Not a Garden Gnome: Understanding St. Francis

The name, St. Francis, is on everyone's lips these days – ever since our new Holy Father took Francis as his official name. With this rise in popularity, a saint whose reputation has already been misrepresented, has swung into full blown mischaracterization. As arguably the favorite among all the saints – among Catholics, Protestants and even non-Christians – St. Francis has quite the reputation. But if we are to quell these misrepresentations it might be wise to take a longer look at this multifaceted saint. At first glance, he holds quite the surface image as a kind of garden gnome who holds bowls of water or seed for our feathered friends or perhaps with his arms outstretched as birds land on them much like they did on those of Snow White. I, myself, am guilty of having various representations of him in our vast gardens as mere decoration.

But St. Francis wasn't some hippy, tree hugging monk who worshiped Mother Earth and all of nature. Rather, he fiercely worshiped God while maintaining a healthy respect and sense of wonder for all of His creation. St. Francis' appreciation of nature and acknowledgment of its grandeur stemmed from his devotion to living a life devoid of the lures of earthly pleasure, instead focusing on service to the poor and outcast.

As a former soldier, St. Francis was also a lover of peace. Contrary to popular belief, however, he neither penned the St. Francis Prayer (it was written much later than his lifetime) nor did he say, “preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words". Although both of these nods to him embody his philosophy, the words are not his own. What Francis did do was amazing enough that there is no need for embellishments. For example, in his fervent pursuit of chastity he is said to have rolled, naked, in the cold snow of winter in order to resist temptation. And although he had many hard sayings and practices, there are also many anecdotes about his life that point to a communion with nature that was unusual to say the least. Yet warm and fuzzy aren't really a part of his story.

Read the rest of this original post and some of his amazing stories on Catholic Sistas.

Holy Thursday and Foot Washing - Misunderstanding What Catholics Do

So here we are again - Holy Week. A most splendid - the most splendid week of the year! Yes, Christmas brings us the infant God made man, but during this week He fulfills that purpose for which he was conceived of the Virgin Mary. Holy Week, however, comes replete with painful awareness of how many Catholics (including clergy) simply don't choose to follow the instructions (rubrics anyone?) that clearly give priests the black - exact words to say - and the red - exact instructions for what they (and we, the faithful) are to do. Now before someone says, "but if it's not expressly forbidden, we can add to the things we can do", here's a word: NO!

Let's take some secular examples.

1) a prima ballerina decides that she will enhance the carefully crafted choreography of Swan Lake and just add some cutsie little steps here and there - at her pleasure.

2) a legal secretary decides that her boss' brief needs a bit of enhancement and throws in a few things she's learned at night school.

3) a sou chef takes the recipe of his master and tweaks it just a bit.

Pow! All heck would surely break out. Not just because the servant hadn't done what the master intended but also because the resulting chaos would affect everyone involved.

And so it is with the optional rite of Foot Washing - Mandatum (command) - on Holy Thursday. The rubrics are clear - men (viri) are to have their feet washed - twelve, if you want to follow Jesus' lead. Why twelve and why men, you might ask? Well, because a secondary function of our remembrance of that day (aside from the - very important - institution of the Eucharist!), is the institution of the priesthood, initiated with the twelve apostles. Can women become priests? Contrary to liberal wishes the answer has irrevocably been given by Pope John Paul II - never!

As has been pointed out by Fr. Z,"let it be remembered that the Church’s legislation allows for the washing of the feet of only men. MEN = VIRI = MEN. Not manish women or any other critter. Even if some claim to have received permission to wash the feet of women, and even if the claims were true, those permissions would in no way change the law for the rest of the world. Period. Furthermore, I have never seen a letter or a copy of a letter from the Congregation in Rome granting such a permission. I doubt anyone else has either".

Canon lawyer, Dr. Edward Peters has written about it thoroughly and shares the wording of the rubric with us - along with emphasis of the Latin, in which it was written. The word man (viri) can only be interpreted one way, and it's not mankind (or humankind).

I'd rather just see this optional rite done away with altogether. Why oh why does the focus always have to be on 'us' (the people)? Holy Thursday is about the institution of the priesthood. It is about the institution of the Eucharist. And yet, here we are again. With our self congratulatory songs, choirs up front so that we may focus away from everything that we should be focusing on - Jesus, present to us as food at the foot of the cross! I'm so very frustrated and it takes away my right to worship in the way Mass was intended* (complete with thorough instructions). I've seen even babies' feet washed, mostly women's feet washed, and commemorative towels given out as 'door prizes' for those women and men who participated. I'm beyond frustrated by this lack of saying the black and doing the red!

Rant over...

May we all celebrate a holy, Holy Thursday! Happy Holy Week!

The Last Supper - the reason for Holy Thursday!

*From Redemptionis Sacramentum (Latin, “The Sacrament of Redemption”).

"It is the right of the Christian people themselves that their diocesan bishop should take care to prevent the occurrence of abuses in ecclesiastical discipline, especially as regards the ministry of the word, the celebration of the sacraments and sacramentals, the worship of God, and devotion to the saints (24)."

Catholics are so Darned Misunderstood!

A frequent thorn in my side is the misconceptions about Catholicism that run unfettered among my friends. No matter how many times I think I've finally gotten through to them and explained my wonderful faith, they persist in listening to the first nay-sayer in reporter's clothing. Recently, I was so bothered by this that I dedicated an entire post to myths about Catholicism over at Catholic Sistas. Here is an excerpt:

Myth – Catholics worship Mary.

Much to my dismay, a Facebook friend recently posted that she had ‘learned’ something distressing. To her consternation, “the news reported that Pope Francis spent all day praying to Mary on his first day as Pope“. Of course her horror at the idea of this when she, “thought all this time that he prayed to God“, was due to lack of credible information. It is evident that the Catholic idea of ‘praying to’ and the misguided definition pushed by Catholic-hostile press is miles apart. While Catholics understand the Communion of Saints and intercession, the rest of the world equates praying to someone with worship. Big difference! As taught in the CCC, “Because of Mary’s singular cooperation with the action of the Holy Spirit, the Church loves to pray in communion with the Virgin Mary, to magnify with her the great things the Lord has done for her, and to entrust supplications and praises to her”.

To read the rest of the post, and some perceptions about Pope Francis, the Rosary, and other topics Catholic, please visit Catholicism - Appearances can be Deceiving!

Good-Bye, Hello - Viva il Papa!

Am I the only one who is feeling a bit unfaithful right now? Perhaps a bit divided? Don’t get me wrong, I am elated at the election of Pope Francis and the blessing he appears to be to our Church. His modesty and low maintenance style is very appealing. The positions he has historically held on the moral issues I hold dear are spot on from what I have learned about him in the past two days. But what about dear, sweet, unassuming Benedict? Unlike other past popes, he has not yet gone to his Eternal Reward. He still lives – albeit solitarily – amongst us. Our gentle German Shepherd did so much for Holy Mother Church during his eight year pontificate – not to mention, the time he spent serving as Cardinal Josef Ratzinger.

OK, I’ll admit that his German heritage always appealed to me. His way of analyzing and explaining felt like my German Opa counseling me in the ways of the Faith. I will also be eternally grateful for what I suspect is a deeper framework for the future of Christ’s Church than we will ever realize. Even the election of Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio may have Benedict's fingerprints on it. But what do we do about Benedict now? He still occupies a warm place in my heart and even as I work feverishly to get to know Pope Francis, I still hear the echoes of what Benedict has taught us ringing in my soul.

Is this how it feelswhen an adopted child finds her birth parent(s)? That feeling of split loyalty - OK, I know where my loyalty lies, but you know what I mean, right? How does one negotiate the roadways of affection, loyalty and love for two of something? It will be interesting to see. Now that the mystery has been revealed, and we know who will be serving as the Vicar of Christ, life can begin to normalize a bit. Sure, we have much to learn about our new Pope, but we still have much to glean from what his predecessor has gifted to the world. Therein lies the beauty of the Church instituted by Christ Himself - a succession of earthy Shepherds to lead us Home. May we find an equitable place in our hearts for them both. Viva la Papa – past and present!

Bluebirds of Happiness - a Photo Essay

As an art major and all around lover of all things creative, I have struggled to find my current niche of creativity. These days I tend to not employ my beloved pencils and paints of the past. My current niche lies somewhere between what I learned while concentrating on the fine arts while earning my BA at Brescia University and my 'artsy craftsy' side(my professors would shudder). Photography and a love of God's creation seems to fill the bill quite well for me and luckily I was blessed to receive a Nikon D5100 camera (with a lovely array of basic accessories) as a Christmas gift from my family. Here is a way for me to showcase and share what I see in our garden - another creative passion.

Recently the Bluebirds arrived and, as they do every year, they checked out the accommodations we have created for them - just on the other side of our water garden/koi pond. I was fortunate (and patient) enough to capture an initial visit from them. Below you will see a progression of photos that I took during my 45 minute quest for that perfect photo. At the end of the photos, I have also shared a meme I created from my favorite - another current creative outlet. Go check out the many memes I have created on the Designs by Birgit fan page on Facebook.

As I was sitting there, the scripture verse about the birds of the air kept popping into my mind. I was also afforded an opportunity to meditate and give a prayer of thanksgiving for God's beautiful creation. We are truly blessed and should remind ourselves to truly see all that this world has to offer!

Mr. Bluebird flies in for a landing.

After an initial look he directs Mama in.

Mama flies in to check it out.

Talking it over.

We're home!

I took an information poll on the Designs by Birgit Facebook album and a favorite rose to the top. As is my pleasure, I then turned the photo into a meme to express what I had witnessed. God is so good to us!

Of Toilet Paper and Fortitude

I have often found that our best virtues can also be our worse vices. What makes us ‘good’ can also present quite the trial for our souls (and for those around us). Take Fortitude, for example – it can show its face as intractability if used wrongly. To illustrate, let’s begin by taking a look at my own family.  Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) runs rampant throughout our members. These poor grandchildren of ours have gotten a double dose – believe me, both sides of the family can lay a legitimate claim. That being said, it’s obvious that change is not something with which we play nicely. No matter if it’s…

Bananas – sliced or not can begin a battle of wills.

Skittles and M & Ms – sorted and eaten by color or all mixed up.

Mail – stacked by size and length (oh, what to do with those darned tall and fat card envelopes).

Toilet paper – spooled to the inside or outside (when the kids were little I developed the habit of spooling against the wall to prevent miles of it from unrolling ‘on accident’).

Now, why mention the role of humble tp, you might ask? What in the world does it have to do with Fortitude? Well, stay tuned and you’ll soon see the connection!

Sarah, our 4 year-old granddaughter, is my Mini Me. Her stubborn spirit (Germans are like that) knows no limits and she often refuses to smile for a snapshot. “I don’t like to smile”, she says with a dramatic grimace. But her – ahem – strength of character makes her a stalwart ally and she is just as prone to an excess of hugs, kisses and ‘high fives’ when it’s her idea.

For the past several months, I have continually found the toilet paper in the ‘wrong’ position when Sarah visits. She never says anything, yet it just keeps happening – over.and.over.and.over.again. For my part, I simply reverse it back to its rightful position and smile a secret little smile – because I ‘get’ her. And aren't we all like that in some sense or the other? Which is what got me to pondering Fortitude. Now Fortitude is a virtue but it can also display itself as a vice - if we are not properly disposed. The difference is in distinguishing between things of eternal importance and things pertaining to our earthly, human condition – morality vs. preference if you will.

So what is Fortitude?

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “Fortitude is the moral virtue that ensures firmness in difficulties and constancy in the pursuit of the good. It strengthens the resolve to resist temptations and to overcome obstacles in the moral life. The virtue of fortitude enables one to conquer fear, even fear of death, and to face trials and persecutions. It disposes one even to renounce and sacrifice his life in defense of a just cause”. So here we have a description that calls to mind bravery, valor, tenacity and grit. When these characteristics are applied to say, defending the honor of Holy Mother Church or the unborn, there is nothing we won’t do – even unto death – to take a stand for these moral absolutes.

By contrast, this same type of stick-to-itiveness can quickly become a vice if we do not chose wisely, the object or issue to which we give our allegiance. When we interact with others – or even with our own wills – it’s important to maintain the ability to look at issues with an open mind. Not everything is a black or white issue. It’s wise to look to our priests, bishops, and Church Dogma to find which things are debatable and which are simply not. Therein lies the difference. When our goal of being right surpasses our need for Truth, we are arguing in vain. Fortitude then morphs into stubborn will.

What is Fortitude not?

Fortitude is not prideful and it does not insist on 'winning' an argument for the sake of being right. Like Sarah and my toilet paper swap, we tend to cling to what we perceive as right just because: that's the way it's always been, that's how mom (or Dad) did it, or I simply like it that way. Fortitude rightly used, is a humble submission to Truth as taught by Holy Mother Church, to which we remain loyal because it is right and just and because God said so. When we know that these truths are absolute, we can proceed gently and share them. Fortitude allows us to stick it out instead of being cowed by opposition - because we know what we are sharing Truth, not our truth, but God's Truth. A recent story about Bishop Robert Vasa of Santa Rosa, CA gives us perfect witness of Fortitude. The good bishop is "requiring all 200 of his diocese’s Catholic schoolteachers to sign an affirmation of faith agreeing that “modern errors” such as contraception, abortion, same-sex “marriage,” and euthanasia are “matters that gravely offend human dignity". When met with opposition he begged the question of how a teacher, “can teach what the Catholic Church teaches with zeal and enthusiasm while holding, as they say, ‘in the privacy of their heart,’” views that are anti-Catholic". Since the issues he mentions are non-negotiable Truth (and always have been), his Fortitude illustrates an exemplary characteristic of the virtue a shepherd should display to his flock.

How do we make Fortitude our own?

During the season of Lent we can make it a point to become sensitive to those times when we bullishly strive to win an argument instead of converting with the heart of God and His Truth. We should scrutinize our own motivations and consciences, to distinguish whether or not we are seeking victory or the winning of souls. When we speak, are we speaking sincerely and with respect of those with whom we interact? Once we determine not our will, but His Will be done, we will be well on our way to practicing Fortitude. Otherwise we are simply allowing false pride to rule the day!

Of Toilet Paper and Fortitude was first published by Catholic Sistas.

Emergency Contraception: Science and Morals

This is a guest post by my daughter  Erika, a forensic biologist, who writes for Catholic Sistas. The post,  Emergency Contraception Science and Morals first appeared there. 

Recently the news contained two slightly misleading headlines: “German bishops say morning-after pill is ok in rape cases,” and “Top Vatican official calls German bishop’s approval of morning after pill ‘exemplary’”. On the surface both of these headlines give the appearance of the Church, specifically the German bishops and even the Pontifical Academy for Life, reversing a historic ban on contraception and abortifacients. In all likelihood, the Church will be taken to task over this seeming reversal without a closer inspection. However, as a scientist (molecular biology degree and 9 years as a Forensic Biologist) as well as an apologetics hobbyist, I decided to delve a little deeper into both the science and the morals of emergency contraception (EC).

First, the science… I first looked at the article from Contraception that was referenced in both articles in contention. After reading the entire article, the take-home message appeared to be that a Copper IUD is the most effective EC because it disrupts fertilization as well as implantation, but the two hormonal types of EC were ineffective because their action was to disrupt fertilization not implantation. Another article continues the assertion that one of the most common EC types (Levonorgestrel/Plan B) has no effect on implantation. However, as Catholics (as did most people before IVF and recent political mumbo-jumbo), we believe that life begins at conception not implantation. Further review of journal articles yielded this one that clearly states that only people who believe “implantation or later events to be the beginning of pregnancy” consider this method to be non-abortive. Another article, questions the validity of the data used to verify whether Plan B acts pre- or post-implantation without even referencing (in the abstract) whether these studies even consider post-conception and pre-implantation actions.

Most/many studies discount the five to twelve days between fertilization to implantation. It is not a stretch to consider these studies flawed for neglecting this time period; therefore, it is impossible to separate the contraceptive from the abortive properties of Plan B (and other ECs) without further research. Even one of their own, James Trussell, admits the abortive effect must be mentioned to women when giving Plan B. Further, Dr. Trussell admits that for Plan B (or any EC) to be effective, it must have an effect after fertilization. At this point, there is no accurate widely available test for fertilization, although a fertilization chemical has been known since 1979. Common tests used to detect pregnancy are detecting implantation (hCG) hormones, again discounting the five to twelve days between fertilization and implantation.

Now for the morals… In 1968, 2000, 2008, and well, basically forever the Church’s official stance has been against both contraception and abortion. Every life that begins is God’s gift to the bearer. While in cases of rape and incest, it is common to think of the new life as a “punishment”; in reality, God has created something wonderful out of a horrible crime. It is widely believed that punishing a child for the sins of the father is wrong. Therefore, it is no stretch to think that terminating a pre-born child for the sin of the father is wrong as well.

The German bishops, in their ill-conceived notion of “kindness” for a woman impregnated by an attacker, draw a line that neither science nor morality can draw. Studies have not shown that emergency contraceptives only act prior to fertilization. Nor are there widely available reliable tests to determine fertilization, only implantation. Moral law is the same for all life, whether the result of rape, incest, fornication, marital love, marital infidelity, IVF, or any other mechanism. A new life begins when egg and sperm meet (fertilization). Intentionally terminating that life is against the moral code and natural law. When clarification of this media circus is made, I’m sure it will be buried under new Catholic controversy if it is even presented at all. Until then, I am confident that Christ’s Church on Earth remains the most steadfast protector of life from its very conception.

ADDENDUM: In researching this story I could have added this extra explanation:

A comment on Facebook mentioned that since 1999(?), the bishops’ statement has been that if ovulation and fertilization can be proven to have not occurred, emergency contraception is OK. This information is true-EXCEPT-it is almost impossible for medical science to prove without a doubt that no ovulation or fertilization has occurred or is likely to occur during the emergency contraceptives life span in the body. They can test for ovulation-yes-but since sperm cells can live up to a week in the female reproductive system, proving no ovulation at the time the drug is administered does NOT necessarily mean ovulation will not happen within that week. If ovulation occurs within the week life-span of the sperm cells, fertilization can occur. At this time, there is no test for fertilization that is widely-available or widely-used. The current pregnancy tests actually test for implantation. Implantation happens between 5-12 days AFTER fertilization/conception/creation of new life. One of the only ways, in my opinion and research, to have the best chance of knowing whether ovulation and/or fertilization is possible is if a woman uses NFP to chart her cycles. However, even though NFP has a thoroughly proven track record, occasionally “unplanned” conceptions happen even to experienced practitioners.

Facebook Block - I'm Back, But I'm Not

Last night I was finally able to get back into my Facebook account and interact with others. Of course, as luck would have it, I abstain from Facebook on Fridays during Lent. So I'm back - but not really. I did go in and schedule a couple of memes to go live today - so enjoy those until I'm back in full force.

Hopefully this will be the end of my censorship troubles, but who knows! In the mean time, I'd like to say

Thank You

for sticking around to 'hear' me complain and for helping my Designs by Birgit fan page continue to grow. Together we can help build a world that respects all life!

Birgit J

I hope you'll swing by the Designs by Birgit fan page and take a look at my latest creations! And, please, be sure to 'like' and 'share' to help spread the news...all LIFE is precious - Womb to Tomb!

The Facebook Deception #3 - Blocking Pro-Life Accounts

This week I have posted twice (here and here) about Facebook tactics that appear to target conservative users. First, my pro-life friend had a pro-life meme removed from her wall. Next, they removed another, older pro-life meme and then she was blocked from using her account for a 24 hour period. Being the pro-life advocate I am, I promptly created a meme that called Facebook out for their censorship. I posted it on my personal wall as well as on the Designs by Birgit fan page. I can't say that I was unprepared for what happened next, but that doesn't quell the sense of injustice I feel - my images were removed and I was blocked for 24 hours as well.

Now, here's the thing - I realize that a public, for profit entity can create (and enforce) any rules that they see fit but a sense of fairness begs that it should be done across the board. Instead, pages for pro-life groups, conservatives (like Chicks on the Right), and others are targeted while pages calling Catholics unsavory names and pages with sexually explicit content remain. Even pages engaged in dog fighting are alive and well. Double standard much?

Another thing that comes to mind is that users should be provided a means to see what these rules are. Neither is the case. You can read their rules here (note that none of these points really addresses our particular issue). My friend has been in contact with Facebook in an attempt to garner some solid parameters  for this policy yet any useful information seems to be quite illusive...you see, they also have 'internal policies"  that they use when assessing these situation on a case by case basis (read, we make up the rules on the fly).

Here's How I See it

While I agree that Facebook is a public for profit site, I'd have to disagree with them getting away with this inequitable treatment unchallenged.

• It's news when YouTube takes down my friend's professional Catholic videos. 
• It's news when a child can't wear a pro-life or Christian tee shirt to public school. 
• It's news when a Girl Scout volunteer is censored for her tee shirt. 
• Remember the stories about Google weighting their search results in favor of liberal sites? That was news too. 
• And it should be news when this happens - especially since their public policy (which they referred me to) doesn't state exactly what they object to.

So are you willing to help spread the word? It would help to have people gather support for our freedom to profess that ABORTION is simply WRONG! What's so offensive about that???

Bottom Line?

I will have been locked out of my account for 2 days by the time this is (hopefully) over. What do ya think about that?

Feel free to share this and any of my other memes with your friends and fans! You find them all on the Designs by Birgit Facebook page.

I'm baaaaack!

Navigating the Uncharted Waters of Pope Benedict’s Resignation - Some Fun Q & A

The final Angelus - 24 February 2013. 

So, we've had 16 days to accustom ourselves to the retirement of Pope Benedict XVI, our 266^th pope in the line of succession beginning with the Rock, St. Peter. By now most of us have shaken off the fog of shock and have taken a more resolute pose. As the leader of the world’s 1.2 Billion Catholics, however, Benedict’s unusual step has left us as quite the Papa-ratzi. News reports by the dozens appear hourly to feed our need to know. What will we call him, where is he going, and what about that all important Twitter account with its 1,582,730 followers? For that matter, what about those indulgences that we obtain for praying for the intentions of the Holy Father when we have no sitting Pope? In an effort to answer some of the questions that have caught my fancy, I will share some answers and their sources.

Q: Since this is an unprecedented occurrence in modern times, what in the world shall we call him when he leaves?

A: His Holiness, Benedict XVI, Bishop Emeritus of Rome will be his new title according to both Patheos and Zenit.

Q: What changes has he made to the rituals for new pope's inauguration?

A: "One of the most visual changes, he said, would be the restoration of the public "act of obedience" in which each cardinal present at the pope's inaugural Mass comes forward and offers his allegiance."

Q: So what will he be doing after 8:00 p.m. (Rome time), February 28, when he steps away from the Seat of Saint Peter?

A: According to his own words, "I, retired in prayer, will always be with you, and together we will move ahead with the Lord in certainty. The Lord is victorious." After a brief stay at Castel Gandolfo, the Papal summer home, he will dedicate himself to a life of prayer and study in a Vatican-based monastery.

Q: But isn’t he abandoning the Church at a very tumultuous time?

A: No, Benedict is not abandoning the Church. Perhaps in anticipation of this question he clarified, “…this does not mean abandoning the Church,” he qualified. “Indeed, if God asks me this it is just so that I can continue to serve with the same dedication and the same love with which I have done so far, but in a way more suited to my age and for me.”

Q: What about the indulgences that are obtained by those who pray for the Intentions of the Holy Father when we have no sitting Pope?

A: Surprisingly, the answer is yes! According to a post by Fr. Zuhlsdorf, "The faithful are able to obtain plenary indulgences during the “Sede Vacante” time, where there is no Pope.As a matter of fact, the Church holds matters of internal forum and of indulgences to be so important for the faithful that the office of the Major Penitentiary (who oversees these matters for the Apostolic Penitentiary) is one of the few that does not cease when the Pope dies or resigns".  Actually, this question was addressed after the death of Pope John Paul II after his death in 2005.

Q: Doesn’t this move us closer to the Prophecy of St. Malachy and his list, where he predicts that Benedict XVI’s successor will be the last pope? Are we to conclude that we are nearing the end?

A: There are strong indications that the List of St. Malachy is a fraud. According to Catholic Answers, “(t)he consensus among modern scholars is that it is a 16th-century forgery created for partisan political reasons”. We must remember that predictions of the end times were warned against in the Bible..."but of that day or hour no man knoweth, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father".

Q: Will the conclave begin earlier, shortening the expected month long wait, and how many Cardinals will participate?

A: In his motu proprio Normas nonnullas (22 feb 2012), Pope Benedict has given authorization for the conclave to begin earlier. Sources at the National Catholic Register report that “the conclave to choose the next pope will likely begin between March 9 and 11”. We may have a new pope by Easter! This decision, however, now “falls squarely within the pontifical provisions for a conclave, and one may leave the choice of a start-date to the competent authority without further concern for the legality of the assembly” according to canonist Ed Peters.

There will be 118 Cardinals in the conclave.

Q: Will the virally popular Papal Twitter account, @pontifex, be shut down when the Holy Father steps down?

A: In a word, no. It will go dormant while we await the election of our new pope, however, as soon as he steps into his role as Vicar of Christ he will be free to take up what his predecessor started. It appears that Benedict chose the name "Pontifex"  wisely, in anticipation of a seamless transition from pope to pope. The name means "bridge builder" or "pope" .

This is but a small sampling of the questions that have arisen since Pope Benedict XVI made his announcement. Catholic Sistas (CS) is also involved in a Q & A endeavor over at Electing the Pope. Here you will find many more questions and answers, with sources, some of which are being provided by Ink Slingers. You will also able to post questions of your own.

Don’t forget that CS also has their 40 Days of Prayer for the Seat of Saint Peter posted on our Facebook fan page. There we post a brief prayer every day – from February 22 (Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter) through April 1. Won’t you join us in praying for Pope Benedict XVI and his successor? 

You might also be interested in reading our Open Letter to Our Beloved Papa, where the Ink Slingers share their thoughts, prayers, and admiration of this wonderful pope who has given us so much in his eight years as our Pontiff.

May we never forget the good done by this gentle German Shepherd of ours!

The post Navigating the Uncharted Waters of Pope Benedict's Retirement appeared first on Catholic Sistas.

The Facebook Deception - Day #2

Yesterday I posted about the censorship that Facebook practices when it comes to pro-life content. A pro-life friend of mine had her pro-life memes removed by Facebook and then was locked out of her account for 24 hours for defying them by reposting her graphics. In solidarity with her, I posted the banned memes both on my personal wall and on my Designs by Birgit fan page. I also created a meme, illustrating their unfair censorship.

At the end of the day I received this message when I attempted to log into my own Facebook account:

It seems that Big Brother has a long arm! In any case, Facebook wins: 1) if I repost I, too, will be blocked and in danger of losing my account or 2) if I don't repost they will have successfully prevented the truth from being presented. 

I pray for those who feel the need to utilize unfair practices to hide the truth. They simply have no other method of battling the truth - they lack facts to shore up their flawed thinking. Please join me and other pro-life advocates as we struggle to be the voice of the voiceless. Visit Designs by Birgit and become a fan. One by one, we CAN make a difference.

CONTINUED

The Facebook Deception – Pro-life Images Targeted, Smut is NOT!

Electronic media is here to stay and whether or not we use it for good or evil is up to us – or is it? Although we use the right possessive words – ‘my’ wall, my ‘likes’, my ‘friends’, etc. – it’s not quite as personal as you might think (or hope). You see, there are trolls out there who, like the Nazi informers of another era will covertly insinuate themselves into groups of people with whom they share nothing in common. This self appointed ‘content police force’ lives to find opinions with which they disagree and then works diligently to remove aforementioned opinions from public view. They don’t pursue their own hobbies or interests, but instead, monitor others and try to bring them down.

Examples of this can be found on many Facebook fan pages ‘belonging’ to pro-life and Catholic groups or individuals. Here, fans with common interests gather to share ideas, memes, links and words of solidarity. Sounds quite cozy doesn't it? Well, not so fast! In the shadows, there are others who lurk around in an effort to start trouble. They don’t have facts and sources in their favor, so instead, they seek to do harm to those with whom they disagree. Just as in real life, if someone wants to cause an 'enemy' trouble, all they have to do is be a part of the reporting system. Hate your neighbor? Report him to the local police for child endangerment or to the IRS for tax evasion. Whether or not there is truth to your allegation, the harm comes when they are forced to prove innocence.

This is the way it works with Facebook as well. Don’t like that someone is calling out abortion giant, Planned Parenthood, for killing of hundreds of babies every.single.day? Just report them to Facebook as a threat, abuse or inappropriate. Don’t believe me? Just take a look at the recent blocking of a friend’s Facebook account. She has been posting pro-life memes for as long as I can remember. Her personal wall lists her as having over 5,000 tried and true friends who share her content daily. In addition to the pro-life and Catholic memes I create over on my Designs by Birgit fan page, I share her creations too.

Yesterday, she posted this:

After a short time, she was informed that this meme had been removed by Facebook. Of course, everyone who had shared it saw it disappear from their walls as well. When she reposted it later in the day, it was removed again. In addition another older meme, shown below, was also removed.

Further, she was locked out of her personal Facebook account and sent the following message via email:

You are temporarily blocked

This is your second warning for violating Facebook’s Statement of Rights and Responsibilities. You are now blocked from posting content on Facebook for 24 hours.

If you continue to abuse Facebook's features, your account could be permanently disabled

Now I know that there are those who will say, ‘it’s their (Facebook) right to remove anything they’d like, after all, this is a for profit, ad-based business’. OK, fair enough (I guess), but then why isn't there an equally firm effort aimed at true hate sites that spew misinformation about the Catholic faith, for example (Whore of Babylon anyone)? Or for the aforementioned pages with graphic, gratuitous sexual content?

What we are seeing here is yet another effort of the thought police, discriminating against the sharing of the ugly truth about abortion. There is nothing fabricated or exaggerated about these pro-life graphics. They are simply showing the horrible truth about child killing – with pictures. If it’s too ugly to acknowledge maybe we should all be working harder to abolish it! JUST SAYIN’

Check out my Facebook page, Designs by Birgit, to see the excellent commentary this issue is receiving. I feel blessed to have received strong support for my friend,  from a pro-choice individual who says, "I do however feel that everyone has the right to their own opinion, and although I may not be sharing it and may not agree with the message the pic claims, I do NOT agree with her being banned and not able to stand behind her opinion!!"

You can also take a gander at the pro-life images that I create on my Pro-Life Designs by Birgit album.

NOTE: As a 'social network', Facebook affords us the opportunity to 'gather' with like-minded friends/acquaintances to share common interests. I have created a friend list that is custom tailored just for me. My wall feed reads like a who’s who of Catholic, pro-life, photography, and garden list. I don’t need the Drudge Report because all of my news comes via friends with like interests. I find it an invaluable tool for evangelization, fact finding, and support. Hopefully the day won't come when that is no longer possible!

Read UPDATE post

What Happened to the Photo Challenge?

OK, I'm going to start this brief little post with an admission - I HATE Instagram! There! I said it! Now before you tell me how behind the times I am, let me assure you that I love many things technical: electronic gadgets, Roku, iPhone, Facebook, blogging, and so on. What I don't like is having to use a handheld device to follow something or someone. The same feelings are relevant concerning Twitter - HATE it! I just don't like the burden of the #hash tags and endless clicking and following links to see what all the hubbub is about. The need to center in on one location to look for photos (Instagram) and another for news, updates, and a few photos (Twitter) just doesn't inspire me.

If you know me at all, you know that I am a Facebook addict, however. There's nothing about it I don't like (except their liberal bias and censorship). It has it all: I can organize my 'likes' and friends into groups and see pro-life news, for example, all in one handy dandy spot and for a myriad of sources. It's also terrific to be able to use aforementioned iPhone to navigate both my wall and my Designs by Birgit fan page when I'm on the go. My favorite interaction, though, comes from using my laptop or PC to access my account. There, I have photos, a large screen, and the comfort of not having to wear my 'cheaters' just to see. Yes, I'm 50 something and blessed with declining eyesight.

 I also love photography. I love the creative aspect, the sharing aspect, and the million words aspect. The larger I can see a photo, the happier I am. If my photos are to make the impact for which I create them, a computer monitor is much more flattering for my vision of what I'm trying to convey. And I'm not tied to teeny tiny little letters on a touch screen to share a caption.

This leads me to the confession that, after two days of participation, I am abandoning the Lenten Photo Challenge of which I wrote previously. I don't feel badly about this because I have many spiritual pursuits to which I will adhere. I'll leave you then, with a few of my Instagram efforts. Now back to that iPhone for quick snapshots and the Nikon D5100 I received for Christmas! Say cheeeeeeze!