Last week, a friend of mine posted this article up on Facebook, soliciting a torrent of angry messages from those of us who decried this horrid display of one-sided journalism. 

If you dare to read, you're met with example upon example of why it's simply better, cheaper, happier, and less stressful to be a purposefully childless couple.  ARGH!

I understand the choice some folks make to forego having children.  I don't pretend to thrust the idea of children onto every couple.  That's ridiculous.  Some simply aren't responsible enough (financially or otherwise) to bring children into the world.  Some would like to take care of personal dreams before investing their time into raising a family.  Still others have reasons that I don't know or could ever understand.  I'm at peace with that, and it's their God-given right to refrain from having children until they deem themselves ready. 

What I am NOT okay with is the almost systematic persecution of parenthood.  We are constantly being portrayed as run-down, miserable and stressed out.  We are pitied, patronized or even victimized by others who made the choice to remain childless simply because of the perception that we have no lives other than that which is devoted to soccer games, tantrums or PTA meetings.

When I first had my son, I was treated rather poorly by several childless friends for not "hanging out" the way I used to (read: diners at 3am, or trips to grab sushi within 15 minutes of making the suggestion).  I was accused of "not being the same person."  I was accused of using my son as an excuse to not be social.  *Shakes head*  That makes me so angry.  Just because these particular people couldn't fathom the joy and fulfillment parenthood brought me, they warped it into something tarnished and disgusting... a chore or a ball and chain they'd never even think to be "stupid enough" to get involved with.

ARGH - that makes me so angry.  This despicable thought process is so entrenched... so pervasive in our culture anymore that vasectomies among younger men are becoming trendy.  How disgusting is that???  I simply have no words for this, I really don't.  It's just more proof to me that Satan has done wonders destroying the sanctity of both marriage and families.  We no longer value life, our capacity to share in creating life, nor ourselves as dignified creatures blessed with the gift of Life. 

Instead, we're looked upon as fools.  It is a sad, sad world we live in anymore.  Up truly is down, and right is now wrong.  Once again, I fold my hands in prayer for His Will to be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. 

I was given the task of cleaning my father's garage a few weeks back.  I came across a box of Mass cards, graciously given to our family at the passing of my grandfather.  I went through each one, marveling at the beautiful pictures and prayers inside.  However, after sorting them and stacking them on my table, I wondered:

What am I gonna do with 50+ Mass cards???

So I called a friend of mine, who typically has the answers to all of my random Catholic questions.  Her response made me laugh out loud.  She said, "Funny you ask.  I have a box of Mass cards in the attic from my mother's funeral, and I don't know what to do either!"  Ha ha ha.  I love it.

So off I went to try my luck online with the various Catholic forums.  I got responses ranging from "bury/burn them" to "give them away at your parish."  I doubted anyone in my parish would want a used Mass card with my grandfather's name and condolances to my family written in it, so I figured to bide my time and wait for the Holy Spirit to find the answer for me.

Several weeks went by.  I began reading a Christian book titled Tortured for Christ, a memoir written by Richard Wurmbrand, a pastor of the Underground Church of Communist Russia.  He was kidnapped and imprisoned twice, and somehow lived to tell the tale.  His writings opened my eyes to so much, and taught me an extreme lesson in seeing the face of Christ in everyone, even the men beating you daily with vile instruments of torture.

I was moved by his testimony of the Underground Church.  He told the story of a village that had a small holy card, ripped and tattered, but loved and venerated with extreme piety.  He explained that this small, battered image of Christ was the only one they'd ever seen.  It's all they had access to in a time where the government confiscated religious items.  So this little village armed itself with this small holy card and the stories and prayers of secret meetings organized by the Underground Church.  They kept the love of Christ alive through these small, but heroic acts of faith.  I was so touched by this story!  I knew then that my homeless Mass cards had found their calling.  Thank you, Holy Spirit!  You always point the way!

I called the organization that aides the Underground Church - the same organization that Richard Wurmbrand set up the moment he had a chance.  It's called Voice of the Martyrs, and their main goal is to provide the Underground Church with necessary items for the faithful... the faithful that live in harsh countries that delight in persecuting the believers of Jesus.  I called to make sure they could take and use these Mass cards.  The man who took my call was so excited!  He exuberantly expressed his gratitude and assured me these cards - even those with the Blessed Mother - would be put to great use.  I knew in my heart he spoke the truth.  Great graces would be granted through these pictures and prayers, and it made me happy that the Holy Spirit pointed me in the right direction.

I then called my aforementioned friend to let her know we had a use for the Mass cards!  So now you know, as well!  The address you can send them is below:

Look at this beautiful little girl- how in the world could anyone even THINK to perform unnecessary surgery on her gentils and forcing her to then take hormone injections for the rest of her life so she can become a little boy, all so her parents won't have to pay a dowry on her wedding day? 

I seriously don't know where to begin with this entry.  My mind is all over the place.  There was an article I came upon today that tore my sanity to shreds.  This article describes the trend of some Indian parents who are willing to pay to turn their young daughters into sons through surgery and hormone injections.

Dear God in Heaven, what are we doing to ourselves???  To our CHILDREN?!

I mean, you can't just cut away a vagina, slap on a penis and expect the physiological, biological, psychological and emotional areas that are completely unreachable with a scalpel to fall in line! 

As these young "boys" grow older and begin to have feelings for other boys, does this make them homosexual?  Or when they marry other women (themselves being women with an un-consented to masculine yoke) does THIS, in effect, become a sort of "approved" homosexuality? 

And what of the problems related to infertility?  Already baby girls are being aborted en masse as a result of patriarchal societal pressure - there simply aren't enough women to sustain the population at the current rate.  And to take those few remaining gems and mutilate them to "benefit" from male children only worsens the problem! 

What will happen, India, when you need to import women?  The sex slave trade will only become more prevalent, and even make worse the already horrible problem of children concubines. 

How have we, as a race of humans, allowed ourselves to become so selfish... so arrogant... so FOOLISH as to think we are gods, capable of creating and destroying and altering life as we see fit?  Do we really think there are no consequences to our actions?  Do we really think that destroying our dignity in such vile, irreversible ways will go unnoticed? 

Dear God, I truly pray for your 2nd Coming.  We need You to dispel the darkness that covers our eyes, ears and hearts.  We willingly give our souls over to Hell, and only solidify our damnation with each step we take.  Come to us, Holy Spirit, and open our eyes to the horrors we are forcing upon our children.  Don't let us stand idly by as satan gleefully pushes us off the precipice into the abyss.  Save us, Merciful Jesus, and hide us in Your Wounds.  Pour out your Mercy, so that we may be cleansed in the sight of the Father.

OH!  And before I forget, I need to point out that this little blessing was granted to me on the Feast of Corpus Christi!!! 

I have to express thanks for the unique favor I received at Mass this morning.  In addition to taking the veil, I've made it a point to always receive the Blessed Sacrament from the consecrated hands of a priest.

In my research travels, I've come to believe that accepting the Body of Jesus into my hands is simply not proper.  I am unworthy to accept Him at all, let alone touch His Body with my hands.  Only a priest, whose hands have been consecrated for the precise purpose of caressing the Host for Eucharistic dispersment, have been deemed worthy enough as they've been hand-chosen by Jesus, Himself.  In fact, Pope John Paul II put it quite nicely in his Pastoral Letter, Inaestimablile Donum.  On accepting the most Sacred Body of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament he writes:

The Holy Eucharist is the gift of the Lord, which should be distributed to laymen through the intermediation of Catholic priests who are ordained especially for this work. Neither is it permitted that the Consecrated Host and Chalice be taken or given into the hands of the faithful.

He goes on later, in the same Letter, to state:

The faithful, whether religious or lay, who are authorized as extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist can distribute Communion only when there is no priest, deacon or acolyte; when the priest is impeded or advanced by age; or when the number of faithful going to Communion is so large as to make the celebration of Mass excessively long. Accordingly, a reprehensible attitude is shown by those priests who, though present at the celebration, refrain from distributing Communion and leave this task to the laity!

This echos St. Aquinas' teachings that out of reverence towards this Presence, the touching and administrating of the Eucharist belongs only to priest.  After Vatican II, when this practice started gaining popularity in Europe, Pope Paul VI had to issue an Instruction titled Memoriale Domine.  In it, he again states that Communion is to be given by priests to the laity on their tongue, NOT in the Protestant manner of accepting in the hand.  Unfortunately, Bishops did not obey this (even though many decried administering Eucharist into the hands), and as a result, it became widespread and "legalized" (for lack of a better word).

In fact, I posed a question about this to my Catholic friends not too long ago.  All of them were taught at their 1st Communion to accept in the hand.  Not a one of us was taught to accept on the tongue.  This is a tragedy!  How can we say we believe that the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus is present in the Host if we can't even show proper respect to His Presence?  And just as Popes and Bishops warned, this practice has led to a complete lack of reverence for Christ!  This practice has led to a disillusionment regarding the entire concept of transubstantiation (Christ is present, Body, Soul and Divinity, within the Host)!!! 

Oh, when I understood what I was doing by accepting God so unworthily, I went to confession and wept.  I literally wept.  Poor Father must've thought I was insane, but I could not control the absolute grief I felt upon realizing how poorly I had been treating the God of the Universe.  Even now I cringe at the memory.

Anyway, as a result of this newfound realization, I made it a point to always accept the Eucharist from a priest, and always on the tongue.  It seemed to me, however, that every time I'd be situated where I thought Father would distribute, he'd surprise me by going to the opposite end of the Church.  So I'd have to find my way over to his line, and I know he took notice of this (we're a small parish).  After a few weeks of me doing this, I began to get the feeling that he thought I was being ridiculous, so I became very self-conscious.  This past weekend, we had a baptism at our Mass.  Every time there is a Baptism, I've noticed Father being sure to lead the line near the Baptismal font (I think so he can be sure to give special attention to the families of our newest arrivals!).  So I made sure to sit on that side of the Church.

Don't you know at Communion time, he's on the OPPOSITE SIDE?!  I actually looked up and said, "Okay, Jesus, is this your way of telling me that it really is OK to accept the Eucharist from a minister?"  So I get into the line, against better judgement, and kept looking over at Father's line across the Church.  I couldn't focus properly on who I was about to receive because I had this awful feeling in the pit of my stomach.  I really felt like what I was doing was wrong.  It was torture!

Here's where my little blessing comes in.  I had one person in front of me, about to accept the Eucharist when Father Piotr popped up in our line.  Apparently his line had suddenly ended, so he came over to help with our side (which had significantly more people due to the family of the baptized infant).  Just in time for ME!!! 

I immediately accepted Jesus with a heart more thankful than words can ever express.  I know in my soul Jesus was telling me I was to accept Him from a priest, and I truly believe He gave me this grace because I was struggling with the issue of obedience (if the Church allows it, then who am I to place myself above it's authority?).  Oh, Jesus, you are so kind to me.  Thank you for your Holy Spirit's guidance.  I promise to always seek out a priest, even if he does think I'm a little looney.  I do this for love of You - true Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity.  Help us to rekindle the reverence Your Divinity demands.  Amen, amen, amen!  I love You, I love You, I love You!