Friday, December 31, 2010

Last Day of 2010

December 31, 2010, and I will be bringing in the new year sick and down with a bad cold. I haven't been sick all year and it looks like I wouldn't be able to pitch a no-hitter, as far as not being sick all year. I may not be able to stay awake until Midnight, so I wanted to thank all my blog visitors for allowing me to share my thoughts on these pages.

But I still have much to be grateful for. God has been good. So I want to wish everyone a very happy New Year. Don't forget to give thanks to God for all that you have. Though everything may not have gone the way I would have like them to go, I give thanks knowing it all happened according to His plans.

Let's bray for our Nation and our fellow citizens for our troops and soldiers and our leaders.

God Bless All

WestCoastCatholic

Thursday, December 30, 2010

More Christmas Speech Analysis

a few more links that analyze the Christmas speech  by B16

The very future of the world is at stake... - CatholicVote



This program is from RealCatholicTV.com

Barron on Benedict XVI Christmas Speech

Creative Minority Report has the link to Fr. Barron's analysis (video). That's where I found the story.

Pope Benedict XVI speech:


Sala Regia
Monday, 20 December 2010
 
Dear Cardinals,
Brother Bishops and Priests,
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
It gives me great pleasure to be here with you, dear Members of the College of Cardinals and Representatives of the Roman Curia and the Governatorato, for this traditional gathering. I extend a cordial greeting to each one of you, beginning with Cardinal Angelo Sodano, whom I thank for his sentiments of devotion and communion and for the warm good wishes that he expressed to me on behalf of all of you. Prope est jam Dominus, venite, adoremus! As one family let us contemplate the mystery of Emmanuel, God-with-us, as the Cardinal Dean has said. I gladly reciprocate his good wishes and I would like to thank all of you most sincerely, including the Papal Representatives all over the world, for the able and generous contribution that each of you makes to the Vicar of Christ and to the Church.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

News From the Rome - Website

New Website to har the latest from Rome..
Link: www.romereports.com


Conservatism a Brain Disorder....

Hey I knew I was crazy...but I guess this proves it.
But I guess I'm in good company... like the founding Fathers of the good'ol USA.

A group of British researchers believe they have found why people are conservative: it’s a brain disorder of sorts.
Scientists at the University of London say that conservatives have an enlarged “fear” area in their brains, and smaller areas associated with courage and optimism. The London Telegraph reports.

It Never Rains in California - Yah Right...

Yesterday was a gorgeous day here in So. Cal.
Today is a rainy day in more than one way. As Albert Hammond so rightly claimed, "Out of work, I'm out of may head, I'm out of self respect, I'm out of bread. I'm under loved, I'm under feed..."

So are the woos of  of many a Californian, thanks to the continued deficient California government and the progressive legislator.

But I love California. I was born here and there's no other place for me. It's here I'll make my stand and live my faith.

Sing on Albert...no one said it would be easy.

Are You a Present Day Thomas Becket?

The legacy of Thomas Becket lives on today. Most of us will never be tested like Becket, but we sure do need more of this Martyr.

Murder or Mediocrity in the Cathedral: Thomas à Becket's Medieval Lesson for Today

On December 29, 1170, four knights, servants of England's King Henry II, stormed into Canterbury Cathedral and cut down Thomas à Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury.  The knights explained their action as a response to the king, who had reportedly inquired, "Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?"  Understanding their duty as lying first to king and then to God, the four knights saddled up and headed from London to Canterbury.


Fr. Barron has a great piece on St. Becket.

The Church celebrates the feast of St. Thomas Becket today. Below, Rozann Carter expounds upon the life of this 12th century saint, reflecting upon the idea that the abundant grace available in the fateful moment of martyrdom is accepted by a willful decision of the martyr, one that is often made long before the crown of martyrdom is bestowed

Are You Misinformed?

Hmmmmm...I thought this original report that Fox Viewers were the most misinformed people on the face of the earth was ridicules, but now here's a good explanation why.

Bishop Thomas Olmsted - The Real Story

I've seen a few news reports that portray the Bishop in a very different light.
The real truth is all I ask.


Bishop Thomas Olmsted, of the Phoenix, Arizona Diocese took the extraordinary step last week of removing Saint Joseph Hospital’s Catholic status.


The measure comes after last May’s confrontation between Sister Margaret McBride, the hospital’s administrator who gave permission for an 11-week pregnant woman with a severe case of pulmonary hypertension to have an abortion, and Bishop Olmsted who notified her in private that her actions were formal cooperation in the child’s death, and therefore incurred a laetae sententiae (automatic) excommunication.

Much confusion swirls around this case, and needs to be cleared in the interest of defending the good name of a good bishop

Monday, December 27, 2010

Frontline Faith MP3 - Our Troops

This looks like a good idea. Don't know how orthodox the message is but I think it wonderful that the attention of the spirituality of our soldiers in the field needs to be addressed. Chaplains are not always available.

American Papist has the story:

Frontline Faith, bringing consolation to our soldiers overseas

More information about Frontline Faith, Military Ministry and Adopt-a-Chaplain can be found in the accompanying article (fair warning – I have not had a chance to examine the work of these initiatives): Video

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Faith of Kennedy verses Palin

American Spectator has a good article; the difference between  living your faith and claiming to have faith.


By Patrick O'Hannigan

Townsend asserts that she gave America by Heart a careful reading, from which she came away sure that Palin supports an unconstitutional religious test for public office. Inconveniently, we have to take Townsend's word for that, because Palin actually says no such thing: the closest she gets is to express disappointment at John F. Kennedy's failure to reconcile his "private faith and public role," and his unwillingness to tell fellow countrymen "how his faith had enriched him." Palin did not use Hilaire Belloc as a counter-example, but he would have been a better choice than Mitt Romney, whom she did mention. In 1906, when Belloc ran for a seat in the British Parliament as a representative of the Liberal party, his stem-winding stump speech included a ringing affirmation of faith: "Gentlemen, I am a Roman Catholic. As far as possible, I go to Mass every day. This [taking a rosary out of his pocket] is a rosary. As far as possible, I kneel down and tell these beads every day. If you reject me on account of my religion, I shall thank God that he has spared me the indignity of being made your representative."

The Rite by Matt Baglio

Matt Baglio has a book written back in 2009 that is now being made into a movie. It comes out January 28, 2011.

The movie is loosely  based on the book... a Hollywood thriller but it stars Anthony Hopkins. The movie looks interesting, as far as Hollywood goes, but I'm more interested in the book which concentrates more on the journey of a San Francisco priest who ventures to the Vatican to attend exorcist classes.

Not enough focus lately on the devil and his minions.
The message today....no sin, no devil, no miracles, no church.

Below is an article on author and a short movie trailer, also a link to Matt Baglio website.


An exorcism course at a Vatican-affiliated university in Rome? It was an unusual topic. As an American journalist living in the Eternal City, he thought it might make for an interesting article; as a non-practicing Catholic at the time, he approached it with some skepticism.

Taught by exorcists and experts in theology, satanic cults, criminology and psychology, the course he took challenged many of his assumptions. But what really intrigued him was the openness and honesty of a fellow student, Father Gary Thomas, a priest from the Diocese of San Jose, Calif., whose bishop, Patrick McGrath, had asked him to undergo training as an exorcist. 

Website Link: Matt Baglio



Sunday, December 12, 2010

President's Spiritual Advisor

This is President's Spiritual adviser, can you  believe it. I thought he learned his lesson with Rev Wright.

Fr. Barron: Leaving the Catholic Church

Fr. Barron hits it right on the nail. Lots of friends and work colleagues, fellow Catholics are leaving the church, claiming they have found another way of gaining the graces from another just as good a source.

...only fooling themselves, 'She's still our Mother.'



Monday, December 06, 2010

Fr. Baron on B16's New Book

Saw this first on Creative Minority Report. Visit their site, lots of good articles
Fr. Barron on B16 new book.


127 Hours Movie

Saw this movie last weekend...amazing survivor story.

Terrorist Julian Assange

This guy is a Terrorist, no doubt about it. I don't care what is said about the right to know ... no one has the right to release Classified document, whether those documents are national secrets or something like personal medical record.

Assange's final "poison pill' stunt just proves this guy need to be stopped.

Julian Assange's Poison Pill
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has circulated across the internet an encrypted “poison pill” cache of uncensored documents suspected to include files on BP and Guantanamo Bay.
One of the files identified this weekend by The (London) Sunday Times — called the “insurance” file -- has been downloaded from the WikiLeaks website by tens of thousands of supporters, from America to Australia.
Assange warns that any government that tries to curtail his activities risks triggering a new deluge of state and commercial secrets.

Remote Controlled Plane Video of NY Land Marks

Okay, Part of me thinks this is really cool and another part of me thinks this is really scary. I'm not sure what terrorist will think about this.

Anyway.. check it out

How an RC airplane Buzzed the Statue of Liberty, without arrest
The video is absolutely stunning: a remote-controlled plane flies over and around the Brooklyn Bridge, buzzes the Statue of Liberty, and explores New York from a point of view even "real" airplanes rarely see. While the police were curious about what was happening, no arrests were made, and the creators of the video praise the police and the TSA for their professionalism.

Wednesday, December 01, 2010

Articles of Interest

I've been reading some interesting articles the past few days and haven't had time to blog on them. However I'll post them anyway and hope you find them as interesting as me.

Thanksgiving and American Exceptionalism - American Spectator


The Cancun Climate Capers - American Thinker

What the Pope Said about Condoms - Jimmy Akins


The Vatican and the New Media - Fr. Barron (Audio)

Why I want to Be "Left Behind" - Sacred Page