This week: The latest issue of New Evangelists Monthly is ready and calling you. In Christ Alone, beautifully sung in 7 parts by one guy. Gratitude and happiness are scientifically related. Girl Scouts, again. Families of fallen heroes forced to suffer for political interests. The actual individual and family cost of ObamaCare beginning to be felt. The Green Jobs Answer Man teaches us about green energy.

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Issue #10, October 2013, of New Evangelists Monthly is ready for your enjoyment! Scores of faithful Catholic bloggers have contributed their very best pieces from September. This month brought these great topics: freemasonry, bilocation, world-weary, expectations, attraction, traditions, great books, cellarer, nothing new, mustard seeds, extremes, demons, be crazy, uncage, envy, humble heart, poor, fast & pray, bloggers, Mary, safeguard, flat tire, fertility, modesty, read anew, HS seminary, 50M names, listening, beauty, reverence, canons, stations, not mocked, the Word, organizing, devotionals, the devil, intercessory, pilgrimage, exceptionalism, uBaby, love, 3+2, converts, guardian angel, life 2013, Atchison, Pope Francis, facepalms, grief, contraception, St. Michael, O Jesu, truth, elephant, peace, really saying, immigrants, trust God, His will, messiness, accountability, sex and society, inspiration, backstory, spiritual dryness, infertility, deep water, melody of Christ, atheists, level head, organ donation, stewardship, sacrilegious, good wife, best movies, anniversary, blessed, God’s reflection, heresy culture, leaving BSA and SSP.

This monthly “meta-magazine” showcases faithful Catholicism from theology to family life and “everything in between.” Enjoy it now at NewEvangelists.org.

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In Christ Alone is beautifully sung in 7 part harmony by David Wesley:

David has more of these (see his YouTube channel). He is not alone in making them…   it’s a genre (for example, see also Sam Robson, Julien Neel and many others).

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Showing gratitude to other people increases happiness. Want lasting, deep happiness? Give thanks to the one who gave you everything, including the your next breath and the next beat of your heart.

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Bad and good news, first the bad. The Girl Scouts USA leadership continues their long-running campaign promoting anti-life and anti-family positions. The good news according to a recent AP article is their membership is in an equally long-running decline.

I have written about the sad state of GSUSA in my (now updated) 2011 Loss of innocence piece. If you are interesting in scouting as the Girl Scouts once were, look no further than the American Heritage Girls.

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This is a low blow. The Obama administration has been purposefully inflicting as much pain as possible upon the American public as possible in the hope that resulting anger will be directed at political opponents. Those efforts are already infamous, including threatening military priests with ARREST for the celebration of Mass.

Now we learn that families of fallen troops are being punished in their most difficult hour. Funds that normally go to them are being BLOCKED. This is money they need for funeral costs and to meet the casket of their loved one when it arrives at Dover AFB. Don’t think for one moment that his shameful act is out of the administration’s control.

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At least the ObamaCare roll-out has continued. This allows millions of Americans to finally afford health insurance, particularly the young people who often must forgo it. For example:

Families are “helped” too. According to a joint House-Senate report, their annual premiums will rise by $7,186. For more info, see this report. Maybe this has not worked out as promised, but Georgetown University student Sandra Fluke still gets her free condoms.

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Thank goodness for the millions of new, green jobs that will help us pay for our new healthcare costs while simultaneously saving the environment. Andrew Klavan investigates:

Some random thoughts or bits of information are worthy of sharing but don’t warrant their own full post. This idea was started by Jennifer Fulwiler at Conversion Diary to address this blogging need. So, some Fridays I too participate when I have accumulated 7 worthy items. Thank you Jen for hosting this project!

This week: A bushel of miscellaneous takes this week beginning with the case of the fallen signs. Why kids become Altar Servers. CNS covers the Monks of Norcia. A wonderful campaign from Robert Mondavi. Mark Dice find people eager to sign a petition to dope the water supply with ABC. That South American sense of humor. Can America afford Bo?

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The case of the fallen signs…

First, a happy sight! The closure of a Planned Parenthood in Texas. Attention “progressives”: this is progress:

Second, a less happy sign. Anglicans distancing themselves further and further from the truth. The photographer had the right idea in how he/she framed this image:

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I recently featured aspect a video from Two Sense Films on the Traditional Latin Mass. Below is another of their videos, this time on why kids become Altar Servers and what it means to them:

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I covered the story of the Benedictine Monks of Norcia, their ministry and means of support last year. CNS has noticed them too and covered them in this pair of videos:

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Robert Mondavi is running a campaign to raise awareness of childhood cancer. For every person who watches this video, they will donate $1 (up to $50,000) to the Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer:

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Mark Dice is still at it. Here, he wants to see if people would sign a petition to add artificial birth control to the water supply:

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There is something about these South American pranks that is intriguing. Last year there was the one in the elevator. Now, the job interview of doom:

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Obama has a new dog – Sunny. Some might criticize the president for spending $2,300 for a pet but it is after all his money to spend. A valid concern is not how the first family manages their money, but can we – the American taxpayers – afford Sunny?

The first family has rightly been criticized for not traveling together on their top-tier vacations to destinations such as Martha’s Vineyard, Hawaii, Aspen, Spain, Africa (this business / pleasure trip cost more than $100,000,000 alone), and many more. This causes the already huge taxpayer funded vacation expenses to balloon. What you may not know is traveling in separate planes, with separate support and security personnel, is not limited to the humans in the first family. We taxpayers paid for Bo, the existing first-dog to travel first class in a high-tech, presidential aircraft (MV-22 Osprey) for his much needed break from the day-to-day. I bet it took the entire taxes of 25 to 100 middle-American families to fund Bo’s vacation travel costs (exact costs are hard to get).

What if Sunny and Bo don’t get along? If Sunny requires similarly independent travel accommodations, we may need to cut back even further to cover it.

Some random thoughts or bits of information are worthy of sharing but don’t warrant their own full post. This idea was started by Jennifer Fulwiler at Conversion Diary to address this blogging need. So, some Fridays I too participate when I have accumulated 7 worthy items. Thank you Jen for hosting this project!

This week: A powerful, new pro-life music video. Advertising can be good, very good. An excellent campaign called #ExploreGod rolls-out in Austin. Ten ways to get the right guy to like you. People readily sign a petition in support of Karl Marx for president. A kickstart campaign to support…   World War III (and IV and any moon war the president may want to start). A quote of the week.

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A very young mother almost aborts her daughter but didn’t. John Elefante, it turns out, adopted her baby and has used his talents to produce the story:

I am really, really impressed and pray that this video can change hearts and save lives. Here are the notes accompanying it:

Former “Kansas” lead singer and producer John Elefante is using his newest single “This Time,” to share the story of his adopted daughter’s birth, and in the process, bring some attention to Online for Life (OFL), an educational non-profit working to rescue babies from abortion so they can live to make their mark on the world.

“I can’t imagine life without my daughter, Sami, and it just breaks my heart that pregnant young women much like her birth mother, instead of choosing life for their babies, are denying them the chance to be born,” Elefante said. “If our song can in any way bring attention to this issue and encourage those who are considering abortion to choose life through options such as adoption, then we couldn’t be happier.” Visit http://ThisTimeForKeeps.com for more info.

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So much from the advertising world is in poor taste – to say the least. That is why I am always surprised to see something like this commercial from a Thai telecom company:

Wow, just wow!

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Jen Fulwiler was interviewed for a Christian campaign now rolling-out in Austin, Texas called #ExploreGod. Jen was a committed atheist but is now a Catholic convert and an effective evangelist. Here is what she said:

I see this effort as very positive, but it would have been a bit more ecumenical of the #ExploreGod folks if Jen were identified at least in passing as Catholic. I was thrilled however to see their website identify a Catholic Bible translation and identify it as such too. This effort is very impressive, but does have a Protestant perspective.

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This video has a lot of good advice for young women. It is Ten Ways to Get the Right Guy to Like You:

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It is worrisome how some people (that is, some liberal people) believe in change so much that they will apparently support almost anything. Certainly this is NOT all liberals, but a segment where liberalism and the poorly educated combine. Unfortunately, that is obviously a huge segment. Mark Dice again demonstrates for us:

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As proof that the above video does not represent all liberals, consider the work of Chicago’s own (quite liberal) Second City Network. They produced the following sketch which actually lampoons the above mentioned liberals. It is a hoot too:

Think people. Why <insert something ridiculous>? Because Obama!

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Quote of the week:

The entire north polar ice cap will be gone in 5 years.

Former Vice President Al Gore
December 13, 2008

(The ice pack has *grown* 60% in the last year alone. It is now the same size as it was in 1971.)

Some random thoughts or bits of information are worthy of sharing but don’t warrant their own full post. This idea was started by Jennifer Fulwiler at Conversion Diary to address this blogging need. So, some Fridays I too participate when I have accumulated 7 worthy items. Thank you Jen for hosting this project!

This week: The latest issue of New Evangelists Monthly is complete and ready for you. Light of Love is a terrific new film on religious life. Mama Hill and her loving outreach to the poor. Friendship, solidarity and love on display in a beer commercial. UK pro-aborts get tangled in sex selection scandal. The new leader of the free world. Hail to thee, newest iProduct.

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Issue #9, September 2013, of New Evangelists Monthly is complete! Scores of faithful Catholic bloggers have contributed their very best pieces from July. This month brought these great topics: laborers, camping, Holy Spirit charisms, refreshment, trust in God, KIT, Tori, guilt, a smack, success, complete trust, infinite bandwidth, made for, Rosary, conversion, St. Joseph, repeating, book reviews, G+, niceness?, science and transubstantiation, others burdens, reversion, Mary crafts, pray for prayer, St. Roch, touch the poor, liberation, doubt, hagiography, 5 books, Rosary quotes, Sunday, LOH hymns, IQ vs. fertility, not a waste, night prayer, organic catechesis, St. Brendan, it’s not Coca Cola, saying goodbye, self-imposed, common sense, top activities, cat-in-hat Eucharist, not worthy, Psalm 139, abortion, jeans, death jargon, blame, doctors’ advice, watered down, Bottum’s surrender, Hunger Games, CF adventuring, bells, sticker unnecessary, God’s nature, with us, soulmates, not spit, a shrine, camping, pro-aborts, infallibility, on children, perfect timing and loving Him.

This monthly “meta-magazine” showcases faithful Catholicism from theology to family life and “everything in between.” Enjoy it now at NewEvangelists.org.

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As they describe themselves: “Imagine Sisters wants to make Jesus loved by introducing the world to religious sisters in love with Christ through media and personal encounters. We want to encourage and inspire a culture of vocations to women’s religious life by fostering a deep desire for holiness through the witness of religious sisters.”

That trailer is just a taste of Light of Love, a beautiful film on religious life from Lighthouse Catholic Media. The full work is 60 minutes and well worth watching. If you do not have the time now, make a note — but come back later. Click here to watch!

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This is a wonderful story about love in action through one Mama Hill, a retired LA school teacher:

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Friendship, solidarity, love.

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Abortions are just dandy in the UK (and elsewhere) unless they are for sex selection reasons. This makes no sense to me. Why should this reason block a woman from her sacred choice? Wouldn’t being punished with a child of non-preferred sex be psychologically traumatic to a woman? What right does the state have to inflict this violence upon her body?

Anyway, in a recent dust-up an undercover investigation has irrefutably shown this restriction to be ignored. The UK government plans to…   do absolutely nothing (not enforcing laws not liked is not unique to the POTUS). PM Cameron declares it “wrong and illegal” (but will ignore it none-the-less). Perhaps he sees the illogic of it all.

A possible pro-life strategy that occurs to me is working to strengthen laws against abortion only for males. This would raise many tough issues for the pro-aborts and just maybe cause them to think it through a little better.

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Fr. Z (a/k/a Father John Zuhlsdorf), considering the long series of foreign policy gaffes (which seems impossible to stop), has led to 1 outcome. President Obama has passed the “leader of the free world” crown to Russia’s Vladimir Putin. See Father’s insightful comments here.

I wonder if Obama will have to return the Nobel Peace Prize so that it can be re-awarded to Putin?

While these two battle it out in an obviously poorly matched fight, pray for the people of Syria. Obama’s famous ego might be bruised, but innocent people are suffering every day in a war between two evil sides.

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Do you idolize Apple? Is your adoration so great that you know in advance, no matter what iProduct they offer, it is automatically worthy of your worship? If so, this might be a good time to rethink your priorities.

Some random thoughts or bits of information are worthy of sharing but don’t warrant their own full post. This idea was started by Jennifer Fulwiler at Conversion Diary to address this blogging need. So, some Fridays I too participate when I have accumulated 7 worthy items. Thank you Jen for hosting this project!

This week: A focus on vocations and the EF Mass. The Nashville Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia expand to Scotland. The paths of men to the priesthood: 5 at the American seminary in Rome and the journeys of 5 Dominican Friars. Getting a feel for the Traditional Latin Mass in about 3 minutes. The work of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP). Father Calvin Goodwin offers a truly excellent spiritual commentary on the Mass. Arrest warrant for Jorge Bergoglio (a/k/a “Pope Francis”) from the ITCCS.

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The Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia in Nashville, TN have been in the news lately as they have added their presence to Scotland. Their community is almost 300 strong in almost 20 dioceses and now 4 countries. They are young, joyful, orthodox, faithful to the Magisterium, enjoying healthy growth and habited.

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The stories of 5 men continuing their studies for the priesthood at the American seminary in Rome:

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The stories of 5 Dominican Friars and their inspiring paths to the priesthood:

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What is the Traditional Latin Mass (a/k/a TLM or EF – Extraordinary Form – of the Mass) all about? This video gives a good, but very brief introduction:

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The Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) was established as a pontifical-right society by Blessed Pope John Paul II in 1988. Dedicated to the TLM, they are young and growing with a presence in 117 dioceses in 15 countries throughout the world (including many in the US).

Additional parts are here and here .

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Fr. Calvin Goodwin, FSSP, offers this excellent spiritual commentary on the Mass:

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From the Convert Journal law and order desk:

The Brussels based International Tribunal into Crimes of Church and State issued an “International Arrest Warrant” for Pope Francis / Jorge Bergoglio for inciting criminality and treason. Their investigation has found the Roman Catholic Church to be a “transnational criminal organization.”

Details of the warrant appear on their website at ITCCS.org.

While this is the kind of stunt I expect from an out-of-control committee of the UN or maybe the European Parliament, such is not the case this time. The ITCCS, despite claims to the contrary, is not in Brussels but in some guy’s living room in Canada. It is the work of Kevin Annett, a defrocked United Church of Canada priest. Really, doesn’t he have anything better to do? More about him is here.

Some random thoughts or bits of information are worthy of sharing but don’t warrant their own full post. This idea was started by Jennifer Fulwiler at Conversion Diary to address this blogging need. So, some Fridays I too participate when I have accumulated 7 worthy items. Thank you Jen for hosting this project!