Corn Maze today. They did  a great job. And yes, corn is still green in Georgia, isn’t it where you live?
A Wonderful Surprise (edited to add a picture!)
As is our habit, we went to Mass this evening. I walked in with Caecilia a bit behind the rest of the family, and hurried her to the pew. To be honest, when I was genuflecting, I was more making sure she was following me, than I was looking up at our Lord in the tabernacle.
I got her settled in the pew and assessed the rest of the situation (where were the other kids sitting and what were they doing.) I knelt down to pray and I looked up and saw that there was a green veil over the tabernacle. That was new. I’d not seen that before. Then I looked again, it was a new tabernacle and Jesus had been moved to the center, where he belongs! Can you say awesome?
The USCCB’s Response to VP Biden’s HHS Mandate Claims
USCCB Responds To Inaccurate Statement Of Fact On HHS Mandate Made During Vice Presidential Debate
October 12, 2012
WASHINGTON—The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issued the following statement, October 12. Full text follows:
Last night, the following statement was made during the Vice Presidential debate regarding the decision of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to force virtually all employers to include sterilization and contraception, including drugs that may cause abortion, in the health insurance coverage they provide their employees:
“With regard to the assault on the Catholic Church, let me make it absolutely clear. No religious institution—Catholic or otherwise, including Catholic social services, Georgetown hospital, Mercy hospital, any hospital—none has to either refer contraception, none has to pay for contraception, none has to be a vehicle to get contraception in any insurance policy they provide. That is a fact. That is a fact.”
This is not a fact. The HHS mandate contains a narrow, four-part exemption for certain “religious employers.” That exemption was made final in February and does not extend to “Catholic social services, Georgetown hospital, Mercy hospital, any hospital,” or any other religious charity that offers its services to all, regardless of the faith of those served.
HHS has proposed an additional “accommodation” for religious organizations like these, which HHS itself describes as “non-exempt.” That proposal does not even potentially relieve these organizations from the obligation “to pay for contraception” and “to be a vehicle to get contraception.” They will have to serve as a vehicle, because they will still be forced to provide their employees with health coverage, and that coverage will still have to include sterilization, contraception, and abortifacients. They will have to pay for these things, because the premiums that the organizations (and their employees) are required to pay will still be applied, along with other funds, to cover the cost of these drugs and surgeries.
USCCB continues to urge HHS, in the strongest possible terms, actually to eliminate the various infringements on religious freedom imposed by the mandate.
For more details, please see USCCB’s regulatory comments filed on May 15 regarding the proposed “accommodation”:Â www.usccb.org/about/general-counsel/rulemaking/upload/comments-on-advance-notice-of-proposed-rulemaking-on-preventive-services-12-05-15.pdf
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Keywords: vice presidential debate, HHS mandate, U.S. bishops, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, insurance plans, Catholic hospitals, charities, social services, sterilization, contraception, religious liberty, USCCB
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MEDIA CONTACT ONLY:
Don Clemmer
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And Good Afternoon from South Georgia
**I thought this posted yesterday, I guess I failed at clicking the publish button!**
This morning I opened the windows and have been able to leave them opened all day. I even washed the curtains on all the downstairs windows and they got to dry in the breeze, when I hung them back up.
The kids played outside and Karol was thrilled that there were no bugs out today. (I’d really like a hard freeze two nights in row, to kill off bugs, but that won’t happen until December at the earliest.)
It is amazing what a little bit of fresh air can do for the soul. Here we are cooped up in the house all summer long (from about the end of May to the end of September.) With the windows opened and chilly toes (that I did not pay for via the electric bill.) I felt inspired to make some chili for dinner, with corn bread. The house is mostly* clean, dishes are all done, laundry cleaned and ready to be taken upstairs for folding.
Joshua is coming home a bit late, as he is stopping to get an estimate on new cabinets, a new bathtub, and new flooring for our upstairs bathroom. The current cabinets are junk (and ugly.), the tub is not sealed well, so it is stained and leaks, and the flooring was not laid well, and there is a seam coming apart in the middle of the floor. Â It is pretty much the tub the main reason for looking to remodel, but we figured if the tub will be replaced, why not do a few other things.
I gave him a budget and hopefully we will be able to do the work for under the amount I said. We should as we aren’t going with marble counter tops or a spa tub, but you know how projects go. 🙂 The fear is more what will the wall and floor look like behind/under the tub.**
Speaking of projects, back in July we stopped by the hardware store for paint, to paint the toy room, and well, after much patching and many long breaks, one of the walls is painted. It is now my favorite room! It is so pretty and bright. I cannot wait to see what it will look like with all four walls painted. This has also inspired me to paint the dining room, which is currently brown (with white trim) to something a bit brighter. In due time.
*The mostly comes from the fact that I do have four kids and well, the two year old is kind of a tornado, just bringing toys from the play room to the living room.
**And in the time that this sat in my draft, we have decided to hold off on the bathroom redo. The cost of cabinets was more than what we could spend on the whole project! Off to look at other options 🙂
Good Morning from South Georgia
“Mama, it is cold outside!” Indeed it is. Windows are open and kids are wearing coats to do chickens.
…because we have Jesus.
At a recent vocations conference, a priest told me why he used this painting on their vocation poster, it was to emphasize that no matter what happens in this world, Jesus is in charge. The election in November the HHS mandate mean nothing, because we have Jesus.
I was struck by the painting and what he said. I’ve also requested a copy of the poster for our house, so I can remember to pray for this particular priest, the priests in his diocese, and the seminarians studying for the diocese. (and selfishly, to have a copy of the painting in my house.)
Our Little Scout
On Meeting the Cardinal
This past week Joshua and I were in Oakland, California for a Vocation Directors convention. It was a great time, many many laughs, lots of learning, and tons of fun. I am sure that it will take weeks for me to process all of the things I learned or did during our six days there. I will share one of them with you now though:
On Monday, Donald Cardinal Wuerl, from Washington DC was the Keynote Speaker (and just wait until I get some of the quotes from that down for you, your socks will be knocked off). Â Joshua and I were standing near the booth for his company before the address was to start. Most of the priests and participants had made it down to the room where the address would be, so it was pretty empty in the lobby area. Joshua tapped my shoulder and said “Here’s your chance” and pointed behind me.
Turning around, I discovered Cardinal Wuerl standing behind me, waiting to say hello. As only I could do, I said “Cardinal” with surprise. I then recovered and knelt to kiss his ring. Then he addressed me by name. How did he know my name??? Does he read by blog?!! Well, no, I had a name tag on.
He was a very gracious man and very friendly, not at all bothered by my faux pas, but then again, I am sure that he gets all sorts of reactions when people meet him. I will leave you with a quote from his talk, a talk that had me in tears, because of its beauty.
There is only one interrupted Tradition stretching back all the way to the Apostles which gives assurance to our words.
Pope Benedict XVI on Peace
Equally unacceptable are conceptions of God that would encourage intolerance and recourse to violence against others. This is a point which must be clearly reaffirmed: war in God’s name is never acceptable! When a certain notion of God is at the origin of criminal acts, it is a sign that that notion has already become an ideology. – Pope Benedict XVI For the Celebration of the World Day of Peace 1 January 2007
Lift High the Cross!
Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim,
Till all the world adore His sacred Name.
Led on their way by this triumphant sign,
The hosts of Heaven in conquering ranks combine.
Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim,
Till all the world adore His sacred Name.
Each newborn servant of the Crucified
Bears on the brow the seal of Him Who died.
Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim,
Till all the world adore His sacred Name.
O Lord, once lifted on the glorious tree,
As Thou hast promised, draw the world to Thee.
Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim,
Till all the world adore His sacred Name.
So shall our song of triumph ever be:
Praise to the Crucified for victory.
Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim,
Till all the world adore His sacred Name.
Happy Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross!