Mark P. Shea's Blog, page 1307
June 2, 2011
It's Day 2 of the CAEI Quarterly Tin Cup Rattle
This is one of the (happily much rarer) moments where I ask for some small remuneration for my efforts to provide you with the sort of Catholic content, newsiness, fun, and so forth that is this blog. We Sheas live in narrow financial straits. For those who have joined the blog since last quarter, I am a writer (and sole breadwinner) trying to keep two and a half boys (or two boys and one large male who is about to leave the nest) on a steady income of what I can earn from writing and speaking (without dental or health insurance), plus what I can make from donations here. My wife is the chief homeschooler and bottle washer of this here enterprise, as well as a human dynamo in a dozen other tasks.
This month, like all months, is tight (and we live *very* frugally). So, I'm here to say that I hope you'll agree the worker is worth his keep. I deeply appreciate the generosity of the folks who responded very much, but I also have to look at cold economic reality. Time spent writing this blog is time not spent writing for sources of income. So if response to the Tin Cup Rattle is weak, I've gotta focus my energy elsewhere since my kids weirdly insist on food and shelter every single *day*.
So I'm askin' ya, if everybody who has gotten something good from this blog will kick in some bucks on the PayPal button (I'm not shy, be as generous as you can) you'd be supporting what I think is an eminently worthy cause and saving our financial bacon as we struggle through another month. If you like what you get here, then please be as generous as you can and help out with the care and feeding of a unique news, opinion, and information source that you just can't find anyplace else. Thanks!
Oh, and remember, you can buy my books and tapes! And if you'd don't trust PayPal (though they are extremely reliable), feel free to email me and ask for my snailmail address. I'll happily take a check instead.
Also, has it not occurred to you how badly you need me to come and speak for your parish, conference or organization? Oh yes! Badly indeed do you need me!
And, if you are an editor, you need me to write for you. It's critical. Your mag will just wither away and die without my prose. As for my poetry, I happen to have the distinction of having prompted the only letter of complaint ever sent to First Things about the poetry they publish. Fear me, or I will publish my poetry here!
This month, like all months, is tight (and we live *very* frugally). So, I'm here to say that I hope you'll agree the worker is worth his keep. I deeply appreciate the generosity of the folks who responded very much, but I also have to look at cold economic reality. Time spent writing this blog is time not spent writing for sources of income. So if response to the Tin Cup Rattle is weak, I've gotta focus my energy elsewhere since my kids weirdly insist on food and shelter every single *day*.
So I'm askin' ya, if everybody who has gotten something good from this blog will kick in some bucks on the PayPal button (I'm not shy, be as generous as you can) you'd be supporting what I think is an eminently worthy cause and saving our financial bacon as we struggle through another month. If you like what you get here, then please be as generous as you can and help out with the care and feeding of a unique news, opinion, and information source that you just can't find anyplace else. Thanks!
Oh, and remember, you can buy my books and tapes! And if you'd don't trust PayPal (though they are extremely reliable), feel free to email me and ask for my snailmail address. I'll happily take a check instead.
Also, has it not occurred to you how badly you need me to come and speak for your parish, conference or organization? Oh yes! Badly indeed do you need me!
And, if you are an editor, you need me to write for you. It's critical. Your mag will just wither away and die without my prose. As for my poetry, I happen to have the distinction of having prompted the only letter of complaint ever sent to First Things about the poetry they publish. Fear me, or I will publish my poetry here!
This rocks
A New Chaucer Board Game. The video is worth the two minutes.
Gene Wolfe on JRR Tolkien
One of our greatest living writers on one of the greatest authors of the 20th Century.
HT to John C. Wright, another of our greatest living writers.
HT to John C. Wright, another of our greatest living writers.
Reader Niles Comer writes
I just wanted to let you know that my confirmation into the Catholic Church is this Sunday! I am excited and wanted to take a moment to thank you, for your wit, wisdom and words have been a HUGE support to me as I Journey from the land of Prod (evangelical no less) to the Land of More...Delighted to hear you are coming to the fullness of the Church, my brother! I'm glad my scribbles have been of assistance to you. Stay close to the Spirit, constant in prayer and prompt in obedience to the Voice that speaks through the Sacraments. And may God bless your work in the Vineyard, Niles!
And as always, some shameless promotion – "Slapdash Musings on Becoming Catholic."
My thanks and prayers, brother.
Interesting piece
on the charade of gay "marriage"
Gay "marriage" is the attempt to get people not merely to tolerate homosex, but to pretend that it is normal. Marriage exists to protect the family and, in particular, children. Gay "marriage" exists because of a massive narcissistic effort to force a civilization to not merely tolerate but "celebrate" the disordered desires of homosexuals. It is, quite literally, all about Them and what they want, not about the nurture of children. Yes, not all heterosexual marriage results in children. But heterosexual marriage is, by nature, ordered toward the possibility of children and homosexual marriage is, by nature, ordered toward the impossibility of children. Historically, societies which are ordered toward directing their special protections toward the family are societies that have a future. Societies which order their special protections toward the elimination of the possibility of children die.
The purpose of gay marriage is a) to compel us to "celebrate", not merely tolerate homosexual behavior and b) to punish those who refuse to comply with such celebrations. It is also, in the end, to evangelize for homosexual disorders at as young an age as possible. The biggest lie of the whole business is that it is simply about tolerance. It is a militant, evangelizing ideology.
Gay "marriage" is the attempt to get people not merely to tolerate homosex, but to pretend that it is normal. Marriage exists to protect the family and, in particular, children. Gay "marriage" exists because of a massive narcissistic effort to force a civilization to not merely tolerate but "celebrate" the disordered desires of homosexuals. It is, quite literally, all about Them and what they want, not about the nurture of children. Yes, not all heterosexual marriage results in children. But heterosexual marriage is, by nature, ordered toward the possibility of children and homosexual marriage is, by nature, ordered toward the impossibility of children. Historically, societies which are ordered toward directing their special protections toward the family are societies that have a future. Societies which order their special protections toward the elimination of the possibility of children die.
The purpose of gay marriage is a) to compel us to "celebrate", not merely tolerate homosexual behavior and b) to punish those who refuse to comply with such celebrations. It is also, in the end, to evangelize for homosexual disorders at as young an age as possible. The biggest lie of the whole business is that it is simply about tolerance. It is a militant, evangelizing ideology.
End Public School Teacher Celibacy
...or things like this will only continue to happen. If only teachers could marry! If only women could be teachers! None of this would happen!
In the words of Lady Gaga
Jollies are born this way. Therefore you MUST celebrate my right to fork what I want, when I want, and with whom I want. And you must sacralize that by celebrating Jolly Eucharists with chocolate eclairs and milk shakes, because sacraments mean what I say they mean to me, not what some tired religious tradition says. What does worship mean but "Taking Pride in Oneself"?
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