Catholic Coffee Drinkers

“Idolatry is committed, not merely by setting up false gods, but also by setting up false devils; by making men afraid of war or alcohol, or economic law, when they should be afraid of spiritual corruption and cowardice.” -GK Chesterton, ILN

I begin to wonder about a nation which has decided that consenting adults smoking tobacco of their own volition is a greater evil then any other possible act.  Coming from Oregon I like to tell people that my state is such a place where you can take your sixteen year-old girlfriend to get an abortion without parental consent then later in the day take your grandmother for euthanasia with the family physician and end such a hard day with a live sex show.  You cannot, however, under any circumstances smoke a cigarette in a bar.  Likewise, a few years ago we witnessed a great out cry against the behavior of James Bond and the example he set for children everywhere, never mind that children should never watch 007 anyhow.  As it were, do you suppose that the out cry was against his excessive drinking, his womanizing, problem gambling, or senseless violence?  Well, no, those things are necessary functions of MI6, but everyone wondered if he had to smoke after doing it.

Recently the modern idolatry has demonized President Obama for his occasional use of cigarettes.  In all honesty, I wonder how serious the media wants me to take them when this is the only issue they can take with our President.  The President smokes and, certainly, we ought to be bothered that he punishes smokers everywhere with legislation, but his own legal and private vice is just that: a vice that is legal and quite private.  This is truly modern madness at its finest: society is more perturbed by responsible adults using a legal substance than by any sign of weakness or corruption of the soul.  Do not be surprised, my dear reader, if it turns out that tobacco becomes the new prohibition and you find the timeless insanity of idolatry failing the test of time once more.

This last weekend I was pleased to find a last minute deal that allowed me to go to the wedding of some close friends and see the many friends I counted in the wedding party and the crowds who witnessed what might just be the most perfect couple New Hampshire ever produced.  The music played, the beer flowed a little too much, many danced despite not having anything more than grass to jump on, and I can assure you, my dear reader, that this event might just be known as the most joyful event of anyone’s summer.  Love, it seems, is a strange and contagious thing at weddings, as is evident by men who feel sorry for lovers without marriage and a marriage without love.  As I was leaving the incredible feast, a companion remarked the tragedy that so few marriages seem to last and it was then that an idea came to my mind and that idea is the joy of a crisis.

I remarked in my usual intoxicated enthusiasm, “No, what is sad is how few can handle the idea that a crisis is a cathartic time to find the true joy in our lives.  Couples part ways and friendships are broken at crisis because few can realize that the joy of a relationship is that it is always in a crisis.  It is, in fact, the paradox of all human relationships that they are only strong in a crisis; if not then they can only be proven strong in a crisis.  Men are unsure who they count as a friend until a time of upheaval comes about and then whatever friends remain become the prize possession of such a fortunate soul.  No one is thankful for loved ones while all is going well, but it is in times of adversity that we are able to thank God for who we do count as a loved one and are ever afterwards mindful of it.”  Afterwards, I seem to remember falling down asleep and was happily taken to a comfy chair to lean against.  In all my rants of friendship, it seems, I was given another crisis of being unsure where to pass out after such long day.  This, my dear and constant reader, is truly the work of the spirit in our daily lives: to be propped up by those around us.

Folks who’ve been following my writings might remember my comments on Catholics Going Green and keeping their sanity, well it seems that some separated brothers in the Eastern Orthodox church are joining the discussion.  Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholemew I gave a statement to the UN-sponsered World Enviornment Day emphasizing the sacred nature of the created order and the place, who is blessed with reason and the power to distinguish good and evil, in protecting and acting as a steward over God’s creation.

According to the theological understanding of the Orthodox Christian Church, the natural environment is part of Creation and is characterized by sacredness. This is why its abuse and destruction is a sacrilegious and sinful act, revealing prideful despise toward the work of God the Creator.

You can read the full version of the Patriarch’s statement here and I further encourage everyone to read (or re-read) Stratford Caldecott’s essay “Ecology“.

I am starting a new blog community for all thing Chesterton with the hopes of posting news and book reviews and giving the larger Chestertonian community a place to learn the latest news and further the cause of the man from Beaconsfiedl.   Please don’t think that the uber-large coffee cup has run empty on this forum, I still have plenty to say and will be posting as regularly as I can.  The hope is that with the Best of GKC I can have several other contributors keeping up to date on it and contributing to bring about an overall unity to Chesterton’s fans on the web.  If you would like to check it out, and maybe become a contributor, feel free to check it out at http://gkcblog.wordpress.com/

The Catholic Herald, an English rag of religious news published a report today announcing a conference to take place 4 July in Oxford regarding the holiness of Mr. GK Chesterton and the possibility of advancing his cause of

GKC, ora pro nobis!

canonization.  I have heard it said that the Argentinian Chesterton Society asking for his cause to be opened years ago, but I have not heard much since then.  Attending this conference will be great scholars such as Ian Ker and Aidan Nichols, OP, men renowned for their intellect both Chesterton and non-Chesterton related.  As well, if the rumors be true, this years TMC Ian Boyd Fellows will have a chance to attend this conference! If any of my readers happen to attend, I would appreciate some comments and pictures.

As for any questions about Chesterton and his theology, I highly recommend Stratfrod Caldedotts article, “Was Chesterton a Theologian?” and Aidan Nichols soon to be released book, G. K. Chesterton, Theologian.  I had the pleasure of reading part of the manuscript of Fr. Nichols’ book and will have a review forthcoming, but I can say that it stands a chance to make the mind of Chesterton respected again.

A lot of folks have been searching for info on my beloved (and feared) alma mater, Thomas More College in New Hampshire, and I’m curious why that might be?  I guess some are looking for controversy, even on summer break, or they’re hoping for news.  Sorry to say, though, yes, TMC is a place full of drama and rumors and tears, fears, triumphs, and songs and shouting, but I cannot really provide news of the place and don’t know that I’m quite capable of seeking controversy.

NB: This is directed at those doing query searches such as “Thomas More College firing” or “Thomas More College controversy.”  I am happy to discuss the school in any depth in any fashion, and would encourage people to
write me an email at this link but do be sure to subject it “TMC Info?” or something of that sort.  Happy to talk!  However, this is not the forum for gossiping and whispering behind the curtains.  Thanks for checking in!

My coments to the Nashua Telegraph regarding graduation were selectively quoted to be quite negative.  I’ll admit that graduating in this economy has me and many other graduates quite frightened, but I also hold out for a lot of hope that the future of any grad from TMC will be something beautiful.  In many ways I enjoy the economic woes simply because every other college graduate finds their degrees as worthless lacking immediate value as much as most liberal arts majors have.  For far too  many years we have had to endure a lot of sneering from Marketing and Business majors about how we Philosophy and Lit majors would never find much value for our degree once we were in the real world.  Now, those same Marketing majors are finding their struggle to be as great as mine and I meanwhile have had plenty of practice defending my degree as worth it for the life of the mind.  Pardon me, dear reader, if I find this more than a bit humorous.

As for the article, the folks at the Cabinet publish some thoughts of a silver lining for many of us graduates who are going to graduate school to deal with the economic woes.  “That’s great for them,” we are thus encouraged, “and it might also be, in the long run, good for the nation.”  The lining looks silver to these good writers for the simple reason that they see a population of well educated men and women in this generation being beneficial for the broader community.  With that, dear reader, I’m going to beg from you in the great Dominican tradition for money.  However, this wannabe barking friar shall do it in a fashion more befitting of the modern era for now you can do it by paypal!  Your donation will ensure a little extra help while I try to catch up on my finances to go to the Divinity School at the University of Chicago and further discern a vocation to my beloved Order.

Just Click ME to Donate!

I will promise to not use any donated money for coffee, cigars, or beer (unless the donor wishes it were so) but promise that every donation will enable me to make a happy face similar to this:

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A Muslim convert “with political and religious motives” shot two uniformed soldiers outside an Arkansas military recruiting center Monday, killing one and wounding the other

You can get the full story here.  Please pray for the repose of the soul of one serviceman and the speedy recovery of the other.

HT to Carl at Insight Scoop.

This, as reported by CW News, 22 May, reports that Dr. Lakshmi Garg had commited suicide after an Indian court upheld her conviction for violating the nations laws on gender-selective abortions.  India, like China, is suffering from a gender imbalance wherein the men far out number the women due to the fact that most parents in these traditional societies greatly prefer to have sons over daughters.  India has responded to this growing crisis, as reported by CW News:

Due to deeply ingrained pattern in Indian culture that favors male children, more than 10 million girls have been found “missing” in the country over the past two decades, because women choose to abort after determining that they are carrying a female baby. In one of several efforts to stop the trend, the government has banned sex-determination tests. But many doctors quietly skirt that law, making a point of telling prospective parents the gender of the baby after a “routine” prenatal examination.

Dr. Garg consumed poison after being convicted and sentenced to thirty months in prison, taking the life of another person unjustly.

I suppose I sum this up with a challenge of how we as society may permit abortion freely but then deal with the consequences of gender-selection in the procedure.  I’m especially interested in hearing from feminists on this issue.

For more information, do check out the National Catholic Registers article “Killed for Being A Girl”.

In case you didn’t have enough to pray for, one of my former parish priests and a great Dominican is gearing to go to Jerusalem for study.  Keep him in your prayers, my dear reader!

Fr. Carl, OP has his blog available here.