Is it Ice or Salt?

Scientists are puzzled by the mysterious white substance shown in photos sent back by the Mars lander. Is it ice or salt? Perhaps they shouldn't be puzzled. Maybe it's both---ice and salt. Maybe someone there just made homemade ice cream.

William F. Buckley Jr. Dies

Conservative columnist William F. Buckley Jr. died today at 82. You can read about it here.

Cats that Glow in the Dark?

And now, a useful new scientific breakthrough---Glow in the Dark cats. Can't find your cat at night? No problem with these new kitties. Read about it here.

If you teach the Faith, you can’t be a clown

"If you teach the Faith, you can’t be a clown, says Pope Benedict... Who educates in the faith," he continued, "cannot run to the risk of appearing like a clown who plays a role, ..."

Case in Point. Read about it . Photo courtesy of Cathcon.

Light Show

New lighting system for a church? A 60's Light Show? You decide. The photo came from here.

Emerald City Youth

Emerald City Youth don their green sunglasses to avoid being dazzled by the brilliance of the Emerald City itself. The picture actually came from here.

Transformer Perishes

Looks like Megatron suffered another defeat as a transformer exploded and burned. It is fortunate that this Decepticon was not able to wreak his havoc on the City of Houston. Fortunately we were spared this time. You can read about it here.

All Saints Day

Today we honor those who have gone before us into Eternal Life having lived lives of heroic virtue. These are the saints.

Honoring the Dalai Lama

The Chinese government claims the U.S. has angered China by honoring the Dalai Lama. They see him merely as a Tibetan separatist. The real problem, the real source of their anger is not his politics, but that he has a certain moral authority and the Chinese government doesn't. Read about it here.

Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence

This is a photo of some of the attendees at mass Oct. 7th at Most Holy Redeemer parish in San Francisco. Archbishop Niederauer claims he "saw no one in mock religious garb". Perhaps one of you out there could help the good archbishop spot the "nun" in "mock religious garb". I know this is a tough one. It's possible that the person in mock religious garb is out of range of the camera, perhaps to the right or left of the nicely-dressed couple in the center of the photo.

Road to Emmaus?

Remember the two disciples on the road to Emmaus who weren't able to recognize the resurrected Jesus until he broke bread with them? Well, take a look at this representation of Emmaus in this window and see if you can recognize any of them. Or maybe this is supposed to be just the road. Photo from Cathcon.

Stick Figure School of Art

Now I ask you---does this crucifix really help you to meditate on the human or divine nature of Jesus? Photo courtesy of Cathcon.

Guardian Angels

Today is the feast day of the Guardian Angels. It's a good day to show gratitude for all the help and guidance our guardian angels have provided for us. Also a good day to say the prayer you may have learned as a child:
Angel of God, my guardian dear,
To whom God's love commits me here.
Ever this day be at my side
To light, to guard, to rule, and guide. Amen.

Have Wand, Will Wander

Just in case you missed the Pagan Pride Day, here is a link to the article. Just click your mouse pointer on the link. Or touch your wand to it.

Mumbling in Latin

Mumbling in Latin serves no purpose. Thus said Bishop Nogaro, upon canceling the planned mass from the 1962 Roman missal at the Shrine of St. Anne. The bishop wanted people to "pray properly", since "to mumble in Latin serves no purpose". Well, too bad the good bishop wasn't around for the benighted, past 1500 years of the church, when clergy went around "mumbling in Latin". He could have taught them all how to "pray properly". Only---what language would those proper prayers have been in? He would have had to translate them into dozens of different languages, probably hundreds of different dialects---I guess he would have been a pretty busy man! As the months stretched into years, he would have probably eventually exclaimed in frustration: this is taking too long! We need just one, agreed-upon language for the Church. My word---what a novel idea! I wonder what single language could fit that need...You can read about it here.

Mass Still Valid; Pope Still Catholic

Here is some really shocking news for you: The Latin Mass that has been in use for centuries is still valid (usually referred to now as the Extraordinary Form of the Mass). Now for more shocking news: The Catholic Church is still the True Church, and the Pope is still the Pope. You can read all about this stunning, new development here. Mark Shea points out that there are "people who have somehow gotten it into their heads that there are two Churches, pre-Vatican II and post-Vatican II." Hmmm...isn't that marked outside on the church message board? "St. Swithin's---a pre-Vatican II Church".

Stuck in Traffic

Here is part of What's Wrong with the World: Massive traffic jams. And it's getting worse. Commuters are wasting the equivalent of one to two weeks a year stuck in traffic. "Drivers waste nearly an entire work week each year sitting in traffic on the way to and from their jobs, according to a national study released Tuesday." You can read about it here.

Summorum Pontificum

Today, on the Feast of the Triumph of the Holy Cross, the Summorum Pontificum goes into effect--- Deo gratias.

Maybe She Should Consider the Bus

"A woman who went to court to pay a traffic ticket drove there in a stolen car and ended up behind bars, authorities said." She had already "...been in court less than a week before and was acquitted of possessing a stolen tag but convicted of driving without a license..." You can read about it here.

Well, at least she was going to pay her ticket!

Collyridianism encore?

"Calling it a "very grave situation," the Vatican has excommunicated members of a controversial Quebec Catholic movement, the Army of Mary, for their heretical beliefs that derive from the writings of Marie-Paule Giguère, an 86-year-old mystic who claims to be a reincarnation of the Virgin Mary....In her writings, Mme. Giguère described visions and messages she received from God, explaining that Mary, the mother of Jesus, is fully divine, and also that, as her modern incarnation, so is Mme. Giguère. Rather than the traditional Catholic Trinity - in which God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are each fully divine and part of a three-part deity - the Army of Mary now speaks of a "quinternity," including Mary and Mme. Giguère...They would say that they would not subscribe to some of the limitations that we would put on the creed." You can read about it here.

Well...isn't that what the [Nicene] Creed is for? To describe who God really is (and is not)? The "limitations" are there to make sure that we are proclaiming the Truth about who God is, and not error.