tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45717755937430398672024-03-13T09:08:00.656-07:00Coffee Talk with LeslieMy reflections on daily happenings -- human interactions, signs I see, music I hear, articles and books I read -- blended with a splash of theology, undertones of philosophy, and a pinch of humor. Also, answers to your questions about all things Catholic - from doctrine, to practical life, to easy-to-understand commentary on the stuff about the Catholic Church that you just saw in the news. My e-mail is CoffeeTalkWithLeslie@gmail.com. Welcome to Coffee Talk!Leslie Anne Mirandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05402907416806204979noreply@blogger.comBlogger317125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571775593743039867.post-22483306775770256622021-06-14T21:36:00.003-07:002021-06-15T07:05:37.716-07:00Live from St. Andrew’s Abbey, subtitled: I TYPE IN ALL CAPS TO EXPRESS MY EXCITEMENT <div class="separator"><p style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img src="blob:https://www.blogger.com/0107b368-355b-4046-a56f-4e3cab457828" /><img src="blob:https://www.blogger.com/a4e0e68c-cc94-47ed-8e24-32b5263b1437" /><img src="blob:https://www.blogger.com/dfdaefb4-8b37-47a5-8e27-248ea3240ed7" /><img src="blob:https://www.blogger.com/b8d2ee58-a58e-4168-ae64-a88deb9101ae" /><img src="blob:https://www.blogger.com/4ac1e717-ecb1-4d60-8f88-0b837bb4c4f2" /><img src="blob:https://www.blogger.com/e54972ee-49b7-44d5-8fb4-6e3f1d36cee9" /></p></div><p>Hello, Coffee Talkers! Can you believe this? I can barely believe it myself. I am writing on ye dusty olde blogge once again because for the first time in forever I AM ON A RETREAT!!! This is the first day that St. Andrew’s Abbey in Valyermo has reopened to the public and I am here on an overnight private retreat. I didn’t bring anything with me except totally essential items and didn’t plan on blogging but once I got here I knew I needed to write something so I just lucked out and remembered the password to log in to this non-user friendly blogging site on my phone and here we all are together again! The formatting options on this version are beyond awful so don’t mind the messy presentation of pics and text to give you a sneak peek to the abbey, reopened! (Edited to add: I don’t think the pictures are showing up at all on the published version from my phone, so try to use your imagination for now if that’s the case, hahaha)</p><p>I went to this Abbey many times as a child with my grandparents back when they had annual festivals that were open to families and have lots of fond memories from those time. I came here a few other times through the years as an adult with groups for day retreats, but it’s been many years since I’ve visited. There were several factors that made it uncertain if or when I’d be able to return. Not only was the Abbey closed for an extended period of time due to the pandemic but it also narrowly escaped the clutches of a ravaging fire, which even came so close as to leave the sign at the entryway darkened by flames and smoke. Words fall short of describing how happy and grateful I am to be here again! </p><p><img src="blob:https://www.blogger.com/7d4d69fb-9087-4ebc-9027-77742822d324" /></p><p>Today was the first day of their reopening to the public. There were a number of people who joined for midday Mass, a few of us here on private retreat, a group who waited 16 months to be here, and of course the monks. There are people from all different places and from all different faith backgrounds joining together here in a spirit of fellowship, reflection, simplicity, sacred silence, and prayer. </p><p>(For those wondering, they are currently requiring vaccination for those on overnight retreats and joining for meals due to current guidelines but anyone can come for Mass and prayer, etc. regardless of vaccination status.)</p><p><img src="blob:https://www.blogger.com/fc2b0ecf-a8d6-49a4-91ba-fe2ecf7c94d2" /><img src="blob:https://www.blogger.com/8f6aa435-6d1f-49c5-a6a0-e976ccf12855" /><img src="blob:https://www.blogger.com/f3de18f5-6db7-4afc-b841-5843fd0a4eed" /></p><p>The grounds are so full of beauty and peace, a mix of desert flora and fauna with some greenery and a pond with fish and ducks as well. The beautiful Abbey angel artwork can still be seen throughout the grounds and building. Also, many of us have certain signs and symbols that appear throughout life to remind us of the presence of the divine and for me one of them is the number 13. Look what room I got!</p><p><img src="blob:https://www.blogger.com/9dcd3055-0edf-4812-ba81-4e3177f4c53e" /><img src="blob:https://www.blogger.com/68bf26a5-0d12-4f93-ae18-25643052f647" /><img src="blob:https://www.blogger.com/ad58f3d5-278e-40f6-91b5-94627581daec" /><img src="blob:https://www.blogger.com/da835109-4e47-4a45-a0ae-a272f5062a6b" /><img src="blob:https://www.blogger.com/875e4742-b2e1-49ce-aaf3-98a0814a78ca" /><img src="blob:https://www.blogger.com/e57f337f-e29e-4b87-b4c0-e654aef8cb60" /></p><p>After evening prayer and dinner, I found a lovely spot to sit and do some reading before compline. It was just across from this neat old phone booth (which looks like it may still work!). After compline and singing the Salve Regina (which took me back fondly to my days with the Dominicans of St. Cecilia in a life long ago and far away) I stayed in the chapel alone for a while to finish my reading, reflecting, and prayer.</p><p><img src="blob:https://www.blogger.com/454a2579-d3f6-425c-bfdc-e8fcc606f140" /><img src="blob:https://www.blogger.com/e94f7303-c8c5-4e86-a263-e3d0163853eb" /><img src="blob:https://www.blogger.com/4e791e10-b571-4971-b78f-7c0143829e84" /><img src="blob:https://www.blogger.com/af99c2a4-48b4-4658-b903-c8cc089bfaba" /><img src="blob:https://www.blogger.com/29576730-9635-43c7-8b3e-7a2475bf0aed" /><img src="blob:https://www.blogger.com/e2d264d0-d148-49bb-8dcd-1fa4bbb413e7" /><img src="blob:https://www.blogger.com/45da3d2e-cb8a-4513-b804-729728c38cf2" /><img src="blob:https://www.blogger.com/898d8d16-4fac-41d4-b5bf-84a193a1423a" /><img src="blob:https://www.blogger.com/bb1c083c-c92b-4d31-ab9b-e57a62dafd0f" /></p><p>Y’all, this past year and half have seemed like a lifetime in some ways but the return to previous ways of living certainly can bring gratitude if we can take a moment to pause, to breathe, to reflect. Thanks to my husband for making this possible! If you’re anything like me and you’re craving some peace, silence, and a bit of a spiritual reboot, maybe a retreat can be on your agenda as well. It’s been amazing so far! </p><p>If you’re reading this, know that I’ve said a special prayer for you and whatever intentions you hold close to your heart at this time. May grace and peace be with you and yours. </p><p>As always, thanks for stopping by and be assured of my prayers. </p><p>Pax et bonum,</p><p>Leslie</p><p><br /></p>Leslie Anne Mirandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05402907416806204979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571775593743039867.post-70000819652086365162020-06-01T11:32:00.000-07:002020-06-01T16:55:19.260-07:00SAY HIS NAME: On George Floyd, Black Lives Matter, and the Failures of the American Catholic ChurchWelcome back to Coffee Talk, ye olde blog which hath been collecting dust as I've been rather busy with family and work as a full-time music teacher. Once upon a time I worked for the Catholic Church and as a freelance religion writer, and I wrote mostly to answer questions about Catholicism and to give commentary on current events from a the worldview of a modern Catholic. The events of late have been so heavy that now I have to write for my own sake, to process what's been happening, to give myself some clarity and maybe even some hope in the midst of such dark and troubled times. Thanks for joining me for this journey.<br />
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It's been almost two years since I last wrote on this blog, and my <a href="https://coffeetalkwithleslie.blogspot.com/2018/08/demand-investigation-and-action-letter.html">last post </a>was giving a template for letter-writing to folks enraged with the abuse and cover ups in the Catholic Church so they could more easily send letters to the people in charge and to demand some action from the hierarchy. And do you know what's happened since then? NOTHING. We wrote letters and demanded action. They stayed silent, said little, did nothing substantial except what had to be done for appearances (and even that was almost zero). And in time, most people did exactly what the leadership wanted - they kept going to Mass like normal, they kept tithing without question, and ultimately THEY FORGOT.<br />
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I sent many letters at that time. I received one response from my local Bishop at the time. It was very telling. As a response to my plea for him to take a stand against the physical, sexual, and financial abuse and cover ups in light of my own desire to continue to raise my children in a Catholic Church that I could stand with proudly, he replied by saying that his own Diocese had been doing a great job with Safe Environment Training (which was totally unrelated to what I was speaking of - abuses and cover ups WITHIN THE HIERARCHY ITSELF - and was also untrue due to my own personal experiences at my local parish at that time) and that he hoped that I would continue to "support the good work of my local pastor." In other words, he did not care about me, my family, or my concerns, but wanted to write back because he was mostly concerned that I might withdraw FINANCIAL SUPPORT from my local parish and ultimately from his Diocese. I never tithed to that parish or diocese again, except to give directly to people and charitable causes that I knew exactly where the money was going.<br />
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Now, a couple years later, people around the world haven't been able to attend Mass or any religious services in person for a while due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Churches have shut down and are struggling financially like the rest of the public sector. And protests and riots have broken out across the country in response to the brutal police killing of a man named George Floyd.<br />
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The world is filled with bitterness, division, and hate. Many side with the protestors and rioters, saying that there action (even violent actions) are the only thing which might hope to bring justice not only for George Floyd, but also for all people who have been, and continue to be, the victims of racism. There are others who approve the peaceful protests but condemn the violence and looting, saying that violence only begets more violence and dishonors the memory of George Floyd. </div>
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But as I rack my brain over our current circumstances in our country, in the Church, and in the world, I can only find one answer that seems trite at first but in the end is all that really matters. LOVE. It's the only solution. Only, there's one problem. We don't always remember what the opposite of love is to combat it. Let me explain.</div>
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First, taking the case of the abuse and cover ups in the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, if people believe that they will only solve the problems by covering for the "good" priests/bishops and forgiving the unconscionable actions of the others by "loving the sinner and not the sin" or whatever inspirational sentiment one wants to apply, we fail to recognize that the ABUSERS NEVER CARED ABOUT US IN THE FIRST PLACE. As John Paul II so aptly explained, the opposite of loving is not hating. The opposite of loving is USING. "Keep supporting the good work of your pastor" doesn't tell me that the Bishop cared about me or my family AT ALL. It tells me that we were merely numbers, cogs in his machine, being USED for our financial contributions to his institutions. He didn't even care enough about us to hate us at all. He didn't know us, and didn't care to. In a word, we were being used. Don't get me wrong - I don't think it was conscious, but it didn't have to be. </div>
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Next, considering the case of the abuse and cover ups in the hierarchy of law enforcement, if people keep saying that "a few bad cops don't represent all the good ones" but all the good ones are complicit in the crimes by not saying or doing anything, we're also missing the real problem here. The problem is ultimately one of people being OBJECTIFIED AND USED. Whenever anyone commits a violent act against another person that is not an act of self defense, they must separate themselves from that person enough to harm them for the betterment of their own status or power, and whenever someone else within their same system (priests, bishops, law enforcement officers) knows of this deliberate OBJECTIFICATION AND ABUSE but looks the other way, moves them elsewhere, or even PROMOTES that person to a higher position of authority, we see the real enemy to love in action. </div>
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THIS is why it is important to say George Floyd's name. George Floyd is a person who was loved and known by many in his life, but in his final moments he was objectified under the brutal, unthinking power play of another to the point of losing his life.</div>
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THIS is why it's important to recognize that Black Lives Matter. Saying that all lives matter, while ultimately true in the eyes of God, does not give adequate recognition to the fact that people of color have been SYSTEMATICALLY OBJECTIFIED AND USED for more of human history than it's comfortable to admit. How so many Americans can act as though slavery and open racial segregation are in our distant past is a mystery to me. We cannot forget. We MUST NOT forget.</div>
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Lastly, THIS is why the American Catholic Church is failing in many ways - because, sadly, most of our parishes are set up in a way that does not love and recognize each individual person and family but rather USES them for their tithe that allows them to keep going. I visited a parish in Brazil where every single member of the parish was regularly contacted by other members of the parish, where every person was invited to be a part of a prayer group and a ministry based on their own talents and abilities, where every single parishioner was supported during their times of need, and although it was not in the wealthiest area it was one of the highest tithing parishes in their entire country. This is because that parish did their best to involve everyone, to recognize the dignity and needs of each individual, and to LOVE every person. People gave freely because they knew they were being cared for and not simply being USED.</div>
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American Catholics, during these times of closure in your parish, did anyone from your parish contact you? Did anyone see how you and your family were doing during that time? Did even a single person reach out to you to care for you and your needs? When you think of your local parish and of your Diocese, do you feel more LOVED or USED?</div>
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I'm sad to say that I think most of us feel more used than loved at this point. And back to the larger situation in our nation and world, I think things absolutely need to change. We cannot tolerate USE and ABUSE of any person for personal gain of power, money, sex. It is NEVER RIGHT. We must start in our own homes. And then into our communities and churches. And then into the whole world.</div>
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The problems are so big, and I sometimes feel powerless. But I'll try today to see people more. To say their names. To genuinely care about them. To let them know that they matter, not for my own personal gain but for the sake of their own intrinsic dignity, for the sake of LOVE.</div>
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It's even harder to reach out in personal way in light of the separation of the pandemic. But if you're reading this, know that I'm thinking of you too and that I hope you feel known and loved in a way that lets you share that experience with those around you.</div>
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As always, thanks for stopping by, and be assured of my prayers.</div>
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~ Leslie</div>
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<br />Leslie Anne Mirandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05402907416806204979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571775593743039867.post-85458337602340426962018-08-27T10:24:00.003-07:002018-08-30T08:00:19.627-07:00Demand Investigation and Action: Letter Writing Campaign and TemplatesHello, Coffee Talkers,<br />
<br />
Some of you've read the 11-page testimony of Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò. If not, you can find it <a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/lifesite/TESTIMONYXCMVX-XENGLISH-CORRECTED-FINAL_VERSION_-_G-2.pdf">here</a>. In short, Archbishop Viganò's testimony suggests that many people in high ranking positions in the Church knew about the countless abuses of former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, and that Pope Francis himself not only knew but also lifted sanctions already imposed many years ago by Pope Benedict XVI against McCarrick for those continued crimes and essentially allowed the abuses to continue. Pope Francis has, so far, refused to comment on the allegations.<br />
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It's been suggested that we can send letters to call for a full investigation of these credible allegations, and some friends asked if there was a template to use for these letters. I've just drafted templates from my own letters, and will include all 3 below for your use. Of course, feel free to change them to personalize and suit your own situation.<br />
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Peace and blessings to you all,<br />
Leslie<br />
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Letter #1 - letter to your local bishop<br />
<br />
(If you don't know who your Bishop is, or need their contact info, do a Google search for "Who is the Bishop of [city, state]?" and you should get the information you need.)<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">[your address</span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">your phone number</span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">your email address]</span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">August 27,
2018<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Most
Reverend Edward Joseph Weisenburger, Bishop of Tucson<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Office of
the Bishop<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">P.O. Box
31<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Tucson, AZ
85702<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Your
Excellency,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">I am
writing to call for the full and thorough investigation of the abuses that have
recently come to light in our Church, and in particular to investigate fully
and thoroughly the credible allegations of the testimony of Archbishop Carlo
Maria Viganò. These allegations go all the way to the top of our Church’s hierarchical
leadership, and have done much to harm the trust of the faithful. We put our
faith and hope in Christ, and we turn to the faithful who remain in Church
leadership to spur into effect a full investigation that will lead to
corrective and purifying action in the Catholic Church, including the swift
removal of those who abused others or enabled and covered for those abusers,
and retribution for the many crimes committed in darkness under the veil of
trust granted by so many to the clerical collar. These crimes must all be
brought to light, and reform in our Church must begin today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">My family
and I are parishioners at [your parish name] Catholic Church in [city, state]. My husband and I, along with five of our children, attend Mass there weekly. [Say something about your own situation here, of course. Or if you're not Catholic, but are a concerned non-Catholic Christian, or non-Christian person of good will, say that, too! Say why you're writing and what you're hoping for... But this paragraph is optional.] We hope that, as our children continue to grow and learn about the faith, we
can turn them to a renewed example of truthfulness and justice, mercy and grace
for those harmed, and absolute commitment to the truth of Christ, His Church,
and her firm teachings. We thank you in advance for your leadership in this
matter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">I <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>have sent similar letters to the President of the USCCB and
to our Apostolic Nuncio. We entrust you, and all the leaders of the Church, to
our prayers. Words are not enough, and we are counting on your action, and the
action of many others, in attempting to right the most grievous wrongs that
have been committed by those in positions of authority in the Catholic Church.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">[your name]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++</span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Letter #2 - letter to the USCCB President</span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">[your address</span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">your phone number</span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">your email address]</span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">August 27,
2018<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Daniel
Cardinal DiNardo<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">President
of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Archdiocese
of Galveston-Houston<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">1700 San
Jacinto Street<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Houston,
TX 77002<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Your Eminence,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">I am
writing to call for the full and thorough investigation of the abuses that have
recently come to light in our Church, and in particular to investigate fully
and thoroughly the credible allegations of the testimony of Archbishop Carlo
Maria Viganò. These allegations go all the way to the top of our Church’s hierarchical
leadership, and have done much to harm the trust of the faithful. We put our
faith and hope in Christ, and we turn to the faithful who remain in Church
leadership to spur into effect a full investigation that will lead to
corrective and purifying action in the Catholic Church, including the swift
removal of those who abused others or enabled and covered for those abusers,
and retribution for the many crimes committed in darkness under the veil of
trust granted by so many to the clerical collar. These crimes must all be
brought to light, and reform in our Church must begin today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">My family and I are parishioners at [your parish name] Catholic Church in [city, state]. My husband and I, along with five of our children, attend Mass there weekly. [Say something about your own situation here, of course. Or if you're not Catholic, but are a concerned non-Catholic Christian, or non-Christian person of good will, say that, too! Say why you're writing and what you're hoping for... But this paragraph is optional.] We hope that, as our children continue to grow and learn about the faith, we can turn them to a renewed example of truthfulness and justice, mercy and grace for those harmed, and absolute commitment to the truth of Christ, His Church, and her firm teachings. We thank you in advance for your leadership in this matter.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">I <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>have sent similar letters to our local Bishop and to our
Apostolic Nuncio. We entrust you, and all the leaders of the Church, to our
prayers. Words are not enough, and we are counting on your action, and the
action of many others, in attempting to right the most grievous wrongs that
have been committed by those in positions of authority in the Catholic Church.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">[your name]</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Letter #3 - letter to Apostolic Nuncio</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">[your address</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">your phone number</span><br />
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">your email address]</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">August 27, 2018<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Most Reverend Christophe Pierre, Archbishop</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Apostolic Nuncio to the
United States</span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">
<span style="background: white;">3339 Massachusetts Ave NW</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Washington, DC 20008-3610</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">Your Excellency,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">I am writing to call for the full and thorough investigation of the abuses that have recently come to light in our Church, and in particular to investigate fully and thoroughly the credible allegations of the testimony of Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò. These allegations go all the way to the top of our Church’s hierarchical leadership, and have done much to harm the trust of the faithful. We put our faith and hope in Christ, and we turn to the faithful who remain in Church leadership to spur into effect a full investigation that will lead to corrective and purifying action in the Catholic Church, including the swift removal of those who abused others or enabled and covered for those abusers, and retribution for the many crimes committed in darkness under the veil of trust granted by so many to the clerical collar. These crimes must all be brought to light, and reform in our Church must begin today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">My family and I are parishioners at [your parish name] Catholic Church in [city, state]. My husband and I, along with five of our children, attend Mass there weekly. [Say something about your own situation here, of course. Or if you're not Catholic, but are a concerned non-Catholic Christian, or non-Christian person of good will, say that, too! Say why you're writing and what you're hoping for... But this paragraph is optional.] We hope that, as our children continue to grow and learn about the faith, we can turn them to a renewed example of truthfulness and justice, mercy and grace for those harmed, and absolute commitment to the truth of Christ, His Church, and her firm teachings. We thank you in advance for your leadership in this matter.</span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif";">I <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>have sent similar letters to the President of the USCCB and
to our local Bishop. We entrust you, and all the leaders of the Church, to our
prayers. Words are not enough, and we are counting on your action, and the
action of many others, in attempting to right the most grievous wrongs that
have been committed by those in positions of authority in the Catholic Church.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Default">
<br /></div>
<div class="Default">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">[your name]</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
Leslie Anne Mirandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05402907416806204979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571775593743039867.post-31228012948358890872018-08-15T18:45:00.003-07:002018-08-15T20:22:03.353-07:00Blessed Are Those Who Hear the Word of God and Observe ItCoffee Talkers,<br />
<br />
It’s been a while and, whew, news in the Catholic sphere has been a doozy to say the least. I’ve been blessedly busy with my two week old, not to mention the rest of my family, so that’s been at least a bit of a good distraction from the horrific scandals coming to the light of day. Honestly, it’s been too much to even completely process. It’s awful. Brutal. Heart-wrenching and soul-shaking. Bishops around the world, more than 300 named priests, and more than 1,000 known victims... It makes me want to vomit.<br />
<br />
Last night, late at night while awake to nurse my baby, I checked my email to stay awake and found the readings for the Vigil of today’s Solemnity of the Assumption. And somehow, in the midst of that sleep-deprived moment, God shed a little bit of light for me.<br />
<br />
The Gospel from the Vigil (Luke 11:27-28)<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="50011027" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">While he was speaking, a woman from the crowd called out and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.”</a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="50011028" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span class="bcv" style="border: 0px; display: block; font-family: "arial important"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: bold; left: -40px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; top: 19px; width: 25px;">28</span>He replied, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”</a><br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="50011028" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><br /></a>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Naturally, my thoughts turned first to the importance of Mary’s role as mother, as I nursed my own child so newly out of the womb. I reflected on her role not only as the mother of Jesus, but also as mother of the entire Church, so desperately in need of maternal care right now. But Jesus’ words shook me out of my motherly reverie — it’s not Mary’s motherhood that makes her blessed, but rather hearing and observing the word of God. In other words, don’t make excuses for not doing what’s right in the long, hard, uphill road of discipleship — “but I’m not sinless or holy like Mary, Jesus’ own mother!!” — but rather immerse yourself in God's Word and sacraments to find the true source of blessing. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Also, it made me consider the ways that we hold people in certain honor or esteem due to their title or position, and during this time of scandal many of us are realizing at a whole new level that we can’t consider people holy or blessed just based upon title or status in the Church alone. We’ve been shaken to the core to find out the level to which some of the very men who’ve pledged themselves to a life of poverty, chastity, and obedience in imitation of our Lord have actually been using money and depraved sexual acts as they’ve risen to power in the very Church we’ve considered Mother and guide.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">I know there are lots of people thoroughly scandalized right now by what’s going on, and all I can say is that we should be scandalized. There are lots of people who are considering leaving the Church and many more who are already gone. I can’t say that I blame you, but rather that (while I’m not </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: georgia, "times new roman", times, serif; font-size: large;">personally leaving) I can truly empathize. Where can you go, who can you trust, when many of the Shepherds themselves have shown themselves to actually be predatory enemies of all that is good, true, and beautiful? </span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Some of you know I used to work for the Church but am now just busy as wife, mom, and music teacher. I don’t have any inside connections or knowledge, and in fact have resumed the role of the typical Catholic in the pew who doesn’t even know who my Bishop is muchless if I can trust him — too busy trying to wrangle my kids at Mass while we make our way up the communion line. So I feel as lost and as hurt and as betrayed as everyone else.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">However, in the middle of the night, God spoke to me through the Scriptures and said that I can find blessing by hearing his Word and observing it. We all can. We can each grapple with the reality of our own sinfulness, bathe in God’s limitless mercy, and consider the graces He offers us, even through the huge mess in which we find ourselves. We can do penance for our own sins, and for me that’s enough to focus on for right now. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Please be assured that I’ll be praying for all of you as we journey through this trying and terrible time. There are still mercy and grace to be found; let’s pray for one another to find them.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Peace and all good,</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Leslie</span></span><br />
<br />Leslie Anne Mirandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05402907416806204979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571775593743039867.post-26289642339772447392018-03-14T14:11:00.004-07:002018-03-14T14:12:54.018-07:00When Life Gives You Lemons, Start Reading Your BibleCoffee Talkers!<br />
<br />
Well, my hopes of writing every day were thrown out the window and that's okay. It's one of those times where I realized that the Lent I had planned out and the Lent that God had in mind were a bit different, and that I can accept that God's ways are better than my ways. Also, accepting the built-in sacrifices and penances of daily life is better than insisting that I "do my Lenten things," regardless of the needs of the people and reality of the situations around me.<br />
<br />
Some unexpected trials popped up in these past days, and thankfully everything has continued to progress in a pretty manageable way. However, it makes me think of those extremely dark and difficult moments of life, which every person encounters sooner or later (or both), that well-meaning people start throwing out sayings like, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!" or "God never gives us more than we can handle." The truth is, however, the lemons aren't always suitable for drinking and God frequently gives us more than we can handle on our own. That's why we have to rely on Him and on our brothers and sisters among our friends, family, and community of faith to help and sustain us!<br />
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<img alt="Image result for bible and lemons" height="298" src="https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f6/4c/cc/f64ccc9d26740fdb0371c77bd83d9915.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<br />
So instead of making lemonade or being upset when a trite saying is not enough to help us through our trials, let's take a look at the Scriptures to see what God has to say about our need to rely on Him and on the community of faith. Click <a href="https://www.amazingfacts.org/news-and-features/news/item/id/13787/t/are-your-burdens-heavy-10-bible-verses-to-lighten-the-load">here </a>for ten Bible verses to get us started in our reflections on reliance on God and community.<br />
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As always, thanks for stopping by, and be assured of my prayers.<br />
<br />
Peace and all good,<br />
LeslieLeslie Anne Mirandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05402907416806204979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571775593743039867.post-36412289043713877012018-03-05T13:10:00.002-08:002018-03-05T13:10:55.913-08:00Not According to Plan...Hello again, Coffee Talkers,<br />
<br />
Today was one of those days where things did not go quite as planned, and that always throws me off a bit. But it was also one of those days where, somehow, all of the "unplanned" moments ended up working out in an unexpected way and fitting together like a puzzle, as though someone else had a better plan than I did.<br />
Life is like that sometimes, isn't it? Both in the minutiae of day to day life, and in the big picture of our plans, we can ask God for the grace and presence to be aware of and to accept the ways that the Divine plan for our lives may be far different from what we imagined.<br />
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This week, I will pray for an acceptance of God's will. At the beginning of each day, I will ask God for the grace to see situations and circumstances from the perspective of faith. At the end of each day, I will examine the ways that things that went differently than I had planned for and expected, and consider the ways that those unexpected or challenging moments opened up avenues of grace and mercy. What opportunities for spiritual growth did I embrace, and which ones did I miss? How will I do better tomorrow to accept God's will with joy in all circumstances?<br />
As always, thanks for stopping by, and be assured of my prayers.<br />
<br />
Peace and all good,<br />
LeslieLeslie Anne Mirandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05402907416806204979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571775593743039867.post-15276505021889263452018-03-01T11:46:00.002-08:002018-03-01T11:46:54.057-08:00Don't Take It For GrantedHello, Coffee Talkers,<br />
<br />
Today, I stopped off on my way to work to get some gift cards to help out a co-worker who is on medical leave for the rest of the school year. Over Christmas break they found a tumor, which they removed and discovered was cancerous. She's undergoing chemo treatments now. She's young and was in otherwise very good health. She has kids at home.<br />
This week, I will consider how helping others in a time of need develops my own sense of gratefulness for the things I have and my sense of empathy. I will make a list of at least ten things that I often take for granted, but that I now realize are a special grace and blessing from God that I have done nothing to deserve. I will give thanks to God for the good things in my life, and even thank Him for the trials and difficulties, knowing that the Paschal Mystery teaches me that out of the greatest suffering can be brought about mercy, redemption, and salvation.<br />
As always, thanks for stopping by and be assured of my prayers.<br />
<br />
Peace and all good,<br />
LeslieLeslie Anne Mirandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05402907416806204979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571775593743039867.post-85724195862185263462018-02-28T09:37:00.001-08:002018-02-28T09:37:40.288-08:00Giving the Gift of TimeHello, Coffee Talkers!<br />
<br />
My apologies for not writing as frequently as originally planned -- as I mentioned in a previous post, I no longer have a computer at home, and blogging on a mobile device is not working well at all without an app available for it. In any case, I'll continue to post whenever I'm able and hope that you all are Lenting along well with or without Coffee Talk!<br />
Yesterday I took a personal day off from work to join one of my children as they competed in a county wide school competition. I have never taken a personal day before except for school requirements and medical leave, and was even a bit reluctant to do so as I know I'll need the time when I'm on maternity leave at the beginning of next school year. However, I figured this was one of those special moments for my child which, as a teacher myself in a different school district, I rarely get to be a part of and figured I'd regret missing the day more than I would using up a personal day. After we finished, we headed home and I was able to spend the rest of the day with all of my kids before bed time. It was so refreshing and unexpected to have some quality down time with the kiddos on a day that would normally be packed with other responsibilities. I even colored with my older kids -- something I haven't done in ages -- and we had so much fun together! <span style="text-align: center;">It was a great reminder to me that part of our Lenten "almsgiving" can be giving the gift of quality time to our loved ones. </span><br />
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Sometimes it's so easy to get caught up in all of the obligations of daily life that it's possible to lose sight of what's really important or why we do what we do. For example, if I really put God first, family next, and work third, it helps me remember that the whole reason that I do well at my work is to serve God and to serve my family. Some of us, who are of the more 'perfectionist' and/or 'workaholic' varieties, may find it hard to 'turn off' work even when we're home. We're physically near our family members, but not always truly present, as we check our e-mails and text messages and social media apps in case there's something that someone needs outside of our home. This week, I will choose a day to fast from non-work use of electronics, e-mail, and social media. I will also plan for a reasonable daily limit to my use of those things, and outside of that I will do my best to be completely present to the needs of those around me. I will put others interests ahead of my own, and let them choose what we do together instead of being too busy or concerned with my own pursuits.<br />
As always, thanks for stopping by and be assured of my prayers.<br />
<br />
Peace and all good,<br />
LeslieLeslie Anne Mirandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05402907416806204979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571775593743039867.post-49845119810194536612018-02-24T11:18:00.000-08:002018-02-24T11:19:21.925-08:00Accepting Death — A Lenten RealityHello again, Coffee Talkers,<br />
<br />
Lent is a season for repentance, for accepting our own sinfulness and our own mortality, and for preparing for own inevitable deaths. This is why we start the season by marking our heads with ashes, while hearing this prayer: “Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Yes, our hope is in rising with Christ but before we can hope to rise with Him, we must die with Him. This is why, in full immersion baptisms, you can see the symbolism of being baptized into Christ’s death (the body is submerged into the water as Jesus was buried in the tomb) and coming back up again with new life (as Christ rose from the dead).<br />
There is a prayer from the Stations of the Cross, a popular Lenten prayer practice, in which we pray to accept our death. I believe that this particular reflection is from the Stations of the Cross by St. Alphonse’s Ligouri, although in the version I found <a href="https://www.stmarysstonehaven.org/stations-of-the-cross.html">here online</a> there was no attribution, so please correct me if I am incorrect. In any case, the part of the prayer that struck me deeply and has stayed with me since I first heard and prayed it is this: “I accept in particular the death that is destined for me.” This entails not only my acceptance of the reality of my own mortality, but even the particular circumstances of my impending death “with all the pains that may accompany it,” trusting that God (being outside of time and being omniscient) already knows these circumstances and has His own purposes for them.<br />
How can I better prepare for my own death, both spiritually and materially speaking? How can I better prepare for my death (not knowing when it will be) so that I will be as prepared as possible in soul and in providing for the material needs of my family once I am no longer with them here on earth? Today I applied for additional life insurance for all of us. I’m no insurance salesperson, and I’m not suggesting that this is specifically what Lent is asking of us, but it was a realistic and tangible way that I can prepare for my own death and the death of my immediate family members so that it will be hopefully less burdensome to whoemever remains as they grieve the loss of someone close to them. Also, what are some ways that I can get my spiritual house in order? This week I will make a point to get to confession and to make prayer and sacraments a more frequent practice in my daily and weekly schedule.<br />
As always, thanks for stopping by, and be assured of my prayers.<br />
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Peace and all good,<br />
LeslieLeslie Anne Mirandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05402907416806204979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571775593743039867.post-72292911889021550092018-02-23T19:23:00.001-08:002018-02-23T19:27:36.402-08:00On Gratitude and Seeing Through the Eyes of FaithHello again, Coffee Talkers!<br />
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My apologies for not blogging yesterday, for anyone who noticed. The last time my personal laptop punked out on me I decided to not replace it and to just use computers at work, library, university, etc. Overall it’s been a great decision — it keeps me more present at home and more focused when I need to do computer work. Anyway, yesterday and today I didn’t have a chance to blog on a computer and I’ve discovered that there is not an app for Blogger on mobile devices, so I finally found a way to type this on my tiny phone with my giant fingers on Safari. I can barely see what I’m doing, so please forgive me for even more typos than usual!<br />
Some of my readers know that I’m currently working full time as a public school music teacher. My undergraduate degree is in music education and performance, but I didn’t decide to teach in the public school system until a few years ago. Since that time, I’ve been teaching on a temporary teaching permit while finishing up the credential program for my state licensure, and it’s been a long and trying process to say the least. But now that’s it’s finally nearing its end (I jumped the last major hurdle yesterday), I can already see some of the silver lining on some of those cloudy moments in the journey.<br />
It’s so, so hard for me in moments of difficulty to really trust that God has a reason for the trials in my life, even though in the end I always see God’s faithfulness. Sometimes there are people and situations that inadvertently do us harm, and other times it is deliberate. It seems hard to imagine that God could be present in those moments, or even allow those difficulties for a greater good or for some ultimate purpose.<br />
I think of the story of Joseph in the Old Testament. Dude was having a really rough time — if memory serves, it was his own brothers who had dumped him into a cistern and then sold him into slavery. Not cool at all. In time, the brothers found Joseph who, instead of giving them a piece of his mind for how they’d treated him, told them, “Even though you meant to harm me, God meant it for good” (Genesis <a href="http://www.usccb.org/bible/genesis/50">50:20</a>). Instead of holding their horrific behavior against them, Joseph forgave his brothers by seeing the situation through the eyes of faith, a perspective that actually made him even grateful for the good God had brought about through a very bad situation.<br />
This week, I will focus more on seeing difficult situations through the eyes of faith, and in being grateful to God in all circumstances even when I can’t see the good that may come from my present trials or adversities. I will thank God for all the good things He has done for me, and when others wrong me (inadvertently or deliberately), I will be quicker to forgive them and to thank God for whatever end He may have in mind from that particular difficulty.<br />
As always, thanks for stopping by and be assured of my prayers.<br />
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Peace and all good,<br />
LeslieLeslie Anne Mirandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05402907416806204979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571775593743039867.post-53038050715046913822018-02-21T12:57:00.000-08:002018-02-21T12:57:07.996-08:00As We Forgive Those Who Trespass Against UsWelcome back, Coffee Talkers,<br />
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Lent is a great time to meditate on the prayer that Jesus taught us, The Lord's Prayer, "Our Father." If you are looking for some reading materials to help you with this meditation, consider reading the beautiful passages from the <a href="http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p4s2a2.htm">Catechism of the Catholic Church on the Our Father.</a><br />
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For today, I'd like to reflect briefly on the part of the prayer wherein we ask God the Father to "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." It's easy to rattle off those words time and time again without really considering their implications, but when we really think about the meaning of this passage it becomes a bit mysterious. Why would we ask God to forgive us in the same way we forgive others? Especially for those of us who find it hard to not hold a grudge or to forgive someone who has wronged us multiple times, this doesn't seem like the most appealing option. Is Jesus saying that God can't forgive us if we don't forgive others, or that somehow God's endless mercy is dependent upon our forgiveness of someone who has wronged us?<br />
This passage helps us to realize that, while God's mercy does not rely on our own willingness to forgive, we cannot receive the mercy of God without a heart that is open to forgiveness and mercy. When we hold a grudge and refuse to offer forgiveness to another, we harden our own hearts and thus impede our own ability to receive and be healed by the merciful love of God the Father.<br />
This week, I will focus on being more quick to forgive and giving others the benefit of the doubt. I will apologize first, even in a situation where I believe that I am "right," because I want to put being in relationship above being right. I will consider all the ways that God has forgiven me, and all the ways that my friends and family members bear with my many imperfections. I will allow this self-knowledge and humility to guide me to a place of extending forgiveness in a difficult situation.<br />
As always, thanks for stopping by, and be assured of my prayers.<br />
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Peace and all good,<br />
LeslieLeslie Anne Mirandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05402907416806204979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571775593743039867.post-26496281983279974582018-02-20T09:33:00.003-08:002018-02-20T09:34:06.685-08:00Daily Aspirations - Prayers to Help You Through the DayHello again, Coffee Talkers,<br />
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I hope you all enjoyed the long weekend (if you had one), and that you're ready to get back into the Lenten swing of things like I am! Today, I am going to write a bit about a simple way to fit more prayer into the routine and rhythm of our days. I know that many of us (especially parents and caretakers of little ones or the ill and elderly) don't have a lot of time to dedicate to quiet, uninterrupted prayer, and sometimes that may seem discouraging. One practice that I've found helpful is to incorporate aspirations - short prayers that can be committed to memory and prayed quickly and quietly any time, any place - to help center your day back into the presence of God and aid you in keeping a more prayerful mindset in the midst of the busy-ness of our daily lives.<br />
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One of my favorite examples is "Jesus, I trust in You." Another is "Come, Holy Spirit." I find that if I pray these prayers, and especially if I'm mindful enough to pray one of them in place of some other less charitable interior response (in traffic, for example, or when dealing with a difficult person or situation), it helps me to center myself and remind myself of the presence of God with me in all circumstances. It also helps to keep me calm and slow my response time before possibly saying or doing something that I may later regret. Lastly, calling on God for assistance can change my perspective on the situation, allow me to sanctify my daily work (no matter how mundane or distasteful), and truly bring God's assistance to the situation. <a href="http://ourcatholicprayers.com/">OurCatholicPrayers.com</a> has provided a list of some aspirations <a href="http://www.ourcatholicprayers.com/aspirations.html">here</a>.<br />
As always, thanks for stopping by, and be assured of my prayers.<br />
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Peace and all good,<br />
LeslieLeslie Anne Mirandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05402907416806204979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571775593743039867.post-30033543663631484412018-02-16T08:56:00.001-08:002018-02-16T08:56:30.935-08:00Not Turning Your Back On Your Own: The Corporal Works of MercyHello again, Coffee Talkers,<br />
<br />
Today's <a href="http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/021618.cfm">daily Mass readings</a> are short, but action packed with rich Lenten reflection materials! I'd like to comment briefly on a passage from the first reading, found in the <a href="http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/bible/Isaiah/58:1?mc_cid=49ea92a0e2&mc_eid=9363e7b964">58th chapter of Book of the Prophet Isaiah</a>. After mentioning that a day of quarreling, fighting, and carrying out our own pursuits is not exactly the fast or penance that the Lord had in mind, the prophet tells us what we should be doing instead:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">This, rather, is the fasting that I wish:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">releasing those bound unjustly,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">untying the thongs of the yoke;</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Setting free the oppressed,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">breaking every yoke;</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Sharing your bread with the hungry,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">sheltering the oppressed and the homeless;</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Clothing the naked when you see them,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">and not turning your back on your own. (Isaiah 58:6-7)</span></blockquote>
This touches on the <a href="http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/how-we-teach/new-evangelization/jubilee-of-mercy/the-corporal-works-of-mercy.cfm">corporal works of mercy </a>, those teachings of Jesus which instruct us in treating the least of his people as we would treat Him. These works include feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, sheltering the homeless, visiting the sick and prisoners, burying the dead, and giving alms to the poor. These are all very noble practices, and it's good to consider how we can up the ante of our corporal works of mercy during Lent. Some of these activities, of course, take some time and preparation -- for example, I used to volunteer as a visitor in ministry to the young men in the juvenile detention center in the high desert of Southern California. That took some time to get fingerprinted, trained, etc. Also, it may be a similar process to be a regular volunteer at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter. These are really worthwhile outreaches to consider, but not all of us are at a time or place in life to do those things.<br />
However, the last line of the reading really touches on the one thing we can all do, right now, right away -- "not turning your back on your own." For example, my older kids are pretty self-sufficient in many ways but between them and our 18-month-old twins and a baby on the way, there's plenty of clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, and giving drink to the thirsty to keep us busy for quite some time in my household! If I were to go out to visit the homeless, but to the detriment of my own family, this is not necessarily the fast or penance that the Lord desires. Yes, we can go beyond the scope of our own homes and families, but if we haven't met the needs there first then let's reprioritize. What are some ways I can be more present to the needs of my husband and children today? How can I meet the needs and extend care to my extended family members? What about my friends, and the people in my workplace? Are there needs that I can meet by making a sacrifice of my time, talent, and treasure?<br />
As always, thanks for stopping by, and be assured of my prayers.<br />
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Peace and all good,<br />
LeslieLeslie Anne Mirandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05402907416806204979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571775593743039867.post-19901949553416619152018-02-15T09:56:00.000-08:002018-02-15T12:10:00.559-08:00Shhhh... A Lenten Secret!Hello again, Coffee Talkers!<br />
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In the Gospel according to <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+6%3A6-18">Matthew</a>, Jesus tells us to pray and fast in secret. There are a few things about this passage that I've been reflecting on this morning. First, the secret part -- a lot of people say, "If you're supposed to be doing this all in secret, why the ashes on the forehead bit?" Well, ashes on the forehead is a sign of the beginning of a penitential season -- read more about the <a href="https://coffeetalkwithleslie.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-biblical-theology-of-ashes.html">Biblical theology of ashes here</a> if you'd like -- but we don't display ashes on our heads every day of Lent. There are lots of things about praying and fasting in secret that could be said here, but the one thing I want to focus on today is the fact that praying and fasting in secret makes it completely possible for anyone, anytime, and in any place, to participate in the practices of prayer and fasting, regardless of our external circumstances. I've had a few non-Catholic friends even ask me if it's okay to participate in some (or all) of the Catholic practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving during this season when we recall Jesus' own fasting and prayer in the desert. The answer, of course, is yes! No one else needs to know, because "your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you" (Mt. 6:18).<br />
Next, regarding prayer and fasting, I've been thinking today about how both of these practices are aimed at strengthening our reliance on the nourishment we need physically and spiritually from food and from God's Word. Lent is a time, therefore, to reevaluate our current relationship with food and with the intake of words or messages. When I say that we should examine our relationship with food, I don't mean in an Oprah-esque talk-show therapy kind of way, but rather to evaluate how we eat and to what extent we consider where the food comes from, how it nourishes our bodies, and to what extent we are grateful for the gift of food we have been given. This morning, this sight really brought to life the Scripture in which the Psalmist asks the Lord to "give success to the work of our hands."<br />
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Do I regularly appreciate the work, both Divine and human, that goes into producing the food I eat each day? Today, I'll give up one food that does not nourish the body well, and more thoughtfully eat and appreciate one that does.<br />
In terms of prayer, I now turn to my relationship with words and with God's Word. What kinds of words and messages do I take in each day, and to what extent do they give me upset or peace? How much do the words or messages offer me spiritual nourishment, or rob me of spiritual good? Today, I'll spend a few more minutes reflecting on the <a href="http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/021518.cfm">daily Bible readings</a> from Mass, and a few less minutes scrolling through my Facebook feed.<br />
As always, thanks for stopping by, and be assured of my prayers.<br />
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Peace and all good,<br />
LeslieLeslie Anne Mirandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05402907416806204979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571775593743039867.post-4233985315803916092018-02-14T09:29:00.002-08:002018-02-14T09:29:58.089-08:00THE BLOG IS BACK FOR LENT!!!Hey, Coffee Talkers!<br />
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This is directed to all two of you who will read this -- THE BLOG IS BACK FOR LENT! WOOHOO!!!! I've decided to take a little time to blog during Lent, and hopefully it will give a little time out for me to reflect each day in a very busy season of life. I used to answer people's questions about Catholicism and things going on in the world related to Catholicism, and I'm still more than willing to do that, but be warned that I don't have the time I used to in terms of length and thoughtfulness of response. So if you still would like to hear an off-the-cuff Catholic perspective of Leslie, written in her small amounts of available time, then be in touch! :)<br />
In the meantime, here we are on a day when Valentine's Day coincides with Ash Wednesday, demonstrating how soft most of us Catholics really are in terms of this whole fasting thing. Here's my favorite meme to commemorate this day:<br />
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I've decided to stick with my annual giving up of eating out/fast food during Lent, which one would not think would be that hard but somehow is always really timely as the holiday celebrations beginning with Christmas seem to stretch a bit beyond the season for me, if you know what I mean. Anyway, this morning, after taking one of my kids to get braces on (that's a penitential Ash Wednesday activity, for sure!), I felt the pull of the Del Taco iced coffee, the tug of Dunkin' Donuts Valentine's donut specials pulling at my heart strings as I drove by, with a wistful bit of nostalgia for yesterday. While I am technically not bound to today's fast due to pregnancy, I really am able to observe it and giving up fast food is certainly not endangering anyone's health -- quite the opposite! But still, the emotional pull of everything given up for so short a time is a great reminder of why I need Lent.<br />
Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving for the good of the faithful are the three traditional practices of the Lenten season. Each person is encouraged to take up all three, but in a way that is reasonable according to our state in life and realistic to achieve throughout the season. Also, our Lenten sacrifices should not be a burden on others -- you know, "Oh, I'm sorry I'm so snappy today but it's because I HAD TO GIVE UP COFFEE!" You get the idea. Don't make this a failed New Year's Resolutions list, but a way to draw closer to God and His people through some small practices of sacrifice, enough to hurt a little (oh, sweet Dunkin' Donuts, how I'll miss thee!!), but not so extreme that you'll be miserable to be around or that you know you won't be able to realistically maintain them. And don't forget that almsgiving, or charitable giving to those in need, is a great reminder of all the blessings we've received in our own lives. Give what you have, not just from our excess but from our treasures. If you don't have money to spare but you have time or a special talent, offer those. Everyone has something to give, and that can also tie into the practice of prayer on behalf of those who need prayers most.<br />
That's all the time I have for today. Thank you for re-joining me (or tuning in for the first time) after all these years! As always, thanks for stopping by, and please be assured of my prayers.<br />
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Peace and all good,<br />
LeslieLeslie Anne Mirandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05402907416806204979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571775593743039867.post-47088544757708534112014-10-09T08:52:00.000-07:002014-10-09T12:04:52.471-07:00Come and See -- A Call to Explore Priestly and Religious VocationsDear Coffee Talkers,<br />
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In my last column, I reflected on vocations -- our calling in life from God -- and mentioned that, while we all have a divine calling in this life, that most of us are not called to be priests or nuns. Of course, the flip side to that coin is that some of us <i>are </i>called to be priests or nuns (or called to some other form of consecrated life in the Church)! What this means is that if we are still free to be called to the priesthood or religious life, we should be open to exploring that possibility, and not just sit back on our laurels thinking that the call is certainly for someone else.<br />
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I remember as a child occasionally hearing prayers in church that had to do with young people responding to the call to the priesthood and religious life, and I remember thinking very distinctly that someone else must be called to that life, but not me. However, when I was in college and deciding what to do after I graduated, I realized that I really had met very few women in religious life and felt a tug on my heart to go check out some communities. I thought that maybe I'd like to go volunteer for a year after college, and maybe there was a community of nuns who needed some help with their work. I wanted to go meet some Missionaries of Charity (Mother Teresa's order of sisters) and some other orders as well, but genuinely had no idea how to do this or where to start my search.<br />
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Eventually I did go to visit a couple orders (Missionaries of Charity included), and while I ended up volunteering with a young adult retreat team instead, that tug on my heart to check out religious life more remained on my heart for some time. I realized that the feeling I had as a child that the call to consecrated life was for someone else might just have been because I knew nothing about consecrated life in the Church, not necessarily because I was not actually called to it. In the middle of graduate school I finally made a decision, namely that the only way to test the call was to go, to 'come and see', to live for a time with a community of religious sisters and see if their life was for me. So I left everything else behind and headed for convent life.<br />
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I lived for one school year as a postulant (or one who asks the question) with a lovely community of Dominican Sisters in Nashville, Tennessee and while I did not end up being called to live as a sister, I can honestly look back at that time as one of the most valuable moments of spiritual and human formation in my life. One great surprise to me about religious life was how much <i>fun </i>the sisters had! They worked hard and prayed hard, but they also played hard and their life was filled with the kind of deep and abiding joy that only God can give us. I'll never regret taking that risk to come and see what religious life was like, and now find it a joy to tell others about the experience. Also, if my children ever feel that tug in their hearts, I'll know better now how to support them in testing that call.<br />
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I believe that many people feel a call in their hearts to see what consecrated life is like, to check out a call to the priesthood, brotherhood, or sisterhood, but that like me they do not know where to start. This is why Holy Innocents Catholic Church in Victorville, California will be hosting a Vocations Fair on Sunday, October 19 from 2 - 4 pm. The Fair will include representatives from a number of communities of priests and sisters, a chance to speak with these men and women, to hear their stories, to ask questions, and to get more information about their communities and how to visit them if you feel called to 'come and see' like I did.<br />
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There is no regret in testing the call to priesthood or religious life, only in not having responded to Jesus' call to 'come and see' and then wondering the rest of your life if you missed out on the truest calling of your heart. Sure, not everyone is called to give their lives and hearts to God in such a radical and undivided way, but some are and maybe one of those someones is you.<br />
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For more information on the Holy Innocents Vocations Fair, contact Owen Carroll at (760) 948-4177 or Nabor Manriquez (in Spanish) at (760) 985-4776.<br />
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One final note: considering religious vocations is NOT just for Catholic Christians! There are many people called to priesthood and the religious life, and I have several friends who are now priests and religious brothers and sisters who did not begin their journey as Catholics. In time, they did convert to Catholicism and then embraced their vocations. There are many paths to finding God's calling for you!<br />
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As always, thanks for stopping by, and be assured of my prayers.<br />
<br />
Peace and all good,<br />
LeslieLeslie Anne Mirandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05402907416806204979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571775593743039867.post-26796488282613809802014-09-24T23:59:00.000-07:002014-09-25T10:12:58.393-07:00The Reality, Love, and Suffering of Vocation<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
Hey there, Coffee Talkers,</div>
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What's presented below includes an abridged and edited version of an old post that I came across and realized that I needed to hear again and meditate on at this stage in my spiritual journey. When I write about the faith I see that God is often speaking most directly to me even if I'm answering a question that someone else has asked, and if a few people out there have been also been helped in their life of faith by my writings then I'll count that as an added blessing. So here's one on the concept of vocation because I need to revisit it, and maybe you do, too:</div>
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<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">When Catholic Christians talk about vocations, most people
think only about priests and nuns, but a vocation refers to a person’s calling
from God. This means that every one of us has a vocation, or a divine calling,
and the fact is that most of us are not called to be priests and nuns. In my
own spiritual journey I have reflected a great deal on the concept of vocation,
and have summed up God’s lessons to me in three major themes.</span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>1. Vocation is always rooted in reality, and in the present
moment.</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Have you ever known someone who was always 'discerning'
their vocation, or a person who says, “I’ll pray about that” as a way of
side-stepping even the most simple decisions or commitments? Don't get me
wrong; discernment and prayers are very important, but I think that sometimes
we use prayer as an excuse to be perpetually non-committal and confuse
discerning with fanciful daydreaming. These daydreams don't necessarily have to
take the form of something glamorous, for even the dream of suffering or
martyrdom can be heroic in the mind's eye. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Ultimately, the most important aspect of any vocation is
rooted<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>in our present reality<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>– God is not going to ask us to
neglect our obligations to our current state in life to pursue another. A
widowed mother is not likely to be ‘called’ to a cloistered convent while her
children are still young and relying upon her for their care and formation, for
example. Each of us is called to continue dedicating our lives fully to those
tasks at hand until such a time as the Lord presents something else to us, puts
something or someone clearly in our path and asks us to take a different
direction. When that happens, we should act on it, and promptly. Until that
time, however, there is no use spending countless hours (or even minutes!)
thinking about what could be or what might have been. Vocation is reality,
plain and simple, and often that involves our lives being very different than
we might have wished them to be. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>2. Vocation is always rooted in love, and in loving again
and again.</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Whenever I think of vocation, I think of little St. Therese
of Lisieux, <span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">a young cloistered Carmelite nun</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> whose feast we will soon celebrate on October 1. Therese wanted to be so many things, but in the
end realized that her vocation was love. What does this mean? Some think
Therese to have been a syrup-y sweet little saint who always had life easy, and
so her joy and happiness and vocation of ‘love’ must have come to her with
ease, as well. However, anyone who has read her ‘Story of A Soul’ can assure
you that this was not the case, nor is it the case with any sincere disciple of
Christ. No, we are asked to choose love and to live love again and again in the
face of countless sufferings, as Therese did.</span><br />
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The act of loving in the face of hatred, persecution,
malignment, and every form of human suffering is a discipline that is possible
not by human effort alone, but by grace. Just when we have reached the end of
our own strength, it is then we are called to love again, and to be willing to
take the risk of loving not just once, not twice, but an infinite number of
times. I suspect that this is part of what the Psalmist is referring to when he
says, "If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts." Do you
hear God's voice, even in the midst of your pain and suffering? Open your heart
to the possibility of loving again, to hurting again, to being healed again,
and then once again to loving.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>3. Vocation means being God's, even on the Cross.</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Anyone who preaches a Gospel solely based on prosperity and
success in this life preaches a lie; we must realize that the Christian
vocation means following Christ even unto death, and that means accepting the
Cross. If we are humble enough, many people of faith will admit that while we may
have followed a number of paths to which we surely felt God calling us, we
ended up in a place entirely different than the place of our imagining or
choosing. Even in the face of uncertainty, embarrassment, disillusionment,
pain, and suffering we are always God's, and God is always present, always. 'Being God's' is the one vocation that never ends. For both in life and
death we belong to God, and we know that the story of the Cross is one of
unimaginable and seemingly senseless suffering bearing the greatest fruit of redemption
that the world has ever known.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As always, thanks for stopping by, and be assured of my prayers.</div>
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Peace and all good,</div>
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Leslie</div>
Leslie Anne Mirandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05402907416806204979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571775593743039867.post-56170817993546170232014-09-18T06:07:00.000-07:002014-09-18T06:22:26.425-07:00On Love Expressed and the Christian LifeDear Coffee Talkers,<br />
<br />
I was recently reading an article talking about the importance of expressing our love for our family and friends, and citing some examples of ways to express our affection rather than just assuming these relationships would continue to run on auto-pilot from the efforts we'd perhaps made in the past or simply from an ongoing feeling of mutual affection, un-fueled by current expressions of kindness. Some of the ideas for showing our affection included sending a text message or an e-mail, giving the person a phone call, and sending a letter or a simple gift.<br />
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While I liked the idea of the article, there was something about it that seemed incomplete to me. In grappling with what ideas might be missing, I considered an important thought about the Christian life and love: that true love expressed always seeks the good of the other and is sacrificial, not selfish. This is not to suggest that the ideas of communicating with another person in simple ways or sending cards and gifts is not part of an expression of someone's affection, but to point out that, despite Hallmark's persuasive marketing scheme, perhaps simply giving someone a greeting card does not truly represent 'the very best' that love has to offer.<br />
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I think it's fair to say that most people have experienced the development of a new friendship, a fresh crush, or a blossoming romance and the ambivalent emotions that can accompany this experience. At first, we might see the other person entirely through rose colored glasses, so to speak, and we can be easily carried away by the excitement that accompanies every smile, text message, phone call, and card we receive. Soon, however, we may find that the relationship is put to some kind of test and that it has either grown stale or has become one-sided. Maybe we are the only one sending texts and cards, or perhaps the other person is giving 'gifts' that do not really consider our good but are intended to manipulate and get something from us that they want. We may realize that one or the other of us has a need that the other party is not willing or able to meet, and we realize that perhaps this was never really love at all but instead an arrangement of feel-good convenience at best and mutual using at worst.<br />
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While some may think that hate is the opposite of love, a Christian worldview offers the possibility that <i>using</i> another person is that which is most contrary to loving them, or caring for their ultimate good. When I merely use someone to meet my own selfish needs, true love can never enter into the picture. I must stop using, and being used, if I ever hope to enter into a truly loving relationship, one in which both parties truly consider the good of the other and enter into a love of reciprocal self-gift.<br />
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In Christianity, we see this ultimate model of sacrificial, selfless, and life-giving love in action: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son..." This is <i>agape</i> love, the love of self-sacrifice. This type of love does not seek to take anything, and while it is open to receiving back an offering of love from the beloved, it never demands or requires reciprocity for its gift to be given.<br />
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Next time we consider how to express our love for our family and friends, let us truly consider the needs of the other person, place their good above our own, and put into action this love of self-sacrifice. Let us be willing to give the gift of our very selves, and to take the chance that even when sacrificial love is unrequited it is its own reward because it is the most true to our highest calling and destiny. Because when we care enough to send the very best, it will rarely involve a greeting card but will always require self-sacrifice, a sacrifice that will bear fruit in both this life and in eternity.<br />
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As always, thanks for stopping by. Be assured of my prayers.<br />
<br />
Peace and all good,<br />
LeslieLeslie Anne Mirandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05402907416806204979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571775593743039867.post-50088772319781688432014-09-03T22:31:00.000-07:002014-09-03T22:31:11.402-07:00On Failed Prayers, Action, and Waiting: Opening A Spiritual DoorDear Coffee Talkers,<br />
<br />
A journalist recently asked Pope Francis, "Given what has happened in Gaza, was the Prayer for Peace held in the Vatican on June 8 a failure?" Pope Francis responded by saying it was not a failure, but rather that "the door of prayer was opened." He continued by saying that the encounter of prayer "is a fundamental step of the human attitude" toward God's gift of peace and that while "the smoke of the bombs and the war do not let one see the door ... the door was left open at that moment."<br />
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The two ideas that struck me most in this interview were the concepts of failed prayer and of opening the door of prayer. I believe that many of us can relate to the experience of a 'failed' or seemingly unanswered prayer and the accompanying pain that goes with the experience. Sadly, this is why many have abandoned the practice of any faith or prayer at all -- the risk of being hurt again by God is simply too much to bear. This seems to be part of the experience of the prophet Jeremiah who in the midst of intense sufferings and an interior crisis proclaims, "You duped me, O Lord, and I let myself be duped...All day long I am an object of laughter; everyone mocks me." Thankfully for Jeremiah, that was not the end of the story, but his feeling of being misled and mocked as a result of his efforts at prayer and faithfulness ring in the hearts of the faithful through the centuries.<br />
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The untimely death of a loved one; the loss of a job; the end of a romantic relationship or long-time friendship; a breach of trust within a family that can perhaps be forgiven but not forgotten -- where was God in the midst of these situations? Were our prayers a failure? And if so, why bother continuing to pray at all?<br />
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The image of a door being opened, and then remaining open, as a result of our prayer is very powerful, especially in considering some of the more tragic moments of our lives. The first way that the image moves me is that the idea of the door being opened reminds me that, while the work of grace is God's, I have a part to play in the divine action by walking toward and through that door. Yes, prayer is important, but in most cases if it is unaccompanied by any action on my part it is unlikely to bear much fruit. While certain situations do not allow for a great deal of human action, most of the time we should be moved by the Spirit of God to do something practical that would move us toward the result of our prayer.<br />
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The second way that the image of the door of prayer inspires me is that it causes me to consider how many doors are still open from prayers that I have already initiated but given up on. There are times where the human action accompanying my prayer is flawed or insufficient, or where I simply have to wait upon the Lord and for much longer than I am willing. Maybe I think that prayer failed or was unanswered, and I'm so busy looking at the 'smoke' left behind by a series of unfortunate events that were simply not according to my plans. But God has not given up, and the door remains open, perhaps to be answered in a different way and time than I was originally prepared for. That is part of the mystery of grace -- freely given, wholly unexpected, and far surpassing our wildest dreams.<br />
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Am I ready to look again for that open door, to open myself to the risk of prayer even after being burned before? When I ask this question, I hear the words that the Lord spoke to Jeremiah after the prophet's crisis of faith: "For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for woe, plans to give you a future full of hope."<br />
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As always, thanks for stopping by. Be assured of my prayers.<br />
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Peace and all good,<br />
Leslie<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Helvetica, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"></span>Leslie Anne Mirandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05402907416806204979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571775593743039867.post-74004264058091452132014-08-22T00:10:00.000-07:002014-08-22T00:10:05.341-07:00Guatemala 2014 - A Thank You to Our Benefactors<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text"><span style="background: white; font-family: 'Lucida Handwriting'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">I give thanks to my God at every remembrance of
you,</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; font-family: 'Lucida Handwriting'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span class="text"></span><span style="background: white; font-family: 'Lucida Handwriting'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span id="en-NABRE-33684" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">praying always with joy in my every prayer for all of you,</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></span><span class="text"></span><span style="background: white; font-family: 'Lucida Handwriting'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span id="en-NABRE-33685" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">because of your partnership for the gospel
from the first day until now.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></span><span class="text"></span><span style="background: white; font-family: 'Lucida Handwriting'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span id="en-NABRE-33686" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in
you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.</span> (Philippians
1:3-6)</span></span><span style="background: white; font-family: 'Lucida Handwriting'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_BRNA-23SfkqXzc9JoFJwa0uUwjVLPcVaSdQES1bQqTu0JmFiuM4lQ-GS24ZMxaM6bXRvS_9nvVLdlTu9LkZTn_mGIRnipLgVOTaDPmkKsz9BGKTdDmp7GeNMDZ6HvKW5M1HSS-3Hd0P/s1600/celebrants.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_BRNA-23SfkqXzc9JoFJwa0uUwjVLPcVaSdQES1bQqTu0JmFiuM4lQ-GS24ZMxaM6bXRvS_9nvVLdlTu9LkZTn_mGIRnipLgVOTaDPmkKsz9BGKTdDmp7GeNMDZ6HvKW5M1HSS-3Hd0P/s1600/celebrants.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/sh/755e2us4030ut5n/AADjiIUNq2Yeceb-ubWfq59ra">Click here for a link to many awesome pictures of our mission, taken by our sound technician James! :)</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I am writing to express my profound gratitude for
your partnership in the mission of Celebrant Singers, and to share with you a
bit about my team’s recent outreach in California and Guatemala. As one of our
benefactors, I consider you a very important part of our mission team and want
to assure you of my team’s daily prayers for you and your intentions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Guatemala Team of Celebrant Singers came
together for 4 intensive days of rehearsal and spiritual preparation, and then
started out on our 3-week mission. I originally traveled with Celebrant Singers
on a 10-week summer team to Trinidad 14 years ago, and so I was amazed not only
by the invitation to travel with the ministry again, but by the idea of
preparing for the mission so quickly. Any musician knows how long it can take
for a group to come together musically, and even that preparation does not take
into account the need for spiritual readiness and learning to work together as
a ministry team. Also, our team was extremely diverse in every possible way –
we ranged in age from 17 to 79 years old and came from many different Christian
churches, work and family backgrounds, and countries including USA, Canada,
Mexico, France, Bulgaria, and Slovenia. Even before we set out on mission, I
could tell that the Lord had something very special in mind for our team, and I
can truly say that by the end of the mission we had become a family deeply
bonded in faith, hope, and love.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Our ministry outreach in Guatemala far surpassed any
of our expectations. We were hosted by a charismatic community of Catholic
Christians who had been greatly anticipating our arrival and welcomed us with
open arms. The hospitality we received was extraordinary, and our presentations
of music, testimonies, and presentation of the Gospel message were received by
more than 5,000 people in Guatemala City and Antigua. In every place we
presented, we were greeted by a large crowd of people, usually with standing
room only and long lines of individuals coming forward for prayer. The great
sincerity and faith of the Guatemalan people was very moving, and it was clear
that the enthusiasm they had in receiving us was their way of welcoming Christ
himself into their midst. We were certainly undeserving of such hospitality,
but truly honored to be welcomed as representatives of Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We returned to California to conclude the ministry
with the France team at the 37<sup>th</sup> Annual Homecoming Concert in
Visalia and the World Touch Partners Banquet and Concert. During this time, we
were able to remember the larger scope of the ministry and the importance of
all of our sponsors in a very special way. Of all of the music and ministry
experiences I have had in my life, this summer’s was one of the most powerful
and I cannot express my profound gratitude to you for making this possible.
While words may fall short, I pray that grace will suffice and I assure you of
my grateful prayers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In Christ,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Leslie A. Elliott<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Leslie Anne Mirandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05402907416806204979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571775593743039867.post-61588096603077464152014-08-17T00:14:00.001-07:002014-08-17T00:39:37.257-07:00The Time Is Now: A Tribute to Roy the Bus DriverHello, Coffee Talkers!<br />
<br />
As some of you may have heard, I've been on mission with Celebrant Singers in California and Guatemala, which at least gives me a somewhat legitimate excuse for not writing for some time now. I do plan to write at least weekly from here on out, so hold me to it!<br />
<br />
The mission experience this summer, though brief, was extraordinarily powerful and moving in so many different ways. Really, I'm rarely lacking words to describe <i>anything</i>, but in this case words really do fall short.<br />
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After returning from any kind of spiritual experience like this, I always find that the reality of daily life tends to smack you in the face again pretty quickly. That's not to say that what we experienced on mission wasn't real -- on the contrary, I'd say that it was <i>more </i>real in the bigger picture of life and eternity -- but to point out that it's easy to come down from that mountaintop experience and get dragged down by the minutiae of daily responsibilities and trials.<br />
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But there is one particular person that my mind keeps coming back to that I want to share with you now, a person who taught me in a very short time about what is really important. His name is Roy Dick, and he was one of our bus drivers.<br />
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Roy was such a kind and gentle person, so happy to be with all of us on the team, and to serve God and us by driving us to all the ends of the earth (or all the ends of California, at least!). He always greeted each of us with a hello and warm smile, and there are a couple memories of Roy that I'd like to share.<br />
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Roy took our team for a WalMart run before we were to depart for Guatemala, and not needing anything myself, I just hung around outside for a while. When I saw Roy, he asked how I was doing and if I needed anything -- he was always concerned for others -- and when I told him that I was fine, he asked if I might have time to run in to the McDonald's to grab a Big Mac for him. It was something so small that I did for him, but he was so grateful that you'd have thought that I went and bought him a new car (or an upgraded Celebrant Singers bus, perhaps?).<br />
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The next special moment with Roy happened on the afternoon on the Celebrant Singers 37th Annual Homecoming Concert. I had just returned to meet the teams for rehearsal, and when I went in to the building I had my children with me. I was in a bit of a hurry to get them to the restroom and then to get ready myself for the rehearsal, but we saw Roy in the hallway. He was so happy to see me upon my return to the team, and really excited to meet my girls. Because I was feeling rushed, I felt inclined to just give a quick hello and to keep walking, but I felt Jesus say to me, "Won't you stop and visit with me for just a moment?" Roy wanted to know my girls' names, to say hello to each of them individually and to see how they were doing. He was so kind. I found out later that it was actually his weekend off (the ministry sometimes has the volunteer bus drivers on a rotation) but that he had come anyway that day because he loved being around us and the music. My girls and I told Roy that we'd see him later, and continued on to prepare for the rest of the day.<br />
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That was the last time I saw or spoke to Roy. A few hours later, while the musicians were on a break from rehearsal, Roy took a misstep at the edge of the stage and took a big fall into the orchestra pit area. He was flown to a hospital for treatment, but he sustained such serious injuries that he died last Tuesday evening, the night of our final banquet and concert for this summer's outreach.<br />
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I learned so much in the few weeks of our mission, but the most profound lesson was learned from Roy's life and his sudden death: that we should never take one another for granted, that we should never pass up an opportunity to give and receive love, that we should always take an opportunity to serve others, to give, to love to the point of sacrifice. The time is now to love; we have no time to waste!<br />
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When I think of Roy, I think of this Bible verse about love in action:<br />
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Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. (Romans 12: 9-12)</div>
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And I trust that we will see Roy again, and soon. May the soul of Roy, and all of the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God rest in peace.</div>
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As always, thanks for stopping by and be assured of my prayers.</div>
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Peace and all good,</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Leslie</div>
<br />Leslie Anne Mirandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05402907416806204979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571775593743039867.post-40416355401731624012014-05-14T22:16:00.002-07:002014-05-14T22:16:43.283-07:00Why I’m Honored When Satanists Mock the Mass<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
Dear Coffee Talkers,</div>
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It's been a while! There's been so much going on in the Catholic news scene, but so little time to write!</div>
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Some of you may know that I am one of the religion columnists for the local newspaper where I live. I haven't submitted any columns for a while because of pre-Easter and post-Easter busyness at the parish where I work, and family obligations, and also due to my occasional love of sleep. In any case, a man from my parish asked me a while ago when I was going to have another column in the paper, and he said something like, "Make it a good one -- something to stir people up, something controversial!"</div>
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I honestly wasn't thinking of what he'd said when I wrote this column today, but perhaps his exhortation was somewhere behind what follows. I wonder if they'll run it? Crazier things have happened...</div>
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This
week’s planned, then canceled, then relocated-to-a-Chinese-restaurant Harvard student
group’s ‘Black Mass’ has certainly garnered a lot of attention. Understandably,
many Catholic Christians were deeply offended by this satanic mockery of the
central form of worship in Catholic Christianity, namely the Mass and the
Eucharist. As a Catholic Christian myself, I am actually somewhat honored by
this tremendous offense. Let me explain.</div>
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I’ve
learned that there are a couple major types of so-called satanists: theistic
(or theological) satanists, who believe in satan as a deity and worship him,
and atheistic satanists, who believe neither in the devil or in God but rather
‘worship’ themselves as their own God. It seems that the group responsible for
the Harvard Black Mass happens to be of the atheistic variety, but in either
case, let’s consider why any satanists would mock the Catholic Christian Mass
and Eucharist specifically.</div>
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First, it seems that theistic
satanists would want to pit the devil against Jesus, worshipping the evil one
over his adversary. Satan, as the Prince of Darkness, would be worshipped over
Jesus, the Prince of Peace and the Light of the World. In a real Black Mass,
the actual Mass of Catholic Christians is not only mocked, but the Eucharist (a
consecrated host which Catholic Christians believe to contain the true presence
of Jesus’) is desecrated. If Jesus was not truly present in the Eucharist, why
would they use a consecrated host at all? If this was just some crazy Catholic
hoax, any piece of bread would do and the consecration of the host would be
entirely irrelevant.</div>
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Secondly, considering the case of
atheistic satanists who believe neither in God nor in the devil, their Black
Mass seems more of a strict mockery than of actual devil-worship, an extreme
exaltation of self over the worship of a Divine Other. The Harvard Black Mass
was apparently conducted by this type of satanists, and it is said that a
consecrated host was not used but that they originally had desired to use one.
Again, why? If these people do not believe in God or in the devil, why do they
not mock all major world religions? Why is there not an open mockery of the
most sacred acts of Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, or even of Protestant
Christians? Instead, we see the now rather predictable mockery of Catholic
Christianity and disrespect for the Mass and the Eucharist. If this type of
atheistic Black Mass exalts the self as the ultimate authority and divinity,
then it must set itself as an adversary against (and exalt itself above) the
other source of authority and divinity: namely, the Catholic Church, its Mass,
and the Eucharist.</div>
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When satanists (of theistic and
atheistic varieties) start mocking any other world religion besides Catholic
Christianity, maybe I’ll consider converting, but until then I’ll hold it as a
deep honor that those who choose to worship darkness and self have pitted
themselves against what I (and millions of Catholics worldwide) hold to be the
source of true light, peace, authority, and divinity: Catholic Christianity,
the Mass, and the Eucharist.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaQ9uIn0HOYsmjsCbk-GA5OMdFYoSIuvOo_IIhKvpaYAxwb1SseohG-pETZwQKhEdwDH0HzPmRYvjx1FHf9uGQbZrxG-9TTEgeZzBU_90oyFRNV2ALsDY5bH4y7G0RWktb8LOub5AXHyUr/s1600/adoration+in+boston.jpg" height="213" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 20.799999237060547px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">A <a href="http://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2014/05/blessed-sacrament-procession-in.html#.U3RNXoFdWSo">Holy Hour of Adoration</a> and Benediction at St. Paul's, the home parish of the Harvard Catholic Student Association</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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As always, thanks for stopping by, and be assured of my prayers.</div>
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Peace and all good,</div>
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Leslie</div>
Leslie Anne Mirandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05402907416806204979noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571775593743039867.post-89784280964160318792014-02-15T22:29:00.000-08:002014-02-15T22:52:15.428-08:00The Shortest Trip to Change My Life -- Happy Valentine's, Neighbor!Hello, Coffee Talkers!<br />
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One of my favorite things about being Catholic is that I have never been asked, as an action of faith, to go door-to-door throughout my neighborhood for any reason whatsoever. Don't get me wrong -- it's not that I am reluctant to talk with people about matters of faith (quite the opposite, in fact). It's just that, while I am rather outgoing in many circumstances, when I'm home I tend to go into hermit mode. I mean, not full-blown hermitage, but I'd definitely say that home time is when the more introverted part of me kicks in and just wants to be minding my own quiet, peaceful business and thinking my own lovely thoughts. When door-to-door folks of faith come proselytizing, I loathe it and sometime avoid answering the door altogether, but not because I don't want to talk about faith... it's because <i>I'm at home</i>! So needless to say, I don't really know any of my neighbors.<br />
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It's a terrible commentary on my faith life, really, to admit that I don't know a single one of the people in my immediate neighborhood very well after living here for a few years. I mean, I know the Bible mentions loving your neighbor on a number of occasions, and I'm pretty sure this concept is more demanding than the little wave I give when I see that one neighbor taking out their garbage can and the way that I generally avoid contact with the rest of them. I was recently thinking that I should do better in this regard, but as usual, made no concrete plans to do so.<br />
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The weather was so nice today that I suggested to my girls that we take a walk in our neighborhood. And then my girls asked me to let them go door-to-door to all the neighbors on our block to give out Valentine's cards while we were at it.<br />
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Ugh.<br />
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Everything inside me rebelled, but I knew I had to let them do it, at the risk of my own personal inconvenience and very probable embarrassment. I never could have guessed that the next hour would change my life. Here are a few highlights:<br />
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House 1: a kind older lady, presumably the wife of the man to whom I occasionally wave over garbage can transport. She was really happy to receive the girls' Junie B. Jones paper Valentines and to finally meet us, and sincerely thanked us several times for coming by, even though I was still kind of embarrassed and trying to get off her porch in pretty short order.<br />
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House 2: some kids peeking through the window, followed by their dad opening the door holding a bottle of Windex and, clearly far more embarrassed than I had ever been, apologizing to us in case we had overheard whatever it was that he had yelled at one of the misbehaving children. We handed over the Valentine's, I told the kids to be good for their dad, and a little while later a couple of the kids came out to their yard to yell a thank you to my girls for the cards.<br />
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House 3: a mom and her 3 children who we actually had met before when we were having a yard sale quite a while ago, but who we haven't seen much since because I am a procrastinating hermit (the worst kind). The mother had shared that they are Catholics from Israel who have been wanting to have their children prepared for the sacraments, and I had been meaning to follow up. They were so excited to see us again, and I honestly have seen few children as happy as those 3 were when my girls gave them their Valentines.<br />
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House 4: the young guy in his shorts and tank top, who looked groggy and possibly hung over, but couldn't stop smiling when he heard why we were there.<br />
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House 5: the guy who was cleaning the house after all of their furniture had already been moved out, and who apologized that they were leaving just when we came over to say hello. (Little did he know that we're about two years late, and not the regular welcome wagon.) He gave a big thanks, and we wished him well on his family's move.<br />
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House 6: the friendly but kind of strange guy across the street who I remember also coming over to our yard sale, but he seemed to have no recollection of who we were. He seemed happy enough about the girls' Valentines, although it kind of seemed like he thought I might be hitting on him. Hopefully, my facial expression accompanied by my nasty sweats and greasy pony tail made it clear that I was not, and we continued on as he waved goodbye.<br />
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House 7: the elderly Asian lady who, when I told her we were neighbors and the girls just wanted to give her Valentine's cards, tried to explain that she didn't speak much English. I tried to explain, through simple words and gestures, that the cards were for her. She looked happy and asked how much. I said, "No money; free, for you!" Her expression changed from confusion to gratitude, and I saw her eyes get teary as she gave an emotional thank you. As we walked down her driveway I turned back to see if my younger daughter needed help with her scooter, and saw the woman still standing there, smiling and watching us. A while later, I saw her on her driveway with a younger man (maybe her son) pointing down the street and looking our way.<br />
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You guys. My girls were just giving out these little paper Valentine's:<br />
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And I was just walking with them, trying to explain that we were neighbors just giving out some cards. I didn't even bake anything (which is probably for the best for all involved).<br />
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And everyone we saw was <i>so happy</i>.<br />
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It was really cool.<br />
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I'm not going to lie to myself or any of you and say that we're going to make this a regular event (because who wants Valentine's in March, anyway), but I definitely learned some great lessons from today, the most important of which can't really be put into words.<br />
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But I think my favorite lesson is that, when you have children who you school in the faith, they're bound to school you soon enough and you better hop on board for the ride.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbB2iyY50LJ148eFrEzEX92q5-r7hqm3wEqKBT0fEdwI8brnOdBBfoNEnTNJ58nvjGuTRTy-m_hXiBAsE1RFR226bLdmQl_z-YFNklCti2-M7lLCb4t0gBdafF2qK5gueW0IhINugaqZDO/s1600/let-the-little-children-come-to-me.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbB2iyY50LJ148eFrEzEX92q5-r7hqm3wEqKBT0fEdwI8brnOdBBfoNEnTNJ58nvjGuTRTy-m_hXiBAsE1RFR226bLdmQl_z-YFNklCti2-M7lLCb4t0gBdafF2qK5gueW0IhINugaqZDO/s1600/let-the-little-children-come-to-me.jpeg" height="281" width="320" /></a></div>
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As always, thanks for stopping by, and be assured of my prayers.</div>
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Peace and all good,</div>
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Leslie</div>
Leslie Anne Mirandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05402907416806204979noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571775593743039867.post-92039802290851654072014-02-06T01:05:00.000-08:002014-02-06T13:46:58.223-08:00The UN vs. The Holy See: Who Has Moral Authority?<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Welcome back, Coffee Talkers!<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It seems
that all eyes are on the Catholic Church, and on Pope Francis in particular. As
the media tracks his every move and (mis)reports his every word, there seems to
be a keen interest in both secular and religious communities to see if and how
Francis will set a moral compass for the world. And while his teachings and
activities are no departure from his predecessors, his sky-rocket to star
status in less than a year of papal reign is notable. Already named person of
the year by Time, The Advocate, and GQ, the only cover left un-Poped was, until
recently, Rolling Stone. I was gearing up to read my first Rolling Stone
article, until a few paragraphs into the nearly 8,000 words of half-truths,
gross mis-characterizations, and crude ad hominem attacks on Benedict XVI, I
realized that, as Kimberly "Sweet Brown" Wilson so sagely explained,
"Ain't nobody got time for that." Clearly, just because people see
Pope Francis as a rock star doesn't mean that they 'get' Catholicism or regard
the Church as having any kind of moral authority.<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thankfully,
I was able to find some other interesting reading in the United Nations
Committee on the Rights of the Child's<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CRC/Shared%20Documents/VAT/CRC_C_VAT_CO_2_16302_E.pdf">16-page
lambast of the Holy See</a>. While the UN report was certainly more interesting
than the so-called article from Rolling Stone, it seems to have been based on a
surprisingly similar lack of factual information about the teachings and
practices of the Catholic Church. <u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Since the UN
Committee's concluding observations open by chiding the Holy See for their
previously delayed response of approximately fourteen years, I've decided to
help the UN out by offering some initial insights right away, at least a decade
sooner than they expect to receive a formal<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.news.va/en/news/holy-see-responds-to-un-committee-on-rights-of-the">response
from the Vatican</a>. I will reply to a few key points from the document.<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1. The
Convention recommends, in a variety of ways that the Holy See (a.k.a. the
Vatican) make a full review of all Canon (or Church) Law, with the goal of
ensuring that it is in compliance with the United Nations Convention on the
Rights of the Child.<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm not sure
how to break this to the Committee. I mean, the Vatican<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>did<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>get back to them (albeit 14 years
late) the last time they were in touch, but they may not be on the top of their
list of priorities. More importantly, last I checked, the Convention on the
Rights of the Child was in no way nor at any time mentioned or cited in the
Code of Canon Law, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, or in any other
official Church documents. To put it simply, the Holy See does not consult a UN
convention for the soundness of the Church's internal laws of governance.<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2. The
Convention is very concerned with the rights of the child, the reporting of
abuse, and the prevention of any further incidents. To this end, they make
numerous recommendations to the Holy See regarding the implementation of rules,
policies, and programs that would raise awareness, mandate reporting, and
educate children, volunteers, employees, seminarians, and religious in
appropriate policies and practices.<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">All of this
has been going on, in a thorough and systematic way, for the past decade within the Catholic Church. Honestly, these recommendations
were the most absurd to me, because it genuinely seems as though no one on the
committee actually took the time to see the extensive work that Church has done
in this regard. The work is far from done, I freely admit, but every one of the
recommendations in this area has not only been met, but far exceeded, in
Catholic schools, parishes, dioceses, and other Catholic organizations
throughout the world.<u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">3. "<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222;">The
Committee also urges the Holy See to make </span><span style="color: #222222;">full use
of its moral authority <span style="background: white;">to condemn
all forms of harassment, discrimination or violence against children based
on their sexual orientation or the sexual orientation of their parents and
to support efforts at international level for the decriminalisation of
homosexuality." The Committee also "urges" the Holy See to
change our Canon Law to permit abortion services for pregnant girls who are at
risk.</span></span><u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222;">First,
let's take a look at the Catechism of the Catholic Church, where it's teaching
on homosexual persons clearly states that "They must be accepted with
respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in
their regard should be avoided" (CCC 2358). Again, did anyone on the
committee actually consult the Church's teaching before asking them to change
it?</span><u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222;">Next,
it seems particularly twisted that the committee on the rights of the child did
not at all mention the rights of the pre-born child in the womb but only of the
young pregnant girls (whose abortions are often performed under duress with no
consideration of rights of the pregnant girl nor the pre-born child), but in
any case let me explain that it will be a cold day somewhere south of Rome
before the Vatican changes any doctrines or canons based solely on the
recommendations of a UN committee, and certainly not on abortion. The Church
does have bioethical norms that explain what might happen in the dangerous case
of an ectopic pregnancy, for example, but I fear this may be too much to
explain to a committee who apparently cannot even look up simple citations from
the Catechism.</span><u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222;">Lastly,
and most remarkably, the </span>United Nations Committee on the
Rights of the Child just appealed to "<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222;">the
Holy See to make </span><span style="color: #222222;">full use of its moral
authority." Read it again. It's really the most amazing part of the whole
document wherein the UN Committee, after just having spent many pages
criticizing the law, doctrines, and practices of the Catholic Church and urging
them to come into alignment with the UN's own policies and practices, admits
that the Holy See has moral authority. <u1:p></u1:p></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">Huh.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">I’ll be
anxious to hear what Pope Francis has to say about the document as well, and
while it might make the cover of a popular magazine, I think I’ll wait to read
his actual words and see what moral direction he, and the Holy See, have to
offer.</span><u1:p></u1:p><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">As always,
thanks for stopping by, and be assured of my prayers.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #222222;">Peace and
all good,</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><u1:p></u1:p>
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Leslie</span></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />Leslie Anne Mirandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05402907416806204979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4571775593743039867.post-43702799446249612722013-12-19T19:50:00.000-08:002013-12-19T19:50:28.661-08:00Advent Day Whatever: Outside of Time, We Ponder In our HeartsDear Coffee Talkers,<br />
<br />
Advent has not been at all what I expected. And isn't that just right? Because the season is about acquiring an interior stillness and solitude, about cultivating a type of listening of the heart, that makes our souls open to receive the unimaginable.<br />
<br />
We wake from the sleep of our day to day routine to receive the eternal Word made flesh in an infant. Do we have time and room for the inconvenience of a tiny, helpless child?<br />
<br />
We prepare ourselves for when the Word comes again. Will we be found ready, and will we even be able to recognize the divine presence in whatever unexpected form He may come to us?<br />
<br />
This Advent has totally rocked my world. Turned things on their heads. Twisted up all of my plans and ambitions. Changed my hopes and desires. Knocked the wind out of me.<br />
<br />
There are just too many things to do, to say, to write. So I won't anymore. I'll take God's cue to be still.<br />
<br />
To just be.<br />
<br />
To prepare.<br />
<br />
I hope you'll do the same. Christ is coming. We will recognize Him, and will we be found ready?<br />
<br />
'Til we meet again, thanks for stopping by, and be assured of my prayers.<br />
<br />
Peace and all good,<br />
LeslieLeslie Anne Mirandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05402907416806204979noreply@blogger.com1