Joe Six-Pack, USMC, With A Few Post-Terrorist Attack Thoughts…

Last updated on: January 24, 2017 at 6:52 pm By Frank Weathers

It’s been close to 40 hours since we learned of the horrific slaughter that took place in an Orlando night club. Shortly after learning about it, I offered up prayers for the victims, and for their families. The amount of grieving going on in Orlando, as well as the positive responses of the community rallying to aide their fellows, is incredible.

In no way am I qualified to try and unpack the events that occurred early on a Sunday morning. Like you, I just want to mourn this loss. My inner anti-terrorist has a few things to say, though, and I can’t bottle them up. (more…)

Thoughts On The Gay Marriage Decision From My Bishop…UPDATED

Last updated on: January 24, 2017 at 6:53 pm By Frank Weathers

stikaut — Richard F. Stika, Bishop of Knoxville

And from the Supreme Court justices themselves. First up is the initial, and wise, reaction of my bishop, Richard F. Stika,

“Sad moment in the history of our nation. But we move on. No same sex marriages will be celebrated within the Catholic Church. Our faith teaches that marriage is a sacramental union between a man and a woman. That is our faith and our truth!!! We shall not attack the principle of same sex marriage but uphold our faith and our truths! It does not matter to the Church as marriage is a sacrament that can’t be defined by any court!”

His point is well taken. Supreme Court decisions come, and go. But the Law of the Lord is forever. Go to the diocesan website for his official response.

Next up, from the majority opinion of Justice Anthony Kennedy, the following thoughts are crucial from the standpoint of the Catholic Church, and for all who do not dissent from her teachings, (more…)

For Thoughts On The Solemnity Of The Most Sacred Heart Of Jesus

Last updated on: January 24, 2017 at 6:54 pm By Frank Weathers

Are you on vacation yet? The funny thing about vacations is that when on holiday from the world, and from the pressures of time, it’s quite easy to see all manner of things through rose colored glasses. In fact, I would go so far as to say that everything is better when one is on vacation, be it food, music, company, or conversation. Have you noticed this too? The phenomenon is what leads me to believe vacations are a foretaste of eternal life in heaven. (more…)

For Pascal’s Thoughts On The Mystery Of Corpus Christi

Last updated on: January 24, 2017 at 6:54 pm By Frank Weathers

"Carl Emil Doepler Fronleichnamsprozession" by de:Carl Emil Doepler the Elder (1824 Warszawa or Schnepfenthal - 1905 Berlin) - http://www.zeller.de/. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carl_Emil_Doepler_Fronleichnamsprozession.jpg#/media/File:Carl_Emil_Doepler_Fronleichnamsprozession.jpg — “Fronleichnamsprozession,” Carl Emil Doepler the Elder (1824 Warszawa or Schnepfenthal – 1905 Berlin) – Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.

Back when I was toying around with the idea of actually trying to be a Christian, I personally got a nice kick in the rear from reading Blaise Pascal’s thought #224 on the Eucharist,

How I hate these follies of not believing in the Eucharist, etc.! If the Gospel be true, if Jesus Christ be God, what difficulty is there?

At the time, see, I didn’t even know what the Eucharist was.

These thoughts, though (in one big whopper of a paragraph), from a letter to a Mademoiselle De Roannez, clarify all of that, and are quite fitting for the Feast of Corpus Christi.

Take a look. (more…)

For the Pause That Refreshes: Thoughts of the Desert Fathers on Living In Harmony

Last updated on: January 24, 2017 at 6:55 pm By Frank Weathers

Kircher-Diagram_of_the_names_of_God — Athanasius Kircher’s Diagram of the names of God.

A while back, I shared some brief thoughts on God by St. Augustine and a lesser know Dominican named Luis de Granada. Short passages they may have been, but they were formulated from swimming in deep waters. The same can be said of the thoughts of the hermits who fled to the deserts of Egypt around the time the Church ceased to be persecuted. (more…)

For Mind Blowing, Thoughts, on the Incarnation by Bl. John Duns Scotus

Last updated on: January 24, 2017 at 6:49 pm By Frank Weathers

Madonna Adoring the Christ Child, Pietro Da Vicenza

What follows is a republished version of a post I ran on Christmas day in the Year of Our Lord, 2012. I’ll even leave the comments that were published from thoughtful readers at that time. Enjoy!

Merry Christmas, everyone! On December 25, we Christians celebrate the birth into time of our King, our Redeemer, and our God. That day is the day we celebrate the birth of the Christ, the anointed one, born in Bethlehem. We call it the Feast of the Nativity.

As feasts in the Church go, this is a biggie. As Deacon Greg shared on his blog the other day, St. John Chrysostom, in a homily dated from the year 386, invites us to, (more…)

Thoughts On Torture Occasioned By Mass At The Garden Of Gethsemane UPDATED

Last updated on: January 24, 2017 at 6:50 pm By Frank Weathers

Jerusalem_Church_of_all_nations — The Church Of All Nations, in the Garden Of Gethsemane*

My wife and I have arrived home safe and sound from our pilgrimage trip to the Holy Land. While we were away these past two weeks, I haven’t read a newspaper or watched a television. Internet access was spotty, and even when it wasn’t the spirit to blog was willing, but the body was too weak to allow writing when sleep beckoned. (more…)

A Few Thoughts On Veteran’s Day

Last updated on: January 24, 2017 at 6:50 pm By Frank Weathers

Jointcolors_public_domain — License details

It’s the feast of St. Martin of Tours, and since he was a soldier of some renown it is fitting that his feast coincides with what we celebrate as Veteran’s Day. I have an affinity for soldiers. At Mass when we say the words of the centurion, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof,” we are the centurion. (more…)

My Thoughts On The Appointment Of Bishop Cupich To Chicago…

Last updated on: January 24, 2017 at 6:51 pm By Frank Weathers

Joe Six-Pack will be brief. (more…)

Joe Six-Pack’s Succinct Thoughts On ISIS, Archbishop Sheen, The Whirlwind At The Archdiocese of Pravda, And MOAR

Last updated on: January 24, 2017 at 6:51 pm By Frank Weathers

It’s been a weird month so far in the internet version of Catholiclandia and we’re only up to day 6.

You may have noticed that I haven’t posted a cotton-picking thing since the month began. I assure you, my lack of productivity is not on account of me not appreciating those of you who stop by these parts regularly. (more…)