Yesterday was such an incredibly amazing day. I was once again reminded of the Power of God, and how important it is to have faith.

How it began.....
A couple of weeks ago, our 2 year old took it upon herself to take the key to our freezer from it's hiding spot (it was SUPPOSED to be hidden from HER, as she figured out how to open the freezer with the key and get freezies out when ever she wanted....). Anyway, she LOST the key. We tore the basement apart, but it's gone; probably down the floor drain. Hence, we have not been able to get into our freezer at all -not fun, considering it would be REALLY nice to be able to access the bread in there! I have ordered a new key, and am expecting it to arrive any day. It is only going to be $3.00, so it's not so bad.

This past weekend, I lost the fob to our van (thank God it was unlocked!). Totally my fault. I know for a fact that I'm the one who lost it, as I was the one who unlocked the van to take the kids to youth group on Saturday evening. Somehow between driving them there and running a brief errand before coming home, I lost the fob. Checked all the pockets, the van, the purse, and even the street... no luck. Unfortunately a key fob for a van costs ALOT more than a replacement key for a freezer.

Bill had been laid off from Motorcoach for 10 months last year. He found another job in the meantime, but it didn't pay as well (but WAY better than EI!), and he didn't like some of the people he had to work with - someone there was extremely racist and bigoted, and no one else seemed to care. Anyway, he got called back to his job at Motorcoach this past August.
Yesterday, he came home with the VERY bad news that more than likely, he'll be laid off AGAIN, December 12th.. 2 weeks before Christmas. (this is not 100 % for sure, but they wanted to give the employees enough warning that it 'might' be coming...)
Thanks, Motorcoach.

So these past couple of weeks have not been great, especially with trying VERY hard to get back on track financially after the lay off. It's been a real struggle, especially with 5 of our 6 children in school. September saw a large chunk of money going to backpacks, new runners for indoors AND out for at least 3 of the kids, dry cleaning for suits (Christian is at St. Paul's!), and of course, school supplies, student fees, not to mention tuition payments. And, we still need to eat, and pay utilities, and buy Christian and Stephanie new winter jackets and boots!

Yesterday's notice of a potential lay off for Bill did not leave me in the best of spirits. I didn't think it could get any worse. Apparently I was wrong. During our family prayers, my wedding ring was slipping to the side so I adjusted it, only to find that one of the small claws felt unusually sharp. I stopped dead in the middle of prayers to look under the light; sure enough, one of the smaller diamonds from the end of the setting was missing. That was it! I have to admit, I pretty much completely broke down.

I thought back to all I had done during the day; making 2 batches of soup; a batch of homemade bread; washing dishes, laundry (folding!); changing diapers; running up and down the stairs countless times; taking out garbage, gave 2 girls baths and washed their hair.. a usual busy stay-at-home mom kind of day. I knew the diamond was GONE, and that with our current financial situation, it wasn't likely to be replace any time soon. Now maybe some people might think it's not such a big deal; some people don't even wear their rings. Well I DO. My marriage means a lot to me, and the symbolism of the ring is so very important.
Anyway, it was my turn to say my intentions so I added a half-hearted prayer that St. Anthony would help me find the freezer key, the van fob, and my diamond. We finished up, the little ones went to bed, and I went in the kitchen. Rachel kindly offered to empty the dishwasher before sweeping the floor, as I was still pretty despondant.

As Rachel was emptying the cutlery tray, she stepped on something, very tiny and very sharp. If she had been wearing socks, there is no way she would have even felt it. She picked it up and brought it over to me. At first, it looked like a little piece of a rock or something, but as I turned it over the light reflected off, revealing MY DIAMOND!! UNBELIEVABLE!!!!

Between laughing and crying and thanking God, came the message loud and clear that God will ALWAYS look after us; and that everything WILL BE OKAY. Yes, it's still a little scary at times, and yes, we're still missing the key and the fob, but it's nice to be have the reassurance that our Faith does not go unfounded.

Some days attending Mass can really try my patience. Not because of how long it takes to get everyone out the door (that's a whole other issue, lol) but because when we do get there and settle in to spend some quality time with God, other people just dont' seem to get it.

Why do some people seem to have such a problem with discipling their children, or at the very least teaching them some manners? I doubt they would take their child to a movie and let them chatter away the entire time (or maybe they would; hard to say...). I don't want to listen to some kid behind me HUMMING songs for the entire homily, especially when they're certainly old enough to be able to behave. I TOTALLY get that sometimes toddlers will be a little disruptive, (I DO have a 2 1/2 year old!), and that sometimes they need something to keep them occupied; a book or two always works (as long as they don't insist that they be read to during the Mass! lol)

But really... does a school age child REALLY need to bring in the hand held video game? or a BAG of snacks?? Mass is an hour long. SERIOUSLY.... they WON'T STARVE TO DEATH if they don't eat for an hour! Toy cars and trucks that beep and grumble along? PLEASE LEAVE THEM AT HOME. They don't need 5 different coloring books and 2 kinds of markers or crayons, or all their Barbies AND a change of clothes for each one. Church is NOT A PLAYGROUND.

Once children are old enough to sit through a Disney movie, they should be expected to sit through an hour of church. But I suppose that it must start with the parents, and if the parents don't understand or observe proper behaviour at Mass then it's easy to see why the kids don't.

I recently read an excerpt from a book called "Motherhood Matters", by Dorothy Pilarski, addressing this exact issue. Entitled "Sunday Do's and Don'ts", Ms. Pilarski points out that there are expectations of behaviour clearly spelled out for places like a Symphony or Theatre, why can't there be for attending Mass?

The following are some of her suggestions:

"Remember you have entered into the house of God for the purpose of prayer, adoration and reflection. Now is not the time to talk to your friends, but to talk to God. In order to help you get the most from this sacred space we ask you to do the following:

- Turn off cellphones. Do not text messages or check your Facebook account from the pews or the back of the church. Leave your social media devices in the car. It’s distracting for others who are trying to pray. This is a time to focus on God.

- Do not chew gum. Spit it out before entering the church. Don’t push it to the side of your mouth to chew later. There should be nothing in your mouth when you receive the Eucharist.

- Dress with dignity. Mass is not a cocktail party. Mass is not a hockey arena. Dress with decorum and modesty and ensure your children do the same.
(It is very distracting and just not appropriate AT ALL to see short skirts, skin tight jeans and low-cut tops at church.)

- No children’s activity bags, granola bars, juice boxes, toys, etc. Mass is only one hour long. Children would grow in virtue if they were detached from these things for sixty minutes each week. For toddlers, instead of toys, try books for Catholic children or plastic rosaries.

- Provide instruction for children. Parents have an obligation to show their children the appropriate times to kneel, sit, stand and face the altar, not let them amuse themselves as if Mass is playtime. Involve them in the liturgy by teaching them to pray and telling them that Jesus is on the altar.

- Arrive on time. If you are late for Mass, be courteous to others and wait for an appropriate break before you walk down the aisle to find a seat.

- Don’t leave early. Set a good example for your children by staying in the pew until the Mass has ended with the final blessing and the priest has left the altar.

- Participate in the Mass. Don’t ask: “What is this Mass doing for me?” Instead, ask: “What can I do to participate more fully in the Mass?” Make an effort. Listen to the readings and the homily, recite the prayers of the Mass, follow along in the misslette and, when the music starts, sing! You will become an outstanding role model for your kids.

- No talking, please. Do not have conversations during Mass. You wouldn’t do that during a performance of the symphony. If you did, you’d be asked to be quiet or leave. So show respect for the priest and your fellow parishioners.

As a society in general, we are losing our sense of decorum and civility. Sadly, that’s also true at Mass. We have a responsibility to reverse that, to remember the reason we attend church is to know God, love Him and serve Him, especially at Mass."

If only her advice could be printed up on pamphlets and available at every church!

I'd like to read the rest of this book; sounds like this lady has some great words of wisdom!

NOTE: This is my story of what we went through when we had Olivia, 8 years ago tomorrow. It was used for a Respect Life Week pamphlet the following year. I am reprinting it now just as an update.


My name is Lisa. I have been married to Bill for 9 years this past April. We have been blessed with Stephanie, age 8 (born 3 days before our first wedding anniversary!); Christian, age 6; Rachel, age 4, and Elizabeth, or “Littlebit” as she is known, age 2. We found out in April we were expecting again, with our fifth child due in early December.

Just like with my other pregnancies, we spent time wondering if this child was a boy or a girl; deciding on names; dreaming what he or she would look like and so on. Reading over the fetal development pamphlets was amazing; we got to “watch” our baby change and grow daily. Following the baby’s stages of development is always so exciting to me, even after having done so four times before this! It is such a privilege to be part of another human being’s life journey, literally right from day one.

Looking back now, I think I subconsciously knew something was not quite right. I thought the feeling of “some days I don’t even feel pregnant” was due to the fact that I was a very busy stay-at-home mom with a lot of responsibilities. A routine check up at fourteen weeks showed everything to be okay: my doctor and I heard the heartbeat, and the baby was growing at a nice rate. My next scheduled visit to my doctor was at 21 weeks, on July 29th. The week before this appointment I couldn’t shake a nagging feeling of foreboding: I knew I should have been feeling the baby move, and I wasn’t. When my doctor entered the exam room where I was waiting, she asked how everything was. My first response was “Not good. I haven’t felt the baby move at all.” She assured me that sometimes a mother might not necessarily feel movement this early; maybe the baby was just less active than my others were. She listened with that little monitor that amplifies the beating of the baby’s heart, searching, for what seemed like an eternity. I now know with brutal clarity what the expression “the silence was deafening” means.

My doctor, trying to remain optimistic, scheduled me for an emergency ultrasound, explaining that sometimes, if a heartbeat can’t be heard, that it could mean that the baby is just not in a good position, that maybe things are okay. I had enough time to go home and explain the situation to Bill, and arrange for a sitter for the kids before the ultrasound.
We cried and we prayed. We prayed for the baby to be okay; we prayed for the strength to deal with this horrible situation we were thrust into; we prayed for understanding. It was very difficult to explain the circumstances to our older children without alarming them, yet without minimalizing the possible outcome.

We went up to the floor the ultrasound was to be performed on. The technician obviously knew what was happening; she was solemn when she called me to go with her. The joviality I had come to expect with going to “see the baby” was just not there. I stood before the examination table, barely breathing, not wanting to be there at all. The technician was very sympathetic, telling me it was okay, whenever I was ready. I lay down and closed my eyes while she began the search. She moved the ultrasound wand around and around, not saying a word. Finally I had to ask, “You can’t find anything, can you?” “I’m so sorry. No.” Those words pierced my heart. How could that be possible? I had four perfectly healthy pregnancies previous to this. There had been no indication at all that something like this could happen.
Bill came to get me from the exam room, and we went back to see my doctor to discuss what would happen next. The ultrasound had shown that our baby had died at about 15 weeks gestation. I was already at 21 weeks, but my doctor was (thankfully) willing to wait one more week to see if I would miscarry naturally. Due to a previous c-section with my first pregnancy, apparently I was not a good candidate for induction, as the forced labour could possibly rupture my uterus. An absolute last resort would be a D&C to remove my baby, as waiting much longer would bring very high risks of infection. Because of my years of pro-life work and research, I knew exactly what a D&C would entail, so this was not an option I was even willing to discuss at this point.

That week of waiting was one of the hardest weeks of my life. We decided to tell as few people as possible while we dealt with our grief. How do you tell friends and family that your baby has died, but that you’re still “pregnant’? We did not want to have to explain what we knew, then have to go through it all again when I actually delivered, especially since we had no idea when that would occur. So we waited. This actually proved to be very hard to do; I felt terrible about not telling everyone; about having to pretend that everything was fine. The hardest time was in going to a friend’s daughter’s birthday party and hearing her tell others I was expecting again. But Bill and I really needed that time for ourselves to grieve and to deal with our loss, whenever that would come. I am so thankful we had that time; it helped immensely in coping later on.

The morning of August 5th arrived. I packed a bag, knowing I would be admitted today, since my body was just not accepting that the baby I was carrying was no longer living. We went to see my doctor who was very excited about the news she had. She had consulted with several colleagues about my situation, and found out that she could in fact, administer the drug needed to induce me, even with the previous c-section. Apparently it would be safe if it was a lower dosage, with little risk of rupture of the uterus. My doctor also was very reluctant to do the D&C because of the “very high risk of perforating the uterus”, which she stated more than once.

(Just as a side note: it’s amazing that one doctor will acknowledge this danger as a “very high risk” while so many others want to portray the procedure of a D&C as very safe and routine.)

So off to the hospital we went, filled with apprehension of what was about to happen. I was admitted just before noon; the first dose of the drug needed to induce labour given not long after. The nurses on the floor I was on were so compassionate and understanding. Everyone was genuinely sympathetic to what we were going through. The social worker (one on staff for bereaved families), upon finding out that we had not received copies of our last ultrasound, immediately made arrangements for us to have another so we could get pictures of our baby in the womb. It was an amazing experience to see this tiny human being, lying so still, so safe inside of me. They took so many pictures; labelling where possible so we could identify them – an arm here, a knee, the baby’s face. I will be eternally grateful to the social worker who arranged for this. In addition, she also obtained copies of our original ultrasound for us as a surprise. Even though the pictures are very grainy and a little hard to make out the images, the thoughtfulness and effort behind getting us these ultrasound images will never be forgotten.

The baby was born still in the amniotic sac, not long after the second dose of drugs had been administered. She came quickly and quietly, without the normal amount of pain or pushing. The nurses whisked her away to clean her up and dress her. They brought her back dressed in a soft green knit toque and little cotton gown, wrapped in a soft green knit blanket. I will never forget that first moment of seeing our little girl, of holding that tiny, precious bundle. The nurses and doctor respectfully left us to bond, to grieve over the birth and death of our baby, assuring us that we could take however much time we wanted. She measured 8 inches, or 21cm from head to toe and weighed 120 grams. She was 14 ½ weeks of age when she died.

All the knowledge I had of fetal development and life in the womb could not prepare me for what now lay before my very eyes. Although her facial features were slack and not completely defined, we could still see a very distinct resemblance to our other children’s features. Most amazing were her perfect little hands, one of which fit perfectly across the nail of my index finger. Closer inspection showed distinct fingernails at the end of each of her delicate fingers. We marvelled at the tiny little toes at the end of each foot. The muscles and tendons of her body were all in place; viewed easily just by moving her arms and bending her legs. She was so beautiful; so amazingly, perfectly formed, perfectly proportioned. It is so unfathomable that people refuse to acknowledge this as a human being; that babies this age and older are being killed every day through abortion.

We named our little girl Olivia Amy, the name she would have had if she had been born at full term, the name we had assigned so many hopes and dreams to. Olivia is just as much a part of our family as any of our other children. We do not have four children; we have 5. We had a funeral for her, not so much as closure for our family and friends, but because she was a human being who deserved respect and recognition, no matter how brief her life was. Along with the gift of dignity and recognition of Olivia as a person, we received from the hospital a molded impression of her hands and feet, a memento of a daughter we only had on earth for a very short while.

We don’t know why Olivia’s life was so short. Whatever the reason, I’m sure that she would be happy that the impressions left of her little hands and feet can serve to remind us of the miracle of life; of a human being which begins to grow not when the umbilical cord is cut, but from the very moment of conception.

Why we wear a scapular:


My family members are all wearing the brown scapular. We've been asked what they're for; what they represent, why we wear them. Even a lot of other Catholics don't follow this practice! It is NOT mandatory to do this if you're Catholic; it is a personal practice following the request of Our Lady, and following the example of many saints who were dedicated to this.

The brown scapular "identifies us, like a habit identifies a religious, or a uniform identifies a person. The Scapular represents a life of prayer." - Fr. John Corapi.
The Scapular is actually a miniature form of a monk's habit by the same name which is a sleeveless outer garment falling from the shoulders to the feet.

It is a sign which stands for the decision to:
-follow Jesus like Mary
-be open to God and to His Will
-be guided by faith, hope and love
-to pray at all times
-to discover God's presence in all that happens around us

WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT:The Brown Scapular is a magical charm to protect you; is an automatic guarantee of salvation or is an excuse for not living up to the demands of the Christian life.

It is NOT to make us feel like we are better or more holy than those who don't wear it; it is not to make those who don't follow this practice feel guilty.

The Scapular encourages us to live as authentic Christians in line with the teaching of the Gospel, to receive the sacraments, to profess our special devotion to the Blessed Virgin, which should be expressed each day, at least by saying the Hail Mary.

Saints devoted to the Brown Scapular:

St. Teresa of Avila
St. Simon Stock
St. John of the Cross
St. Alphonsus Liguori
St. Peter Claver
St. Robert Bellarmine, SJ
St. Claude de la Colombiere, SJ
St. Vincent Pallotti
St. John Vianney, Cure of Ars
St. Bernadette Soubirous, visionary of Lourdes
St. John Bosco
St. Maximilian Kolbe
St. Francis Xavier Cabrini
Pope St. Pius X
St. Conrad

Pretty darn good roles models, if you ask me!

The morning prayer to be said for those who wear the scapular:

O my God, in union with the Immaculate Heart of Mary (here kiss your Scapular as a sign of
your consecration; partial indulgence also), I offer Thee the Precious Blood of Jesus from all
the altars throughout the world, joining with It the offering of my every thought, word and action
of this day. O my Jesus, I desire today to gain every indulgence and merit I can and I offer them
together with myself, to Mary Immaculate, that she may best apply them in the interest of Thy
most Sacred Heart. Precious Blood of Jesus, save us! Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!
Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!

Hope this helps those who are curious understand a little more of a great tradition!

WHY THERE WILL BE NO RAPTURE! (At least not yet, anyway!)

The following is an article that sums up EXACTLY what the truth is about the Rapture.... not my words (I once again found an absolutely perfect summary written by someone else - just can't find out who, unfortunately!) So.... I can't take the credit for writing this, just for sharing!

The Rapture. The name is Latin for “caught up”. It basically comes from one particular verse in the Bible, 1 Thessalonians 4:17:
“then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord.”

The Rapture has inspired a whole series of fictional books called the “Left Behind” series. In it, the saved are “raptured” into heaven, while the unsaved are left behind to fend for themselves on earth.

The rapture is a mysterious disappearance of people, who leave their clothes here on earth. Cars which were driven by the saved are left unmanned. The folks left behind are in a quandary as to what happened. A great tribulation then comes upon the earth, and the anti-christ makes his appearance. The ones left behind then get a second chance at salvation, if they can withstand the forces of the world-uniting anti-christ. Then Jesus returns again to defeat the antichrist.

None of this, except for the overall premise of a rapture is biblical. Why? Well for starters, the Bible says in Revelation 1:7:
Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, every one who pierced him; and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.

In the Left Behind series, no eye sees Jesus. Everyone left behind is clueless as to what is going on. It’s plain that if they had seen Jesus, they would know what was going on.
The second problem with this series is that there are two “second comings” of Jesus. Once when the people mysteriously disappear, and then again when Jesus returns again and defeats the antichrist. The bible speaks of one and only one coming of Jesus Christ, not two. In 1 Thessalonians 4:15, it says the following:
“For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep.”
Notice St. Paul says “THE coming”, not “A Coming”. There is one and only one second coming of Jesus. And nowhere in the bible does it say that people will mysteriously disappear and leave their clothes behind. That is all made up fiction by the authors of the Left Behind series.
The third problem with these books is that the saved escape the tribulation on earth by being raptured. Matthew 24:21-22:
For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been shortened, no human being would be saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.
In the above verses, Jesus tells us about the great tribulation, and also explains that the days of this misery on earth will be shortened for the sake of the elect. That means that the elect, or God’s people, still have to be on earth when the tribulation occurs, and not yet raptured into heaven.
The fourth problem is that the people raptured in the Left Behind series sans clothes are not raptured on the last day of earth. In the novels, there are more days left for the antichrist to wreak havoc on the earth. We know from John 6:54 that the dead will be raised on the last day:
“he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day”
And we also know from Paul that the rapture will take place after the dead are raised. 1 Thessalonians 4:14- 17:
“For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep.
For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel's call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first; then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord.”
And what of the thousand year reign of Christ on earth? It is mentioned in Revelation 20:4:

“Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom judgment was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony to Jesus and for the word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life, and reigned with Christ a thousand years. “
Well, we know from the pen of Peter that a thousand years is as a day to the Lord, and a day is like a thousand years (2 Peter 3:1). St. John may have been trying to convey that Christ will reign for a very long time (eternity) by using the phrase “a thousand years”, just like we might say, “I told you a thousand times”, when we may have only told someone 4 or 5 times.
And what about the very premise of being “left behind”? The bible says in Matthew 24:37 - 41:
“As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they did not know until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of man. Then two men will be in the field; one is taken and one is left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one is taken and one is left.”
In the days of Noah, the saved were left behind on earth, Noah and his family. The unsaved were taken from this earth, and presumably didn’t make it to heaven. Therefore, if the end of the world is similar to those days, as the bible says, being left behind may mean that you will still be here on earth to be raptured later on. The ones taken may be like the flood victims in Noah’s time, and die.
One of the really big assumptions in the Left Behind series is that the saved will rise up to meet Jesus in the clouds, and then they and Jesus return to heaven to await the tribulation and the final judgment. But that isn’t biblical either. Nowhere in the bible does it say that Jesus will do a U-turn back into heaven at the rapture. Rather, the bible says that Jesus and his kingdom will descend to earth and become the new kingdom (Revelation 11:15 and Revelation 21:2). And the bible also says that we will be judged on that day, the last day, in John 12:48:
“He who rejects me and does not receive my sayings has a judge; the word that I have spoken will be his judge on the last day.”

So go ahead and read the Left Behind series if you must, but remember, hardly any of it is biblical. The learned and educated religious people of the Bible didn’t understand the first coming of Christ. Just so, a lot of learned and educated religious people today don’t understand the rapture any better than the Pharisees and the Sadducees did the first time. But, they sure make a lot of money by selling books about their personal opinion of the events surrounding the rapture.

So will the Rapture happen? YES, but it will be a one time event, on the last day of our earthly existence, after the dead have been raised, and it will be seen and witnessed by all.

This is an awesome article that a good friend (yes, it was Cara!) sent me via email. Very much worth sharing. I am SO TIRED of the whining and complaining from the left about a "dirty campaign" and Harper's supposed "underhandedness" and whatnot. Talk about sore losers. A perfect example is Jim Maloway's refusal to acknowledge Lawrence Toet's win in the Elmwood-Transcona riding. He actually blamed the fact that the failure of the CHP to run a candidate in this riding was the reason that he lost - that the usual votes that go the the CHP went to the Conservatives instead. Wow. We won fair and square. It's called a democracy. Live with it.
Kudos to Margaret Wente.......

May 5, 2011
Here's why Stephen Harper really won
By MARGARET WENTE
From Thursday's Globe and Mail


A sad day for democracy? Nope, a great day for Canada Thanks to the central Canadian punditocracy, I now know why the Conservatives won an overwhelming election victory, and why the Liberals were pulverized. It was those nasty attack ads on TV.
So powerful were they that they persuaded millions of gullible voters to rise up against Michael Ignatieff and vote for someone else. Mr. Ignatieff himself blames them for his demise. Fellow Liberals think their leader was just too darn high-minded to strike back. "This is a blood sport," griped Jim Karygiannis, one of the last Liberal MPs standing. "There is no Mr. Nice in this business."
Liberal-minded opinion-mongers have been twisting themselves into pretzels to explain Stephen Harper's completely unexpected whopping victory. They're obsessed with the attack ads. Besides, they say, the Conservatives just got lucky. They reaped a windfall from the collapse of the Bloc Québécois and unexpected vote splits. Another reason is that Mr. Harper successfully appealed to "voter fatigue," "fear" and an uninformed electorate that's sadly oblivious to the destruction of democracy in Ottawa.
Anyway, they argue, it really wasn't such a victory after all. Mr. Harper, they say, failed to broaden his base (even though he conquered Fortress Toronto, where he'd always been shut out), and won only 40 per cent of the popular vote (just like Jean Chrétien and Bill Davis). One commentator compared his win to George W. Bush's "stolen" election of 2000.
If you want to understand why Mr. Harper loathes the mainstream media, look no further. But if you want to understand why he won, you'll have to look elsewhere. One problem is that the media demonize the very qualities that have made him a success. They hate him for his micro-managing, control-freak ways. But those same qualities have been crucial to his success. Without them, he'd never have survived five years in the bear pit of minority government.
In fact, the Conservatives won because they did the sorts of things the Liberals used to do. They built broad coalitions among disparate groups. Take the so-called ethnic vote. When the Liberals courted new Canadians, it was smart. When the Conservatives do it, it's sleazy. During the campaign, the CBC assembled countless panels of ethnic people to express their disgust at this condescending and divisive tactic. Amazingly, however, ethnic voters seemed glad to have important cabinet ministers show up in their ridings. They liked the focus on stability and a strong economy. Besides, the Liberals hadn't been around for years.
The Conservatives' years of efforts paid off spectacularly. To get results like that, you need a long-term strategy, passion, and someone willing to drink 15,000 cups of tea. The Liberals no longer have any of those things.
The Conservatives profited from vote splits. But they were also able to get out the vote where it mattered. They were focused and had ground troops who worked hard. For this, they're being accused of running a soulless and technocratic campaign. (When Liberals ran things this way, they were called "professional.") As for those attack ads, it was Jack Layton, not Stephen Harper, who dealt the crucial blow when he brought up Mr. Ignatieff's miserable attendance record in Parliament during the leaders debates. "If you are going to apply for a promotion, you at least ought to show up for the job," he cracked. It stuck. Iggy never recovered.
Plenty of Harper critics think that Monday was a sad day for democracy. Personally, I think it was a great day for Canada. The Bloc, which squatted in Ottawa like a toad for 20 years, is gone. Mr. Harper has forged a historic new alliance between the West and Ontario, and he didn't need Quebec to win. Quebeckers' mass infatuation with the NDP may not last longer than snow in April, but their ability to hold federal governments to ransom may be gone for good.
For the next four years, Canadians will enjoy a blissful reprieve from non-stop political theatrics and dysfunctional minorities. They will have a clear choice of competing political philosophies. Critics warn that our politics will become polarized between left and right. But if Mr. Harper aims to turn the Conservatives into the Natural Governing Party, he'll have to govern as a moderate. That's bad news for armies of political experts, CBC panelists, Margaret Atwood and the Toronto Star. I almost feel sorry for them.

This post is about yoga, and why we as Catholics cannot take part in this. I realise that some Catholics do not have a problem with yoga, and some may think we're "over reacting". Well, as far as I and my family are concerned; this is a very serious issue, and it is in direct contradiction to our Catholic faith. Period. The following excerpts are taken directly from reliable sources, and can be found easily.
I am fully crediting the authors of the following quotations; they are not my original words - I'm just quoting as it was easier to do this and to me, more legitimate than putting down my own views.
And I do have to fully credit my children for taking a stand and not just "going along with the crowd". We can teach, guide, inform and direct our children in their morals/beliefs/values, but there comes a time as a parent when you wonder if anything you say "sticks". We always hope and pray for the best, and for our children to "hold fast to the traditions" they have been taught. Sometimes, as adults this is hard to do. We discuss and explain many "controversial" subjects in our home, but always give an explanation of WHY we believe what we do. I wish I had the courage of Stephanie and Mary, who ON THEIR OWN have often taken a stand against things that go against their faith. God Bless them!

Now for the articles:

“According to a Hindu professor, yoga can no more be separated from its Hindu roots as Christianity can be separated from Jesus. Yoga was invented specifically for Hindu worship and each posture in yoga was designed to worship a Hindu god* (e.g., the serpent posture was designed to worship the serpent god). (Interestingly, St. Justin, Martyr, in his First Apology, states that the pagan gods are actually demons and these demons gave themselves names which are the names the pagans use for their gods. A free PDF copy of St. Justin Martyrs' writings can be found on the His Mercy Web site at www.hismercy.ca under eBooks.)



Below are some other quotes with their sources, although there are many, many more that could be added:



"The postures alone are designed to create altered levels of consciousness, plus they can trigger reactions just as the breathing and mind work do. It is
a direct door to the occult. Some people who get involved in New Age or occult practices need deliverance from evil spirits, according to Fr. Amorth, the Vatican exorcist." (Anne Feaster, 'Should Christians Do Yoga?, p. 3, http://www.swordoflightandtruth.org/)**



Moira Noonan, a former yoga teacher, says yoga cannot be Christianised. (Ibid, p. 3)

...“yoga” means “union with god or yoke with god”. The god they refer to is an impersonal energy force that they call Braham. They believe that through the practice of yoga, they can free themselves from the bondage of karma. The purpose of yoga is not exercise, but to reach altered states of consciousness... (Sword of Light and Truth, Spring 2005 newsletter, p. 3)

Yoga is the “physical manipulation of one’s body to create an altered state of consciousness which occurs as a result of the effect of the exercise on the central nervous system.”(The New Age Counterfeit by Johnnette Benkovic, p.ll)

Also, the Vatican has identified yoga as a New Age practice and therefore incompatible - in any form - with Christianity. (See Jesus Christ Bearer of the Water of Life which can be accessed on the Vatican site, www.vatican.va.)

We can be assured that there was an investigation on all aspects of yoga before the Church spoke out against it, and that experts were consulted. We also need to be mindful that we are to be obedient to Jesus through His Church. (Something that the devil and his followers will not do!)

There are many legitimate forms of exercise that are not harmful to our soul that we can use.

Note: It is important to distinguish between a belief or practice and the person who holds that belief or practice. As Christians, we are called to always love the person, but we must stay away from any belief or practice that is not from the one and only true God.

*Sharon Lee Giganti, in one of her monthly talks on Catholic Answers Live.

Ms Giganti's site: www.newagedeception.com

Catholic Answers site: www.catholic.com

** Also see Ms Feaster's 'The Truth About Yoga,' which has extra information.

ALSO:

Is Yoga contrary to our faith?

While the physical aspects of Yoga can be beneficial, the spiritual aspects may be harmful as they flow into "New Age" religiosity. The Church’s reflection on the New Age, Jesus Christ: The Bearer of the Water of Life , warns us:

Quote:

Yoga, zen, transcendental meditation and tantric exercises lead to an experience of self-fulfilment or enlightenment. Peak-experiences (reliving one's birth, travelling to the gates of death, biofeedback, dance and even drugs – anything which can provoke an altered state of consciousness) are believed to lead to unity and enlightenment. Since there is only one Mind, some people can be channels for higher beings. Every part of this single universal being has contact with every other part. The classic approach in New Age is transpersonal psychology, whose main concepts are the Universal Mind, the Higher Self, the collective and personal unconscious and the individual ego. The Higher Self is our real identity, a bridge between God as divine Mind and humanity. Spiritual development is contact with the Higher Self, which overcomes all forms of dualism between subject and object, life and death, psyche and soma, the self and the fragmentary aspects of the self. Our limited personality is like a shadow or a dream created by the real self. The Higher Self contains the memories of earlier (re-)incarnations.

Aspects such as these are certainly contrary to our faith!

This is the article I wrote for our church bulletin for Respect Life Week last week. Thought I would try to start blogging again.....



"We are called to act with justice"

The greatest social justice issue facing us today is that of human dignity. Social justice is based on the concepts of human rights and equality. Our belief as Christians in the sanctity of human life and the inherent dignity of the human person is the foundation of all the principles of our social teaching. This belief gives us the starting point for a moral vision for society. It is grounded in the idea that the person is made in the image of God. In caring for God’s creation, we show our respect by our stewardship. Care for the earth is not just an Earth Day slogan; it is a requirement of our faith. We are called to protect people as well as the planet, living our faith in relationship with all of God’s creation. This has fundamental moral and ethical dimensions that cannot be ignored. The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that all Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception (2270). This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable (2271).

Abortion and Euthanasia are direct attacks on human life. These are not "church issues" as some might think; they are human rights issues that we all need to be concerned and educated about. It is an unfortunate reality that in our society today life seems to be less and less valued, be it the child in the womb, the disabled, or the elderly patient in a personal care home. With the growing tendency to promote "mercy killing" as a solution to suffering, aging, mental or physical challenges, having the right to die is quickly becoming an "obligation to die". Many people who express a will to die are suffering from clinical depression rather than a terminal disease. Studies reveal that when certain anti-depressants are administered over a three-month period, 44% say they no longer wish to die. (Family Practice News, October 1996)
Abortion has become just another form of birth control, with abortionists no longer bothering to medically justify it. It is being used to brutally destroy those that are deemed "unacceptable" or "less than perfect". Society must learn that we can never eliminate problems by eliminating people. We do not improve society by rejecting society's members, and we do not build up the body of Christ by killing His disciples, no mater how tiny or how old!

In the Gospel of Life, Pope John Paul II proclaimed:
"To be actively pro-life is to contribute to the renewal of society through the
promotion of the common good. It is impossible to further the common good
without acknowledging and defending the right to life, upon which all the other
inalienable rights of individuals are founded and from which they develop."

Respect Life Week is the starting point where we can take the opportunity to live the beatitudes. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for Righteousness! Our mission as Christians is to bring Life and Peace to the world. We can do this by increasing public awareness of and promoting improvement in the quality and availability of hospice/palliative care; we can work to develop and build compassionate care community services as alternatives to "Mercy Killing." We can volunteer to visit people who are sick or shut in. We can support ministries that respect the sanctity of Life by donating baby food, diapers, baby and maternity clothing to places like the Crisis Pregnancy Centre. We can donate to or volunteer for our local pro-life group. And....WE CAN PRAY. Go in Peace to Love and Serve the Lord!