Mark P. Shea's Blog, page 1243

Prayer Request

A reader writes:

I know a family that is suffering terribly under a series of freak disasters. We need to storm heaven for them. It's a serious Book of Job situation.

Father, hear our prayer for this family that the disasters would end and that your Name would be glorified in their deliverance through Christ our Lord. Empower their guardian angels to fight for them and protect them in the Name of Jesus. Mother Mary and St. Michael, pray for them and fight for them in the Name of Jesus!

Prayer Request

A reader writes:

My parents are rather unbalanced & due to their actions & neglect I've been in a bad situation for some time. Things aren't beyond fixing yet, but there are so many problems I have no means of dealing with it feels more likely that some bad decisions which were beyond my control are going to irreparably ruin my life. I'm planning to go to school in the spring & I wanted to try using water from Lourdes for some health problems I can't do anything about right now. However, my experience has been so degrading & frustrating that I don't have much confidence that things will go well. Please pray for me, my family & friends. Thanks.

Father, we ask that you would intervene in this situation for the good of all concerned. Help your servants parents do the right thing and to gain control over their darkened intellects, disordered appetites and weakened wills so that they may serve their children's best good. Help your servant to have prudence, wisdom and peace so that he can do what is right, trusting that you will take care of his earthly needs. Grant him health and all good things he needs through Christ our Lord. St. Joseph and Mother Mary, pray for him and for his parents.

Prayer Requests

A reader writes:

If I can ask one favor...can you please keep my mom in your prayers as she battles her mental illness.

Father, hear our prayer for this woman that she would successfully grow in sanctity as she bears this difficult cross. Grant her grace, peace, clarity of mind, strength of will to do the good, and rightly ordered appetites and give peace, consolation, grace and strength to all who love her. Give her skilled and compassionate caregivers too. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Mother Mary and St. Benedict Joseph Labre, pray for all concerned here. Amen.

Another reader writes:

Please pray for an startup Catholic high school that just opened their doors this month. It is an independent, Catholic school teaching classical curriculum to mostly low-income kids, and it is being fought against tooth and nail by the bishop which oversees the local diocese. This high school is being run by Catholics who are faithful to the magisterium and who have excellent, long-standing records of teaching and administration in local Catholic parish schools. All they want is to make a difference in these kids' lives and offer a better alternative to run-of-the-mill Catholic higher education.

Father, grant grace to all concerned in this situation so that they can serve the Church and your poor and not get caught up in a turf war. We ask this through Christ our Lord. St. Thomas Aquinas, pray for the kids who are in need of the light of Christ's truth. Mother Mary, Seat of Wisdom, pray for the bishop, the school, and the kids.

I'll be on Sacred Heart Radio today at 9:00 AM Left Coast Time

They are launching their Autumn Pledge Drive, so I will go pitch in for an hour. They are on 1050 AM in Seattle and 970 AM in Spokane. You can stream it live here.

Faith and Wonder

In which we look at the root, not just of faith, but of art, philosophy, and science too.

Day 3 of the Tin Cup Rattle

Here at CAEI, you get to join my shuffling horde of minions, discuss just about anything, ponder Jean Valjean, contemplate evolution with Mike Flynn, boogie with Charles Nelson Reilly, and gab about lotsa other stuff. And, of course, there's the convivial atmosphere of the comments boxes where you can argue about vampires, quibble over Latin, compare notes on Mystery Science Theater 3000 and (who knows?) meet the man or woman of your dreams!

I ask you: Where else can you get quite what you get here? So if you want more of it, click on the PayPal button to the right and help CAEI stay on the air and our kids stay clothed, housed, transported and fed. You can either make a straight donation or, if you like to get something for your money, you can buy my books and tapes (autographed even!). And if you'd rather not do the PayPal thang, feel free to email me and ask for my snailmail address. I'll happily take a check instead.

Oh! And don't forget! I am ready, willing and able to come speak for your parish, conference or group.

Michael Baruzzini...

...has three things to say:

First, the new edition of Pilgrim is out (www.pilgrimjournal.com). Pilgrim is a small journal dedicated to a renewal of Catholic literature and arts. In full disclosure, I note it not only because it is a good journal that is new and little-known, but also because it has an essay of mine in the latest issue.  I always remind Catholic readers that if they want more Catholic art and literature, they need to support it. Writers and painters have to eat too. I am not associated with Pilgrim except as a contributor, but I know that any support these journals can get is crucial, especially if the Church wants to see more.

Also, I wanted to give you an "update" -- a little over three years ago you were kind enough to announce my newly-fledged blog, "Deeps of Time", dedicated to science and Catholicism. I am happy to say that the blog still endures. (www.deepsoftime.com)

Finally, as a former teacher and a homeschooled student myself, and as I know you support homeschooling, I wanted to make you aware of my new project, www.catholicscience.com. It is still new and in growth, but I am aiming to offer online science courses for Catholic homeschoolers. My goal is to offer competent basic science courses in the context of the wider orthodox Catholic intellectual and educational milieu.

Now you know! Check out his work!

Kevin O'Brien...

...experiences the wacky fun of being a sign of contradiction in the theatre community. Wheee!!!

Msgr. Charles Pope...

offers a chivalrous defense of Stacy Trasancos from the shrill screamers of the Gay Sturmabtielung who mounted an all-out assault on her blog when she failed to approve of homosex.

The Indomitable David Quinn...

replies to the latest anti-Catholic campaign in the Irish press.

Had a nice visit with David when I was in Dublin a few years back. Good man.