
"How about your boyfriend?"
"He's the one who said I should have the abortion. I... " Vicki made an empty gesture with her hands. "I don't think he's gonna want to help very much. We're not very close. I don't know. I guess I don't know a lot of stuff." She gave another nervous little laugh.
"Where do you live?"
"With him. Up on 116. But... I think I'm going to be moving out."
"Where?"
"I dunno." Vicki had been looking at the floor; she suddenly looked up and smiled, but a genuine, gently mirthful smile. "Like I said, I guess I don't know a lot of stuff." Then, without really thinking about it, she blurted out, "Marla, do you think I should have an abortion?" Why am I asking her this? She's a complete stranger. But then, maybe it's okay. She's a doctor, after all, or a nurse midwife. Vicki wasn't real sure of the difference, but figured it didn't matter much.
Marla smiled back. "Vicki, I'm not supposed to make a recommendation one way or the other. I don't know about the legalities of it, but I know that the policy of this office is we're supposed to be neutral, and help with whatever choice you make. I'll tell you this, though." She looked slyly at Vicki. "I'm about to be a grandmother."
"You? You don't look that old. I mean..." Vicki looked a little embarrassed.
"That's alright. And, y' know, one's definition of old changes as one gets older." Marla thought about this for a moment. "Anyway, I'm about to be a grandmother, and my daughter - she's back in Massachusetts where we came from, my husband and I moved up here not too long ago after he retired - she's not much older than you."
"Well, that's nice. Congratulations." Vicki gave a little shrug, and looked at the floor. Why is she telling me this? I could care less.
"Vicki." Vicki looked up. Marla was still smiling slightly. "Vicki, I'm very thankful my daughter is having her baby, even though she's not married." Vicki raised her eyes. "Sure, I raised her to not fool around before marriage, my husband and I are pretty old fashioned that way. But she did, and now she's pregnant. You know what she told me, Vicki?"
Vicki shrugged, but she was listening.
"She told me she was sorry she made a mistake. But, she wasn't going to make the mistake worse, that she wasn't going to punish her child for the mistake she made by killing it. That's exactly what she told me"
"What's she gonna do?"
"We're not sure yet. She hasn't ruled out the possibility of adoption. She's just not sure yet. But, she says she knows she's not going to have an abortion, and the farther she's gone in her pregnancy, she more sure she's become."
"That's how I feel. The more I think about this, the surer I become. I just can't bring myself to have the abortion, even though it seems like it's the easier way. Having the baby is so frightening. I feel like I'm so alone." Vicki sighed. "I don't feel like I'm getting anywhere with this."
"That's because you're undecided as to what you want to do. I know it's a hard decision, and things seem pretty overwhelming right now. And, from what you've told me, you are pretty much alone. You're being realistic."
Vicki gave a wry little laugh. "So, being realistic, I should have the abortion, and get on with my life."
"No," Marla shook her head. "No, that's not what I mean at all. I mean this: you have a new life growing inside of you. You are responsible for that life." The midwife thought for a moment about her employer's "neutrality" policy. Well, she thought, it's not very specific. "You have some difficult decisions to make, decisions about the fate of that new life. You need to face your reality, Vicki. That's not the same thing as saying you should have an abortion."
Vicki contemplated the cracks in the linoleum. Her legs started swinging.
Marla spoke softly. "You don't need to make this decision today. Vicki, do you pray? Do you go to church?"
"Naw. My folks weren't religious."
For a moment Vicki thought she saw something pass across Marla's face. Sadness?
"Well, you need to think about things really carefully. You have time. If you decide to keep the child, we can follow your pregnancy here if you want, and when it comes time for you to have the baby, I or Dr. Marden will deliver you. If you are thinking about adoption, we can discuss that, and put you in touch with some agencies that can tell you more about it. If you decide to abort the baby," the midwife's tone was neutral, "we can tell you where to go to do that. But Vicki," Marla looked at Vicki with kindness and a hint of sadness in her eyes, "I hope you keep the baby."
Vicki was silent for a moment. Then she slid off the table. She looked at Marla again. "Thank you," was all she said, and then she left the room
Return to Contents
Return to CMW
Copyright 2007 Timothy P. Collins
All rights reserved.
Chapter 1: Vicki
Chapter 2: Stupid pill
Chapter 3: Maze
The nurse midwife paused before opening the door to the examining room and, pulling the outpatient folder out of the little plastic box on the wall, she flipped it open and scanned the cover sheet. A little box in the upper right hand corner of the sheet was labeled, "Reason for Visit." In it was the phrase, neatly handwritten by the office secretary, "Positive pregnancy test." The midwife glanced quickly through the chart. Long time patient, no real medical problems... Pap smears, birth control pill prescription renewals. Not much else. She gave a light knock on the door, and went in.
"Hi, Vicki, I'm Marla, the nurse midwife here at the office. How're you today?"
Vicki was sitting on the exam table, legs swinging over the side. She had not been told to change into an exam gown, so she sat there in her street clothes, swinging her legs back and forth. She studied the midwife, who was older, in her forties, maybe. Her eyes moved to the woman's wedding band, and then flicked back to the woman's face. Vicki didn't remember seeing the midwife before, but then, she didn't come to the doctor's office very much.
"Hi. Okay, I guess." Vicki kept swinging her legs.
The midwife pulled up a stool. "What can I do for you today?"
Swing, swing, the legs went back and forth. Vicki studied the way her kneecaps moved up and down with the motion. Then she said abruptly, "I have a positive pregnancy test."
The midwife's hesitation was nearly imperceptible. "Right," she said, looking again at the lab report paper clipped on the inside of the chart. Her clinical instinct told her to go slowly; after all, this patient hadn't scheduled an OB intake visit, as patients usually did when they found they were pregnant. "The one we ordered for you to obtain prior to your visit is positive. It's something the front desk does, helping you get the test ahead of time, to expedite the process."
"Yeah. So, I guess that means I'm pregnant for sure."
"That's generally what it means." Marla crossed her legs, deciding how to best move the interview onto a more fruitful path. "It's good enough for us to schedule the OB intake screen, go through the question list, and set up the first OB visit. Is that," Marla spoke carefully, "what you'd like to do?"
"But, I was on the birth control pill," Vicki said, ignoring the question.
"Did you miss any?"
"No. Honest. I'm really good about it. I didn't want to get pregnant."
Now we're getting somewhere, thought the midwife, mindful of the complexity of the emerging problem as well as the limited time she had to discuss it. Aloud, she said, "Birth control pills do fail from time to time. Any form of contraception can, even if practiced perfectly. What is it you'd like to do, now that you're pregnant?" Often the direct approach was the best.
"I don't know."
Bingo. Marla sat quietly in the silent room, an open, friendly expression on her face. After a pause, Vicki continued.
"I really don't know. I'm not married, I can't afford a baby, my boyfriend doesn't want it. He said..." Vicki stopped swinging her feet. She had become aware that she was banging her heels against the metal side of the table. "He said I should get an abortion."
Marla let the word hang in the air, dissipating through the room for a few seconds. Then she asked, "Is that what you want to do?"
Vicki just stared. The midwife continued gently. "Vicki, I understand your problem. It's not that uncommon, you know. You really have three choices. You could have the baby, and raise it yourself. You could have the baby, and put it up for adoption. We can put you in touch with agencies that would assist in that. Or, you could have an abortion."
"I don't know if I could put my baby up for adoption."
"Many young women in your position say that. Paradoxically," Marla continued gently and carefully, "sometimes the same young woman in a hard situation like yours who says she wouldn't put her baby up for adoption because she thinks it would be cruel, does choose to go through with an abortion."
Vicki thought about that for a moment. Her eyes were damp, glistening, but no tears came. She looked at Marla. "I guess that doesn't make much sense, does it?"
"No, it doesn't. Leastways, not to me. Vicki, do you want an abortion?"
"I... no. No, I don't want an abortion. You're right, it doesn't make sense. I don't see how I could part with my baby, put it up for adoption. It would be so hard for me. But, it would be the right thing to do, if... if the choice was that or abortion." Vicki gave a little nervous giggle. "I've been thinking about this. I really have. I even came in here mostly to ask for a referral, you know, to find out where to go to get one. An abortion, I mean. But every time I tell myself that's what I intend to do, I just... I just know that's the wrong thing to do. I just know it," she repeated. "It presses on my heart."
"Vicki," Marla leaned forward, "it's okay to want to keep your baby. That's a good thing, not a bad thing. I'm certainly not going to talk you out of it. But we need to discuss a few things. It will be hard, being pregnant, a single mom. Do you have any family here?"
Vicki shook her head. "No. I grew up here. But my folks are divorced, they've both moved out of state. I dunno why I stayed, I guess I just like it here."
"No brothers or sisters? Uncles or aunts?"
"No. Just me."
"How about your boyfriend?"
"He's the one who said I should have the abortion. I... " Vicki made an empty gesture with her hands. "I don't think he's gonna want to help very much. We're not very close. I don't know. I guess I don't know a lot of stuff." She gave another nervous little laugh.
"Where do you live?"
"With him. Up on 116. But... I think I'm going to be moving out."
"Where?"
"I dunno." Vicki had been looking at the floor; she suddenly looked up and smiled, but a genuine, gently mirthful smile. "Like I said, I guess I don't know a lot of stuff." Then, without really thinking about it, she blurted out, "Marla, do you think I should have an abortion?" Why am I asking her this? She's a complete stranger. But then, maybe it's okay. She's a doctor, after all, or a nurse midwife. Vicki wasn't real sure of the difference, but figured it didn't matter much.
Marla smiled back. "Vicki, I'm not supposed to make a recommendation one way or the other. I don't know about the legalities of it, but I know that the policy of this office is we're supposed to be neutral, and help with whatever choice you make. I'll tell you this, though." She looked slyly at Vicki. "I'm about to be a grandmother."
"You? You don't look that old. I mean..." Vicki looked a little embarrassed.
"That's alright. And, y' know, one's definition of old changes as one gets older." Marla thought about this for a moment. "Anyway, I'm about to be a grandmother, and my daughter - she's back in Massachusetts where we came from, my husband and I moved up here not too long ago after he retired - she's not much older than you."
"Well, that's nice. Congratulations." Vicki gave a little shrug, and looked at the floor. Why is she telling me this? I could care less.
"Vicki." Vicki looked up. Marla was still smiling slightly. "Vicki, I'm very thankful my daughter is having her baby, even though she's not married." Vicki raised her eyes. "Sure, I raised her to not fool around before marriage, my husband and I are pretty old fashioned that way. But she did, and now she's pregnant. You know what she told me, Vicki?"
Vicki shrugged, but she was listening.
"She told me she was sorry she made a mistake. But, she wasn't going to make the mistake worse, that she wasn't going to punish her child for the mistake she made by killing it. That's exactly what she told me"
"What's she gonna do?"
"We're not sure yet. She hasn't ruled out the possibility of adoption. She's just not sure yet. But, she says she knows she's not going to have an abortion, and the farther she's gone in her pregnancy, she more sure she's become."
"That's how I feel. The more I think about this, the surer I become. I just can't bring myself to have the abortion, even though it seems like it's the easier way. Having the baby is so frightening. I feel like I'm so alone." Vicki sighed. "I don't feel like I'm getting anywhere with this."
"That's because you're undecided as to what you want to do. I know it's a hard decision, and things seem pretty overwhelming right now. And, from what you've told me, you are pretty much alone. You're being realistic."
Vicki gave a wry little laugh. "So, being realistic, I should have the abortion, and get on with my life."
"No," Marla shook her head. "No, that's not what I mean at all. I mean this: you have a new life growing inside of you. You are responsible for that life." The midwife thought for a moment about her employer's "neutrality" policy. Well, she thought, it's not very specific. "You have some difficult decisions to make, decisions about the fate of that new life. You need to face your reality, Vicki. That's not the same thing as saying you should have an abortion."
Vicki contemplated the cracks in the linoleum. Her legs started swinging.
Marla spoke softly. "You don't need to make this decision today. Vicki, do you pray? Do you go to church?"
"Naw. My folks weren't religious."
For a moment Vicki thought she saw something pass across Marla's face. Sadness?
"Well, you need to think about things really carefully. You have time. If you decide to keep the child, we can follow your pregnancy here if you want, and when it comes time for you to have the baby, I or Dr. Marden will deliver you. If you are thinking about adoption, we can discuss that, and put you in touch with some agencies that can tell you more about it. If you decide to abort the baby," the midwife's tone was neutral, "we can tell you where to go to do that. But Vicki," Marla looked at Vicki with kindness and a hint of sadness in her eyes, "I hope you keep the baby."
Vicki was silent for a moment. Then she slid off the table. She looked at Marla again. "Thank you," was all she said, and then she left the room
Return to Contents
Return to CMW
Copyright 2007 Timothy P. Collins
All rights reserved.
Feast days of the week 12-18 August, A.D. 2007 (1962 liturgical calendar).
SECOND PART OF THE LITURGICAL YEAR: THE EASTER CYCLE (MYSTERY OF THE REDEMPTION). [1]
III. THE SEASON AFTER PENTECOST
Sunday, 12 August, 2007
Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost (II)
"The Church puts her hope in God from whom she receives her help. Our Lord has healed the wounds of mankind and has given us strength. Infinite charity and mercy of God."
Epistle: First Letter of Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, 15:1-10.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Mark, 7:31-37.
St. Clare, Virgin (III)
"St. Clare of Assisi expressed to St. Francis the desire to consecrate herself to God. Together with him, she became the foundress of the Franciscan Nuns of the Second Order: the 'Poor Clares'. She governed her convent for forty-two years, and died A.D. 1253."
Epistle: Second Letter of Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, 10:17-18; 11:1-2.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, 25:1-13.
Monday, 13 August, 2007
Ferial (IV)
Epistle: First Letter of Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, 15:1-10.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Mark, 7:31-37.
Sts. Hippolytus and Csssian, Martyrs (Comm.)
"Hippolytus, guardian of St. Laurence, was converted and baptised by the Saint. He was tied by the legs to wild horses, A.D. 260.
St. Cassian, a schoolmaster at Imola, was pierced to death by his pagan pupils, armed with styluses A.D. 320. He is the patron of stenographers."
Epistle: Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews, 10:32-38.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 12:1-8.
Tuesday, 14 August, 2007
Day of fast (traditional)
The Vigil of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (II)
"The Liturgy of the Mass celebrated on this day is a fitting preparation for tomorrow's ancient and solemn Feast of our Lady."
Lesson: From the Book of Ecclesiasticus, 24:23-31.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 11:27-28.
St. Eusebius, Confessor (Comm.)
"St. Eusebius was a priest of Rome, distinguished for his zeal against the Arians of the fourth century. He was imprisoned by order of the Emperor Constantine, and died in prison."
Wednesday, 15 August, 2007
Holy Day of Obligation
THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY (I)
"Mary was cared for by St. John for twelve years after our Lord's Resurrection. Her life was spent helping the Apostles and in praying for the conversion of the world. On the third day after Mary's death, when the Apostles gathered around her tomb, they found it empty. The sacred body had been carried up to the celestial paradise. Jesus Himself came to conduct her thither; the whole court of heaven came to welcome with songs of triumph the Mother of the Divine Word."
Lesson: From the Book of Judith, 13:22-25; 15:10.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 1:41-50.
Thursday, 16 August, 2007
St. Joachim, Confessor, Father of the Blessed Virgin Mary (II)
"The holy Patriarch St. Joachim was the husband of St. Anne, and the father of our Lady. This feast, originally kept on March 20, was transferred to the day following the Assumption, in order to associate the Blessed Daughter and her holy father in triumph."
Lesson: From the Book of Ecclesiasticus, 31:8-11.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, 1:1-16.
Friday, 17 August, 2007
St. Hyacinth, Confessor (II)
"Hyacinth Ronski, a Pole, was originally a canon of the Cathedral of Cracow. Having gone to Rome, he became acquainted with St. Dominic and was admitted to the Order of the Friars Preachers by the holy Founder himself. He laboured for the establishment of the Order in Poland and died A.D. 1257."
Lesson: From the Book of Ecclesiasticus, 31:8-11.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 12:35-40.
Saturday, 18 August, 2007
Our Lady of Saturdays (IV)
Lesson: From the Book of Ecclesiasticus, 24:14-16.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 11:27-28.
St. Agapitus, Martyr (Comm.)
"St. Agapitus, when only fifteen years old, endured many cruel tortures, and was beheaded at Praeneste in Italy A.D. 275."
Epistle: Second Letter of Bl. Paul the Apostle to Timothy, 2:8-10; 3:10-12.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, 10:26-32.
[1] Remarks are abstracted from The Daily Missal and Liturgical Manual, from Editio Typica of the Roman Missal and Breviary, 1962
(Baronius Press Limited, London, 2004, in conjunction with the Fraternal Society of St. Peter, www.baroniuspress.com)
III. THE SEASON AFTER PENTECOST
Sunday, 12 August, 2007
Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost (II)
"The Church puts her hope in God from whom she receives her help. Our Lord has healed the wounds of mankind and has given us strength. Infinite charity and mercy of God."
Epistle: First Letter of Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, 15:1-10.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Mark, 7:31-37.
St. Clare, Virgin (III)
"St. Clare of Assisi expressed to St. Francis the desire to consecrate herself to God. Together with him, she became the foundress of the Franciscan Nuns of the Second Order: the 'Poor Clares'. She governed her convent for forty-two years, and died A.D. 1253."
Epistle: Second Letter of Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, 10:17-18; 11:1-2.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, 25:1-13.
Monday, 13 August, 2007
Ferial (IV)
Epistle: First Letter of Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, 15:1-10.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Mark, 7:31-37.
Sts. Hippolytus and Csssian, Martyrs (Comm.)
"Hippolytus, guardian of St. Laurence, was converted and baptised by the Saint. He was tied by the legs to wild horses, A.D. 260.
St. Cassian, a schoolmaster at Imola, was pierced to death by his pagan pupils, armed with styluses A.D. 320. He is the patron of stenographers."
Epistle: Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews, 10:32-38.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 12:1-8.
Tuesday, 14 August, 2007
Day of fast (traditional)
The Vigil of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (II)
"The Liturgy of the Mass celebrated on this day is a fitting preparation for tomorrow's ancient and solemn Feast of our Lady."
Lesson: From the Book of Ecclesiasticus, 24:23-31.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 11:27-28.
St. Eusebius, Confessor (Comm.)
"St. Eusebius was a priest of Rome, distinguished for his zeal against the Arians of the fourth century. He was imprisoned by order of the Emperor Constantine, and died in prison."
Wednesday, 15 August, 2007
Holy Day of Obligation
THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY (I)
"Mary was cared for by St. John for twelve years after our Lord's Resurrection. Her life was spent helping the Apostles and in praying for the conversion of the world. On the third day after Mary's death, when the Apostles gathered around her tomb, they found it empty. The sacred body had been carried up to the celestial paradise. Jesus Himself came to conduct her thither; the whole court of heaven came to welcome with songs of triumph the Mother of the Divine Word."
Lesson: From the Book of Judith, 13:22-25; 15:10.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 1:41-50.
Thursday, 16 August, 2007
St. Joachim, Confessor, Father of the Blessed Virgin Mary (II)
"The holy Patriarch St. Joachim was the husband of St. Anne, and the father of our Lady. This feast, originally kept on March 20, was transferred to the day following the Assumption, in order to associate the Blessed Daughter and her holy father in triumph."
Lesson: From the Book of Ecclesiasticus, 31:8-11.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, 1:1-16.
Friday, 17 August, 2007
St. Hyacinth, Confessor (II)
"Hyacinth Ronski, a Pole, was originally a canon of the Cathedral of Cracow. Having gone to Rome, he became acquainted with St. Dominic and was admitted to the Order of the Friars Preachers by the holy Founder himself. He laboured for the establishment of the Order in Poland and died A.D. 1257."
Lesson: From the Book of Ecclesiasticus, 31:8-11.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 12:35-40.
Saturday, 18 August, 2007
Our Lady of Saturdays (IV)
Lesson: From the Book of Ecclesiasticus, 24:14-16.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 11:27-28.
St. Agapitus, Martyr (Comm.)
"St. Agapitus, when only fifteen years old, endured many cruel tortures, and was beheaded at Praeneste in Italy A.D. 275."
Epistle: Second Letter of Bl. Paul the Apostle to Timothy, 2:8-10; 3:10-12.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, 10:26-32.
[1] Remarks are abstracted from The Daily Missal and Liturgical Manual, from Editio Typica of the Roman Missal and Breviary, 1962
(Baronius Press Limited, London, 2004, in conjunction with the Fraternal Society of St. Peter, www.baroniuspress.com)
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Friday, August 03, 2007
Two new sites!
New to me, ayway, although both have been around for awhile. Fish Eaters is a source of balanced, complete information on everthing related to Tradition that I can think of, and makes my puny efforts look, well, puny.
The Lion and the Cardinal has amazing artwork done by the author, and has much information as well.
The Lion and the Cardinal has amazing artwork done by the author, and has much information as well.
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Feast days of the week 5-11 August, A.D. 2007 (1962 liturgical calendar).
SECOND PART OF THE LITURGICAL YEAR: THE EASTER CYCLE (MYSTERY OF THE REDEMPTION).[1]
III. THE SEASON AFTER PENTECOST
Sunday, 5 August, 2007
Tenth Sunday after Pentecost (II)
"The Church gives us today a true notion of Christian humility. The Liturgy reminds us that the humble soul is pleased to recognize its nothingness; only on this condition (and the soul knows it), will the virtue of our Lord Jesus Christ dwell in us."
Epistle: First Letter of Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, 12:2-11.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 18:9-14.
The Dedication of the Church of St. Mary of the Snows (III)
"This Basilica of Our Lady of the Snows, called also St. Mary Major, was built on the Esquiline at Rome by St. Liberius, Pope from 352 to 366. Popular tradition relates that the site was traced out by a miraculous fall of snow on this date, which is that of the Church's dedication."
Lesson: From the Book of Ecclesiasticus, 24:14-16.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 11:27-28.
Monday, 6 August, 2007
The Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ (II)
"The Gospel of this Mass gives a full description of the wonderful Transfiguration of Our Lord on Mount Thabor."
Epistle: Second Letter of Blessed Peter the Apostle, 1:16-19.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, 17:1-9.
St. Sixtus II, Pope, Martyr
Sts. Felicissimus and Agapitus, Martyrs (Comm.)
"St. Sixtus (or Xystus) II and two of his deacons, St. Felicissimus and St. Agapitus, were martyred during the persecution of Decius A.D. 258."
Lesson: From the Book of Wisdom, 5:16-20.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 6:17-23.
Tuesday, 7 August, 2007
St. Cajetan, Confessor (III)
"St. Cajetan founded the Order of Theatines, who endeavoured to imitate the Apostles in absolute poverty, trusting alone in the divine Providence. The 'Hunter of souls' as he was called, died in A.D. 1547, after a life of extraordinary austerity and mystical experiences."
Lesson: From the Book of Ecclesiasticus, 31:8-11.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, 6:24-33.
St. Donatus, Bishop, Martyr (Comm.)
"St. Donatus, Bishop of Arezzo, in Tuscany, was beheaded under the Emperor Julian the Apostate A.D. 361."
Epistle: A Reading from Blessed James the Apostle, 1:2-12.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Mark, 13:33-37.
Wednesday, 8 August, 2007
St. John Mary Vianney, Confessor (III)
"The Cure d'Ars was born at Dardilly, near Lyons, in 1786. The sanctity of St. John Vianney gives the obscure village Ars a universal fame. As parish priest he converted sinners and directed souls, not only those of his own flock, but people of all nations and conditions who came to consult this Spiritual Director. He died on August 4, A.D. 1859, and was canonised A.D. 1925."
Lesson: From the Book of Ecclesiasticus, 31:8-11.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 12:35-40.
Sts. Cyriacus, Largus and Smaragdus, Martyrs (Comm.)
"St. Cyriacus, Deacon, and his two companions, Largus and Smaragdus, were put to death in the persecution of Diocletian A.D. 303."
Epistle: From the First Letter of Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians, 2:13-16.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Mark, 16:15-18.
Thursday, 9 August, 2007
Vigil of St. Laurence, Martyr (III)
"St. Laurence, Deacon, is one of the most famous Martyrs of the innumerable Roman persecutions. Uniquely among the feasts of the second class he has a vigil Mass."
Lesson: From the Book of Ecclesiasticus, 51:1-8.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, 16:24-27.
St. Romanus, Martyr (Comm.)
"St. Romanus, a Roman soldier, converted by St. Laurence, was cruelly beaten, and beheaded A.D. 261."
Friday, 10 August, 2007
St. Laurence, Martyr (II)
"St. Laurence was a deacon of St. Sixtus II, Pope and Martyr. When the prefect of Rome arrested him, he distributed the possessions of the Church to the poor to save them from confiscation. He was slowly roasted to death on a gridiron A.D. 258."
Epistle: Second Letter of Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, 9:6-10.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. John, 12:24-26.
Saturday, 11 August, 2007
Our Lady of Saturdays (IV)
Lesson: From the Book of Ecclesiasticus, 24:14-16.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 11:27-28.
St. Tiburtius, Martyr
St. Susanna, Virgin, Martyr (Comm.)
"The Roman deacon Tiburtius, son of the prefect of Rome, was beheaded after suffering many cruel torments A.D. 286.
Susanna, a holy virgin of high lineage, refused to marry the son of Diocletian, and was beheaded after grievous torments A.D. 295."
Epistle: Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews, 11:33-39.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 6:17-23.
[1] Remarks are abstracted from The Daily Missal and Liturgical Manual, from Editio Typica of the Roman Missal and Breviary, 1962
(Baronius Press Limited, London, 2004, in conjunction with the Fraternal Society of St. Peter, www.baroniuspress.com)
III. THE SEASON AFTER PENTECOST
Sunday, 5 August, 2007
Tenth Sunday after Pentecost (II)
"The Church gives us today a true notion of Christian humility. The Liturgy reminds us that the humble soul is pleased to recognize its nothingness; only on this condition (and the soul knows it), will the virtue of our Lord Jesus Christ dwell in us."
Epistle: First Letter of Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, 12:2-11.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 18:9-14.
The Dedication of the Church of St. Mary of the Snows (III)
"This Basilica of Our Lady of the Snows, called also St. Mary Major, was built on the Esquiline at Rome by St. Liberius, Pope from 352 to 366. Popular tradition relates that the site was traced out by a miraculous fall of snow on this date, which is that of the Church's dedication."
Lesson: From the Book of Ecclesiasticus, 24:14-16.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 11:27-28.
Monday, 6 August, 2007
The Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ (II)
"The Gospel of this Mass gives a full description of the wonderful Transfiguration of Our Lord on Mount Thabor."
Epistle: Second Letter of Blessed Peter the Apostle, 1:16-19.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, 17:1-9.
St. Sixtus II, Pope, Martyr
Sts. Felicissimus and Agapitus, Martyrs (Comm.)
"St. Sixtus (or Xystus) II and two of his deacons, St. Felicissimus and St. Agapitus, were martyred during the persecution of Decius A.D. 258."
Lesson: From the Book of Wisdom, 5:16-20.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 6:17-23.
Tuesday, 7 August, 2007
St. Cajetan, Confessor (III)
"St. Cajetan founded the Order of Theatines, who endeavoured to imitate the Apostles in absolute poverty, trusting alone in the divine Providence. The 'Hunter of souls' as he was called, died in A.D. 1547, after a life of extraordinary austerity and mystical experiences."
Lesson: From the Book of Ecclesiasticus, 31:8-11.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, 6:24-33.
St. Donatus, Bishop, Martyr (Comm.)
"St. Donatus, Bishop of Arezzo, in Tuscany, was beheaded under the Emperor Julian the Apostate A.D. 361."
Epistle: A Reading from Blessed James the Apostle, 1:2-12.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Mark, 13:33-37.
Wednesday, 8 August, 2007
St. John Mary Vianney, Confessor (III)
"The Cure d'Ars was born at Dardilly, near Lyons, in 1786. The sanctity of St. John Vianney gives the obscure village Ars a universal fame. As parish priest he converted sinners and directed souls, not only those of his own flock, but people of all nations and conditions who came to consult this Spiritual Director. He died on August 4, A.D. 1859, and was canonised A.D. 1925."
Lesson: From the Book of Ecclesiasticus, 31:8-11.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 12:35-40.
Sts. Cyriacus, Largus and Smaragdus, Martyrs (Comm.)
"St. Cyriacus, Deacon, and his two companions, Largus and Smaragdus, were put to death in the persecution of Diocletian A.D. 303."
Epistle: From the First Letter of Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians, 2:13-16.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Mark, 16:15-18.
Thursday, 9 August, 2007
Vigil of St. Laurence, Martyr (III)
"St. Laurence, Deacon, is one of the most famous Martyrs of the innumerable Roman persecutions. Uniquely among the feasts of the second class he has a vigil Mass."
Lesson: From the Book of Ecclesiasticus, 51:1-8.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, 16:24-27.
St. Romanus, Martyr (Comm.)
"St. Romanus, a Roman soldier, converted by St. Laurence, was cruelly beaten, and beheaded A.D. 261."
Friday, 10 August, 2007
St. Laurence, Martyr (II)
"St. Laurence was a deacon of St. Sixtus II, Pope and Martyr. When the prefect of Rome arrested him, he distributed the possessions of the Church to the poor to save them from confiscation. He was slowly roasted to death on a gridiron A.D. 258."
Epistle: Second Letter of Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, 9:6-10.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. John, 12:24-26.
Saturday, 11 August, 2007
Our Lady of Saturdays (IV)
Lesson: From the Book of Ecclesiasticus, 24:14-16.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 11:27-28.
St. Tiburtius, Martyr
St. Susanna, Virgin, Martyr (Comm.)
"The Roman deacon Tiburtius, son of the prefect of Rome, was beheaded after suffering many cruel torments A.D. 286.
Susanna, a holy virgin of high lineage, refused to marry the son of Diocletian, and was beheaded after grievous torments A.D. 295."
Epistle: Bl. Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews, 11:33-39.
Gospel: Continuation of the holy Gospel according to St. Luke, 6:17-23.
[1] Remarks are abstracted from The Daily Missal and Liturgical Manual, from Editio Typica of the Roman Missal and Breviary, 1962
(Baronius Press Limited, London, 2004, in conjunction with the Fraternal Society of St. Peter, www.baroniuspress.com)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)