We lived in the Middle East from 2009-2013. It was not unusual for temps to get to 115-120; I was a tad bit surprised that the people who went to hadj were not prepared. I know in Qatar in extreme temperatures what work needed to be done outside was usually done by noon.
JD, I love your commentary on your children finding their vocation. When my oldest son went to college, he decided to be a history major. I told an acquaintance that, and she laughed in my face and said she made her children pick a major where they could make money. Well, the history major is now a successful history teacher who is much beloved by his students.
> she made her children pick a major where they could make money.
Interesting. Since no man can serve two masters, and must despise one, perhaps being compelled to choose this one will lead to them despising it (this is how I would write the plot if I were an author, but God comes up with better ideas than I do.)
Forcing another adult (when we're referring to an over 18 year old college student) to study what you want them to is a very strange convept to me. I guess I just value fostering independence higher than others.
You know, I almost always agree with Bridget, but not this time! hah.
My parents didn’t have the means to support me into adulthood, nor could they help much with school. They therefore told me that while I could do anything I wanted for work, I had to pick what sort of work I wanted to do first and tailor my education around it. Sure, I could major in English or history — if and only if I had concrete plans regarding how to use that degree.
This was some of the best advice they ever gave me and I’m grateful for it every day. I think that putting the work first and deciding about school based on that is definitely the right call, as sometimes going to college just for the sake of going to college turns into idolatry of class markers. Also, I now have more or less the minimum amount of debt and school necessary to perform exactly the work I love.
So while I try to be MUCH nicer about it than your friend, I am definitely with the people who roll their eyes at history majors! Although it is WONDERFUL (and lucky, to be honest) when it turns out well! And I am glad it did here. We obviously need history teachers!
But doesn't this approach devalue the love of knowledge? The joy of discovery? Life is about so much more than work. I studied abroad in college, learned a couple foreign languages, and I barely use them at all to make any money in my l life now, but I absolutely treasure those experiences looking back now as a 45 year old. They greatly have enriched my inner life and give me something more to pass on to my son.
I don’t think it does, since while the Venn diagram
of “love of knowledge and joy of discovery” does sometimes overlap with “getting a degree” I don’t think it’s a very *large* overlap.
I’m very much for the love of learning for its own sake and a life of the mind outside of work. I just don’t think higher education is the best means to that end, especially not if it leaves one with tens of thousands of dollars in debt, and *especially* especially if it leaves one with tens of thousands of dollars in debt and no good career prospects.
For instance, I decided I wanted to learn French circa 1998. I never pursued formal education beyond high school classes, but I’m conversational in French, can follow French podcasts, and can read French newspapers and modern novels (Victor Hugo and Proust are still beyond me). Because…..I just kept learning French. Because I value and love the French language.
Sometimes it is embarrassing to be part of a Church whose leaders can be so insensitive and callous. Ruffini is arguing that discontinuing the display of Rupinik’s Art art would be a premature and unfair judgment on Rupinik. He gives no credence to the voices of the victims . It escapes him these are real people with real injury. He believes the display of art takes precedence over giving solace to the victims. It is just another sad commentary on why the Church fails in its duty to be a refuge for victims of sexual abuse committed by its ordained.
Nothing will happen to Rupinik or his hideous "art" because he is protected by those in high places. Why this should be so is profoundly puzzling, but encapsulates the corruption in today's Vatican. The other puzzle is why so many institutions chose to install that "art" rather than better artists' work.
Perhaps demonstrations at sites with installations of his "art" would pique the interest of secular media and cause enough embarrassment to change his patrons' minds. But probably nothing will make a difference short of sledgehammers and whitewash.
JD I knew you were a special man of God. A father of two special needs children (angels)! I have a son with autism. May God bless you and your sweet family. I’m so happy you shared this. Sometimes being a parent of a special child can be lonely. I feel less alone now. I’m also a special education teacher at a Catholic high school. I advocate for my students and their part in the Church. God bless you
In regard to the trip to the Hajj. wouldn't it be great if all Christians could make the once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Holy Land? I think it would increase the level of faith and understanding immensely.
Joe Heschmeyer put out a very nice video called "8 Myths about Martin Luther and The Reformation" three weeks ago, and the Here I Stand quote was one of them.
Pray for those who worship a false deity. Really? Unless they are baptized, there is no salvation outside the Catholic Church! Is the Pillar now signing up for the Yabadabado agreement?
There is no salvation that is unmediated through Christ and His Church. All salvation comes through the Church. But I think Dominus Iesus makes clear that we can pray for the souls of all the dead, not knowing the state of their souls at the time of death.
Yes, pray for those who worship a false deity, perhaps ESPECIALLY for those who worship a false deity. We should not desire that anyone be damned, and if there is ever some mercy of God that he shows toward righteous people who do not know Him, then we should pray that they receive it.
This isn't a case of The Pillar signing onto kumbayah pseudo-ecumenism, it's a case of understanding "extra ecclesiastical nulla salus" as the church teaches it and not being Feeneyite heretics. Pretty simple honestly.
> Unless they are baptized, there is no salvation outside the Catholic Church!
Thus, if they are in heaven now, they are currently Catholic (putting paid to the joke about "what is inside of that big wall (in heaven?)" "oh, the Catholics; they think they are the only ones here": that's not how it works at all.) You could omit "unless they are baptized" since for the baptized it is also true that in heaven they are Catholic.
--> "Let us pray also for those who do not believe in Christ, that, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, they, too, may enter on the way of salvation. <Prayer in silence.> Almighty ever-living God, 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁, by walking before you with a sincere heart, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 and that we ourselves, being constant in mutual love and striving to understand more fully the mystery of your life, may be made more perfect witnesses to your love in the world. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
--> Let us pray, dearly beloved, to God the Father almighty, that he may cleanse the world of all errors, banish disease, drive out hunger, unlock prisons, loosen fetters, 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆, 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗶𝗹𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗺𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻, 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗸, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴. <Prayer in silence.> Almighty ever-living God, comfort of mourners, strength of all who toil, 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗰𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 come before you, that all may rejoice, because in their hour of need your mercy was at hand. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
JD your baseball story brings to mind the time I was working for the railroad right after high school. I had the pleasure of working with a conductor by the name of Roland "Rags" Guidry. He had two sons: Ron Guidry and Travis Guidry. During that time Ron won the Cy Young award and his brother (17 years younger) played for a Special Olympics team. "Rags" was equally proud of both boys. He also sold me a Ron Guidry poster which was created to benefit Special Olympics. I'll will always cherish my memories of them and the love within that family.
Ron and his family still live near Lafayette, and I believe he is an active KC member. Hopefully someone can help you get a chance to interview him. His inside baseball stories are epic...especially when told with that thick Cajun accent.
Finally, Ron once stated that when his brother was an infant, the doctors didn't give him much of a chance to live. Ron would go to church everyday after school to pray that he'd pull through.
As a bountiful country with a great many resources, it is easy to forget that the majority of the world lacks necessities like water; I will pray for those less fortunate.
BTW: I really enjoyed "Sunday School" and I hope a new season will premiere soon.
Are we going to be getting a new season of Sunday School soon? One of my favorite podcasts series
stay tuned.
We lived in the Middle East from 2009-2013. It was not unusual for temps to get to 115-120; I was a tad bit surprised that the people who went to hadj were not prepared. I know in Qatar in extreme temperatures what work needed to be done outside was usually done by noon.
many people who go are at the mercy of shady unlicensed travel brokers, who put them into very bad situations, sadly.
JD, I love your commentary on your children finding their vocation. When my oldest son went to college, he decided to be a history major. I told an acquaintance that, and she laughed in my face and said she made her children pick a major where they could make money. Well, the history major is now a successful history teacher who is much beloved by his students.
> she made her children pick a major where they could make money.
Interesting. Since no man can serve two masters, and must despise one, perhaps being compelled to choose this one will lead to them despising it (this is how I would write the plot if I were an author, but God comes up with better ideas than I do.)
Forcing another adult (when we're referring to an over 18 year old college student) to study what you want them to is a very strange convept to me. I guess I just value fostering independence higher than others.
You know, I almost always agree with Bridget, but not this time! hah.
My parents didn’t have the means to support me into adulthood, nor could they help much with school. They therefore told me that while I could do anything I wanted for work, I had to pick what sort of work I wanted to do first and tailor my education around it. Sure, I could major in English or history — if and only if I had concrete plans regarding how to use that degree.
This was some of the best advice they ever gave me and I’m grateful for it every day. I think that putting the work first and deciding about school based on that is definitely the right call, as sometimes going to college just for the sake of going to college turns into idolatry of class markers. Also, I now have more or less the minimum amount of debt and school necessary to perform exactly the work I love.
So while I try to be MUCH nicer about it than your friend, I am definitely with the people who roll their eyes at history majors! Although it is WONDERFUL (and lucky, to be honest) when it turns out well! And I am glad it did here. We obviously need history teachers!
Prudence is a virtue :)
But doesn't this approach devalue the love of knowledge? The joy of discovery? Life is about so much more than work. I studied abroad in college, learned a couple foreign languages, and I barely use them at all to make any money in my l life now, but I absolutely treasure those experiences looking back now as a 45 year old. They greatly have enriched my inner life and give me something more to pass on to my son.
I don’t think it does, since while the Venn diagram
of “love of knowledge and joy of discovery” does sometimes overlap with “getting a degree” I don’t think it’s a very *large* overlap.
I’m very much for the love of learning for its own sake and a life of the mind outside of work. I just don’t think higher education is the best means to that end, especially not if it leaves one with tens of thousands of dollars in debt, and *especially* especially if it leaves one with tens of thousands of dollars in debt and no good career prospects.
For instance, I decided I wanted to learn French circa 1998. I never pursued formal education beyond high school classes, but I’m conversational in French, can follow French podcasts, and can read French newspapers and modern novels (Victor Hugo and Proust are still beyond me). Because…..I just kept learning French. Because I value and love the French language.
That really doesn’t require 100k of debt.
JD- after watching that tortuous video I wholeheartedly agree that you must draw the line there.
Oh yes. Poor folks.
"And lately, much of my sport time is consumed by a sport I am learning to love. Working to love. Willing to love."
- Cricket?
I think you mean to put “spot” instead of “sport” here.
“…which is regarded as the holiest site in Islam, and the sport which Muslims around the world aim to face as they pray each day.“
Yes, sorry Mary Clare. I corrected it. Entirely my fault.
Sometimes it is embarrassing to be part of a Church whose leaders can be so insensitive and callous. Ruffini is arguing that discontinuing the display of Rupinik’s Art art would be a premature and unfair judgment on Rupinik. He gives no credence to the voices of the victims . It escapes him these are real people with real injury. He believes the display of art takes precedence over giving solace to the victims. It is just another sad commentary on why the Church fails in its duty to be a refuge for victims of sexual abuse committed by its ordained.
Nothing will happen to Rupinik or his hideous "art" because he is protected by those in high places. Why this should be so is profoundly puzzling, but encapsulates the corruption in today's Vatican. The other puzzle is why so many institutions chose to install that "art" rather than better artists' work.
Perhaps demonstrations at sites with installations of his "art" would pique the interest of secular media and cause enough embarrassment to change his patrons' minds. But probably nothing will make a difference short of sledgehammers and whitewash.
JD I knew you were a special man of God. A father of two special needs children (angels)! I have a son with autism. May God bless you and your sweet family. I’m so happy you shared this. Sometimes being a parent of a special child can be lonely. I feel less alone now. I’m also a special education teacher at a Catholic high school. I advocate for my students and their part in the Church. God bless you
Reine Babin
God bless you, Reine! Let's pray for each other!
I’m praying. Always send prayer requests. I love to pray for people
I've learned two new words. "Stanley" [Thermos] and "Quadrille"
Go figure.
In regard to the trip to the Hajj. wouldn't it be great if all Christians could make the once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Holy Land? I think it would increase the level of faith and understanding immensely.
I recently heard that Luther probably didn't actually say "Here I stand" at the end of his speech. but makes for good drama!
Joe Heschmeyer put out a very nice video called "8 Myths about Martin Luther and The Reformation" three weeks ago, and the Here I Stand quote was one of them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbBJCvbFRbk
THANK YOU for the reminder! We’re so spoiled.
Pray for those who worship a false deity. Really? Unless they are baptized, there is no salvation outside the Catholic Church! Is the Pillar now signing up for the Yabadabado agreement?
There is no salvation that is unmediated through Christ and His Church. All salvation comes through the Church. But I think Dominus Iesus makes clear that we can pray for the souls of all the dead, not knowing the state of their souls at the time of death.
https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20000806_dominus-iesus_en.html
Yes, pray for those who worship a false deity, perhaps ESPECIALLY for those who worship a false deity. We should not desire that anyone be damned, and if there is ever some mercy of God that he shows toward righteous people who do not know Him, then we should pray that they receive it.
This isn't a case of The Pillar signing onto kumbayah pseudo-ecumenism, it's a case of understanding "extra ecclesiastical nulla salus" as the church teaches it and not being Feeneyite heretics. Pretty simple honestly.
Pray for the conversion of those who are going to die today who are not yet in a state of grace.
> Unless they are baptized, there is no salvation outside the Catholic Church!
Thus, if they are in heaven now, they are currently Catholic (putting paid to the joke about "what is inside of that big wall (in heaven?)" "oh, the Catholics; they think they are the only ones here": that's not how it works at all.) You could omit "unless they are baptized" since for the baptized it is also true that in heaven they are Catholic.
𝗔𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆 (emphasis mine):
--> "Let us pray also for those who do not believe in Christ, that, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, they, too, may enter on the way of salvation. <Prayer in silence.> Almighty ever-living God, 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁, by walking before you with a sincere heart, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 and that we ourselves, being constant in mutual love and striving to understand more fully the mystery of your life, may be made more perfect witnesses to your love in the world. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
--> Let us pray, dearly beloved, to God the Father almighty, that he may cleanse the world of all errors, banish disease, drive out hunger, unlock prisons, loosen fetters, 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆, 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗶𝗹𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗺𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻, 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗸, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴. <Prayer in silence.> Almighty ever-living God, comfort of mourners, strength of all who toil, 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗰𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 come before you, that all may rejoice, because in their hour of need your mercy was at hand. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
JD your baseball story brings to mind the time I was working for the railroad right after high school. I had the pleasure of working with a conductor by the name of Roland "Rags" Guidry. He had two sons: Ron Guidry and Travis Guidry. During that time Ron won the Cy Young award and his brother (17 years younger) played for a Special Olympics team. "Rags" was equally proud of both boys. He also sold me a Ron Guidry poster which was created to benefit Special Olympics. I'll will always cherish my memories of them and the love within that family.
that's really beautiful.
The Guidrys are Catholics, and I kind of want to interview Ron now. Who in Louisiana can help me out?
Ron and his family still live near Lafayette, and I believe he is an active KC member. Hopefully someone can help you get a chance to interview him. His inside baseball stories are epic...especially when told with that thick Cajun accent.
Finally, Ron once stated that when his brother was an infant, the doctors didn't give him much of a chance to live. Ron would go to church everyday after school to pray that he'd pull through.
As a bountiful country with a great many resources, it is easy to forget that the majority of the world lacks necessities like water; I will pray for those less fortunate.
BTW: I really enjoyed "Sunday School" and I hope a new season will premiere soon.