Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Dear ones,

I know you find it hard to believe--but another year has flown by. I still have a few-- last pounds-- to lose to make the swimming suit season--heheheh. And I have not yet convinced any of you I am a stellar athlete.
But, soon you will see--i am working with the best classically trained Homeopath--Jacqulyn Dudasko--and I feel Good. :) Ask me about her and a refferal.

Every year the first of May I come and ask you to sponsor me as I Walk For Life. You know that I am quite a strong proponent for the Gospel of Life, but for some reason some of my heavier contributors want pictures as proof that I actually do my own walking for this event--like I could ever bark orders and get anyone to do anything for me anyway-whodaddy.

I know gas is more expensive, and we are near-- riots in the streets over grocery prices and shortages--it takes a lot of work to make a living, and you are asked to give--more and more everyday. But, as my dear friends, you know I ask you to pray most and speak of funds very shyly.

Let me just say--this group lead by my very dear friend Kyleen Wright needs our help.
She has more fiduciary resonsibility than any other group I know in the pro-life movement in doing lots with little. Her salary is little and she takes no high-priced junkets to events or conferences. She simply runs back and forth to Austin appealing to the law makers to do the right thing for our children, the unborn and the sick, the infirm and the elderly.
Last year she along with my small group was one of the only brave groups to stand against the Big Names and the famous Big Guns of the "pro-life' movement to make sure bad language and even worse laws were added to the Texas futile care bill--a very badly written law. We still have work to do--but she made it easier to sleep at nght knowing that "medical ethics" were not so easily going to be able to with-hold nutrition and hydration from the sick and dying...Thank you Miss Kyleen.

What a perfect day of service come Saturday--I will be helping with the Bar-b-Que for Life at St. Ann's where the best BBQ in the world is being prepared with love by Greg and his band of brothers--the Knights of Columbus--200 beautiful briskets--with specific proceeds going to the favorite of my heart-- the White Rose Women's Center--where for over 23 years they have served and helped over 2000 girls and children in crisis each year--well over 45,000 women and children as the only Catholic first line of defense to serve the crisis pregnet women of Dallas. They have stood in the gap as close to the gates of hell for all the years--at one time the Blessed Tabernacle of Our Lord-- only one wall between Him and the killing room of Arron's Abortion facility.

I love it when Gerri comes out each year and the Knights present her with the White Rose check in honor of John Everett, her husband who died two years ago May 5th after 17 years of being Director of the White Rose and St. Joseph's Helpers. God bless you Gerri and Mary and Sue and Fred and all of our wonderful friends at the White Rose. Thanks for being on the front lines of saving babies and helping women chose a better life.
It was at John's bed-side his last week on this side--when he said will you join the Knights and let me be your sponsor--thanks to his request I am part of the most vibrant council in the diocese-3rd Degree.

And while the brisket is at its highest glory--offering that sweet smell and aroma as a sacrifice of prayers for God to heal our lands, I will do my two mile walk for Texans for Life right there at St Ann's. Thank you Kyleen for all you do to make me feel that God has chosen for the world to go on for a little longer. God bless you and all your wonderful volunteers.

And thank you Knights of Columbus--the largest pro-life organization in the world and the giver of more funds to pro-life than anyone else in cash and sweat equity for the Gospel of Life. I know you are the largest giver to the White Rose who like all my favorite pro-life works depends on each and every love gift given in Jesus' name to spread the Gospel of Life.

All you have to do is email back and tell me the amount you want to sponsor. That is it. Texans for Life will send you a collection of your pledge later in the month. If you have not sponsored me before, if you will add your address so they can contact you. Trust me--I am very careful with my pennies. This is an organization like the White Rose, the Heidi Group, Priest for Life, and the Cplc--that I whole-heartily like to support with my gifts and my efforts. Help me help you with your Gospel of Life gifts--I will do the walking and sweating--can you drop me a line so I can turn in a good amount of funds to this years Walk for Life?

God bless you all and if you would like to come and walk with me as we admire those wonderful smells this Saturday, give me a call.

YBIC for LIFE,

daniel
214-566-2298

Monday, April 28, 2008

“Is This What You Mean” Project: The Abortion Procedure Revealed – A Challenge to Politicians and Voters
Priests for Life has launched a special project called "Is This What You Mean?" It aims to:
1) Reveal the nature of the abortion procedure to the public, and
2) Challenge public officials and candidates who support the legality of abortion to admit what abortion is.
The project is explained in its entirety at www.priestsforlife.org.
The project makes use of You Tube videos at www.YouTube.com/frfrankpavone, and of quotes from abortionists, found on the project page at www.priestsforlife.org.
We are asking people to
a) view the videos we made about the abortion procedure; b) read the quotes we provide from abortionists, and c) use that information on blogs, in editorials, at town hall meetings, and in public and private sessions with abortion supporters to ask them, “When you say the word “abortion,” is this what you mean?”
This effort, in which anyone can participate, draws a line in the sand and gives candidates and office-holders alike this challenge:
If you’re going to take a position on abortion, then you’re going to have to come clean about what it is. We are no longer going to let you obscure or trivialize the issue. Whether people agree with you or not, you owe it to them to be honest about what you’re talking about.
Therefore we issue this simple call to honesty: We will describe abortion to you, and you tell us if that’s what you’re talking about.
That’s it, pure and simple. This is not a debate, nor a threat. It’s a call to clarity, a demand for honesty. That is not partisan, nor is it unreasonable; it is not fanatical or inappropriate in any way. Nor is this about religion or morality.
We just want to make sure that we’re hearing you. When you say “abortion,” we just want to make sure we’re both talking about the same thing.
The full URL of the page describing this project is www.priestsforlife.org/action/abortion-procedure-revealed.htm
The specific locations of the videos are as follows:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=us_y9GP_-DA - Dismemberment D&E Procedure and www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBOAPleF1t0 - Suction Abortion Procedure
How can you help with this project?
1) Alert people to the project, the videos, and the quotes, by
Emailing your friends, family, everyone in your address book.
Going into chat rooms, blogs, message boards, etc…
If you have your own website or blog, announce the project there and provide links.
Writing letters to the editor.
Speaking out in town meetings or other public venues.
2) Help drive the number of views of the You Tube videos into the hundreds of thousands in a short time, so that we can make the video a news story. Seek young people who will volunteer time to reference it all over the internet.
3) Using the videos and quotes from the abortionists, diagrams, ask “pro-choice” politicians (whether they are candidates or already in public office) if this is what they mean when they say “abortion.” Yes or no. Ask it publicly. Ask it repeatedly. Ask it in all the ways mentioned above – emails, letters, internet etc….. Those whose support they are seeking deserve to know.
4) These additional resources to help you reveal the nature of the abortion procedure can also be used for this project:
“The Procedure” DVD. See www.priestsforlife.org/store/c-32-dvd-video.aspx
Two professionally created diagrams of the Suction procedure and the D&E procedure. See www.priestsforlife.org/store/c-14-fliers.aspx
Contact Priests for Life at PO Box 141172, Staten Island, NY 10314, Tel. 718-980-4400; Fax 718-980-6515; Email: mail@priestsforlife.org; Website: www.priestsforlife.org
Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director

Friday, April 25, 2008

Please pass this on to your Crhp teams and among the men of St Ann's you know-----


Alright Brothers,

One more last appeal--we have an incredible arm of the Church that is vibrant and alive and well in our Parish--the Knights of Columbus---and tomorrow--see schedule below--you have the opportunity between 7:30-3:00 to become a Knight in a Day--you will Receive your First, Second and Third Degree as Knights and will have the opportunity to do the 2nd and 3rd degree along with our new Bishop of Dallas who is becoming a 2-3 degree Knight at St Ann's tomorrow.

You will need to fill out a Form 100 and have a check made out to St Ann's K of C for $35 and go through the 3 degrees and you are done--you become a Knight for life--and just pay annual dues to be in good standing.

When the Pope travels--all the air and all the media and the Pope mobile are paid for by the K of C--the K of C is the largest donors of pro-life work in America and they have incredible Catholic teaching aids--and when you become a Knight you get the fraternal benefit of really good life insurance.

I really can not say enough good things about this very worthy arm of the Church and St Ann's. Next weekend they are cooking and selling 200 briskets in the Bar B Que for Life to fund the White Rose.

Email me back and let me know you are going to become a Knight and I will come up and sign you in with your Form 100 and join you for Mass and Lunch. And be very clear--i want you to list me as your Knight sponsor :) and then pray for me and my family as you grow in your Catholic faith trough the Knights--this is all about making sure you help me get to Heaven....

God bless,
ybic, daniel


<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Candidates form up in Narthex (rear of church) to march into mass Color Guard meets in Narthex9:00 - 10:00 Mass10:00 Candidates march from Church (through main double doors) to Assembly room10:00-10:15 Insurance Video; coffee & donuts10:30 - 11:30 2nd Degree11:30 - 1:30 Major Degree1:30 - 2:30 Knighting2:30 Lunch
The Degree Team may move the lunch time as the schedule permits. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Knights of Columbus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Roman Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus[1] and dedicated to the principles of Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism. There are more than 1.7 million members in 14,000 councils, with nearly 200 councils on college campuses. Membership is limited to "practical Catholic" men aged 18 or older.[2]
Councils have been chartered in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, the Philippines, Guam, Saipan, Japan, Cuba, and most recently in Poland. The Knights' official junior organization, the Columbian Squires, has over 5,000 Circles. All the Order's ceremonials and business meetings are restricted to members though all other events are open to the public. A promise not to reveal any details of the ceremonials except to an equally qualified Knight is required to ensure their impact and meaning for new members; an additional clause subordinates the promise to that Knight's civil and religious duties.
In the 2006 fraternal year the Order gave US $143.8 million directly to charity (1.1 Billion in charitable contributions in the last 10 years) and performed over 68 million man hours of voluntary service. For their support for the Church and local communities, as well as for their philanthropic efforts, the Order is often referred to as the "strong right arm of the Church". The Order's insurance program has more than $60 billion of life insurance policies in force and holds the highest insurance ratings given by A. M. Best, Standard & Poor's, and the Insurance Marketplace Standards Association

Monday, April 14, 2008

Well my dears--I do believe in prayer and I find yours all very particularly comforting--and this was sent to me by one of my dearest friends in STANDING FAITHFUL--
and it is a very tempting thought to believe that with all the setbacks so far of this year that a sudden reversal is beginning today--so you are my seven--and I am stopping tonight for Lottery tickets for tonight, tomoroow and Wednesday :) Have your thoughts for the tithes and gifts portions ready so we can dole out all the extra-hehehe.

Most of all as you pray for me and sustain me with your love, kindness, and hope--I hold you deep in my heart and prayers--for all you are and mean to me. May God bless you and keep you and may He make His face shine upon you and May He do for you what is right and good in the Land of the living while you still live.....
So if the below message does not move you deeply I hope that you will take a moment to know your friendship, prayers and hopes for me and my family moves me deeply--even gives me purpose.

your friend,
daniel

GOD WANTS ME TO TELL YOU....Everything that is going wrong in your life today shall be well with youthis year. You have been destined to make it and you shall surely achieveall your goals this year. For the remaining months of this year (2008),all your agonies will be diverted and victory and prosperity will beincoming in abundance. Today God has confirmed the end of your sufferings,sorrows, and pains because HE that sits on the throne has remembered you.He has taken away the hardships and given you JOY. He will never let you down.I knocked at heaven's door this morning, God asked me... My child! What can I do for you? And I said, 'Father, please protect and bless the personreading this message'... God smiled and answered... Request granted.If you believe this message, send it to seven persons and the one who sent it to you.By doing this you have succeeded in praying for many people today ..If you do not forward, the prayer will stop.

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Musings as I prepared to answer questions for consideration for the St Ann Parish Pastoral Council 4/3/08. I think best on paper and thought you would enjoy the reflections of how I preceive my spiritual gifts in the Chruch.

Man is created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by this means to save his soul. And the other things on the face of the earth are created for man and that they may help him in prosecuting the end for which he is created.
St Ignatius

Extremism - whether conservative or liberal or whatever - is something I try to avoid. The world isn't perfect, the truth is usually in the middle, and things are rarely as simple as they seem.
Over enthusiasm, bias, extremism, zealotry—what I like to call the hyper-orthodox or hyper-liberalism--the far right or the far left—neither of these have much interest for me other than maintaining that great lesson from the timeless moral ethicist of our day—Tevia of Fiddler on the Roof when he asks the rabbi if there was a prayer for the Tsar—of course, says the rabbi: “God bless the Tsar and keep him far, far away.” What I am trying to say is though many who do not know me at all but have heard me quoted or heard me passionate about one subject at one time—and want to peg me as orthodox or even hyper-orthodox or hyper-liberal—and I have been accused of all that and much more J--I truly see myself as Moderate—middle of the road.

The world is far from perfect, it is not fair, and I would tend that neither is God fair—and things are rarely as simple as they appear—still the Truth is usually found in the middle. My first Spiritual Director taught me a maxim I teach and one that served me well as a pastor of several churches. “We cannot both be right, we could both be wrong. We must seek to come to Truth in the humility of the unanimity of love.”

I love the example of the Early Church—although there are many examples of “disputes that broke out among the breathern” the overall emphasis of the Acts of the Apostles was that the “disciples were together in one accord”. I like that J one accord—not 4 guys in a Honda—but one accord. These are all the same thing-accord-agreement- accordance-concert-concurrence-harmony-good vibes-good vibrations-rapport-unanimity-understanding. To better understand, we need to see what the opposite is—discord-disagreement-dissension-faction-friction-strife-dissidence.
Do you know what I like the most about being in one accord? Not only is it a great feeling and a wonderful way to live, but being in one accord is one of those things that defines you by both being and doing—it is a behavioral essence. It is something we do and maintain-an action- an activity. But it is also a quality of who we are. We can be in accord with something or someone by quality of who we are and we can act in accordance with something or someone through our ongoing actions.

I think of myself as a moderate, Jesuit flavored Catholic pastoral theologian with Carmelite tendencies. J The Baltimore Catechism tell us, “ God made me to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him forever in heaven…To save our souls, we must worship God by faith, hope, and charity; that is, we must believe in Him, hope in Him, and love Him with all our heart.” This is a pretty good starting point of unanimity—all the rest we need to be prepared to love one another as we prayerfully come together.
We have a natural tendency to feel anger, and resentment. It's natural to have all sorts of feelings. The key is not letting those negative feeling find a home in our hearts - washing them away 'with forgiveness and loving service to others' before they are there long enough to find a home stacked up on the walls of our souls. I used to tell my children—“do you know how a garage is like a grudge? You can close the door to the garage quickly so no one can see all the junk you stack in the garage or you can open wide the door and clean out on a regular basis your garage and store only necessary and needful things that serve you and others in your household or those in need—same with grudges or all the other clutter that does not serve others in our hearts…” It is not easy to forgive. Many times it is not even easy to forgive ourselves. There is so much in this world that pulls us towards selfishness and away from loving, serving, and knowing others. Then there is the darkness we experience that comes from the loss, pain, suffering, and the regret we are left to work through. I've found that as I help others, the darkness in my heart gets brighter. As the focus shifts from me and my selfishness towards the needs of others and how I can be of service to them, there just isn't as much room for the negative feelings.

If I could give all the people of St. Ann parish a spiritual gift I would give them the gift of Charity—not only an incredible chrism, but the chief theological virtue. The gift of charity is the exact gift that will allow us as individual parishioners as well as the parish at large to most fully express the love of God to ourselves, our families, each other in the parish, our neighbors, the city, the Church, and to the world. “By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, that you have love for one another.”

Peter says in his Epistle, “The end of all things is at hand, therefore be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer, and above all things be fervent in love for one another for love covers a multitude of sins.” I like to call this the Chips and Soda doctrine of the First Pope. Open your hearts and homes and share house to house the love of Christ—be involved in each other’s lives. Visit, eat together, share your lives with one another, of course pray together—but most of all love each other. Can you imagine at the end of Peter’s life it is like he is giving his last instructions—his Last Will and Testament so to speak-“the end of all things is at hand…”I think he thought this was important and so should we. I went to Catholic Mass for 18 years before I ever met a Catholic and visited with them about a parish or anything Catholic—before anyone ever said, “ Hello—glad to have you…Hi, are you new, or you a member, can I ….”
I am a very rare convert in the fact that I fell in love with the Church on paper first through study. It happens, but it is much more frequent that people are drawn to the Church because of relationships. With the gift of love we will share the LOVE of God to all those we come into contact with and they will be drawn to have what we have, to love who we love, to be like we are… It will be out of love—a real gift of love that everything else flows.

I am also a convert to the Catholic Church through the spirit of Vatican II. I know there are real things that cannot be changed, and yet so much that can and 40 years is a very short time in the Church for us to understand the real meaning and full beauty of all those wonderful documents have to offer us. I will end with a favorite quote from VII as I feel it sums up what the Council was trying to say to the Laity:
Gaudium et Spes n24
Man, who is the only creature on earth which God willed for itself, cannot fully find himself except through a sincere gift of himself.


Daniel Vinzant
214-566-2298

Thursday, April 03, 2008


Fleta Mae GopffarthFebruary 10, 1923 - March 31, 2008

This is not a name you will recognize or perhaps would have ever remembered if you were not a friend of mine to be reading this now.
Tomorrow, Friday, April 4th, 2008 I will drive my older sister to Houston and back so we can pay respects and honor the older sister of my Daddy. She was 85 and had been in a Nursing home watched over daily by her loving husband of 62 years. In all my knowing memory I have know her to be the most devoted of daughters, loving of sisters, faithful and congenial of wives, giving of mothers, generous of Aunts, and hope-filled believers I have ever known. She may have been the shortest woman I have ever known in stature, but she cast a giant shadow with the good works and kindness that followed her life. My tribute letter follows the obituary below:
Fleta Mae Gopffarth passed March 31, 2008, after a short illness.Born February 10, 1923 in Groesback, TX to Lottie and Burl Vinzant she loved and cherished her two sisters, Annie Loraine and Janey, and her three brothers Burl C., Lewis, and John Earl. In 1939, she became a Christian and was baptized.In 1940, she graduated from High School in Groesback, TX. Her father allowed her to have a piece of land for a cotton crop, where later that year she made a bale of cotton. After leaving home, she went to work in a defense plant. Here, she started with a broom and moved to screwing fuses into bombs. Shortly after, she took the job of driving a jeep pulling trailers full of TNT. As WW II ended, she went to work at a train station in Lolita, TX. In Lolita, she met her husband Albert R. Gopffarth and was married September 14, 1946.Albert and Fleta had two beautiful children Martha Kay (1948 – 1987) and Albert Brent (1951 – 1972). Martha married Kenneth Ray Martin of Baytown and had four boys: Jonathan David, Jeremy Michael, Jared Andrew, and Joshua Paul. The majority of her life was lived in Baytown taking care of her husband, children, and grandchildren. She moved to Tomball in 2006.Surviving are her husband, Albert R. Gopffarth, and sisters, Loraine Sadler, of Waco; Jane Spikes, of Moody; brother, Lewis Vinzant, of Greater Houston; and four grandchildren, Jonathan Martin with wife Kimberly, of Tomball, Jeremy Martin, of Los Angeles, CA, Jared Martin with wife Sara, of Cordova, TN, and Josh Martin with wife Mandy, of Los Angeles, CA; and great grandchildren, Adisyn, Anna Kate, Andrew, Ava, and Aiden.A visitation will be held from 6:00 – 8:00 PM, Thursday, April 3 at Earthman Baytown Funeral Home. The funeral service will be held at 12:30 PM, Friday, April 4 at Earthman Baytown Funeral Home with Reverend Burl Hickerson, officiating.
My Aunt Fleta and Uncle Albert lost their son at 21 to a horrific tragedy. Fifteen years later they lost their oldest child-Martha to a severe breast cancer—2 forms, 1 in each breast where they moved in to care for her and the four small children. Then on the day of the funeral they were asked to leave and kept for several years from seeing their only grandchildren as their son-in-laws affections ran to a new interests in the nine months it took his wife to die. Grief upon grief, but they kept their eyes on Jesus, they turned their great sorrow into service for others and were examples to many such as myself. And thankfully as the grandchildren came of age, they reunited with their grandparents and they have been a comfort in their old age.
Here is what I wrote on the Guest book of the funeral home website:
Dear Uncle Albert and boys--now so grown up,
My earliest memories of you two were out on the Vinzant place walking into the house--little, red haired Aunt Fleta and tall, mustached Uncle Albert with that little fru-fru Pomeranian dog in tow...what did that stodgy ole Queen in England have that our family did not have in a royal couple :)
The stories, the warmth, the care, and the laughter you shared with all of us-the attention you gave to us as young children. Albert's willingness to help Daddy, Granddaddy, or the other uncles on various project--when I was away at school for the first time and blew up my $700-- Volkswagen Squareback and was being fined for it being a nuisance--here came Albert and Daddy to tow the thing from Brownwood to Waco...
I was 16 when horror struck your life and your grace and dignity in embracing the Cross and silently suffering-- all the while maintaining your unwavering faith in a Good God--shaped my life and future work. When lingering tragedy struck again 15 years later, as a young father and pastor--your faith and grace in suffering deeply molded me. I will never read the Gospel passage of Lazarus the same again--"Jesus loved Martha..." I have told your story far and wife to hurting parents all these many years...and will continue to as long as I share the Gospel Hope.
In 2000, when that horror of horrors--out living your own child--happened to us with Sarah Ruth, I will never forget the comfort you gave when you both came into the room amidst 100's and engulfed us in your loving embrace and let the knowing pain in the back of your eyes penetrate into our very being--you became my Mentors in taking up the Cross and bearing suffering in silent HOPE. I would not have survived from then till now without your witness-your trust-your faith-your Hope.
Uncle Albert, I have no words other than these thanks to help heal your pain of losing a constant companion of 62 years. You will be in my daily prayers and I will carry your story to many--may those fine men, their wives, and those 5 adorable reflections of your own children bring you much comfort in the days to come. And may He who does promise in That Day to wipe away all tears bring you much comfort and a little laughter as you tell your sweetest memories of days gone by. You and dear Aunt Fleta live large in our hearts, prayers, hopes, and comforting words to others in pain.
With many prayers and hope,
Daniel Vinzant, Andrew and Lewis

My dear friends,
It is so much easier to say goodbye to those who live out their lives and you have time to say your goodbyes to. And writing out these thoughts is such a healing. Thanks for being one who walks along with me through this life journey and we share in each other’s joys and sorrows. I am amazed at how many I have come to hold so close—you do my heart much good.
YBIC,
Daniel