Untitled

The Tree of Life

is the Sap of Wisdom

in this, an Eveless Age

Obama puts Birther Debate to Rest, Trump takes Credit, focuses on China

Donald Trump is taking all the credit this week after Pres. Barak Obama submitted his long-form birth certificate from Hawaii after two and a half years into his presidency. Why the president waited until it become a national issue is beyond comprehension, but perhaps conservatives like my uncle can rest now and move on to more important issues. Not likely. The fact that the president waited this long to show everyone his legitimate birth certificate will certainly have conspiracy theorists hopping on fraudulence.
Trump seems to want to move on after his publicity stunt that has gained him hours of national free press. That takes genius, score an issue considered debunk a year ago and make it into an ongoing front page story. Now Trump says he wants to talk about China and make them play fair, as well as tackle OPEC. I hope somebody will do something about $4 gas, because the Obama administration seems it could care less, their EPA has run rampant tightening environmental controls and preventing new exploration into national oil reserves. Meanwhile inflation has stagnated the economy and higher gas prices seem to be the pincer. I don’t like Trump but we could use a tough president that doesn’t bend over for all these other countries and the EU. It’s time the United States took the reigns as the rightful first empire in the world.

Republican Stronghold saves Election for Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice

While the hot budget battle has spilled over into state politics, pro life issues are no less important. That is why Waukesha’s finding of over 7,500 votes for Supreme Court Justice David Prosser is so important.

Kloppenburg has minimal experience and low morals. She has never been a judge, in fact she was turned down four times, twice by her former boss Jim Doyle.

Kloppenburg was employed as a state prosecutor but admits, “I’ve never said I was tough on crime.”

Kloppenburg would roll back years of progress the pro-life movement would make with the judicial hijacking we’re experiencing now with injunctions and restraining orders. She is pro-abortion and therefore pro-death!

Thank you Waukesha County and I pray that this lead may stay!!

A Seminarian for all Ages

What is a seminarian? We may call them priests-in-training, but many of our seminarians are young men on a faith journey that includes choosing to make a sacrifice for God; and not only for God but for the Church, we who are the People of God. Perhaps you may see seminarians more often, during this time of year, for the annual Seminarian Collection. While it is good and necessary to donate for the education of our seminarians, there are three things one can do that will have an even greater affect on the life of a seminarian, and hopefully a future priest!

The first is making seminarians feel welcome into the community wherever they may be assigned. It is so wonderful to have a seminarian assigned to a parish community and welcoming such a man into your parish family will encourage his vocation. If you don’t have a seminarian from your parish or assigned to your parish, why not adopt a seminarian?

The second thing we can do to encourage vocations is to view our priests as part of our families. When we invite the priest into our home we invite Christ, who knocks at the door and awaits our welcome. We should see the priest as in persona Christi or Christ living among us.

Thirdly, we must pray for vocations, not only for the whole Church but we should pray for the young women and men whom we know who are contemplating a vocation to religious life. It is important to encourage women and men in our own families and among our circle of friends to pursue the life which God is calling them. We should not be afraid to listen to our children’s yearning to live a life devoted to Christ for the glory of God. Parents should support their children to pursue such a vocation, even if it be their only son or daughter; for this life is fleeting, and we should not hold on to what is on earth, rather we should cast our eyes upon what is above.

We have so many righteous and holy men and women in our diocese who are pursuing a vocation in service to God and Church. It is our obligation as members of the Body of Christ to assist those who live as the Heart of Christ among us. Pray fervently then, that the Light of Christ may continue to brighten the souls of those who follow Him on this earth for the benefit of us all.

 

Tumbling Out

Tumbling, we are being thrown around like drying clothes. Tumbling around looking for our right place, yet when we find it we are tumbled into a new direction and must give up the comforts of the old place. The workforce is like an industrial dryer, constantly tumbling people about, employed and unemployed. Moreover, it is like a large ocean where everyone must swim to find their place, and when they are thrown out of one boat they must find a new wormy hook to sink their teeth into.

Ich bin ein Deutschlander

You know, I never wanted to be German. I never wanted to be German. I always thought of myself as a proud Polish. To be German meant to be part of an ethnic group that had brought about two world wars, defined ethnic genocide and had dealt harshly with the world. That all changed when I met my German great-grandparents. They told me the true story of being German: of standing up for what you believe in, of maintaining a hard work-ethic or living peacefully with others. Of treating others with dignity and respect. Of caring for one another. When I realized this I was no longer ashamed of being German. I was proud of my German heritage, even when my peers jeered at me for representing Germany in a classroom “United Nations” summit and called me a Nazi. My professor defended my resolve to represent Germany in a unified parliamentary setting.

I remember when my grandpa told me that I was German, at the lake where we used to fish and play. I was quite offended and told him, “I’m not German, I’m Polish!” Well, I learned that I was more German than anything from my Dad’s side. But knowing where you came from, knowing that your family supported each other and that my great-grandparents sent care packages to Germany at the end and after WWII was a great moment of integrity for me that I shall never forget.

Can a Catholic Artist truly exist?

Being Catholic sometimes gets in the way of being a true artist. To be an artist one needs freedom, freedom from fear and scrupulosity. It requires a freedom from the fear of damnation for one’s original ideas and creativity; the freedom to flow into the unknown and forbidden. It is not a journey for the leery of heart.  Nor for the one who doubts himself and his talents. No, being a true artist requires the ability to go beyond the boundaries of man and reach for moon. There are many Catholic artists and thinkers who defied the limits of man, they were De Vinci, Michelangelo, Copernicus, Galileo, Savonarola, to name just a few.  It is there existential bravery that allowed them to live in their time while advancing thought into the modern era. Although some of these men were persecuted by the Church they were all able to live their faith while making human advances in the arts and sciences. It is not to say that these were less faithful than others, or that others were less talented than they, rather these were the ones who went beyond the limits of man. They exhibited unabashed bravery in the face of tyrannical fear of enlightening the masses. We must commemorate these few, for the Church hasn’t always been so forgiving to its forefront artists and thinkers. It is there bravery and confidence that has given us the aesthetic beauty and advances in science that we presently enjoy. We should be grateful for their achievements in the arts.

Walker trips over Rail

Last week Wisconsin governor candidate Scott Walker said he would do everything to prevent the “socialist” transit system proposed between Madison and Milwaukee. For the first time, I had second thoughts voting for a Republican this election. It’s not that the man is against rail, it’s that he said, “I will put an end to this boondoggle the day I take office,” on notrain.com. Basically, he would effectively prevent our state from advancing in high speed rail with the rest of the country.

Not many people know that our superhighway system was engineered by Eisenhower’s awe of the German autobahn in Bavaria. Interesting enough he stole Hitler’s dream of the Vollkswagon, or the “people’s car,” where everyone in Germany would have an automobile to travel wherever one liked. Well, that dream came true first in another country, and ever since we have been racing away from the rail system.

Now Europe, Japan and Asia are outpacing us in high-speed rail. Gas prices continue to rise. Vehicles now in all states require auto insurance. Yet, no one wants to give up the freedom of his car. After traveling through Europe I can say it’s more relaxing to take the train, talk to your friends, eat and sleep while someone else is driving. We need a high speed rail system in order to compete in the world. We may view trains as old, stinky, dirty, polluting, noisy and slow. But we can change our perception when we step-on to high speed rail.

Write On!

I will not be cowed by this world

or bullied by its corporate antics

I will not allow my pen to be silenced!

The Recession is NOT over

For USA Today, who claimed on its front page last Thursday Sept 23 (yeah I know I’m late but I don’t have any followers so who cares) that the Recession had ended in June 2009. Poppycock and rubbish, or in English: Horseshit! Tell that to the millions of overeducated graduates and middle-aged men still looking for work. This recession will not end for at least another 2 years. Meanwhile prices continue to inflate. The only adage we can abide by now is “Save your money.”