H/T: bmck1
Restoring the Sacred
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Monday, October 29, 2012
Of Heroes and Cowards
From YouTube:
Published on Oct 29, 2012 by jackohoftThe father of former Navy SEAL Tyrone Woods sent this message to Barack Obama last night on Geraldo: "It's better to die a hero than live a coward."
Sunday, October 28, 2012
A New Low in Political Campaigning
This is on YouTube with the following verbiage:
When you have absolutely NO AGENDA, you're relegated to attacking your opponent, but it represents a new despicable low when you use children who have no idea what they're saying - or singing. These people have no shame in their maniacal quest for power.Published on Oct 25, 2012 by FutureChildrenProjecRe-electing President Obama is a momentous decision that will require every single voter.What would the children of the future say if we let them down this November?
The Benedictines of Mary in Cloister
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSZQceNbZLA&feature=player_embedded
From Pantheos.com:
A group of cloistered nuns has recorded an album of chant, and the preview (see the video below) is just gorgeous.
From the press release:
They are young. They are hidden. They are extremely musical. And now they have a worldwide album distribution deal. But they don’t set foot beyond Northwest Missouri’s rolling farmland. Why? Because they are contemplative sisters who live an austere yet joyful life set apart from the world.
But on Nov. 20, Decca and De Montfort Music will release their voices to the world in ADVENT AT EPHESUS. The album features 16 tracks – a dynamic variety of traditional English and Latin hymns, polyphony, Gregorian chants and medieval harmonies. The album also includes Adjuvabit Eam, an original work of the sisters.
The order’s Prioress, Mother Cecilia, is a graduate of the Shepherd School of Music at Rice and vacated her seat in the horn section with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra in Ohio to enter religious life. She has arranged the songs on ADVENT AT EPHESUS.
“We are delighted to be a part of this collaboration with De Montfort Music and Decca,” she said. “From the very beginning, we knew that if the venture was pleasing to God, it would be made clear. And so it was, especially in the unheard of ease with which everything was carried out to make this CD possible.”
De Montfort enlisted Grammy® and Oscar® winning producer Glenn Rosenstein, who traveled to America’s heartland; set up a mobile recording studio on the 260-acre property the sisters call home; and captured all of ADVENT AT EPHESUS in only three days. Rosenstein, who has worked with a host of international stars and whose projects have generated sales well in excess of 250 million units (with artists from U2 to New York Philharmonic) calls this one of his 10 all-time-favorite recordings.
An early review:
The word “amazing” is true but far from enough. The word “beautiful” is also accurate and much closer to describing the sound. The word “necessary” suggests the importance of sacred music in our secular world. Individually, none of the above words do Advent of Ephesus justice. Together the adjectives merely come close to describing the wonder that is to be available on November 20.
To pre-order the CD for Christmas, click on the link below:
http://www.amazon.com/Advent-at-Ephesus-Benedictines-Mary/dp/B009UECNXO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1351295496&sr=8-1&keywords=advent+at+ephesus
H/T: bmck1
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Friday, October 26, 2012
Thursday, October 25, 2012
This Is Not the October Surprise!
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2012/10/ap-colin-powell-sticks-by-obama-2012-102512/
Let's see that's 2 former Generals (Powell and Wesley Clark) for Obama, and how many for Romney?
http://www.mittromney.com/news/press/2012/10/romney-president-announces-military-advisory-council
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
A Pandora's Box for The Donald
Great idea, Donald. BUT, did you consider the possible consequences? What if, for example:
1. Obama completely complies with your request and releases all those records, and
2. The records show, unequivocally, that Obama: (a) was born in Kenya, (2) was admitted to college as a foreign student by the name of Barry Soetoro from Indonesia, (3) claimed to be a Muslim at one time, (4) has traveled on a fraudulent foreign passport, (5) has been using a fraudulent social security number most of his life, and (6) has lied repeatedly to voters about his past, but
3. Despite the above admissions, he does not lose a single vote among his supporters or the "independents" who are still proud to vote for such a magnificent orator. In fact, your publicity stunt actually wins him more sympathy voters, who refuse to believe the records are authentic (despite the fact they were released by Obama himself), and
4. Obama is reelected in a very close race involving numerous allegations of voter fraud that are not contested by Mitt Romney who is concerned that a prolonged investigation will cause major riots in several U.S. cities, and then
5. Obama advises you (Donald) that his favorite charity, to which you are to write your $5 million check is one that is known to provide funding to: The Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, or Hezbollah.
What happens then, Donald?
A Defining Moment for America
Imagine that! An American president who loves America. It's almost four years since we had one.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Monday, October 22, 2012
Romney's Military Advisory Council
Boston, MA
United States
Today, Romney for President announced its Military Advisory Council.
“I am deeply honored to have the support of so many of our most accomplished military leaders,” said Mitt Romney. “Together we will restore our military might and ensure that America can defend and protect our interests, our allies, and our people, both at home and abroad. I will never forget that the greatest responsibility of an American president is in exercising the role of commander-in-chief. That role is sacred, and when I am president, I will never put my own political interests ahead of our military and our men and women in uniform.”
“I’m proud to be supporting Mitt Romney in this critical election about our nation’s future,” said General Tommy Franks, USA (Ret.), Past Commander, U.S. Central Command. “Governor Romney is committed to restoring America’s leadership role in the world. Instead of playing politics with our military, he will strengthen our defense posture by reversing the President’s devastating defense cuts. The fact of the matter is that we cannot afford another four years of feckless foreign policy. We need level-headed leadership which will protect our interests and defend our values with clarity and without apology.”
“I consider the unprecedented national debt amongst the five greatest threats to the security of our great nation,” said General James Conway, USMC (Ret.), Past Commandant of the Marine Corps. “And yet, I see no indication the current administration, if re-elected, is intent on changing that trajectory. Clearly Defense should bear a portion of the burden in order to regain control of our debt, but the idea of massive military cuts -- at a time of increased global instability—should not even be in the cards. As I listen to Mitt Romney, I am convinced that he 'gets it'.”
To see the most impressive list of former Admirals and Generals who enthusiastically support Mitt Romney for President, go HERE.
H/T: edscis
Sunday, October 21, 2012
An Ignored Plea for Help
Lots of people have to answer for the Benghazi catastrophe, among them: Hillary Clinton, Leon Panetta, General Martin Dempsey, President Obama, and, as usual, the mainstream media.
Friday, October 19, 2012
Romney at The Al Smith Dinner
In case you missed the coverage of the Al Smith Dinner last night. Romney was terrific! Hard to pick his best line, but one of them was (when speaking of the winding down of the Obama presidency): "so little time, so much to redistribute."
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Steele and Kristol on the First Debate and More
Shelby Steele and Bill Kristol join Peter Robinson for this edition of Uncommon Knowledge, from The Hoover Institution.
Monday, October 15, 2012
More Jobs vs More Spending
From YouTube:
Home Depot Founder Bernie Marcus shares his concerns for our nation and how frightened he is by what Pres. Obama's policies mean for America, especially for our children and future generations. In particular, the lack of job creation and rising home foreclosures are limiting the American dream for millions of families.As someone who has taken Home Depot from one store to one of the largest companies in the world, and as someone who has hired millions of people over many years in business, Bernie is in a unique position to know which policies can bring about economic growth and prosperity and how badly Pres. Obama's policies are hurting us.
H/T: edscis
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Sissel: Mascagni's Ave Maria
That's Sissel Kyrkjebø, the Norwegian soprano who goes only by her first name. She's been featured here before (and will be again) because she's one of the world's top performers of classical and sacred music.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
A Tragedy in Montana
Montana Bear Tragedy
This is a very sad story about a bear... Everybody should heed the warnings not to feed wildlife because they become dependent and don't forage for themselves any longer. It is such a tragedy to see what has been done to our country's wildlife. The photo below captures a disturbing trend that is beginning to affect U.S. wildlife.
Animals that formerly were self-sufficient are now showing signs of belonging to the Democratic Party. They have apparently learned to just sit and wait for the government to step in and provide for their care and sustenance.
This photo is of a black bear in Montana turned Democrat. He's nicknamed Bearack Obearma. It is believed that he has become a campground organizer.
H/T: dennplo
Friday, October 12, 2012
Biden is Nothing if not Duplicitous
Last night's vice-presidential debate set a new high for the usual duplicity of the current vice-president. His comments about Catholic institutions not having to violate their consciences and act against their beliefs under Obamacare were a little bit true, BUT he failed to mention that should they adhere to their beliefs and follow their consciences, they will be severely fined - fined to the extent that they will be forced to close their doors to the people in need whom they now serve throughout the country. The U. S. Catholic Bishops issued this statement today about Biden's "misstatement."
Anyone who has followed Biden's unremarkable political career have come to expect not only his penchant for hyperbole, obfuscation, and duplicity, but also his childish behavior (smirking and laughing) while his opponent was engaging in serious debate.
At Mass on EWTN this morning, Father Brian Thomas Becket Mullady O.P, the visiting celebrant, spoke briefly about the responsibility of Catholic politicians on the issue of abortion. He referenced the following quote attributed to Sir Thomas More (speaking against the divorce of Henry VIII from Catherine of Aragon) in "A Man for All Seasons:"
Unfortunately, politicians, dating back to the self-proclaimed Catholic, Mario Cuomo, either are not in agreement with Thomas More (who was separated from his own head for refusing to compromise his beliefs) or they are just more interested in worshipping the false god of power than in obeying the Sixth Commandment of God (Thou shalt not kill).I think that when statesmen forsake their own private conscience for the sake of their public duties, they lead their country by a short route to chaos.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Truth on Benghazi from The Heritage Foundation
The video is from The Heritage Foundation that published the following on YouTube:
Published on Oct 7, 2012 by HeritageFoundationAn Incriminating Timeline: New evidence shows there were security threats in Benghazi, Libya, in the months prior to the deadly September 11, 2012, attack that killed U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans. Despite these threats, the Obama Administration and State Department left its personnel there to fend for themselves
From the Washington Post:
The conservative Heritage Foundation is continuing to be a leading force against what it considers to be a cover-up within the Obama administration of the death of Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three other Americans at the U.S. Consulate in the Libyan city of Benghazi last month.
A Warrior's Mother Speaks Out
That's the mother of State Department official Sean Smith, who was killed September 11, 2012 in the terrorist attack on the American consulate in Benghazi, Libya. She appeared with Anderson Cooper on CNN last night.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Monday, October 8, 2012
The Language of Form: Classical Architecture and The Catholic Church
This was posted on Ricochet.com recently, and the following is from YouTube, where it was originally posted by dominicandaily:
Uploaded by dominicandaily on Jun 23, 2011
The Language of Form: Post-production completed for a new video on Catholic church architecture for St. Paul the Apostle Church in Greensboro, North Carolina. Project features Father John O'Malley, SJ, Allan Greenberg, and James McCrery and has shots of Saint Vincent Ferrer as an example of good form.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
The Importance of Marriage
This is from Alliance Defending Freedom.
Mitt Romney, according to his website, would "not only appoint an attorney general who will defend the "Defense of Marriage Act," but will also champion a Federal Marriage Amendment to the Constitution defining marriage as between one man and one woman.
Please remember to vote on November 6.
H/T: bmckita
Our Lady of the Rosary, October 7
Today is the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, and the following is from AmericanCatholic.org.
For more on the role of Our Lady of the Rosary in The Battle of Lepanto, go HERE.Sunday, October 07, 2012Our Lady of the RosaryPope St. Pius V established this feast in 1573. The purpose was to thank God for the victory of Christians over the Turks at Lepanto—a victory attributed to the praying of the rosary. Clement XI extended the feast to the universal Church in 1716.The development of the rosary has a long history. First, a practice developed of praying 150 Our Fathers in imitation of the 150 Psalms. Then there was a parallel practice of praying 150 Hail Marys. Soon a mystery of Jesus' life was attached to each Hail Mary. Though Mary's giving the rosary to St. Dominic is recognized as a legend, the development of this prayer form owes much to the followers of St. Dominic. One of them, Alan de la Roche, was known as "the apostle of the rosary." He founded the first Confraternity of the Rosary in the 15th century. In the 16th century the rosary was developed to its present form—with the 15 mysteries (joyful, sorrowful and glorious). In 2002, Pope John Paul II added the Mysteries of Light to this devotion.Comment:The purpose of the rosary is to help us meditate on the great mysteries of our salvation. Pius XII called it a compendium of the gospel. The main focus is on Jesus—his birth, life, death and resurrection. The Our Fathers remind us that Jesus' Father is the initiator of salvation. The Hail Marys remind us to join with Mary in contemplating these mysteries. They also make us aware that Mary was and is intimately joined with her Son in all the mysteries of his earthly and heavenly existence. The Glorys remind us that the purpose of all life is the glory of the Trinity.The rosary appeals to many. It is simple. The constant repetition of words helps create an atmosphere in which to contemplate the mysteries of God. We sense that Jesus and Mary are with us in the joys and sorrows of life. We grow in hope that God will bring us to share in the glory of Jesus and Mary forever.
Saturday, October 6, 2012
An Imaginary Man of Fantasy
Andrew Klavan, writing yesterday at the Blog of City Journal, perfectly encapsulated the totally media concocted persona of our 44th president. Some clips below:
A Fantasy Election, an Imaginary ManBarack Obama has always been less real than dream—a media dream.5 October 2012Even before his inauguration, Barack Obama was an imaginary man, the creation of his admirers. Think back to the 2008 Time magazine cover depicting him as FDR, the Newsweek cover of the same year on which he was shown casting Lincoln’s shadow, or the $1.4 million Nobel Peace Prize awarded to him “for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples”—this in 2009, less than a year after he had taken office. It was not that Obama had done nothing to deserve these outsized comparisons and honors—it was not just that he had done nothing—it was that he seemed for all the world to be a blank screen on which such hysterical fantasies could too easily be projected, a two-dimensional paper doll just waiting to be dressed in leftist dreams.
...To be sure, Obama has disowned the depth of his past associations with such fire-breathing America-haters as William Ayers (“A guy who lives in my neighborhood”) and Jeremiah Wright (“He was never my spiritual mentor”) with startling insouciance. And such previous Obamas as the race-baiting, black-talking demagogue of a 2007 video recently covered in full for the first time by The Daily Caller’s Tucker Carlson are not at all apparent in the Obama of the Oval Office or the campaign trail—whom he himself describes as a “non-threatening” statesman. But I think the real Obama has been more or less plain to see. Norman Podhoretz described him best in a 2011 Wall Street Journal op-ed: a typical product of the anti-American academic left, committed to transforming U.S. capitalism into a social-democratic system like Sweden’s.
No other modern president could have associated so intimately with lowlifes like Wright and Ayers and the now-imprisoned Tony Rezko and not had those associations exposed in every detail. No other president could have made the radical remarks he’s made—about wealth redistribution, religion, and the federal government’s alleged ill-treatment of blacks—and not had them headlined all over for weeks. No other could have presided over such a crippled economy and such universal failures at war and in foreign policy and escaped almost without mainstream blame.The Obama of the imagination is the media’s Obama. Out of their fascination with the color of his skin and their mindless awe at his windy teleprompted rhetoric, they constructed a man of stature and accomplishment. Now, with the White House on the line, they’re waging an ongoing battle against the undeniable evidence that he has never been, in fact, that man. The result in these quadrennial autumn days has been media coverage of a fantasy election, an election in the news that may bear no relation whatsoever to the election as it is. Polls consistently skewed to favor Democrats in percentages beyond any reasonable construct of reality have left us virtually ignorant of the state of the race. Orchestrated frenzies over alleged gaffes by Mitt Romney have camouflaged an imploding Obama foreign policy, an Obama economy threatened by a new recession, and an Obama campaign filled with vicious personal attacks and lies.
Governor Romney’s unprecedented dismantling of the president in their first debate—an encounter so one-sided it reminded me of the famous cartoon in which Godzilla meets Bambi, with predictable results—was surprising only for Romney’s warmth and clarity. Obama’s hapless fumbling, bad temper, and inarticulate inability to defend his record were actually thoroughly predictable. They were simply facets of the man as he truly is, unfiltered by the imagination of his media supporters: a man who has succeeded, really, at almost nothing but the winning of elections; a man who cannot distinguish between his ideology and life; a man who does not seem to know how the machinery of the world actually works.