Evidence of Natural Law from Hollywood

Originally published 9/3/07.

The Weather Man, with Nicholas Cage, is a very secular and very crude film about the dreariness of modern secularist family life. T. S. Eliot might have liked it. It’s about “Dave Spritz” (Cage), a local forecaster trying to get a gig on a national morning show.

There’s a scene in the film where the character Robert Spritzel, played by Michael Caine (hardly a representative of Natural Law theory himself), responds to his son Dave’s divorce plans.

Dave Spritz: We both just think it’s better for the kids.
Robert Spritzel: David, sacrifice is… to get anything of value, you have to sacrifice.
Dave Spritz: I know that dad, but
I think that if we continue down this road, it’s gonna be too detrimental for
the kids. It’s just too hard.
Robert Spritzel: Do you know that the harder thing to do and the right thing to do are usually the same thing? Nothing that has meaning is easy. “Easy” doesn’t enter into grown-up life. (thanks to IMDB).

There you have it: the Natural Law in a nutshell. First, the character speaking has no discernable religious beliefs, and is hardly a Catholic. He is presented as a Pulitzer-prize winning writer and voice of reason and genteel morality. Thus, he illustrates that Natural Law is derived from reason and not dependent upon Catholicism.

Next, the statement itself, which is not only a principle of Natural Law, but arguably a summation of both Natural Law *and* heroic virtue.

Later in the film, an unnamed speaker describes the character of Robert Spritzel as embodying “forbearance, charity, wisdom.”

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From John Locke: On Life, Liberty and Estate

Originally published 7/5/2007

Thought we’d take a look at some of the sources of the rights enshrined in our Declaration of Independence

From Two Treatises of Government (1680-1690), Book II: An Essay Concerning the True Original, Extent and End of Civil Government, Chapter 6: “Of Paternal Power,” Paragraph 59:

This holds in all the laws a man is under, whether natural or civil. Is a man under the law of nature? What made him free of that law? what gave him a free disposing of his property, according to his own will, within the compass of that law? I answer, a state of maturity wherein he might be supposed capable to know that law, that so he might keep his actions within the bounds of it. When he has acquired that state, he is presumed to know how far that law is to be his guide, and how far he may make use of his freedom, and so comes to have it; till then, some body else must guide him, who is presumed to know how far the law allows a liberty. If such a state of reason, such an age of discretion made him free, the same shall make his son free too. Is a man under the law of England? What made him free of that law? that is, to have the liberty to dispose of his actions and possessions according to his own will, within the permission of that law? A capacity of knowing that law; which is supposed by that law, at the age of one and twenty years, and in some cases sooner. If this made the father free, it shall make the son free too. Till then we see the law allows the son to have no will, but he is to be guided by the will of his father or guardian, who is to understand for him. And if the father die, and fail to substitute a deputy in his trust; if he hath not provided a tutor, to govern his son, during his minority, during his want of understanding, the law takes care to do it; some other must govern him, and be a will to him, till he hath attained to a state of freedom, and his understanding be fit to take the government of his will. But after that, the father and son are equally free as much as tutor and pupil after nonage; equally subjects of the same law together, without any dominion left in the father over the life, liberty, or estate of his son, whether they be only in the state and under the law of nature, or under the positive laws of an established government. (see this link or this link, emphasis added)

Ignoring the discriminatory term “being born,” derived from his primitive understanding of biological science, here is a quotation from Book II, Chapter 7: “Of Political or Civil Society,” paragraph 87:

Man being born, as has been proved, with a title to perfect freedom, and an uncontrouled enjoyment of all the rights and privileges of the law of nature, equally with any other man, or number of men in the world, hath by nature a power, not only to preserve his property, that is, his life, liberty and estate, against the injuries and attempts of other men; but to judge of, and punish the breaches of that law in others, as he is persuaded the offence deserves, even with death itself, in crimes where the heinousness of the fact, in his opinion,
requires it. But because no political society can be, nor subsist, without having in itself the power to preserve the property, and in order thereunto, punish the offences of all those of that society; there, and there only is political society, where every one of the members hath quitted this natural power, resigned it up into the hands of the community in all cases that exclude him not from appealing for protection to the law established by it. And thus all private judgment of every particular member being excluded, the community comes to be umpire, by settled standing rules, indifferent, and the same to all parties; and by men having authority from the community, for the execution of those rules, decides all the differences that may happen between any members of that society concerning any matter of right; and punishes those offences which any member hath committed against the society, with such penalties as the law has established: whereby it is easy to discern, who are, and who are not, in political society together. Those who are united into one body, and have a common established law and judicature to appeal to, with authority to decide controversies between them, and punish offenders, are in civil society one with another: but those who have no such common people, I mean on earth, are still in the state of nature, each being, where there is no other, judge for himself, and executioner; which is, as I have before shewed it, the perfect state of nature (see this link or this link, emphasis added).

Lastly, this one from Book II, Chapter 11: “Of the Extent of the Legislative Power,” paragraph 135:

First, It is not, nor can possibly be absolutely arbitrary over the lives and fortunes of the people: for it being but the joint power of every member of the society given up to that person, or assembly, which is legislator; it can be no more than those persons had in a state of nature before they entered into society, and gave up to the community: for no body can transfer to another more power than he has in himself; and no body has an absolute arbitrary power over himself, or over any other, to destroy his own life, or take away the life or property of another. A man, as has been proved, cannot subject himself to the arbitrary power of another; and having in the state of nature no arbitrary power over the life, liberty, or possession of another, but only so much as the law of nature gave him for the preservation of himself, and the rest of mankind; this is all he doth, or can give up to the common-wealth, and by it to the legislative power, so that the legislative can have no more than this. Their power, in the utmost bounds of it, is limited to the public good of the society. It is a power, that hath no other end but preservation, and therefore can never* have a right to destroy, enslave, or designedly to impoverish the subjects. The obligations of the law of nature cease not in society, but only in many cases are drawn closer, and have by human laws known penalties annexed to them, to inforce their observation. Thus the law of nature stands as an eternal rule to all men, legislators as well as others. The rules that they make for other men’s actions, must, as well as their own and other men’s actions, be conformable to the law of nature, i. e. to the will of God, of which that is a declaration, and the fundamental law of nature being the preservation of mankind, no human sanction can be good, or valid against it (see this link or this one, emphasis added).

Mate of Fate– A Poem by my Sweetie

The plump maid blushes fair
Beneath her thick, brown hair
While her two robust knights
Meet in true, gallant fight.

Anger gleams in their eyes
As they fight for their prize.
They battle with claws
Until one figher falls.

The maiden [. . . ] steps back in fright
As she is wooed and won in fight.
After much bloodshed, she’s matched with her mate
Not because of love, but because of fate.

–Mary G. Hein, ca 1987

Accompanied by a caption in which one bear says, “My sweet love!”  and another bear says, “‘Tisn’t love — ’tis fate”.

The original version has “bear” explicitly in the last stanza.  Iedited it out for greater poetic effect.

G. K. Chesterton on Monogamy

Keeping to one woman is a small price for so much as seeing one woman. To complain that I could only be married once was like complaining that I had only been born once. It was incommensurate with the terrible excitement of which one was talking. It showed, not an exaggerated sensibility to sex, but a curious insensibility to it.

—Gilbert Keith Chesterton, Orthodoxy, Ch. 4.

Fundraiser

I know God has something good in store for my family because, as worldly situations go, things can’t get much worse for us.

Already, the signs of a bright new horizon for us are coming around.  Mary and I have three FT job interviews between the two of us this week, and I have a number of outstanding applications that I’m hoping will result in at least one interview. 

However, back in May, my handicapped van (a 2000 Chevy Express) broke down.  The used engine I had installed when I bought it died, and it’s been sitting for over 2 months at Herndon Chevrolet in Lexington, SC, under the care of a mechanic named Bucky.  I’ve tried just about everything for help.  Everyone in the extended family is tapped out.  A new engine is going to cost $5400

There is no direct charity I can appeal to.  In one sense, there’s a temptation to just get a new vehicle, except that:

a) my motorized wheelchair is stuck in the back of the van,
b) we just had the *lift* repaired before the engine died,
c) it’s difficult to find a vehicle that’s both handicapped accessible and big enough for our family, without buying another government surplus van that will still need a new engine.

I’ve been walking, using a walker, for two months now, hoping to get my van back soon, and now everything hurts.  One of the reasons I use a wheelchair is to stop my knees and my back from being issues at all, and they hurt like crazy.   A few weeks ago, both my knees gave out at daily Mass, I crawled back from communion, and two older men had to help carry me to my car.  In addition to my kneecaps themselves, it felt like the joints were just incapable of sustaining my weight, and I apparently did something to my upper left leg.  The pain inside my knees was so bad that I worked my way through every level of pain killer I have, and I was still in pain.  I spent the next 3 days sedentary until the pain finally went away.

And that’s not even getting into the issue of what it’s all doing to my cardiovascular system.  

Plus, if I *am* to take a full time job out of the home, I”m going to need my van and my chair.

The other day, I posted an ad of Craigslist, asking for an anonymous benefactor or plural, and I’m partially making the same request here.  Just to prove the legitimacy of it, I’m asking for anyone even half willing to contact not me but Bucky at Herndon.

OTOH, one way that a lot of people can help is by finally getting a copy of Hide Me In Your Wounds.  The MP3 album price is only $8.99, the same price as Amazon charges for all its self-published MP3 albums.  But most of that money comes to me.  If, by some miracle of the Holy Spirit, I can get 900 people to purchase copies in the next couple weeks, that will pay for the repairs to my van.

The feedback I’ve gotten about my CD so far has been very positive–nice comments on Facebook from people who’ve purchased it; family and friends who say they listen to it daily; and three nuns who say they listen to it daily and have found it very inspiring!

In the past month, I’ve sent out review copies to various Catholic media outlets. 

Plus, Hide Me In Your Wounds  would make a great back to school gift!

Great Lines from _A Man for All Seasons_: A Good Judge is hard to find

<blockquote>Cromwell: I have evidence that Sir Thomas, while he was a judge, accepted bribes.
The Duke of Norfolk: What? Goddammit, he was the only judge since Cato who didn’t accept bribes! When was there last a Chancellor whose possessions after three years in office totaled one hundred pounds and a gold chain?</blockquote>

Novena to Alphonsus Liguori

GLORIOUS Saint Alphonsus, Bishop and Doctor of the Church, devoted servant of our Lord and loving child of Mary, I invoke you as a Saint in heaven. I give myself to your protection that you may always be my father, my protector, and my guide in the way of holiness and salvation. Aid me in observing the duties of my state of life. Obtain for me great purity of heart and a fervent love of the interior life after your own example. Great lover of the Blessed Sacrament and the Passion of Jesus Christ, teach me to love Holy Mass and Holy Communion as the source of grace and holiness. Give me a tender devotion to the Passion of my Redeemer. Promoter of the truth of Christ in your preaching and writing, give me a greater knowledge and appreciation of the Divine truths.

Gentle father of the poor and sinners, help me to imitate your charity toward others in word and deed. Consoler of the suffering, help me to bear my daily cross patiently in imitation of your own patience in your long and painful illness and to resign myself to the Will of God.

Good Shepherd of the flock of Christ, obtain for me the grace of being a true child of Holy Mother Church. Saint Alphonsus, I humbly implore your powerful intercession for obtaining from the Heart of Jesus all the graces necessary for my spiritual and temporal welfare. I recommend to you in particular this favor: (Mention your request).

I have great confidence in your prayers. I earnestly trust that if it is God’s oly Will, my petition will be granted through your intercession for me at the throne of God. Saint Alphonsus, pray for me and for those I love. I beg of you, by your love for Jesus and Mary, do not abandon us in our needs. May we experience the peace and joy of your holy death. Amen.

Prayer
HEAVENLY Father, You continually build up Your Church by the lives of Your Saints. Give us grace to follow Saint Alphonsus in his loving concern for the salvation of people and so come to share his reward in heaven. Walking in the footsteps of this devoted servant of Yours, may we be consumed with zeal for souls and attain the reward he enjoys in Your Kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

St. Teresa of Avila on the rules of the convent

In Way of Perfection chapter 36, St. Teresa de Jesus emphasizes that the rules and protocols of convent life should be guidelines to ensure communtiy cohesion, but that they should not be causes of stumbling themselves.

Novena to St. Anna, Day 9

Glorious Saint Anne, I desire to honor you with a special devotion. I choose you, after the Blessed Virgin, as my spiritual mother and protectress. To you I entrust my soul and my body, all my spiritual and temporal interests, as well as those of my family.

To you I consecrate my mind, that in all things it may be enlightened by faith; my heart, that you may keep it pure and fill it with love for Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and yourself; my will, that like yours, it may always be one with the Will of God.

Good Saint Anne, filled with love for those who invoke you and with compassion for those who suffer, I confidently place before you my earnest petition: . . . .

I beg you to recommend my petition to your daughter, the Blessed Virgin Mary, that both Mary and you may present it to Jesus. Through your earnest prayers, may my request be granted. But, if what I ask for should not be according to the Will of God, obtain for me that which will be for the greater benefit of my soul. By the power and the grace with which God has blessed you, extend to me your helping hand.

But most of all, merciful Saint Anne, I beg you to help me to master my evil inclinations and temptations, and to avoid all occasions of sin. Obtain for me the grace of never offending God, of fulfilling faithfully all the duties of my state of life, adn of practicing all those virtues that are needful for my salvatoin.

Like you, may I belong to God in life and in death through perfect love. And, after having loved and honored you on earth as a truly devoted child, may I, through your prayers, have the privilege of loving and honoring you in heaven with the Angels and Saints throughout eternity.

Good Saint Anne, mother of her who is our life, our sweetness and our hope, pray to her for me and obtain my request.

Memorare to Saint Anne

Remember, good Saint Anne, whosename means grace and mercy, that never was it known, that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought your intercession, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I come before you, sinful and sorrowful. Holy mother of the Immaculate Virgin Mary and loving grandmother of the Savior, do not reject my appeal but hear me and answer my prayer. Amen.

Prayer to Sts. Joachim and Ann

Great and glorious patriarch, Saint Joachim, and good Saint Anne, what joy is mine when I consider that you were chosen among all God’s holy ones to assist in the fulfillment of the mysteries of God, and to enrich our earth with the great Mother of God, Mary most holy. By this singular privilege, you have become most powerful with both the Mother and her Son, so as to be able to obtain for us the graces that are needful to us.

With great confidence I have recourse to your mighty protection, and I commend to you all my needs, both spiritual adn temporal, and those of my family. Especially do I entrust to your keeping the particular favor that I desire and look for from your intercession: . . . .

And since you were a perfect pattern of the interior life, obtain for me the grace to pray earnestly, and never to set my heart on the passing goods of this life. Give me a lively and enduring love for Jesus and Mary. Obtain for me also a sincere devotion and obedience to Holy Church and the sovereign pontiff who rules over her, in order that I may live and die in faith and hope and perfect charity. Let me ever invoke the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, and may I thus be saved.

Litany in honor of St. Anne
Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.

God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

Saint Anne, pray for us.
Offspring of the royal race of David, pray for us.
Daughter of the Patriarchs, pray for us.
Faithful spouse of Saint Joachim, pray for us.
Mother of Mary, the Virgin Mother of God, pray for us.
Gentle mother of the Queen of Heaven, pray for us.
Grandmother of Our Savior, pray for us.
Beloved of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, pray for us.
Instrument of the Holy Spirit, pray for us.
Richly endowed with God’s grace, pray for us.
Example of piety and patience in suffering, pray for us.
Mirror of obedience, pray for us.
Ideal of pure womanhood, pray for us.
Protectress of virgins, pray for us.
Model of Christian mothers, pray for us.
Protectress of the married, pray for us.
Guardian of children, pray for us.
Support of Christian family life, pray for us.
Help of the Church, pray for us.
Mother of mercy, pray for us.
Mother of confidence, pray for us.
Friend of the poor, pray for us.
Example of widows, pray for us.
Health of the sick, pray for us.
Cure of those who suffer from disease, pray for us.
Mother of the infirm, pray for us.
Light of the blind, pray for us.
Speech of the mute, pray for us.
Hearing of the deaf, pray for us.
Consolation of the afflicted, pray for us.
Comforter of the oppressed, pray for us.
Joy of the Angels and Saints, pray for us.
Refuge of sinners, pray for us.
Harbor of salvation, pray for us.
Patroness of a happy death, pray for us.
Help of all who have recourse to you, pray for us.

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us, O Lord

Pray for us, good Saint Anne,
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ

Prayer
Let us pray. Almighty and eternal God, You were pleased to choose Saint Anne to be the mother of the Mother of Your loving Son. Grant, we pray, that we who confidently honor her may through her prayers attain to everlasting life. We ask this through Jesus Christ, Our Lord, Amen.

Novena to St. Anna, Day 8

Glorious Saint Anne, I desire to honor you with a special devotion. I choose you, after the Blessed Virgin, as my spiritual mother and protectress. To you I entrust my soul and my body, all my spiritual and temporal interests, as well as those of my family.

To you I consecrate my mind, that in all things it may be enlightened by faith; my heart, that you may keep it pure and fill it with love for Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and yourself; my will, that like yours, it may always be one with the Will of God.

Good Saint Anne, filled with love for those who invoke you and with compassion for those who suffer, I confidently place before you my earnest petition: . . . .

I beg you to recommend my petition to your daughter, the Blessed Virgin Mary, that both Mary and you may present it to Jesus. Through your earnest prayers, may my request be granted. But, if what I ask for should not be according to the Will of God, obtain for me that which will be for the greater benefit of my soul. By the power and the grace with which God has blessed you, extend to me your helping hand.

But most of all, merciful Saint Anne, I beg you to help me to master my evil inclinations and temptations, and to avoid all occasions of sin. Obtain for me the grace of never offending God, of fulfilling faithfully all the duties of my state of life, adn of practicing all those virtues that are needful for my salvatoin.

Like you, may I belong to God in life and in death through perfect love. And, after having loved and honored you on earth as a truly devoted child, may I, through your prayers, have the privilege of loving and honoring you in heaven with the Angels and Saints throughout eternity.

Good Saint Anne, mother of her who is our life, our sweetness and our hope, pray to her for me and obtain my request.

Memorare to Saint Anne

Remember, good Saint Anne, whosename means grace and mercy, that never was it known, that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought your intercession, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I come before you, sinful and sorrowful. Holy mother of the Immaculate Virgin Mary and loving grandmother of the Savior, do not reject my appeal but hear me and answer my prayer. Amen.

Prayer to Sts. Joachim and Ann

Great and glorious patriarch, Saint Joachim, and good Saint Anne, what joy is mine when I consider that you were chosen among all God’s holy ones to assist in the fulfillment of the mysteries of God, and to enrich our earth with the great Mother of God, Mary most holy. By this singular privilege, you have become most powerful with both the Mother and her Son, so as to be able to obtain for us the graces that are needful to us.

With great confidence I have recourse to your mighty protection, and I commend to you all my needs, both spiritual adn temporal, and those of my family. Especially do I entrust to your keeping the particular favor that I desire and look for from your intercession: . . . .

And since you were a perfect pattern of the interior life, obtain for me the grace to pray earnestly, and never to set my heart on the passing goods of this life. Give me a lively and enduring love for Jesus and Mary. Obtain for me also a sincere devotion and obedience to Holy Church and the sovereign pontiff who rules over her, in order that I may live and die in faith and hope and perfect charity. Let me ever invoke the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, and may I thus be saved.

Litany in honor of St. Anne
Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.

God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

Saint Anne, pray for us.
Offspring of the royal race of David, pray for us.
Daughter of the Patriarchs, pray for us.
Faithful spouse of Saint Joachim, pray for us.
Mother of Mary, the Virgin Mother of God, pray for us.
Gentle mother of the Queen of Heaven, pray for us.
Grandmother of Our Savior, pray for us.
Beloved of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, pray for us.
Instrument of the Holy Spirit, pray for us.
Richly endowed with God’s grace, pray for us.
Example of piety and patience in suffering, pray for us.
Mirror of obedience, pray for us.
Ideal of pure womanhood, pray for us.
Protectress of virgins, pray for us.
Model of Christian mothers, pray for us.
Protectress of the married, pray for us.
Guardian of children, pray for us.
Support of Christian family life, pray for us.
Help of the Church, pray for us.
Mother of mercy, pray for us.
Mother of confidence, pray for us.
Friend of the poor, pray for us.
Example of widows, pray for us.
Health of the sick, pray for us.
Cure of those who suffer from disease, pray for us.
Mother of the infirm, pray for us.
Light of the blind, pray for us.
Speech of the mute, pray for us.
Hearing of the deaf, pray for us.
Consolation of the afflicted, pray for us.
Comforter of the oppressed, pray for us.
Joy of the Angels and Saints, pray for us.
Refuge of sinners, pray for us.
Harbor of salvation, pray for us.
Patroness of a happy death, pray for us.
Help of all who have recourse to you, pray for us.

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us, O Lord

Pray for us, good Saint Anne,
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ

Prayer
Let us pray. Almighty and eternal God, You were pleased to choose Saint Anne to be the mother of the Mother of Your loving Son. Grant, we pray, that we who confidently honor her may through her prayers attain to everlasting life. We ask this through Jesus Christ, Our Lord, Amen.

Brigittine or Carmelite Rosary

Today is the feast of St. Bridget (Brigitta) of Sweden, of “Fifteen Prayers” fame.  It is also, on the Carmelite Calendar, the Feast of Our Lady, Mother of Divine Grace (hence the feast of my wife, Mary Grace).

Interestingly, both the Brigittines and the Carmelites traditionally prayed a 6-decade Rosary.  The 6 decade rosaries themselves are fairly common–and you may have noticed them on statues of Carmelite saints.  However, the exact nature of the six-decade rosary is somewhat up for debate.  Supposedly, it’s 63 Hail Marys for the 63 years of Mary’s life on earth.  Oddly enough, the “Franciscan Crown” is 72 Hail mary’s and claims that Our Lady lived 72 years on earth.  Go figure.

Anyway, for both Orders, today it would seem appropriate to offer the six-decade Rosary.

I have heard both “Immaculate Conception” and “Veneration of the magi” for Joyful, but here’s the list of mysteries according to this post on Catholic Answers, and I’ve created my own six decade Luminous Mysteries (easily enough since, before they were officially announced, rumors had either Palm Sunday or Holy Thursday as the fith)

Joyful Mysteries:

1.  The Immaculate Conception
2.  The Annunciation
3.  The Visitation
4. The Nativity
5.  The Presentation
6.  The Finding in the Temple

Luminous Mysteries:
1.  The Baptism by John
2.  The Wedding at Cana
3.  The Proclamation of the Kingdom
4.  The Transfiguration
5.  The Entry into Jerusalem
6.  The Institution of the Eucharist

The Sorrowful Mysteries

1.  Gethsemane
2. The Scourging
3. The Crowning of Thorns
4. The Way of the Cross
5.  The Crucifixion
6.  The Pieta

Glorious Mysteries
1. Resurrection
2. Ascension
3. Pentecost
4. Assumption
5.  Queenship
6.  Patronage of Mary/the Vision of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

Novena to St. Anna, Day 7

Glorious Saint Anne, I desire to honor you with a special devotion. I choose you, after the Blessed Virgin, as my spiritual mother and protectress. To you I entrust my soul and my body, all my spiritual and temporal interests, as well as those of my family.

To you I consecrate my mind, that in all things it may be enlightened by faith; my heart, that you may keep it pure and fill it with love for Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and yourself; my will, that like yours, it may always be one with the Will of God.

Good Saint Anne, filled with love for those who invoke you and with compassion for those who suffer, I confidently place before you my earnest petition: . . . .

I beg you to recommend my petition to your daughter, the Blessed Virgin Mary, that both Mary and you may present it to Jesus. Through your earnest prayers, may my request be granted. But, if what I ask for should not be according to the Will of God, obtain for me that which will be for the greater benefit of my soul. By the power and the grace with which God has blessed you, extend to me your helping hand.

But most of all, merciful Saint Anne, I beg you to help me to master my evil inclinations and temptations, and to avoid all occasions of sin. Obtain for me the grace of never offending God, of fulfilling faithfully all the duties of my state of life, adn of practicing all those virtues that are needful for my salvatoin.

Like you, may I belong to God in life and in death through perfect love. And, after having loved and honored you on earth as a truly devoted child, may I, through your prayers, have the privilege of loving and honoring you in heaven with the Angels and Saints throughout eternity.

Good Saint Anne, mother of her who is our life, our sweetness and our hope, pray to her for me and obtain my request.

Memorare to Saint Anne

Remember, good Saint Anne, whosename means grace and mercy, that never was it known, that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought your intercession, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I come before you, sinful and sorrowful. Holy mother of the Immaculate Virgin Mary and loving grandmother of the Savior, do not reject my appeal but hear me and answer my prayer. Amen.

Prayer to Sts. Joachim and Ann

Great and glorious patriarch, Saint Joachim, and good Saint Anne, what joy is mine when I consider that you were chosen among all God’s holy ones to assist in the fulfillment of the mysteries of God, and to enrich our earth with the great Mother of God, Mary most holy. By this singular privilege, you have become most powerful with both the Mother and her Son, so as to be able to obtain for us the graces that are needful to us.

With great confidence I have recourse to your mighty protection, and I commend to you all my needs, both spiritual adn temporal, and those of my family. Especially do I entrust to your keeping the particular favor that I desire and look for from your intercession: . . . .

And since you were a perfect pattern of the interior life, obtain for me the grace to pray earnestly, and never to set my heart on the passing goods of this life. Give me a lively and enduring love for Jesus and Mary. Obtain for me also a sincere devotion and obedience to Holy Church and the sovereign pontiff who rules over her, in order that I may live and die in faith and hope and perfect charity. Let me ever invoke the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, and may I thus be saved.

Litany in honor of St. Anne
Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.

God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

Saint Anne, pray for us.
Offspring of the royal race of David, pray for us.
Daughter of the Patriarchs, pray for us.
Faithful spouse of Saint Joachim, pray for us.
Mother of Mary, the Virgin Mother of God, pray for us.
Gentle mother of the Queen of Heaven, pray for us.
Grandmother of Our Savior, pray for us.
Beloved of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, pray for us.
Instrument of the Holy Spirit, pray for us.
Richly endowed with God’s grace, pray for us.
Example of piety and patience in suffering, pray for us.
Mirror of obedience, pray for us.
Ideal of pure womanhood, pray for us.
Protectress of virgins, pray for us.
Model of Christian mothers, pray for us.
Protectress of the married, pray for us.
Guardian of children, pray for us.
Support of Christian family life, pray for us.
Help of the Church, pray for us.
Mother of mercy, pray for us.
Mother of confidence, pray for us.
Friend of the poor, pray for us.
Example of widows, pray for us.
Health of the sick, pray for us.
Cure of those who suffer from disease, pray for us.
Mother of the infirm, pray for us.
Light of the blind, pray for us.
Speech of the mute, pray for us.
Hearing of the deaf, pray for us.
Consolation of the afflicted, pray for us.
Comforter of the oppressed, pray for us.
Joy of the Angels and Saints, pray for us.
Refuge of sinners, pray for us.
Harbor of salvation, pray for us.
Patroness of a happy death, pray for us.
Help of all who have recourse to you, pray for us.

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us, O Lord

Pray for us, good Saint Anne,
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ

Prayer
Let us pray. Almighty and eternal God, You were pleased to choose Saint Anne to be the mother of the Mother of Your loving Son. Grant, we pray, that we who confidently honor her may through her prayers attain to everlasting life. We ask this through Jesus Christ, Our Lord, Amen.

What atheists and Protestants have in common

1.  They are far more concerned about exactly how the world was created or how it will be destroyed than about what’s going on right now.

2.  They’re both looking for excuses to justify immoral behavior.

3.  They both hate teleology and asking “why”.

4.  They both define themselves by negation.

G. K. Chesterton on the Freedom to Reason

There is a thought that stops thought. That is the only thought that ought to be stopped. That is the ultimate evil against which all religious authority was aimed. It only appears at the end of decadent ages like our own: and already Mr. H. G. Wells has raised its ruinous banner; he has written a delicate piece of scepticism called “Doubts of the Instrument.” In this he questions the brain itself, and endeavours to remove all reality from all his own assertions, past, present, and to come. But it was against this remote ruin that all the military systems in religion were originally ranked and ruled. The creeds and the crusades, the hierarchies and the horrible persecutions were not organized, as is ignorantly said, for the suppression of reason. They were organized for the difficult defence of reason. Man, by a blind instinct, knew that if once things were wildly questioned, reason could be questioned first. The authority of priests to absolve, the authority of popes to define the authority, even of inquisitors to terrify: these were all only dark defences erected round one central authority, more undemonstrable, more supernatural than all — the authority of a man to think.

Gilbert Keith Chesterton, Orthodoxy, Ch. 3.

A rather old, but still apropros, guest post from my wife

Clinton’s abortion views are clearly contradictory
To the Editor:
In response to your article in the Stafford Neighbors section, “New kids on the political block,” I feel those Democrats, and others like them, must have hypocritical ignorance of their candidates.
I cannot understand how someone who is so concerned about prenatal care and Head Start and who is against the death penalty can at the same time call himself or herself pro-choice, meaning proabortion.
Bill Clinton and Al Gore are supposedly concerned about the future of America, but, hypocritically, they support the murder of the innocents, the children, the future of America.There are organizations to help mother and baby, like Birthright, which is now part of the United Way campaign, and adoption agencies. Instead of spending millions of dollars a year for infanticide, why not spend the money on the mother and her child? I feel we need to spend that money for more organizations like Birthright and Bethany Christian Services.
If one person kills another in the shadows, where they can’t see one another, it’s called murder. But when a woman with a child inside of her, a child she can feel but cannot see, kills the child, or as some put it, exercises her right, it is just a choice, not abortion.
I hope in the future that The Free Lance-Star will cover events like the hundreds of citizens who stood in the rain for three hours to show their love for all people, born and unborn. This event occurred Oct. 4 on U.S. 1.

Mary Hein
Stafford, VA

Letter to the Editor, The Free Lance-Star, Fredericksburg, VA, Thursday, October 22, 1992

Novena to St. Anna, Day 6

Glorious Saint Anne, I desire to honor you with a special devotion. I choose you, after the Blessed Virgin, as my spiritual mother and protectress. To you I entrust my soul and my body, all my spiritual and temporal interests, as well as those of my family.

To you I consecrate my mind, that in all things it may be enlightened by faith; my heart, that you may keep it pure and fill it with love for Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and yourself; my will, that like yours, it may always be one with the Will of God.

Good Saint Anne, filled with love for those who invoke you and with compassion for those who suffer, I confidently place before you my earnest petition: . . . .

I beg you to recommend my petition to your daughter, the Blessed Virgin Mary, that both Mary and you may present it to Jesus. Through your earnest prayers, may my request be granted. But, if what I ask for should not be according to the Will of God, obtain for me that which will be for the greater benefit of my soul. By the power and the grace with which God has blessed you, extend to me your helping hand.

But most of all, merciful Saint Anne, I beg you to help me to master my evil inclinations and temptations, and to avoid all occasions of sin. Obtain for me the grace of never offending God, of fulfilling faithfully all the duties of my state of life, adn of practicing all those virtues that are needful for my salvatoin.

Like you, may I belong to God in life and in death through perfect love. And, after having loved and honored you on earth as a truly devoted child, may I, through your prayers, have the privilege of loving and honoring you in heaven with the Angels and Saints throughout eternity.

Good Saint Anne, mother of her who is our life, our sweetness and our hope, pray to her for me and obtain my request.

Memorare to Saint Anne

Remember, good Saint Anne, whosename means grace and mercy, that never was it known, that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought your intercession, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I come before you, sinful and sorrowful. Holy mother of the Immaculate Virgin Mary and loving grandmother of the Savior, do not reject my appeal but hear me and answer my prayer. Amen.

Prayer to Sts. Joachim and Ann

Great and glorious patriarch, Saint Joachim, and good Saint Anne, what joy is mine when I consider that you were chosen among all God’s holy ones to assist in the fulfillment of the mysteries of God, and to enrich our earth with the great Mother of God, Mary most holy. By this singular privilege, you have become most powerful with both the Mother and her Son, so as to be able to obtain for us the graces that are needful to us.

With great confidence I have recourse to your mighty protection, and I commend to you all my needs, both spiritual adn temporal, and those of my family. Especially do I entrust to your keeping the particular favor that I desire and look for from your intercession: . . . .

And since you were a perfect pattern of the interior life, obtain for me the grace to pray earnestly, and never to set my heart on the passing goods of this life. Give me a lively and enduring love for Jesus and Mary. Obtain for me also a sincere devotion and obedience to Holy Church and the sovereign pontiff who rules over her, in order that I may live and die in faith and hope and perfect charity. Let me ever invoke the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, and may I thus be saved.

Litany in honor of St. Anne
Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.

God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

Saint Anne, pray for us.
Offspring of the royal race of David, pray for us.
Daughter of the Patriarchs, pray for us.
Faithful spouse of Saint Joachim, pray for us.
Mother of Mary, the Virgin Mother of God, pray for us.
Gentle mother of the Queen of Heaven, pray for us.
Grandmother of Our Savior, pray for us.
Beloved of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, pray for us.
Instrument of the Holy Spirit, pray for us.
Richly endowed with God’s grace, pray for us.
Example of piety and patience in suffering, pray for us.
Mirror of obedience, pray for us.
Ideal of pure womanhood, pray for us.
Protectress of virgins, pray for us.
Model of Christian mothers, pray for us.
Protectress of the married, pray for us.
Guardian of children, pray for us.
Support of Christian family life, pray for us.
Help of the Church, pray for us.
Mother of mercy, pray for us.
Mother of confidence, pray for us.
Friend of the poor, pray for us.
Example of widows, pray for us.
Health of the sick, pray for us.
Cure of those who suffer from disease, pray for us.
Mother of the infirm, pray for us.
Light of the blind, pray for us.
Speech of the mute, pray for us.
Hearing of the deaf, pray for us.
Consolation of the afflicted, pray for us.
Comforter of the oppressed, pray for us.
Joy of the Angels and Saints, pray for us.
Refuge of sinners, pray for us.
Harbor of salvation, pray for us.
Patroness of a happy death, pray for us.
Help of all who have recourse to you, pray for us.

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us, O Lord

Pray for us, good Saint Anne,
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ

Prayer
Let us pray. Almighty and eternal God, You were pleased to choose Saint Anne to be the mother of the Mother of Your loving Son. Grant, we pray, that we who confidently honor her may through her prayers attain to everlasting life. We ask this through Jesus Christ, Our Lord, Amen.

Novena to St. Anna, Day 5

Glorious Saint Anne, I desire to honor you with a special devotion. I choose you, after the Blessed Virgin, as my spiritual mother and protectress. To you I entrust my soul and my body, all my spiritual and temporal interests, as well as those of my family.

To you I consecrate my mind, that in all things it may be enlightened by faith; my heart, that you may keep it pure and fill it with love for Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and yourself; my will, that like yours, it may always be one with the Will of God.

Good Saint Anne, filled with love for those who invoke you and with compassion for those who suffer, I confidently place before you my earnest petition: . . . .

I beg you to recommend my petition to your daughter, the Blessed Virgin Mary, that both Mary and you may present it to Jesus. Through your earnest prayers, may my request be granted. But, if what I ask for should not be according to the Will of God, obtain for me that which will be for the greater benefit of my soul. By the power and the grace with which God has blessed you, extend to me your helping hand.

But most of all, merciful Saint Anne, I beg you to help me to master my evil inclinations and temptations, and to avoid all occasions of sin. Obtain for me the grace of never offending God, of fulfilling faithfully all the duties of my state of life, adn of practicing all those virtues that are needful for my salvatoin.

Like you, may I belong to God in life and in death through perfect love. And, after having loved and honored you on earth as a truly devoted child, may I, through your prayers, have the privilege of loving and honoring you in heaven with the Angels and Saints throughout eternity.

Good Saint Anne, mother of her who is our life, our sweetness and our hope, pray to her for me and obtain my request.

Memorare to Saint Anne

Remember, good Saint Anne, whosename means grace and mercy, that never was it known, that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought your intercession, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I come before you, sinful and sorrowful. Holy mother of the Immaculate Virgin Mary and loving grandmother of the Savior, do not reject my appeal but hear me and answer my prayer. Amen.

Prayer to Sts. Joachim and Ann

Great and glorious patriarch, Saint Joachim, and good Saint Anne, what joy is mine when I consider that you were chosen among all God’s holy ones to assist in the fulfillment of the mysteries of God, and to enrich our earth with the great Mother of God, Mary most holy. By this singular privilege, you have become most powerful with both the Mother and her Son, so as to be able to obtain for us the graces that are needful to us.

With great confidence I have recourse to your mighty protection, and I commend to you all my needs, both spiritual adn temporal, and those of my family. Especially do I entrust to your keeping the particular favor that I desire and look for from your intercession: . . . .

And since you were a perfect pattern of the interior life, obtain for me the grace to pray earnestly, and never to set my heart on the passing goods of this life. Give me a lively and enduring love for Jesus and Mary. Obtain for me also a sincere devotion and obedience to Holy Church and the sovereign pontiff who rules over her, in order that I may live and die in faith and hope and perfect charity. Let me ever invoke the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, and may I thus be saved.

Litany in honor of St. Anne
Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.

God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

Saint Anne, pray for us.
Offspring of the royal race of David, pray for us.
Daughter of the Patriarchs, pray for us.
Faithful spouse of Saint Joachim, pray for us.
Mother of Mary, the Virgin Mother of God, pray for us.
Gentle mother of the Queen of Heaven, pray for us.
Grandmother of Our Savior, pray for us.
Beloved of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, pray for us.
Instrument of the Holy Spirit, pray for us.
Richly endowed with God’s grace, pray for us.
Example of piety and patience in suffering, pray for us.
Mirror of obedience, pray for us.
Ideal of pure womanhood, pray for us.
Protectress of virgins, pray for us.
Model of Christian mothers, pray for us.
Protectress of the married, pray for us.
Guardian of children, pray for us.
Support of Christian family life, pray for us.
Help of the Church, pray for us.
Mother of mercy, pray for us.
Mother of confidence, pray for us.
Friend of the poor, pray for us.
Example of widows, pray for us.
Health of the sick, pray for us.
Cure of those who suffer from disease, pray for us.
Mother of the infirm, pray for us.
Light of the blind, pray for us.
Speech of the mute, pray for us.
Hearing of the deaf, pray for us.
Consolation of the afflicted, pray for us.
Comforter of the oppressed, pray for us.
Joy of the Angels and Saints, pray for us.
Refuge of sinners, pray for us.
Harbor of salvation, pray for us.
Patroness of a happy death, pray for us.
Help of all who have recourse to you, pray for us.

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us, O Lord

Pray for us, good Saint Anne,
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ

Prayer
Let us pray. Almighty and eternal God, You were pleased to choose Saint Anne to be the mother of the Mother of Your loving Son. Grant, we pray, that we who confidently honor her may through her prayers attain to everlasting life. We ask this through Jesus Christ, Our Lord, Amen.

Homeschoolers: CLEP is the way to go

One of the great frustrations of my life is that, technically, I had the skills to attend 90% of the colleges in this country when I was 12.  I always expected High school to be a waste of my time, and it was.  On the other hand, I also vastly underestimated 2-year education, and I also never learned of CLEP tests until I was in college.

That’s why my plan for my own kids has long been to get them to the same reading level I was at, then put them in community college.  Angelicum Academy’s program is also an alternative. 

Anyway, I recently got to thinking about CLEP, a subject I haven’t looked into much since my former work as an admissions officer.  While the programs occasionally change, the current subjects available for CLEP examination are:

American Lit (usually a sophomore level course in college), Analyzing and Interpreting Literature (aka English 102), College Composition (aka English 101), English Literature (normally a sophomore level course)

Humanities
French
German
Spanish
American Government, Human Growth and Development, Educational Psychology, Psychology, Sociology, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, “Social Sciences and History”
US History I & II
Western Civilization I & II

Biology, Chemistry, Calculus, Natural Sciences, Precalculus, Algebra, College Math

Accounting, Business Law, Information Systems, Management, and Marketing.

In other words, approximately 30 college courses–two years–worth of potential credit if a person took *all* the available CLEP tests.

Most of these subjects are also the subjects required for a high school degree and for college admissions.

So for traditional homeschoolers, it makes the most sense to “teach to the test,” as it were, and have their kids take the CLEPs in these subjects.  Then, after studying all these subjects and taking the tests, the student should have enough subject knowledge to pass the GED, and college admission is all set.

Of course, the other “problem,” as noted above, is people looking down on two year schools.  Now, in states with two year state universities, like South Carolina, that’s a whole other matter, esp. as the two year campuses usually have slightly stricter requirements than traditional tech schools or community colleges.  I attended USC Sumter, but that still has a slightly higher “status” than tech. school.

Mary, however, has a former classmate from high school who decided, for reasons of practicality, to attend the local community college rather than going straight to university.  She finished up at the community college, transferred to William and Mary, graduated from William and Mary, and then got a Master’s from Harvard.  There is really no reason to waste money on Freshman and Sophomore years at a traditional university, especially when that bypasses the year of “required” on-campus housing which only ratchets up the cost.

Beyond the practicality and avoiding claims of truancy, the main fear people have about homeschooling is that their kids might be limited afterwards. 

This plan–CLEP  Tests, GED, and then Community College (or non traditional university)–will bypass those fears.  30 transfer credits and a GED will mean far more to most schools than a high school diploma, and, if that’s not good enough, it would be extremely easy to transfer to a community college, take a semester or two of classes, and get an AA, *then* transfer to any traditional university in the country (depending, of course, upon GPA).

Novena to St. Anna, Day 4

Glorious Saint Anne, I desire to honor you with a special devotion. I choose you, after the Blessed Virgin, as my spiritual mother and protectress. To you I entrust my soul and my body, all my spiritual and temporal interests, as well as those of my family.

To you I consecrate my mind, that in all things it may be enlightened by faith; my heart, that you may keep it pure and fill it with love for Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and yourself; my will, that like yours, it may always be one with the Will of God.

Good Saint Anne, filled with love for those who invoke you and with compassion for those who suffer, I confidently place before you my earnest petition: . . . .

I beg you to recommend my petition to your daughter, the Blessed Virgin Mary, that both Mary and you may present it to Jesus. Through your earnest prayers, may my request be granted. But, if what I ask for should not be according to the Will of God, obtain for me that which will be for the greater benefit of my soul. By the power and the grace with which God has blessed you, extend to me your helping hand.

But most of all, merciful Saint Anne, I beg you to help me to master my evil inclinations and temptations, and to avoid all occasions of sin. Obtain for me the grace of never offending God, of fulfilling faithfully all the duties of my state of life, adn of practicing all those virtues that are needful for my salvatoin.

Like you, may I belong to God in life and in death through perfect love. And, after having loved and honored you on earth as a truly devoted child, may I, through your prayers, have the privilege of loving and honoring you in heaven with the Angels and Saints throughout eternity.

Good Saint Anne, mother of her who is our life, our sweetness and our hope, pray to her for me and obtain my request.

Memorare to Saint Anne

Remember, good Saint Anne, whosename means grace and mercy, that never was it known, that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought your intercession, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I come before you, sinful and sorrowful. Holy mother of the Immaculate Virgin Mary and loving grandmother of the Savior, do not reject my appeal but hear me and answer my prayer. Amen.

Prayer to Sts. Joachim and Ann

Great and glorious patriarch, Saint Joachim, and good Saint Anne, what joy is mine when I consider that you were chosen among all God’s holy ones to assist in the fulfillment of the mysteries of God, and to enrich our earth with the great Mother of God, Mary most holy. By this singular privilege, you have become most powerful with both the Mother and her Son, so as to be able to obtain for us the graces that are needful to us.

With great confidence I have recourse to your mighty protection, and I commend to you all my needs, both spiritual adn temporal, and those of my family. Especially do I entrust to your keeping the particular favor that I desire and look for from your intercession: . . . .

And since you were a perfect pattern of the interior life, obtain for me the grace to pray earnestly, and never to set my heart on the passing goods of this life. Give me a lively and enduring love for Jesus and Mary. Obtain for me also a sincere devotion and obedience to Holy Church and the sovereign pontiff who rules over her, in order that I may live and die in faith and hope and perfect charity. Let me ever invoke the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, and may I thus be saved.

Litany in honor of St. Anne
Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.

God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

Saint Anne, pray for us.
Offspring of the royal race of David, pray for us.
Daughter of the Patriarchs, pray for us.
Faithful spouse of Saint Joachim, pray for us.
Mother of Mary, the Virgin Mother of God, pray for us.
Gentle mother of the Queen of Heaven, pray for us.
Grandmother of Our Savior, pray for us.
Beloved of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, pray for us.
Instrument of the Holy Spirit, pray for us.
Richly endowed with God’s grace, pray for us.
Example of piety and patience in suffering, pray for us.
Mirror of obedience, pray for us.
Ideal of pure womanhood, pray for us.
Protectress of virgins, pray for us.
Model of Christian mothers, pray for us.
Protectress of the married, pray for us.
Guardian of children, pray for us.
Support of Christian family life, pray for us.
Help of the Church, pray for us.
Mother of mercy, pray for us.
Mother of confidence, pray for us.
Friend of the poor, pray for us.
Example of widows, pray for us.
Health of the sick, pray for us.
Cure of those who suffer from disease, pray for us.
Mother of the infirm, pray for us.
Light of the blind, pray for us.
Speech of the mute, pray for us.
Hearing of the deaf, pray for us.
Consolation of the afflicted, pray for us.
Comforter of the oppressed, pray for us.
Joy of the Angels and Saints, pray for us.
Refuge of sinners, pray for us.
Harbor of salvation, pray for us.
Patroness of a happy death, pray for us.
Help of all who have recourse to you, pray for us.

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us, O Lord

Pray for us, good Saint Anne,
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ

Prayer
Let us pray. Almighty and eternal God, You were pleased to choose Saint Anne to be the mother of the Mother of Your loving Son. Grant, we pray, that we who confidently honor her may through her prayers attain to everlasting life. We ask this through Jesus Christ, Our Lord, Amen.

Past versus Present Tense

We interrupt this blog to bring you this special public service announcement about verb tense in writing. . . .

Past and Present tense in fiction and literature.  This concept is often very difficult for students to grasp, and I created the following hand-out and table to help explain it a bit..

All fiction is present tense, whether written or performed.  The only exception is live performance, in which case you would refer to the actor’s performance in the past tense, but not the fiction.

It can be confusing, especially when talking about novels and short stories, since those are usually *written* in *past* tense, but we’re supposed to write *about* them in present tense.

The reason is that when we read something, we re-experience it.  Certainly, with a television show or movie, when we watch it, we re-experience it. It happens again.  So in that case, we might refer to the process of making the show or movie in the past tense, but the action that takes place in it, or the actor’s performances, are present.

Novel or short story or poetry	What the writer “says” is present tense	Fictional events are present tense
Nonfiction	What the writer “says” is present tense	Historical events are past tense
Fictional TV show or movie	Actor’s performance is present tense	Fictional events are present tense
A Live Play or Performance.	Actor’s performance is past tense	Fictional events are present tense
Broadcast News Report	What the News “reports” is present tense	Actual events are past tense
Sports Broadcast	Broadcast is past tense (rarely rebroadcast)	Sports event is past tense

<div class=Section1>

<p class=MsoNormal><span class=GramE><span style=‘font-size:11.5pt;font-family:

Arial’>Past and Present tense in fiction and literature.</span></span><span

style=‘font-size:11.5pt;font-family:Arial’><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><span style=‘font-size:11.5pt;font-family:Arial’><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><span style=‘font-size:11.5pt;font-family:Arial’>All fiction

is present tense, whether written or performed.&nbsp; The only exception is

live performance, in which case you would refer to the actor’s performance in

the past tense, but not the fiction.<br>

<br>

It can be confusing, especially when talking about novels and short stories,

since those are usually *written* in *past* tense, but we’re supposed to write

*about* them in present tense.<br>

<br>

The reason is that when we read something, we re-experience it.&nbsp; Certainly,

with a television show or movie, when we watch it, we re-experience it.&nbsp;

It happens again.&nbsp; So in that case, we might refer to the process of

making the show or movie in the past tense, but the action that takes place in

it, or the actor’s performances, are present.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal><span style=‘font-size:11.5pt;font-family:Arial’><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>

<table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=895

style=‘width:671.25pt;margin-left:4.65pt;border-collapse:collapse;mso-padding-alt:

0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt’>

<tr style=‘mso-yfti-irow:0;mso-yfti-firstrow:yes;height:14.25pt’>

<td width=229 nowrap valign=bottom style=‘width:171.75pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;

height:14.25pt’>

<p class=MsoNormal><span style=‘font-size:11.5pt;font-family:Arial’>Novel or

short story or poetry<o:p></o:p></span></p>

</td>

<td width=312 nowrap valign=bottom style=‘width:3.25in;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;

height:14.25pt’>

<p class=MsoNormal><span style=‘font-size:11.5pt;font-family:Arial’>What the

writer &quot;says&quot; is present tense<o:p></o:p></span></p>

</td>

<td width=354 nowrap valign=bottom style=‘width:265.5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;

height:14.25pt’>

<p class=MsoNormal><span style=‘font-size:11.5pt;font-family:Arial’>Fictional

events are present tense<o:p></o:p></span></p>

</td>

</tr>

<tr style=‘mso-yfti-irow:1;height:14.25pt’>

<td width=229 nowrap valign=bottom style=‘width:171.75pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;

height:14.25pt’>

<p class=MsoNormal><span style=‘font-size:11.5pt;font-family:Arial’>Nonfiction<o:p></o:p></span></p>

</td>

<td width=312 nowrap valign=bottom style=‘width:3.25in;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;

height:14.25pt’>

<p class=MsoNormal><span style=‘font-size:11.5pt;font-family:Arial’>What the

writer &quot;says&quot; is present tense<o:p></o:p></span></p>

</td>

<td width=354 nowrap valign=bottom style=‘width:265.5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;

height:14.25pt’>

<p class=MsoNormal><span style=‘font-size:11.5pt;font-family:Arial’>Historical

events are past tense<o:p></o:p></span></p>

</td>

</tr>

<tr style=‘mso-yfti-irow:2;height:14.25pt’>

<td width=229 nowrap valign=bottom style=‘width:171.75pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;

height:14.25pt’>

<p class=MsoNormal><span style=‘font-size:11.5pt;font-family:Arial’>Fictional

TV show or movie<o:p></o:p></span></p>

</td>

<td width=312 nowrap valign=bottom style=‘width:3.25in;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;

height:14.25pt’>

<p class=MsoNormal><span style=‘font-size:11.5pt;font-family:Arial’>Actor’s

performance is present tense<o:p></o:p></span></p>

</td>

<td width=354 nowrap valign=bottom style=‘width:265.5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;

height:14.25pt’>

<p class=MsoNormal><span style=‘font-size:11.5pt;font-family:Arial’>Fictional

events are present tense<o:p></o:p></span></p>

</td>

</tr>

<tr style=‘mso-yfti-irow:3;height:14.25pt’>

<td width=229 nowrap valign=bottom style=‘width:171.75pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;

height:14.25pt’ x:str=“A Live Play or Performance. “>

<p class=MsoNormal><span style=‘font-size:11.5pt;font-family:Arial’>A Live

Play or Performance. <o:p></o:p></span></p>

</td>

<td width=312 nowrap valign=bottom style=‘width:3.25in;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;

height:14.25pt’>

<p class=MsoNormal><span style=‘font-size:11.5pt;font-family:Arial’>Actor’s

performance is past tense<o:p></o:p></span></p>

</td>

<td width=354 nowrap valign=bottom style=‘width:265.5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;

height:14.25pt’>

<p class=MsoNormal><span style=‘font-size:11.5pt;font-family:Arial’>Fictional

events are present tense<o:p></o:p></span></p>

</td>

</tr>

<tr style=‘mso-yfti-irow:4;height:14.25pt’>

<td width=229 nowrap valign=bottom style=‘width:171.75pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;

height:14.25pt’>

<p class=MsoNormal><span style=‘font-size:11.5pt;font-family:Arial’>Broadcast

News Report<o:p></o:p></span></p>

</td>

<td width=312 nowrap valign=bottom style=‘width:3.25in;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;

height:14.25pt’>

<p class=MsoNormal><span style=‘font-size:11.5pt;font-family:Arial’>What the

News &quot;reports&quot; is present tense<o:p></o:p></span></p>

</td>

<td width=354 nowrap valign=bottom style=‘width:265.5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;

height:14.25pt’>

<p class=MsoNormal><span style=‘font-size:11.5pt;font-family:Arial’>Actual

events are past tense<o:p></o:p></span></p>

</td>

</tr>

<tr style=‘mso-yfti-irow:5;mso-yfti-lastrow:yes;height:14.25pt’>

<td width=229 nowrap valign=bottom style=‘width:171.75pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;

height:14.25pt’>

<p class=MsoNormal><span style=‘font-size:11.5pt;font-family:Arial’>Sports

Broadcast<o:p></o:p></span></p>

</td>

<td width=312 nowrap valign=bottom style=‘width:3.25in;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;

height:14.25pt’>

<p class=MsoNormal><span style=‘font-size:11.5pt;font-family:Arial’>Broadcast

is past tense<o:p></o:p></span></p>

</td>

<td width=354 nowrap valign=bottom style=‘width:265.5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;

height:14.25pt’>

<p class=MsoNormal><span style=‘font-size:11.5pt;font-family:Arial’>Sports

event is past tense<o:p></o:p></span></p>

</td>

</tr>

</table>

<p class=MsoNormal><span style=‘mso-spacerun:yes’>&nbsp;</span></p>

</div>