Wake up and smell the coffee folks!

This is probably the best piece I have read on the Fr. Maciel/Legionairies of Christ/Regnum Christi Movement that I have read so far. There is no escaping the real problem of staying with, or even keeping alive, this 'Movement'. Hey, that very word gets freaky after you say it enough. I got this link from my friend, Sara, who is a newly minted Regnum Christi member, who may be newly exiting the 'Movement' soon. First, she feels God has her where He wants her...to make a difference to those entrenched and need help sorting this mess out...my prayers are with her. 

What frickin mess. 

Peace,

The World Over Interview with Legionary Priests. Worth watching!

After watching these men speak, not only does my heartbreak for them, but I actually feel much better about the future of all the wonderful God fearing folks in LC and RC. This is absolutely worth watching. And I couldn't agree more with Fr. Morris' statements that if we just let Christ show us the way, and follow His guidance, He will take all the pain and suffering and evil and bring about a greater good. God does have a perfect plan here. We have to pray for that plan to be brought to fruition and pray we don't get in His way. 

Part 1


Part 2


Part 3


Part 4


Finally, here is today's blog post from Raymond Arroyo's Seen and Unseen addressing this very issue.

Peace~

Very, very funny SNL skits

Oh if I could only close Pandora's Box.

I have been reading, from all sorts of sources, about Fr. Maciel, and I may be changing my tune about LC/RC. It is absolutely filled with wonderful people,to be sure, but Maciel's deliberate leading of a double life suggests real evil and hunger for power which he used the Church and very faithful people to carry out. It is not enough to say, anymore, that he was a saintly man being persecuted. I was reading St. Paul today, 1 Corinthians. He said said some very tough things about immorality in general and went on to talk further about the condemnation one brings upon themselves taking the Eucharist unworthily. Remember, even Christ told us that the Devil parades as an Angel of Light. To all my friends in RC, be prepared for the coming storm. It's going to be bad.

Instead of sticking one's head in the sand, I suggest these various websites to really investigate further the practices of this 'movement's' heirarchy.


Fr. Berg's letter

Parsing Fr. Berg's Letter

Fr. Alvaro's Letter to RC

Something I Missed

Former Consecrated woman of RC

More on Maciel

Maciel, Saul, Judas

Proper Forgiveness

20 Signs of Trouble

ReGain

Finally, I will end with St.Paul. 1 Corinthians 6:15-20

15Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, "The two will become one flesh."^[b] 17But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit.

 18Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. 19Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

It is one thing to commit sin and confess and try to do better. We all do that. We have all screwed up. But how truly evil would it be to continue you sin in secrecy. Tell others to keep it secret, and continue to run an organization trying to combat the VERY sins you are willfully committing? To continue in that sin in secrecy, when you are head of an apostolate, and not remove yourself from power,  is beyond scandal. Also remember, if you are Catholic, that we don't believe that a person's sins affect only them, but the whole church. Look at what Maciel's sin is doing to so many. What a travesty!!!

Someone said that LC priests should just become parish priests within their particular diocese and that LC should just be dissovled, as well as RC should be disbanded. I am thinking that may be the best way to go since Maciel had developed such a cult of personality and LC/RC are more synonymous with him than even Christ himself. My 2cents, after my research, which is still ongoing, is to get out of RC if you are in it, while you still can. Oh, and if you have a kid in one of their seminaries, get them out! If they really have a vocation to the priesthood or the religious life, they will find it at any of the other tried and true Orders. 

I know this post may make some angry. However, it's only intent is to make one think.

Peace,

Should have won Best Album of the Year.

Whoever came up with the idea of having a marching band play 15 STEP was a genius. It highlights Radiohead's brilliance. Wish I coulda been there to hear it for myself. I bet it was awesome.

Regnum Christi

I just want to say how heartbroken I am for all my friends in Regnum Christi and for the priests of Legionaries of Christ. I am not a member, but have been involved with FAMILIA (which is an RC apostolate) and loved every second of it. I know this is going to be a tough time for all those involved in the movement. All I can say is don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. The bathwater being Fr. Maciel. The baby being all the good that has come from LC and RC. As Catholics our sin doesn't only affect us personally, but affects us communally. So, there will be pain and suffering for LC and RC as all the details come out and they are inevitably raked over the coals. However, the Deciever LOVES this kind of thing. He loves to set up a leader to fall bigtime and then scatter all the good work that leader may have done, in spite of his sins. We are all imperfect. Like Christ said, "Those among you without sin cast the first stone."  This doesn't mean we turn a blind eye to the alleged double life of Fr. Maciel. However, if Christ's kingdom has been advanced and families have more peace and love in them, and life is held more sacred, then maybe, Regnum Christi should be able to continue...beaten and battered...but possibly more anchored in Christ and stronger for the road ahead. 

I am a convert to Catholicism. I was called to the Church during the terrible sex-scandals. I was thinking."What? Why on earth now?" But the Church of Christ has to be stronger and more meaningful than the sinners it is comprised of. If we were all so wonderful and perfect, then why would we need Her in the first place. 

Peace,

Support for Unschooling in the strangest places.

I want to encourage all unschoolers, whatever their religious ilk, to read Called Out of Darkness by Anne Rice. It is her spiritual memoir. However, she spends alot of time on how she was educated and she feels very strongly that school was not the place that her education truly occurred. She referred to school, in the book, as a prison. She talks, at length, about how she was not a reader, and actually struggled with reading most of her life. However, she took in the most valuable information she ever received through the myriad sensous experiences in life: stained glass windows and statues at church, conversations with her mother, stories told by teachers and friends, poetry, art, music, films, radio shows etc...

As a Catholic convert, I picked up the book to read about her re-version to Catholicism. I also love her novels and was curious as to whether Called Out of Darkness would cover her writing history. The book doesn't disappoint on either of those counts. However, I was overwhelmingly surprised, and quite vindicated, to read that as famous and voluminous an author as she is, she was never really a reader, and when she finally did tackle reading novels, it came to her late. One doesn't need to be a reader to be a writer. I loved that she found school a waste of her precious time, and truly believes she learned little there. I really encourage all homeschoolers and especially unschoolers to read this book. It is quite illuminating on all sorts of levels.

Peace,

At long last she returns!

Hi all my buddies out there. I have been very lengthily distracted by finding old friends on Facebook. It has been SOOOOO COOL getting back in touch with all the people I have come across. It has been really interesting how re-connecting with certain people can give one a new perspective on how things really were all those years ago, or even how we were all thinking similar or vastly different things. 

The other big thing I noticed was how my memories of the past came sliding in to focus like an avalanche. All of a sudden people from other times and places came charging into my head and I felt I just HAD to track them down too. It made me realize how the different paths in our lives take us in such divergent directions, but all the while we never intended to lose touch, yet somehow did. 

Oops, I gotta go pick up Ben. But I wanted to encourage any of my friends out here in blogland or yahoogroups to get on Facebook. It is sooo fun putting a name to a face. 

Gotta run!

Peace

Weirdest Advent/Christmas season ever.

Okay, anyone who knows me knows that I haven't blogged because I, like many other friends, am now addicted to facebook. However, I felt compelled to write and say that I am having the most emotionally numb Christmas season ever. I LOVE this time of year, normally, but I have been dealing with a depression that keeps dragging me to the brink of despair, since late August. I am working with a trained professional to help me through it, so don't worry.

 It's just that I look forward to this time of year as it is usually really motivating for me. I get all sorts of stuff done, I am excited to go places, do things, hang out with people. Now, all I really want to do is hide under a rock. I am the kind of person who starts watching Christmas movies in November. I haven't watched one yet. I have listened to Elf while the kids watched it in the van. I saw about 10 minutes of both White Christmas and  The Nativity Story, but walked away uninterested. You know, I could totally understand if I was like this every year, but I am SOOOOOO not.

 I haven't even listened to any Christmas songs. I love Christmas music, and often have it playing in the house now, but this year...nope.  Not once have I played anything Christmassy. I feel indifferent to the whole thing as if I am watching it from the outside. Everything seems entirely exhausting to me.  I am used to feeling that way in the Summer, but not NOW! At the same time I am feeling antsy, restless and bored out of my mind. I have lots to do, laundry coming out of my ears, crap to be picked up. I am a total neat freak, but that aspect of me is gone, for how long, I don't know. I am doing bare bones housekeeping. I usually care so much about keeping a nice house, but now, I don't care.  I hate not caring. I feel like I am not me, but I don't know where I went. Anyway, it's all weird, weird, weird.

Well, I am not looking for sympathy. Nope. There are people in the world, and some quite close to me, who are really suffering. I am just writing my stuff down to refer back to. Kind of keeping track of my wacky-ass moods. However, if you want to pray for some folks, pray for Bonnie Sager & family, and  Michael Summerville & family, for health, rest and healing. 

Thanks,

Too Funny and so true!

And let me tell you, that up until about a year ago, I was a die hard PC user. But it is true that once you go Mac you never go back. 

This says it all.

Here's a picture I just found in a box full of pictures (my mom's idea of an photo album) of my mom, me and my brother, Jon. I am probably 20 or 21 here, I think. Do you see how I loved my mother. I am not sad here. I am just lovin' my mama. I loved snuggling into her for no reason at all other than to be close. I really miss her. 

I'm off to vote for Saxby

Here's Zell Miller (okay it's SNL's Will Forte, but still) explaining why he is voting for Saxby Chambliss. You know, I can't help but agree. And I say we start working, right now, on Peabody Tittlecud's bid for the presidency in 2012!
 

Me and Sara

Here is a Photobooth (a Mac app) pic of Sara and me. Sara's blog is Those That Wonder. She has recently updated the look and has some cool new pictures as well. This was taken when she just 'dropped by' a couple of days before Thanksgiving. I LOVE IT WHEN PEOPLE DROP BY!!! I really do. I am totally into following things on a whim. I am the perpetual 'drop by-er' it was fun that it happened to me.  Anyway, I love Sara. She is a great friend and we share our conversion to Catholicism together.  She is also a homeschooler of 3 kids too. I am hoping to just drop by on her today as I will be in her section of Roswell, in a bit. I am bummed that she is moving farther away. It's just an extra 10-15 minutes north...but it was nice knowing she was just across town. However, I have seen this new house and it is just what she needs, more space. If there is a person in life who needs just a little spoiling it is Sara. I think she deserves this wonderful new place.

Peace,

No, I am not going to sleep...I am going shopping.

Robert and I have decided to attend our first ever Black Friday event. I have never gone shopping on Black Friday. At least not that I can remember.  However, I HAVE worked Black Fridays before, when I was much, much younger and working in record stores.  Well, this year, because of the flagging economy stores and malls (we are going to the latter) are opening at 12:01AM Friday morning. So, Hunny and I are off to see all the "deal hounds" and make fun of all the sheeple.  There isn't anything at the mall we want. (Okay, maybe I would like a Twilight t-shirt.) Everything we are getting for each other or the kids or friends is easier bought online than in a store. I am thinking of this as a kind of warped cultural experience.

So, off I go. The only thing luring me is free coffee. Free coffee and great deals (which I won't avail myself of) are what the mall is offering for folks to drag their tryptophan induced exhausted selves out at midnight. 

Off we go....

P.S. I hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving.

Great minds are the same game.

My blog/facebook pal Wendy and I are the same game...who woulda thought.

You Are Boggle

You are an incredibly creative and resourceful person. You're able to dig deep and think outside the box to get things done. You are a non linear thinker. You don't like following directions You draw your inspiration from the strangest places sometimes. You're constantly inspired.

What Board Game Are You?

Remember the 80's?

This is me when I was in New York testing for a big deal modeling agency. I am 16 and it is 1982. Check out the New Wave hair!!

This is during the same time, different shoot, different day, different photographer (actually it was the guy who shot the Cosmopolitan covers at the time). Anyone else remember those Norma Kamali bathing suits?

What Twilight Character Am I?

Okay so I took this quiz twice. The first time I took it as if I were 17 years old again. I remembered what I was like and answered the questions. This is what I got:

Take the Quiz and Share Your Results!
You are straightforward, tenacious, and beautiful, but unfortunately aware of it. You are attention loving, and people easily flock to you, but deep down you are mistrustful of people in general. You can be judgmental and thoughtless, but you love deeply and are extremely protective of those that you hold dear.

The second time I took it, I answered the way I think and feel about things now. This is what I got:

Take the Quiz and Share Your Results!
You are thoughtful and care very deeply for your family. A loving home is of great importance to you and you always try to make people feel welcome. Although you have a great capacity to love, you also have a great capacity to hurt, so at times you can be sensitive. You're firm when you need to be, but people trust your judgment and appreciate the kind way you always handle things.

Tivo the Dowg

My brother was over today with his awesome new camera and took these great shots.

I'm on crackbook ur...I mean...facebook.

You can find me at Rachel Moore Ross.

Twilight at Midnight

I am counting the seconds until 12:01AM when I will get to see Twilight (just 7 hours away...woo hoo!) Yes, it may be pathetic to you, of my friends out there, with more intellectual pursuits.  However, these books got me back in touch with my inner 20 year old. Something I needed desperately. So, I will try to comport my self because of my age and not scream with all the young girls...though let's face it....I will be screaming on the inside. (FYI, If I were 17 that guy up there would be plastered all over my bedroom walls.)