And now some good news to those who STAND JUST for the Gospel of Life against this Culture of Death,
daniel
Planned Parenthood Temporarily Suspends Abortions in South Dakota
SIOUX FALLS, South Dakota, July 28 /Christian Newswire/ -- Dr. Allen D. Unruh submits the following and is available for comment:
On Monday, July 21, 2008, women in South Dakota showed up for their abortion appointments at 8:00 a.m. But there was a sign on the door that Planned Parenthood was closed. Monday is the day that Planned Parenthood usually schedules abortions at its Sioux Falls abortion clinic. On those Mondays, Planned Parenthood flies a doctor in from Minneapolis, Minnesota, to perform 15 to 20 abortions. On this Monday, no unborn babies died in South Dakota by an abortion. The reason Planned Parenthood suspended its abortion practice this week should be the most exciting news the Culture of Life has ever had. Monday was the first day Planned Parenthood had to comply with South Dakota's new Abortion Informed Consent Law. The Law became effective because of a decision of an en banc Court of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, on June 27, 2008, which vacated an injunction. Now Planned Parenthood must comply with the requirements of the Law.
Among other things, the new law requires the abortion doctor to advise the pregnant mother, in writing, that the abortion will "terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being." The U.S. Court of Appeals rejected Planned Parenthood's argument that the Statute violated the doctor's first amendment rights. Planned Parenthood is contending that the statement is one of "ideology." The Court held that the Statute made it clear the statement was a statement of biological fact, not one of ideology; and the evidence produced did not demonstrate it was anything other than an accurate statement of biological fact.
The new Law also requires the abortion doctor to inform the pregnant mother that the pregnant mother and the second human being have an existing relationship that enjoys protection under the Constitution of the United States, and that the procedure terminates that relationship and the rights associated with it. The Law also requires disclosure of medical risks, including the risk of depression and "increased risk of suicide ideation and suicide."
After the case was remanded back to the Federal District Court on June 27th, Planned Parenthood's lawyers attempted to convince the District Court Judge to enter a new injunction concerning the disclosures other than the "human being" disclosure. On Thursday, July 17th, the District Court refused to enter another injunction and the Law became effective on Monday, July 21st.
When someone finally came to the Planned Parenthood office this last Monday, no abortion doctors arrived with them. No abortion doctor flew into South Dakota that day. The penalties for abortionist's non-compliance could include a prison sentence, loss of medical license, and civil liability. In South Dakota, a wrongful death case can be brought for the death of an unborn child at any age of gestation. Time will tell if an abortionist will take the medical and legal risk of completing abortions in South Dakota without compliance to the 8th Circuit decision. The new rules are that they must tell the truth. The immediate beneficiaries of this new law are the women and their children. The women will be better informed, and that information, for some, will most likely result in the women keeping their children. More children will live.
But, perhaps the greatest beneficiary is our culture at large.
In the lawsuit brought by Planned Parenthood challenging the constitutionality of South Dakota's Informed Consent Law, Dr. Bernard Nathanson testified that he was one of the original founders of the National Alliance to Repeal Abortion Laws (NARAL). He is probably the last living original founder. He testified that as part of their strategy, the NARAL founders decided that they had to deny what they knew to be true -- that an abortion killed a living human being. They decided to deceive the public (and the courts) by maintaining that what was "evacuated" in an abortion was "just some tissue." Dr. Nathanson has blown NARAL's cover. The Eighth Circuit has now shown a bright light on the truth. And the truth will, in the end, set us free.
For addition information about the 8th Circuit Court decision or the Initiative to end abortion as birth control in South Dakota which is on November's ballot, go to www.voteyesforlife.com
Christian Newswire
Monday, July 28, 2008
Please review this important information and try to keep up on this important subject for all people of good will
Pray and do all to Stand Just for the Gospel of Life in the midst of this Culture of Death,
daniel
Catholic hospitals betray mission
From Wikileaks
Jump to: navigation, search
Update: Defense of Catholic hospitals betray missionFriday July 24, 2008 Researchers respond to accusations against the interpretation of the original data on sterilization. See Defense-of-Catholic-hospitals-betray-mission.pdf and Further-analysis-of-sterilization data.pdf at Sterilization and abortion practices in Texas Catholic hospitals
Catholic hospital medical research whistleblowers & Wikileaks staffMonday June 15, 2008
A new study reveals sterilization and abortion practices in Catholic hospitals. Enlarge
In a study of sterilization and abortion practices in Texas Catholic hospitals compiled from hospital discharge data for the State of Texas, whistleblowing Catholic medical researchers found that Catholic hospitals reported at least 9,684 cases of sterilizations and 39 legally induced abortions from 2000-2003. While sterilizations and abortions are legal in the United States, they are considered immoral by the Catholic Church and many Catholics.
Because the hospital systems studied are nationwide, the results are likely to be representative of current practice across the United States.
The identified hospitals and their respective healthcare systems are operated by religious orders of the Catholic Church who according to the Church's Canon Law are subject to the authority of the Church. In their activities, they must faithfully observe the mission of their founders (Can. 578) and cooperate with the local bishop. In the United States, they are expected by the local bishops to operate according to the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Healthcare (2001).
The study shows that all six US Catholic hospital systems operating in Texas do not follow these directives, or, arguably, the purpose and spirit of their founders.
The researchers collected and analyzed the Texas data to inform the public of the practices of Catholic healthcare systems and to foster public accountability for the religious sisters who run these systems in the name of Christ and the Church. The data from the study is made available on this website to all who wish to further investigate the situation.
The study includes records from Catholic hospitals in Texas that present either explicit violations of Catholic directives or might represent violations. The concern of the study has been to examine solid documentary evidence of violations and to avoid confidential information, morally ambiguous procedures, or personal cases.
The data is abstracted from the hospital inpatient discharge data reported to the Texas Health Care Information Collection Center for Health Statistics. The Texas Legislature requires the Center to collect healthcare charges, utilization data including diagnosis and procedures, and outcome data for all patients for the purposes of promoting cost-effective, quality health care.
All Texas hospitals except for very small or rural ones must submit quarterly data on all inpatient discharges. Hospitals assign unique patient and physician identifiers so that records may be submitted without violating patient and physician confidentiality. The data is compiled quarterly into public use data files that may be purchased for research or analytical purposes. The cost at $4,600 per year is out of reach of most individuals and is the reason this study only covers 2000 to 2003. Results for 2004-2008 should be similar.
An Excel file, TCH.xls (Texas Catholic Hospitals), containing abstracted patient records may be downloaded and examined by those who wish to do further investigation. The researchers organized the data and simplified its presentation to make it more accessible to those individuals not familiar with hospital discharge data. They added macros to enable the data to be viewed in various ways. The opening tab of the file explains how to use the macros. There are also links to the hospital systems, religious orders who own the hospitals, and dioceses in which the hospitals or religious orders are located. The researchers are available to assist interested parties in Texas and other states to collect and analyze similar data.
An independent review of TCH.xls with a one page data summary and an assessment of its implications for the practice of Catholic healthcare in the United States and for the necessary adaptation of the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Healthcare have also been posted. The review has been widely distributed to church leaders and the media. The review data summary, review narrative, and distribution memo may be downloaded from Wikileaks (Sterilization and abortion practices in Texas Catholic hospitals).
Methodology Used in Analyzing Texas Hospital Data
The TCH.xls file was created by a research group including a biostatistician and medical ethicist as a means to facilitate open access to public records containing data from Catholic hospitals in the state of Texas.
Only Catholic hospital inpatient data was extracted from the Texas Public Use Data File for inclusion in the analysis. The Catholic hospitals were identified from the 2006 state list of acute care hospitals in Texas, the hospitals listed in the Official Catholic Directory, and the websites of the identified health care systems and respective religious orders responsible for their operation. Only one acute care Catholic hospital located in Brenham is not included since it is not required to report because of its rural location.
For the identified Catholic hospitals, inpatient data was obtained for the years 2000 through 2003. The state records are coded according to the International Classification of Diseases guidelines (ICD-9-CM) published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A database of the codes obtained from the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics is included in the provided files. The researchers responsible for TCH.xls searched for all records which had codes indicating sterilizations, contraceptive procedures, legally induced abortions, and termination of pregnancy. A complete listing of all codes used in searching the records is also included in the data file.
Only those fields from the Texas Public Use Data File relevant to the research are included in the extracted file. Each patient record in the extracted file includes the year and quarter of the discharge, the hospital ID, the name of the hospital, the sex of the patient, the admitting ICD-9-CM diagnostic code, eight additional fields for diagnostic codes, the principle surgical procedure ICD-9-CM code, five additional fields for surgical and obstetrical procedures, and the unique patient record ID. Fields in the records regarding charges, physician identification, and other non-relevant information were excluded from the compilation. It should be noted that the hospital identification codes are unique identifiers assigned to the hospitals by the state. These numbers sometimes change although the hospital remains the same.
A brief note on the selected codes for the search may be helpful. The V25.2 diagnostic code specifically indicates that sterilization for contraceptive purposes is to be done through interruption of the fallopian tubes or the vas deferens. There are distinct diagnostic codes for illegal, legal, or unspecified induced abortions. Only legally induced abortions have been considered. Also, there are procedures such as dilation and curettage (D&C) which can be used either "following delivery or abortion" or "for termination of pregnancy" and are given separate codes to distinguish these very different purposes. Only the codes specifically "for termination of pregnancy" were used for the search. The user is advised to view all the diagnostic and procedural codes in a patient record to gain a clearer understanding of particular cases. A complete list of the codes and their descriptions are included in TCH.xls.
The data for each hospital is summarized on the Hospitals tab. Totals for each code are given. While some records may contain duplicate codes, the totals only count the record once. All the records included in each total number may be seen by double clicking on the total.
The anonymous researchers may be contacted via press@sunshinepress.org
References:
Wikileaks. (2008). Sterilization and abortion practices in Texas Catholic hospitals
Canon Law Society. (2003). "http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P1Y.HTM" Code of Canon Law . Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana.
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. (2001). "http://www.usccb.org/bishops/directives.shtml" Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Healthcare , Fourth Edition. Washington D.C.: USCCB.
Texas Department of State Health Services. (2006). Texas Health Care Information Collection Center for Health Statistics
Retrieved from "https://secure.wikileaks.org/wiki/Catholic_hospitals_betray_mission"
Categories: Analyses United States 2008 2008-07 2008-06
Pray and do all to Stand Just for the Gospel of Life in the midst of this Culture of Death,
daniel
Catholic hospitals betray mission
From Wikileaks
Jump to: navigation, search
Update: Defense of Catholic hospitals betray missionFriday July 24, 2008 Researchers respond to accusations against the interpretation of the original data on sterilization. See Defense-of-Catholic-hospitals-betray-mission.pdf and Further-analysis-of-sterilization data.pdf at Sterilization and abortion practices in Texas Catholic hospitals
Catholic hospital medical research whistleblowers & Wikileaks staffMonday June 15, 2008
A new study reveals sterilization and abortion practices in Catholic hospitals. Enlarge
In a study of sterilization and abortion practices in Texas Catholic hospitals compiled from hospital discharge data for the State of Texas, whistleblowing Catholic medical researchers found that Catholic hospitals reported at least 9,684 cases of sterilizations and 39 legally induced abortions from 2000-2003. While sterilizations and abortions are legal in the United States, they are considered immoral by the Catholic Church and many Catholics.
Because the hospital systems studied are nationwide, the results are likely to be representative of current practice across the United States.
The identified hospitals and their respective healthcare systems are operated by religious orders of the Catholic Church who according to the Church's Canon Law are subject to the authority of the Church. In their activities, they must faithfully observe the mission of their founders (Can. 578) and cooperate with the local bishop. In the United States, they are expected by the local bishops to operate according to the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Healthcare (2001).
The study shows that all six US Catholic hospital systems operating in Texas do not follow these directives, or, arguably, the purpose and spirit of their founders.
The researchers collected and analyzed the Texas data to inform the public of the practices of Catholic healthcare systems and to foster public accountability for the religious sisters who run these systems in the name of Christ and the Church. The data from the study is made available on this website to all who wish to further investigate the situation.
The study includes records from Catholic hospitals in Texas that present either explicit violations of Catholic directives or might represent violations. The concern of the study has been to examine solid documentary evidence of violations and to avoid confidential information, morally ambiguous procedures, or personal cases.
The data is abstracted from the hospital inpatient discharge data reported to the Texas Health Care Information Collection Center for Health Statistics. The Texas Legislature requires the Center to collect healthcare charges, utilization data including diagnosis and procedures, and outcome data for all patients for the purposes of promoting cost-effective, quality health care.
All Texas hospitals except for very small or rural ones must submit quarterly data on all inpatient discharges. Hospitals assign unique patient and physician identifiers so that records may be submitted without violating patient and physician confidentiality. The data is compiled quarterly into public use data files that may be purchased for research or analytical purposes. The cost at $4,600 per year is out of reach of most individuals and is the reason this study only covers 2000 to 2003. Results for 2004-2008 should be similar.
An Excel file, TCH.xls (Texas Catholic Hospitals), containing abstracted patient records may be downloaded and examined by those who wish to do further investigation. The researchers organized the data and simplified its presentation to make it more accessible to those individuals not familiar with hospital discharge data. They added macros to enable the data to be viewed in various ways. The opening tab of the file explains how to use the macros. There are also links to the hospital systems, religious orders who own the hospitals, and dioceses in which the hospitals or religious orders are located. The researchers are available to assist interested parties in Texas and other states to collect and analyze similar data.
An independent review of TCH.xls with a one page data summary and an assessment of its implications for the practice of Catholic healthcare in the United States and for the necessary adaptation of the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Healthcare have also been posted. The review has been widely distributed to church leaders and the media. The review data summary, review narrative, and distribution memo may be downloaded from Wikileaks (Sterilization and abortion practices in Texas Catholic hospitals).
Methodology Used in Analyzing Texas Hospital Data
The TCH.xls file was created by a research group including a biostatistician and medical ethicist as a means to facilitate open access to public records containing data from Catholic hospitals in the state of Texas.
Only Catholic hospital inpatient data was extracted from the Texas Public Use Data File for inclusion in the analysis. The Catholic hospitals were identified from the 2006 state list of acute care hospitals in Texas, the hospitals listed in the Official Catholic Directory, and the websites of the identified health care systems and respective religious orders responsible for their operation. Only one acute care Catholic hospital located in Brenham is not included since it is not required to report because of its rural location.
For the identified Catholic hospitals, inpatient data was obtained for the years 2000 through 2003. The state records are coded according to the International Classification of Diseases guidelines (ICD-9-CM) published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A database of the codes obtained from the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics is included in the provided files. The researchers responsible for TCH.xls searched for all records which had codes indicating sterilizations, contraceptive procedures, legally induced abortions, and termination of pregnancy. A complete listing of all codes used in searching the records is also included in the data file.
Only those fields from the Texas Public Use Data File relevant to the research are included in the extracted file. Each patient record in the extracted file includes the year and quarter of the discharge, the hospital ID, the name of the hospital, the sex of the patient, the admitting ICD-9-CM diagnostic code, eight additional fields for diagnostic codes, the principle surgical procedure ICD-9-CM code, five additional fields for surgical and obstetrical procedures, and the unique patient record ID. Fields in the records regarding charges, physician identification, and other non-relevant information were excluded from the compilation. It should be noted that the hospital identification codes are unique identifiers assigned to the hospitals by the state. These numbers sometimes change although the hospital remains the same.
A brief note on the selected codes for the search may be helpful. The V25.2 diagnostic code specifically indicates that sterilization for contraceptive purposes is to be done through interruption of the fallopian tubes or the vas deferens. There are distinct diagnostic codes for illegal, legal, or unspecified induced abortions. Only legally induced abortions have been considered. Also, there are procedures such as dilation and curettage (D&C) which can be used either "following delivery or abortion" or "for termination of pregnancy" and are given separate codes to distinguish these very different purposes. Only the codes specifically "for termination of pregnancy" were used for the search. The user is advised to view all the diagnostic and procedural codes in a patient record to gain a clearer understanding of particular cases. A complete list of the codes and their descriptions are included in TCH.xls.
The data for each hospital is summarized on the Hospitals tab. Totals for each code are given. While some records may contain duplicate codes, the totals only count the record once. All the records included in each total number may be seen by double clicking on the total.
The anonymous researchers may be contacted via press@sunshinepress.org
References:
Wikileaks. (2008). Sterilization and abortion practices in Texas Catholic hospitals
Canon Law Society. (2003). "http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P1Y.HTM" Code of Canon Law . Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana.
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. (2001). "http://www.usccb.org/bishops/directives.shtml" Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Healthcare , Fourth Edition. Washington D.C.: USCCB.
Texas Department of State Health Services. (2006). Texas Health Care Information Collection Center for Health Statistics
Retrieved from "https://secure.wikileaks.org/wiki/Catholic_hospitals_betray_mission"
Categories: Analyses United States 2008 2008-07 2008-06
Friday, July 18, 2008
Howdy,
This is so funny not only because it is part of the
Apollo history that I actually thought I knew pretty well :)
But, doubly funny as Jan, my wife--sent it to me today. hehehe indeed. LOL
Today my brother Bryan would be 50--please pray for him.
Tomorrow my brother, sister, and I are going to a joint Class of 70's High School reunion and dance---
Alicia 1970
Mike 1972
Daniel--aka Danny, but never Dan--1974
Bryan 1976
I am not a fan of these things, but want to spend the day with my brother and sister and remember Bryan--we all had many of the same teachers in a relatively small school where everyone knew everyone----and so many families had several kids in each class like us, so it should be an interesting mix---in Waco, my Shechem.
thank God for the bits of humor He gives to get us going on certain days eh
thanks for laughing and crying with me--most of all for praying with and for me and my family
love,
daniel
July 20, 1969, as commander of the Apollo 11 lunar module, NeilArmstrong was the first person to set foot on the moon.His first words after stepping on the moon, 'that's one small step forman, one giant leap for mankind,' were televised to earth and heard bymillions.But just before he reentered the lander, he made theenigmatic remark 'good luck, Mr. Gorky.'Many people at NASA thought it was a casual remark concerning somerival sovietcosmonaut.However, upon checking, there was no Gorky in eitherthe Russian or American space programs.Over the years many people questioned Armstrong as to what the 'goodluck,Mr. Gorky'...statement meant, but Armstrong always just smiled.On July 5,1995, in Tampa Bay,Florida, while answering questions following aspeech, a reporter brought up the 26-year-old question to Armstrong.This time he finally responded.Mr. Gorky had died, so NeilArmstrong felt he could answer the question.In 1938 when he was a kid in a small mid-west town, he was playingbaseball with a friend in the backyard.His friend hit the ball, which landedin his neighbor's yard by the bedroom windows.His neighbors were Mr. and Mrs. Gorky.As he leaned down to pick up the ball,young Armstrong heard Mrs. Gorky shouting at Mr. Gorky.'Sex! You want sex?! You'll get sex when the kid next door walks on themoon!'True story.
Jan
This is so funny not only because it is part of the
Apollo history that I actually thought I knew pretty well :)
But, doubly funny as Jan, my wife--sent it to me today. hehehe indeed. LOL
Today my brother Bryan would be 50--please pray for him.
Tomorrow my brother, sister, and I are going to a joint Class of 70's High School reunion and dance---
Alicia 1970
Mike 1972
Daniel--aka Danny, but never Dan--1974
Bryan 1976
I am not a fan of these things, but want to spend the day with my brother and sister and remember Bryan--we all had many of the same teachers in a relatively small school where everyone knew everyone----and so many families had several kids in each class like us, so it should be an interesting mix---in Waco, my Shechem.
thank God for the bits of humor He gives to get us going on certain days eh
thanks for laughing and crying with me--most of all for praying with and for me and my family
love,
daniel
July 20, 1969, as commander of the Apollo 11 lunar module, NeilArmstrong was the first person to set foot on the moon.His first words after stepping on the moon, 'that's one small step forman, one giant leap for mankind,' were televised to earth and heard bymillions.But just before he reentered the lander, he made theenigmatic remark 'good luck, Mr. Gorky.'Many people at NASA thought it was a casual remark concerning somerival sovietcosmonaut.However, upon checking, there was no Gorky in eitherthe Russian or American space programs.Over the years many people questioned Armstrong as to what the 'goodluck,Mr. Gorky'...statement meant, but Armstrong always just smiled.On July 5,1995, in Tampa Bay,Florida, while answering questions following aspeech, a reporter brought up the 26-year-old question to Armstrong.This time he finally responded.Mr. Gorky had died, so NeilArmstrong felt he could answer the question.In 1938 when he was a kid in a small mid-west town, he was playingbaseball with a friend in the backyard.His friend hit the ball, which landedin his neighbor's yard by the bedroom windows.His neighbors were Mr. and Mrs. Gorky.As he leaned down to pick up the ball,young Armstrong heard Mrs. Gorky shouting at Mr. Gorky.'Sex! You want sex?! You'll get sex when the kid next door walks on themoon!'True story.
Jan
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Subject: Brand new pro-life video produced in Dallas - saved one abortion so far
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soR25u3QXFo
Pro-life video. Song written and sung by a Cantor at Blessed Sacrament in Dallas. So far, this song has stopped a woman from having an abortion.
Please pass on !!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soR25u3QXFo
Pro-life video. Song written and sung by a Cantor at Blessed Sacrament in Dallas. So far, this song has stopped a woman from having an abortion.
Please pass on !!
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
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
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
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
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
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
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
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.
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
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
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
Monday, March 31, 2008
Dear Ones,
We just finished the long, marvelous, exhilarating, and exhausting weekend of putting on a Renewal retreat at St. Ann's --we finished at 4:45 PM and I sat and waited in the room we finished in until 6:00 to give a talk on my conversion story with reference to Mary and the Saints. It was such a blessing to have brothers and their families from Teams 28, 30, 40, and one new guy and his wife from 42 come out to be with me. This was my first real public telling of my Conversion story since I stopped public speaking in 2000. The support of my brothers was very wonderful and really allowed me the comfort ability to share without restraint—on both the weekend and in the public talk.
As well, the snippets of conversation stolen with Father Steven during the weekend, his marvelous two homilies, and the visual image of how Christ bends low to serve and to love us-- I will live off of these for the next two months. How wonderful that the Confessions went so well I could hold Father hostage in the small Kitchen for my own private time with him. :)
As I said in the talk and on the weekend--I owe a great debt of love to the CRHP process--my five brothers in BIC ,Sons of Enoch, Team 28 and Team 30 for accepting me and loving me –loving me when I was unlovely and disagreeable and bringing me back to some form of socialization & interaction with believers again, and Team 40 and 42 for shaping and refining that HOPE in me to open up more fully and let God's love flow more freely from me to others--you all have to be resigned to the fact that sadly my social norms and abilities will always be woefully deficient. J Thankfully, I can say I made it through all the talks in one piece--but the Mass and homilies brought me back to my many tears and I want to continue to submit to Our Good and Loving Father that HE may continue to change me into the man he wants me to be--and somehow break through this heart of stone and teach me to love freely all HE has given unto me. Pray for me.
At the bottom I am attaching my Help letter to Team 42 because in reality it is my thanks to all those who have embraced me through CRHP, the Knights of Columbus, and the many wonderful apostolates at St. Ann's parish. I never thought I would be able to plug fully into a local parish--and though my heart will always be restless until united in Eternity--this has become the closest thing to home for me in this life--and to a displaced and wandering orphan, that is a lot. Thank you.
I am also including the bio and Scripture readings we attached in the CRHP 42 binder along with the “modified worship song” from my youth that speaks of my loss, wander-lust and rekindled Fire of God’s love. Amazing how the great moral theologians of our times: Tina Turner—“What’s LOVE got to do with it?” and Chicago…can first sing the TRUTH to us. :)
When the boys and I were counseled to come and start over in Dallas in 2000, I was told--"The Catholic community in Dallas is one of the strongest places of community and networking--they are who you need to be with." You few solid friends who held my heart together with your HOPE bead for us back in 2000-- the CPLC, The White Rose, TOPP and the pro-life activists—you were the guiding star to get us here and keep us here, and you will always be in my daily prayers and Holy Hours. If I still reject more social engagements then I accept know my heart is always glad to be asked to be with you and yours, and you are all very dear to me always.
I suppose it is the emotions released through the weekend, the public talk and the fresh sadness I am about to share—but I wanted to let each of you know how very special you are to me. I have a long way to go before I will be the man God really wants me to be, and I have a lifetime of regrets to serve out my purgative penance for. But, as the raw emotions of my recent loss with Bryan remind me—I do not want to keep missing the opportunities to be a very real living expression of the FACE of LOVE. I want to give freely the LOVE God has so richly given to me. Please know you are in my heart and forgive me for the many times I fail to personally give to you what HE has given to me. Surely, “the Nearness of God has been my Good, HE is the Strength of my heart…I believe that I shall see the Goodness of the Lord in the land of the Living while I yet live.”
Now I ask you to pray for my dear mentor in the faith and ministry—during the weekend I found out he is on life-support and not expected to live. I am not ready to say goodbye to yet one more good friend and yet I find I am already enlisting his prayers in his final hours of suffering:
Jack Locker—my Pastor since I was 17—a spiritual father who made up all that was lacking in my life and helped me embrace a life of grace and joy in believing. He was the first to teach me of Polycarp, the Martyrs of the Catacombs, Brother Lawrence, Fenelon, John of the Cross, Theresa of Jesus, the Early Church Fathers-he gave me my 37 volume set to read and love. Of Augustine, The Confessions, and Thomas à Kempis…I learned as our Renewal weekend was starting that he had a massive stroke and has been on life support while his daughter traveled to get here today and his body is expected to fail this week. I buried his beloved wife Edna and we have remained close and I am missing him already, and yet praying for his helps and mantel to remain with me.
Thank you all dear friends—old and new—for standing with me through so many of life’s recent difficulties. My heart is still tender with the new regrets of the loss of Bryan and your comments, prayers and most importantly masses offered for Bryan have been the greatest source of comfort—that you give your HOPE bead for the whole Vinzant family—those in the Arms of God and those still struggling heavenward here two steps forward and one step backwards—that we remain, all of us on the PATH.
With a full heart, a thankful heart,
Daniel
“To live without FAITH, without a heritage to defend, without battling constantly for truth, is not to live, but to ‘get along’ we must never just ‘get along.’ “
Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassali
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.
Bio, song and help letter follow below
New Life in Christ Witness – Spiritual Director
Daniel Vinzant
Family: Andrew – 24, Lewis – 22
In the Arms of God: Emily Katherine (Baby), Sarah Ruth, 21 (October 2000)
Jan Vinzant lives alone in Waco, Texas.
Occupation: Director of Sales for SimCrest, Inc.—a Microsoft Gold Partner selling and implementing Dynamics NAV (ERP software solutions).
Hobbies: Anything my sons involve me in; Church or any conversation about Church; family dinners and intimate Dinner parties; movies with my sons; reading; cooking and new restaurants.
Background: I was born in Waco , Texas – the third of four children, to very godly, activist parents. I attended Howard Payne where I met my wife, Jan. I graduated from Baylor with a BA. I attended Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary in 1980. I graduated from The University of Dallas with a Master of Theology in May of 99’.
Our Family was brought into full-communion with the Catholic Church in Waco, TX on Assumption, August 15, 1998 and helped celebrate Norma McCovey’s (Jane Roe) Confirmation on August 17, 1998 at St. Thomas in Dallas.
My sons and I came to Dallas in May of 2000 and they attended The Highlands School. Jan remained in Waco , having been moved out of the family home in August 1999 by her Baptist pastor/father. Sarah Ruth died in a car wreck on October 14, 2000. We started attending St. Ann ’s in December of 2000. I joined a small BIC group in October of 2002 and these 5 men were the only people I knew at St. Ann’s until my CRHP weekend April, 2005.
I began being invited to CRHP by my realtor, Bruce Umstead in 2001 and said no to the weekend twice and signed up and then dropped out twice, before making the 2005 weekend.
Biggest change in my life since CRHP weekend: I have HOPE again – Our Lord broke my heart during the weekend and made me realize my hope was almost gone. I am beginning to come back to HIM in the Church and see my place in discipleship and fellowship though the new relationships with my brothers in CRHP.
Scripture Readings for New Life in Christ Witness
Luke 2: 52
And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and if favor with God and man.
2 Timothy 3: 16
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
1 Timothy 3: 14-16
I am writing these instructions to you so that, if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth. Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of our religion: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
Mark 4: 39
On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them, just as he was, in the boat….And a great storm or wind arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But, he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care if we perish?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
Isaiah 43: 1-2
But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through the fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior….I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.
1 Peter 4: 7-8
The end of all things is at hand; therefore keep sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. Above all hold unfailing your love—keep fervent in love-- for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins. Practice hospitality ungrudgingly to one another-- without complaint.
Song for New Life in Christ Witness
“I Don’t Want to Live Without Your Love” ChicagoThought it wouldnt matterIf we didnt stay together,And if it was over,Maybe it was for the better.I was thinking Id be alright,til I thought it all through.Now I know that I aint really livingIf I have to live without you.I dont wanna live without your love,I dont wanna face the night alone.I could never make it through my lifeIf I had to make it on my own.I dont wanna love nobody else,I dont wanna find somebody new.I dont wanna live without your love,I just wanna live my life with you.Guess I had to go away,So much I had to go through.Guess I had to lose YOUTo realize how much I love YOU.Can we make the fire burn again,Burn a little stronger? cause Ive been alone, and,I can’t be alone now any longer.I dont wanna live without YOUR love,I dont wanna face the night alone.I could never make it through my lifeIf I had to make it on my own.I dont wanna love nobody else,I dont wanna find somebody new.I dont wanna live without YOUR love,I just wanna live my life with YOU.Oh, if I had to make it on my own,My life would never be the same,My love would never be the same.I dont wanna live without YOUR love.
Dear Brothers in Christ,
By now you have come to the point in your weekend where hopefully you are coming to terms with why you were called by God to be here as a member of the CRHP 42 weekend at St. Ann’s. Perhaps you were like me and someone in your life has nagged you for so long to make a weekend that you finally broke down and just said yes. Perhaps you have been trying to make one of these weekends for a long time. It does not matter—what matters is that you did say yes and now you are here—and in some way you are hearing God’s voice speak to you. A wise friend who tried to get me to attend the weekend for 3 years said, “Daniel it does not matter where you are in your spiritual journey—if you open your heart to the Holy Spirit, there is something for each person to experience—it is not the same for every man, but there is something here for everyone who opens their hearts.
I am sure you are not like me—I had gone through three boxes of Kleenex by this point of the weekend. Father Steven still refers to CRHP 30 as the “Crying Team". :) You have heard a small, very real part of my testimony by this point—remember our confidentiality clause. :) Tonight at 6:00, for the first time, I am telling my story to a larger audience at St Ann’. The fact that I am speaking again at all is my testament to the CRHP experience. Hopefully you are not as wounded as me. But, if you missed it in my quick talk—hear it here. I found myself at a place where I thought I should be alone and that I did not deserve to be loved by others. These men of CRHP wrapped their arms around me and helped me once again run to Jesus, “Draw me and we will run together unto You, O Lord.” They have shown me love, support, and given me the confidence to take up the gifts and calling of God fresh, anew, and to share what HE has given unto me. I owe CRHP a great debt of love.
If you will give yourself to the full experience of the weekend and what comes after—I believe you too will say that God uses CRHP in your life. You have the benefit of Team 30 and Team 40-because I was not there with them, but am with you—it took them a long time to break through and show me their love and patiently wait on me to be able to return that love—I hope they all now know how much I love them—and you too I want to know that I love you-each of you, and if I can be of some help to you do not hesitate to call on me. “O, how good and pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity.”
YBIC, Daniel Vinzant
Spiritual Director Team 40
We just finished the long, marvelous, exhilarating, and exhausting weekend of putting on a Renewal retreat at St. Ann's --we finished at 4:45 PM and I sat and waited in the room we finished in until 6:00 to give a talk on my conversion story with reference to Mary and the Saints. It was such a blessing to have brothers and their families from Teams 28, 30, 40, and one new guy and his wife from 42 come out to be with me. This was my first real public telling of my Conversion story since I stopped public speaking in 2000. The support of my brothers was very wonderful and really allowed me the comfort ability to share without restraint—on both the weekend and in the public talk.
As well, the snippets of conversation stolen with Father Steven during the weekend, his marvelous two homilies, and the visual image of how Christ bends low to serve and to love us-- I will live off of these for the next two months. How wonderful that the Confessions went so well I could hold Father hostage in the small Kitchen for my own private time with him. :)
As I said in the talk and on the weekend--I owe a great debt of love to the CRHP process--my five brothers in BIC ,Sons of Enoch, Team 28 and Team 30 for accepting me and loving me –loving me when I was unlovely and disagreeable and bringing me back to some form of socialization & interaction with believers again, and Team 40 and 42 for shaping and refining that HOPE in me to open up more fully and let God's love flow more freely from me to others--you all have to be resigned to the fact that sadly my social norms and abilities will always be woefully deficient. J Thankfully, I can say I made it through all the talks in one piece--but the Mass and homilies brought me back to my many tears and I want to continue to submit to Our Good and Loving Father that HE may continue to change me into the man he wants me to be--and somehow break through this heart of stone and teach me to love freely all HE has given unto me. Pray for me.
At the bottom I am attaching my Help letter to Team 42 because in reality it is my thanks to all those who have embraced me through CRHP, the Knights of Columbus, and the many wonderful apostolates at St. Ann's parish. I never thought I would be able to plug fully into a local parish--and though my heart will always be restless until united in Eternity--this has become the closest thing to home for me in this life--and to a displaced and wandering orphan, that is a lot. Thank you.
I am also including the bio and Scripture readings we attached in the CRHP 42 binder along with the “modified worship song” from my youth that speaks of my loss, wander-lust and rekindled Fire of God’s love. Amazing how the great moral theologians of our times: Tina Turner—“What’s LOVE got to do with it?” and Chicago…can first sing the TRUTH to us. :)
When the boys and I were counseled to come and start over in Dallas in 2000, I was told--"The Catholic community in Dallas is one of the strongest places of community and networking--they are who you need to be with." You few solid friends who held my heart together with your HOPE bead for us back in 2000-- the CPLC, The White Rose, TOPP and the pro-life activists—you were the guiding star to get us here and keep us here, and you will always be in my daily prayers and Holy Hours. If I still reject more social engagements then I accept know my heart is always glad to be asked to be with you and yours, and you are all very dear to me always.
I suppose it is the emotions released through the weekend, the public talk and the fresh sadness I am about to share—but I wanted to let each of you know how very special you are to me. I have a long way to go before I will be the man God really wants me to be, and I have a lifetime of regrets to serve out my purgative penance for. But, as the raw emotions of my recent loss with Bryan remind me—I do not want to keep missing the opportunities to be a very real living expression of the FACE of LOVE. I want to give freely the LOVE God has so richly given to me. Please know you are in my heart and forgive me for the many times I fail to personally give to you what HE has given to me. Surely, “the Nearness of God has been my Good, HE is the Strength of my heart…I believe that I shall see the Goodness of the Lord in the land of the Living while I yet live.”
Now I ask you to pray for my dear mentor in the faith and ministry—during the weekend I found out he is on life-support and not expected to live. I am not ready to say goodbye to yet one more good friend and yet I find I am already enlisting his prayers in his final hours of suffering:
Jack Locker—my Pastor since I was 17—a spiritual father who made up all that was lacking in my life and helped me embrace a life of grace and joy in believing. He was the first to teach me of Polycarp, the Martyrs of the Catacombs, Brother Lawrence, Fenelon, John of the Cross, Theresa of Jesus, the Early Church Fathers-he gave me my 37 volume set to read and love. Of Augustine, The Confessions, and Thomas à Kempis…I learned as our Renewal weekend was starting that he had a massive stroke and has been on life support while his daughter traveled to get here today and his body is expected to fail this week. I buried his beloved wife Edna and we have remained close and I am missing him already, and yet praying for his helps and mantel to remain with me.
Thank you all dear friends—old and new—for standing with me through so many of life’s recent difficulties. My heart is still tender with the new regrets of the loss of Bryan and your comments, prayers and most importantly masses offered for Bryan have been the greatest source of comfort—that you give your HOPE bead for the whole Vinzant family—those in the Arms of God and those still struggling heavenward here two steps forward and one step backwards—that we remain, all of us on the PATH.
With a full heart, a thankful heart,
Daniel
“To live without FAITH, without a heritage to defend, without battling constantly for truth, is not to live, but to ‘get along’ we must never just ‘get along.’ “
Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassali
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.
Bio, song and help letter follow below
New Life in Christ Witness – Spiritual Director
Daniel Vinzant
Family: Andrew – 24, Lewis – 22
In the Arms of God: Emily Katherine (Baby), Sarah Ruth, 21 (October 2000)
Jan Vinzant lives alone in Waco, Texas.
Occupation: Director of Sales for SimCrest, Inc.—a Microsoft Gold Partner selling and implementing Dynamics NAV (ERP software solutions).
Hobbies: Anything my sons involve me in; Church or any conversation about Church; family dinners and intimate Dinner parties; movies with my sons; reading; cooking and new restaurants.
Background: I was born in Waco , Texas – the third of four children, to very godly, activist parents. I attended Howard Payne where I met my wife, Jan. I graduated from Baylor with a BA. I attended Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary in 1980. I graduated from The University of Dallas with a Master of Theology in May of 99’.
Our Family was brought into full-communion with the Catholic Church in Waco, TX on Assumption, August 15, 1998 and helped celebrate Norma McCovey’s (Jane Roe) Confirmation on August 17, 1998 at St. Thomas in Dallas.
My sons and I came to Dallas in May of 2000 and they attended The Highlands School. Jan remained in Waco , having been moved out of the family home in August 1999 by her Baptist pastor/father. Sarah Ruth died in a car wreck on October 14, 2000. We started attending St. Ann ’s in December of 2000. I joined a small BIC group in October of 2002 and these 5 men were the only people I knew at St. Ann’s until my CRHP weekend April, 2005.
I began being invited to CRHP by my realtor, Bruce Umstead in 2001 and said no to the weekend twice and signed up and then dropped out twice, before making the 2005 weekend.
Biggest change in my life since CRHP weekend: I have HOPE again – Our Lord broke my heart during the weekend and made me realize my hope was almost gone. I am beginning to come back to HIM in the Church and see my place in discipleship and fellowship though the new relationships with my brothers in CRHP.
Scripture Readings for New Life in Christ Witness
Luke 2: 52
And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and if favor with God and man.
2 Timothy 3: 16
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
1 Timothy 3: 14-16
I am writing these instructions to you so that, if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth. Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of our religion: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
Mark 4: 39
On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them, just as he was, in the boat….And a great storm or wind arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But, he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care if we perish?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
Isaiah 43: 1-2
But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through the fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior….I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.
1 Peter 4: 7-8
The end of all things is at hand; therefore keep sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. Above all hold unfailing your love—keep fervent in love-- for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins. Practice hospitality ungrudgingly to one another-- without complaint.
Song for New Life in Christ Witness
“I Don’t Want to Live Without Your Love” ChicagoThought it wouldnt matterIf we didnt stay together,And if it was over,Maybe it was for the better.I was thinking Id be alright,til I thought it all through.Now I know that I aint really livingIf I have to live without you.I dont wanna live without your love,I dont wanna face the night alone.I could never make it through my lifeIf I had to make it on my own.I dont wanna love nobody else,I dont wanna find somebody new.I dont wanna live without your love,I just wanna live my life with you.Guess I had to go away,So much I had to go through.Guess I had to lose YOUTo realize how much I love YOU.Can we make the fire burn again,Burn a little stronger? cause Ive been alone, and,I can’t be alone now any longer.I dont wanna live without YOUR love,I dont wanna face the night alone.I could never make it through my lifeIf I had to make it on my own.I dont wanna love nobody else,I dont wanna find somebody new.I dont wanna live without YOUR love,I just wanna live my life with YOU.Oh, if I had to make it on my own,My life would never be the same,My love would never be the same.I dont wanna live without YOUR love.
Dear Brothers in Christ,
By now you have come to the point in your weekend where hopefully you are coming to terms with why you were called by God to be here as a member of the CRHP 42 weekend at St. Ann’s. Perhaps you were like me and someone in your life has nagged you for so long to make a weekend that you finally broke down and just said yes. Perhaps you have been trying to make one of these weekends for a long time. It does not matter—what matters is that you did say yes and now you are here—and in some way you are hearing God’s voice speak to you. A wise friend who tried to get me to attend the weekend for 3 years said, “Daniel it does not matter where you are in your spiritual journey—if you open your heart to the Holy Spirit, there is something for each person to experience—it is not the same for every man, but there is something here for everyone who opens their hearts.
I am sure you are not like me—I had gone through three boxes of Kleenex by this point of the weekend. Father Steven still refers to CRHP 30 as the “Crying Team". :) You have heard a small, very real part of my testimony by this point—remember our confidentiality clause. :) Tonight at 6:00, for the first time, I am telling my story to a larger audience at St Ann’. The fact that I am speaking again at all is my testament to the CRHP experience. Hopefully you are not as wounded as me. But, if you missed it in my quick talk—hear it here. I found myself at a place where I thought I should be alone and that I did not deserve to be loved by others. These men of CRHP wrapped their arms around me and helped me once again run to Jesus, “Draw me and we will run together unto You, O Lord.” They have shown me love, support, and given me the confidence to take up the gifts and calling of God fresh, anew, and to share what HE has given unto me. I owe CRHP a great debt of love.
If you will give yourself to the full experience of the weekend and what comes after—I believe you too will say that God uses CRHP in your life. You have the benefit of Team 30 and Team 40-because I was not there with them, but am with you—it took them a long time to break through and show me their love and patiently wait on me to be able to return that love—I hope they all now know how much I love them—and you too I want to know that I love you-each of you, and if I can be of some help to you do not hesitate to call on me. “O, how good and pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity.”
YBIC, Daniel Vinzant
Spiritual Director Team 40
Dear Ones of my Hearts—how can I not share with you the few sweet words of Christian comfort and HOPE. Thank you for the many MASS cards and if you feel lead to offer others, thank you in advance.
This is certainly not the hardest, but almost the most bitter embrace of the Cross I have experienced in this Valley of Tears. Thank you so much for continuing to pray for the entire Vinzant family on your HOPE bead when you pray your beads—my HOPE is in the NAME of the LORD Who made Heaven and earth—though the earth tremble and the mountains shake—my HOPE will be in the NAME of the LORD—when my heart was bitter within, my reason had gone and there was NO HOPE –then the Lord of MY Heart took hold of my hand—now He is the strength of my Heart—The Lord God is the Strength of my Heart. Pray for me as I spend the rest of my life not failing others and loving them more surely and steadfastly through the pain of not being able to be more for Bryan in this life—as I pray for him and to him for help for the rest of my life as I learn to give away the love of Jesus Christ in a very troubled world.
daniel
Guest Book for
Bryan Keith Vinzant
March 31, 2008
Dear Vinzant Family,I am very sorry to hear about the loss of your beloved Bryan. My deepest sympathies to Michael for the loss of his father. You and your father are in our thoughts and prayers. May God give Michael peace as you grieve the loss of your father and may God give your father eternal love and peace in heaven. Respectfully and with our Deepest Sympathies.
Stephanie & Randall Mardell (Irving, TX) Contact me
March 25, 2008
Daniel, we are very sad to hear about your brother. It is only compounded by the fact that it happened at the same place of your daughter's death. You and your family are in our prayers. May Jesus hold you tight and help you through this.
Anthony, Alicia, Valincia (The Paul Family) (Dallas, TX)
March 25, 2008
Our prayers are with you and your family, Daniel. God Bless.
Tim & Denise Taylor (CRHP 24,28) (Coppell, TX)
March 25, 2008
Our Deepest Sympathies. We have you in our thoughts and prayers. God Bless.
Michael & Jo Ann Talkington (Coppell, TX)
March 24, 2008
Please accept my deepest sympathies and condolences. Bryan was and is one of my dearest friends. We mutually enjoyed each other's company and friendship very much! I will miss him and his presence greatly. It was a wonderful comfort to know he was only a phone call away. He looked out for those he loved with vigor and respect without desire for gratitude. May his soul rest in eternal peace...Chuck McDonald
Charles W. McDonald (Waco, TX) Contact me
March 24, 2008
Daniel and Boys,Lisa, the girls, and I are so sorry for your losses and we will keep all of you Vinzants in our prayers. Daniel, my dear friend, I do not understand why you are given all these challenges nor how you manage with such dignity and grace. We feel so blessed to be your friend. God Bless.
Bill Stuart (Coppell, TX) Contact me
March 24, 2008
The thoughts and prayers of the Ryan family are with you in this difficult time.
Denis Ryan (Flower Mound, TX) Contact me
March 24, 2008
Alicia, Mike & Danny,I was saddened to hear about Brian. I will be thinking of you all in your time of sorrow.
Tom Lee (Coldwater)
March 24, 2008
Our prayers go out to the entire Vinzant family and all those who knew Bryan.
Dauty and Lucie F (Irving, TX)
March 24, 2008
Daniel,Our condolences on the loss of your brother. Our prayers are with you and your family during this time of mourning. May God's presence permeate your being and flow through you to all those whom you encounter granting them peace. We were so very blessed to have shared Holy Mass with you on Holy Thursday. Your soulful singing and depth of love for our Lord was strongly evident. May this love carry you over the troubled waters into a place of peace and comfort. We thank you for your incredible witness, and will pray for the repose of your brother's soul.In His Love and Mercy,
Eddy and Denise Koch (Flower Mound, TX) Contact me
March 24, 2008
We're going to miss you, Bryan.
Jen Russell (Waco, TX)
March 24, 2008
Alicia, Mike and Danny:Mama (your Aunt Odessa) just told me yesterday about Bryan. I can't tell you how much my heart goes out to you at this time. It's really difficult to lose a sibling - I know when Andy died we felt we couldn't go on. But God, in His mercy, sent peace and understand as He will for y'all as well. I've thought of you so often over the years and will keep you in my prayers. My love to all of you.
Teresa Lee Miller (Ontario, CA)
March 24, 2008
Vinzant Family,Please take comfort in knowing that your extended family is with you during this sorrowful time. May the Lord cradle you in his loving arms.
Bob Kleam (Lake Dallas, TX)
March 24, 2008
May the peace of Christ, which is beyond all understanding, be with your family as they grieve the loss. And may you be graciously be welcomed by Our Lord for your heavenly inheritance.
Greg Novitsky (Flower Mound, TX)
March 24, 2008
Brother Daniel,My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. I will pray for the repose of your brother's soul.Your Brother In Christ,Robert Romero
Robert Romero (Irving, TX) Contact me
March 24, 2008
Dear Daniel & Family:My thoughts and prayers are with you during this time of great loss.
tim moore (Carrollton, TX) Contact me
March 24, 2008
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends.
Darald Nathan (Lewisville, TX) Contact me
March 24, 2008
Daniel and Family,Our deepest sympathies and prayers are with you and Bryan. May God bless and watch over all of you now and always.
Michael, Julie & Ian Maley (Coppell)
March 24, 2008
We are so sorry for your loss! Our prayers and thoughts are with you during this time.
Robert Keith and Mandy Spikes (Eddy, TX) Contact me
March 24, 2008
Mike and Family - We are so very sorry for your loss. We pray that you will be comforted during this difficult time. "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows." - 2Cor1:3-5
Randy Simonds and Family
March 24, 2008
Mike, Alicia and Danny,I was so sorry to hear about Bryan from momma. I know that y'all will be glad to see her today, and I sure wish I could be there for you as well. Know that you are always in my thoughts and prayers.
Cecila King (Ackerman, MS) Contact me
March 24, 2008
Our prayers are with you and your family during this difficult time. If there’s anything Vicki and I can do to assist, please let me know.Thanks,Bob and Vicki Fox
Bob Fox (Fort Worth, TX)
March 24, 2008
Daniel,The greatest gift God gives, besides his Son, is free will -- but, it's double edge works in ways we do not emotionally understand. I am so sorry for your loss and pray Jesus, whom you love and serve so incredibly well, wraps your family in his arms and comforts you.
Jeff Vaughan (Dallas, TX)
March 24, 2008
Our prayers are with all of the Vinzant family. May God have mercy on Bryan and all of us.
Bill & Beverly Deville (Carrollton, TX) Contact me
March 23, 2008
You will be missed but you know that I will contune to watch out for you son. My door has alway been open to you and Mike and they will always stay open. My heart go out to you family I know the pain they are going though. You were here when I lost my wife a year ago. I will be here for your family Your lost hurts but I know that you are walking with God now.
Lawrence (POPS) Akard (Bellmead, TX) Contact me
March 23, 2008
Uncle Burl and Aunt Sandy,You and your family are in my prayers
Tammy Rodgers (Marlin, TX) Contact me
March 23, 2008
Mike and Family,My deepest sympathies for your loss - it's never easy to lose a loved one, but when they leave us so unexpectedly it seems even more difficult. God bless and comfort your family in this time of sorrow.
Aileen Barr (Coppell, TX) Contact me
March 23, 2008
he will always be missed in our hearts. and we will keep him and his family in our thoughts and prayers. i hope all gets better for his family and friends.
thomas and anna davenport (bellmead, TX) Contact me
March 23, 2008
we will all miss the knocks at the doors and the frequent scares he had for us.he will be missed and thought of always
mary & jody bond (bellmead, TX) Contact me
March 23, 2008
I am sorry to hear about your loss my thoughts and prayers are with you in your time of sorrow.
brenda Walker (Waco, TX) Contact me
March 23, 2008
My thoughts and prayers are with you in your time of grief. May your memories bring you comfort.
Charlene Ricketts (san marcos, TX) Contact me
March 23, 2008
Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Don and Betty Cone (Flower Mound, TX)
March 23, 2008
You are all in my prayers.
Mel and Ellona Rodgers (Waco, TX) Contact me
This is certainly not the hardest, but almost the most bitter embrace of the Cross I have experienced in this Valley of Tears. Thank you so much for continuing to pray for the entire Vinzant family on your HOPE bead when you pray your beads—my HOPE is in the NAME of the LORD Who made Heaven and earth—though the earth tremble and the mountains shake—my HOPE will be in the NAME of the LORD—when my heart was bitter within, my reason had gone and there was NO HOPE –then the Lord of MY Heart took hold of my hand—now He is the strength of my Heart—The Lord God is the Strength of my Heart. Pray for me as I spend the rest of my life not failing others and loving them more surely and steadfastly through the pain of not being able to be more for Bryan in this life—as I pray for him and to him for help for the rest of my life as I learn to give away the love of Jesus Christ in a very troubled world.
daniel
Guest Book for
Bryan Keith Vinzant
March 31, 2008
Dear Vinzant Family,I am very sorry to hear about the loss of your beloved Bryan. My deepest sympathies to Michael for the loss of his father. You and your father are in our thoughts and prayers. May God give Michael peace as you grieve the loss of your father and may God give your father eternal love and peace in heaven. Respectfully and with our Deepest Sympathies.
Stephanie & Randall Mardell (Irving, TX) Contact me
March 25, 2008
Daniel, we are very sad to hear about your brother. It is only compounded by the fact that it happened at the same place of your daughter's death. You and your family are in our prayers. May Jesus hold you tight and help you through this.
Anthony, Alicia, Valincia (The Paul Family) (Dallas, TX)
March 25, 2008
Our prayers are with you and your family, Daniel. God Bless.
Tim & Denise Taylor (CRHP 24,28) (Coppell, TX)
March 25, 2008
Our Deepest Sympathies. We have you in our thoughts and prayers. God Bless.
Michael & Jo Ann Talkington (Coppell, TX)
March 24, 2008
Please accept my deepest sympathies and condolences. Bryan was and is one of my dearest friends. We mutually enjoyed each other's company and friendship very much! I will miss him and his presence greatly. It was a wonderful comfort to know he was only a phone call away. He looked out for those he loved with vigor and respect without desire for gratitude. May his soul rest in eternal peace...Chuck McDonald
Charles W. McDonald (Waco, TX) Contact me
March 24, 2008
Daniel and Boys,Lisa, the girls, and I are so sorry for your losses and we will keep all of you Vinzants in our prayers. Daniel, my dear friend, I do not understand why you are given all these challenges nor how you manage with such dignity and grace. We feel so blessed to be your friend. God Bless.
Bill Stuart (Coppell, TX) Contact me
March 24, 2008
The thoughts and prayers of the Ryan family are with you in this difficult time.
Denis Ryan (Flower Mound, TX) Contact me
March 24, 2008
Alicia, Mike & Danny,I was saddened to hear about Brian. I will be thinking of you all in your time of sorrow.
Tom Lee (Coldwater)
March 24, 2008
Our prayers go out to the entire Vinzant family and all those who knew Bryan.
Dauty and Lucie F (Irving, TX)
March 24, 2008
Daniel,Our condolences on the loss of your brother. Our prayers are with you and your family during this time of mourning. May God's presence permeate your being and flow through you to all those whom you encounter granting them peace. We were so very blessed to have shared Holy Mass with you on Holy Thursday. Your soulful singing and depth of love for our Lord was strongly evident. May this love carry you over the troubled waters into a place of peace and comfort. We thank you for your incredible witness, and will pray for the repose of your brother's soul.In His Love and Mercy,
Eddy and Denise Koch (Flower Mound, TX) Contact me
March 24, 2008
We're going to miss you, Bryan.
Jen Russell (Waco, TX)
March 24, 2008
Alicia, Mike and Danny:Mama (your Aunt Odessa) just told me yesterday about Bryan. I can't tell you how much my heart goes out to you at this time. It's really difficult to lose a sibling - I know when Andy died we felt we couldn't go on. But God, in His mercy, sent peace and understand as He will for y'all as well. I've thought of you so often over the years and will keep you in my prayers. My love to all of you.
Teresa Lee Miller (Ontario, CA)
March 24, 2008
Vinzant Family,Please take comfort in knowing that your extended family is with you during this sorrowful time. May the Lord cradle you in his loving arms.
Bob Kleam (Lake Dallas, TX)
March 24, 2008
May the peace of Christ, which is beyond all understanding, be with your family as they grieve the loss. And may you be graciously be welcomed by Our Lord for your heavenly inheritance.
Greg Novitsky (Flower Mound, TX)
March 24, 2008
Brother Daniel,My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. I will pray for the repose of your brother's soul.Your Brother In Christ,Robert Romero
Robert Romero (Irving, TX) Contact me
March 24, 2008
Dear Daniel & Family:My thoughts and prayers are with you during this time of great loss.
tim moore (Carrollton, TX) Contact me
March 24, 2008
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends.
Darald Nathan (Lewisville, TX) Contact me
March 24, 2008
Daniel and Family,Our deepest sympathies and prayers are with you and Bryan. May God bless and watch over all of you now and always.
Michael, Julie & Ian Maley (Coppell)
March 24, 2008
We are so sorry for your loss! Our prayers and thoughts are with you during this time.
Robert Keith and Mandy Spikes (Eddy, TX) Contact me
March 24, 2008
Mike and Family - We are so very sorry for your loss. We pray that you will be comforted during this difficult time. "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows." - 2Cor1:3-5
Randy Simonds and Family
March 24, 2008
Mike, Alicia and Danny,I was so sorry to hear about Bryan from momma. I know that y'all will be glad to see her today, and I sure wish I could be there for you as well. Know that you are always in my thoughts and prayers.
Cecila King (Ackerman, MS) Contact me
March 24, 2008
Our prayers are with you and your family during this difficult time. If there’s anything Vicki and I can do to assist, please let me know.Thanks,Bob and Vicki Fox
Bob Fox (Fort Worth, TX)
March 24, 2008
Daniel,The greatest gift God gives, besides his Son, is free will -- but, it's double edge works in ways we do not emotionally understand. I am so sorry for your loss and pray Jesus, whom you love and serve so incredibly well, wraps your family in his arms and comforts you.
Jeff Vaughan (Dallas, TX)
March 24, 2008
Our prayers are with all of the Vinzant family. May God have mercy on Bryan and all of us.
Bill & Beverly Deville (Carrollton, TX) Contact me
March 23, 2008
You will be missed but you know that I will contune to watch out for you son. My door has alway been open to you and Mike and they will always stay open. My heart go out to you family I know the pain they are going though. You were here when I lost my wife a year ago. I will be here for your family Your lost hurts but I know that you are walking with God now.
Lawrence (POPS) Akard (Bellmead, TX) Contact me
March 23, 2008
Uncle Burl and Aunt Sandy,You and your family are in my prayers
Tammy Rodgers (Marlin, TX) Contact me
March 23, 2008
Mike and Family,My deepest sympathies for your loss - it's never easy to lose a loved one, but when they leave us so unexpectedly it seems even more difficult. God bless and comfort your family in this time of sorrow.
Aileen Barr (Coppell, TX) Contact me
March 23, 2008
he will always be missed in our hearts. and we will keep him and his family in our thoughts and prayers. i hope all gets better for his family and friends.
thomas and anna davenport (bellmead, TX) Contact me
March 23, 2008
we will all miss the knocks at the doors and the frequent scares he had for us.he will be missed and thought of always
mary & jody bond (bellmead, TX) Contact me
March 23, 2008
I am sorry to hear about your loss my thoughts and prayers are with you in your time of sorrow.
brenda Walker (Waco, TX) Contact me
March 23, 2008
My thoughts and prayers are with you in your time of grief. May your memories bring you comfort.
Charlene Ricketts (san marcos, TX) Contact me
March 23, 2008
Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Don and Betty Cone (Flower Mound, TX)
March 23, 2008
You are all in my prayers.
Mel and Ellona Rodgers (Waco, TX) Contact me
Monday, March 24, 2008
Hi Wayne,
I am wondering if you are ready to share OLS with us for a bit? We are having a rough patch and it would be nice to have her comfort.
If you could pass on my sadness to Team 30. My younger brother--with whom I have had a bit of troubled relationship was struck and killed by a hit and run driver on Thursday night. We did not know until Friday evening when people stared calling because they released his name on the TV without contacting any next of kin---our name is so uncommon and we are all related had they called any Vinzant in Waco we could have told them....
And to compound the horror--which I have not yet gotten my head around yet. He died exactly the next on- ramp from where my precious daughter Sarah Ruth died in 2000--SR and Bryan both between mile marker 317 and 316 on the North bound side of I 35 at Bruceville Eddy before you get to Waco. We do not know why he was there, where his truck is, what had happened to him that night prior to his being hit--he was throw 150 feet and left for dead, alone...
The funeral is tomorrow in Waco at the Pecan Grove Funeral Home--it is a Baptist funeral and the preacher intends to "reach the unsaved" that might be there...I have already endured a very uncomfortable one hour tirade from a grieving relative on the evils of the Catholic church in the Third World where it is full of witchcraft and idolatry and the evils of the Pope for not dealing with it because we make money off them....I refuse to make the day of burring my brother about religion, or a Baptist pastors attempt to save the lost including the family who turned to the Catholics...Pray for us all, but more than all pray for Bryan Vinzant, 50. Pray for my sons--they experience the pain of confusion of the amount of sadness and unpredictability in the world...They have been so good to me and are trying to protect me--they did not want me to find out where he died...
We do live in a Valley of Tears but this Easter season reminds of fresh and a new of the Hope of new life...Our Lady, Mother of Sorrows is a great comfort. The Eastern Church has a beautiful song we sang on Holy Thursday preparing for Good Friday----"Wahabeebee, Wahabeebee"--"Oh my son, Oh my beloved" It is a mournful song sung by Mary to her dying son...it has been a source of comfort to me.
Team 40, I will not make the last Monday meeting and will talk to Jeff Tuesday. I will be available Thursday to go to Confession and the weekend Friday, but after missing Monday and Tuesday of work, will probably need to work Friday....we will catch up after Monday--i was going to let Wayne and Jeff forward this, but once I started typing I got through this so will bcc a lot of you to get this partial message out and will catch up with many of you after the weekend.
The word of this sadness has trickled to many already and the prayers and promises of masses have been a great source of comfort. Jan has been here the whole weekend and is doing the music tomorrow and has been a great comfort. We are burying Bryan very near Sarah Ruth in our family plot.
Please pray for grace to endure the misunderstood--this is another tragedy in/near Waco and unfortunately there are actually those there of such fundamental faith who believe all these things happen because I became Catholic...that the "cup of God's wrath" is a deserved punishment for "turning from truth"...
I more than ever believe that the best evidence of God is that only God can bring Good out of Evil. I cannot imagine such a death, but do look forward to seeing the glimmers of God in the midst of this Sorrow and Tears. God is God and though He slay me, I will trust in God...My family was very blessed to be taken out of the sorrow for 5 hours by Doug and his family hosting us with an extended lunch with Fr. Mitch Pacwa who ministered such incredible comfort to not only me, but especially my sons and Jan. All three have mentioned him and how much they loved being with him Saturday and again for Easter Mass today. He offered Mass today for Bryan too which was such a comfort.
When I saw my sweet, misunderstood little brother's life reduced to 5 sentences and dwell on the fact that he died alone and had been whisked to Dallas for autopsy and was back in the Waco morgue before I even knew he was dead------I thought deeply of the incredible and undeserved gift of your friendships and your love to me--who can be far more disagreeable to love than someone like him. Thank you each that I have bcc'd as you came to mind--forgive the rambling as I throw out an update or your first hearing--for your kindness to me and my family, your prayers of faith, and your HOPE bead for my family...pray for us now and at the hour of our death. Amen...
your brother in Christ,
daniel
View/Sign Guestbook
Bryan Keith Vinzant
Bryan Keith Vinzant, 50, of Bellmead, passed away Friday, March 21, 2008. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Monday, at Pecan Grove Funeral Home, 3124 Robinson Dr. in Waco ,with Mark Dallalio officiating. Burial will follow at Stanford Chapel Cemetery in Hewitt. Bryan was born July 18, 1957, in Waco, to Burl and June Vinzant. He attended Midway schools. He worked many years as a millwright for Commercial Contracting in Rockdale. He was a member of Local Carpenters and Millwright Union. He was preceded in death by his parents; and a niece, Sarah Ruth Vinzant. He is survived by a son, Michael Vinzant of Waco; sister, Alicia Bell of Waco; two brothers, Michael Vinzant and wife, Sandra of Carrollton, and Daniel Vinzant of Coppell, Texas; seven nieces and nephews. July 18, 1957 - March 21, 2008 Sign the Guest Book at http://www.wacotrib.com/
I am wondering if you are ready to share OLS with us for a bit? We are having a rough patch and it would be nice to have her comfort.
If you could pass on my sadness to Team 30. My younger brother--with whom I have had a bit of troubled relationship was struck and killed by a hit and run driver on Thursday night. We did not know until Friday evening when people stared calling because they released his name on the TV without contacting any next of kin---our name is so uncommon and we are all related had they called any Vinzant in Waco we could have told them....
And to compound the horror--which I have not yet gotten my head around yet. He died exactly the next on- ramp from where my precious daughter Sarah Ruth died in 2000--SR and Bryan both between mile marker 317 and 316 on the North bound side of I 35 at Bruceville Eddy before you get to Waco. We do not know why he was there, where his truck is, what had happened to him that night prior to his being hit--he was throw 150 feet and left for dead, alone...
The funeral is tomorrow in Waco at the Pecan Grove Funeral Home--it is a Baptist funeral and the preacher intends to "reach the unsaved" that might be there...I have already endured a very uncomfortable one hour tirade from a grieving relative on the evils of the Catholic church in the Third World where it is full of witchcraft and idolatry and the evils of the Pope for not dealing with it because we make money off them....I refuse to make the day of burring my brother about religion, or a Baptist pastors attempt to save the lost including the family who turned to the Catholics...Pray for us all, but more than all pray for Bryan Vinzant, 50. Pray for my sons--they experience the pain of confusion of the amount of sadness and unpredictability in the world...They have been so good to me and are trying to protect me--they did not want me to find out where he died...
We do live in a Valley of Tears but this Easter season reminds of fresh and a new of the Hope of new life...Our Lady, Mother of Sorrows is a great comfort. The Eastern Church has a beautiful song we sang on Holy Thursday preparing for Good Friday----"Wahabeebee, Wahabeebee"--"Oh my son, Oh my beloved" It is a mournful song sung by Mary to her dying son...it has been a source of comfort to me.
Team 40, I will not make the last Monday meeting and will talk to Jeff Tuesday. I will be available Thursday to go to Confession and the weekend Friday, but after missing Monday and Tuesday of work, will probably need to work Friday....we will catch up after Monday--i was going to let Wayne and Jeff forward this, but once I started typing I got through this so will bcc a lot of you to get this partial message out and will catch up with many of you after the weekend.
The word of this sadness has trickled to many already and the prayers and promises of masses have been a great source of comfort. Jan has been here the whole weekend and is doing the music tomorrow and has been a great comfort. We are burying Bryan very near Sarah Ruth in our family plot.
Please pray for grace to endure the misunderstood--this is another tragedy in/near Waco and unfortunately there are actually those there of such fundamental faith who believe all these things happen because I became Catholic...that the "cup of God's wrath" is a deserved punishment for "turning from truth"...
I more than ever believe that the best evidence of God is that only God can bring Good out of Evil. I cannot imagine such a death, but do look forward to seeing the glimmers of God in the midst of this Sorrow and Tears. God is God and though He slay me, I will trust in God...My family was very blessed to be taken out of the sorrow for 5 hours by Doug and his family hosting us with an extended lunch with Fr. Mitch Pacwa who ministered such incredible comfort to not only me, but especially my sons and Jan. All three have mentioned him and how much they loved being with him Saturday and again for Easter Mass today. He offered Mass today for Bryan too which was such a comfort.
When I saw my sweet, misunderstood little brother's life reduced to 5 sentences and dwell on the fact that he died alone and had been whisked to Dallas for autopsy and was back in the Waco morgue before I even knew he was dead------I thought deeply of the incredible and undeserved gift of your friendships and your love to me--who can be far more disagreeable to love than someone like him. Thank you each that I have bcc'd as you came to mind--forgive the rambling as I throw out an update or your first hearing--for your kindness to me and my family, your prayers of faith, and your HOPE bead for my family...pray for us now and at the hour of our death. Amen...
your brother in Christ,
daniel
View/Sign Guestbook
Bryan Keith Vinzant
Bryan Keith Vinzant, 50, of Bellmead, passed away Friday, March 21, 2008. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Monday, at Pecan Grove Funeral Home, 3124 Robinson Dr. in Waco ,with Mark Dallalio officiating. Burial will follow at Stanford Chapel Cemetery in Hewitt. Bryan was born July 18, 1957, in Waco, to Burl and June Vinzant. He attended Midway schools. He worked many years as a millwright for Commercial Contracting in Rockdale. He was a member of Local Carpenters and Millwright Union. He was preceded in death by his parents; and a niece, Sarah Ruth Vinzant. He is survived by a son, Michael Vinzant of Waco; sister, Alicia Bell of Waco; two brothers, Michael Vinzant and wife, Sandra of Carrollton, and Daniel Vinzant of Coppell, Texas; seven nieces and nephews. July 18, 1957 - March 21, 2008 Sign the Guest Book at http://www.wacotrib.com/
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Written in love to a hurting Mom I give Spiritual helps to as we enter Holy Week—I share with you as a small reflection for part of your Holy Week.
You have been in my heart since I first read your email--but I have needed to find some time to really respond. I was gone for one week to Orlando on business with bad connections to the Internet and then have been feeling poorly with travelers cough since returning home. But, my prayers are intact for those I carry deep in my heart and your family is always safely tucked there.
So often for us as parents it is two steps forward and one step backwards--particularly if there is more than one child in our heart. We cannot really ever chose--we have to love them all, and yet we love the lost more deeply it seems. And we so want to see them walk in success--and more than all we want to see them overcome our defects. And harder still is when we see them wallow in excess in the very slight things we took as hardly worth working on in our own lives. But, hardest is to see them cling so desperately to a world we were so easily able to reject and we cannot for the life of ourselves understand how they find the allure so appeal ling for so long. The truth is that all of this world and its passing glory is nothing more than lipstick on a pig--and as long as the piglet has the least bit allure to the shinny objects, or the reflecting objects, or the wallowing holes of emptiness--they will not long for the comfort and real warmth that HOME has to offer.
This is why there is such comfort in the Church--and in her liturgical year, her seasons, and her Traditions--she is HOME--and she ever calls us HOME--like a Mother--like THE MOTHER of us all that she always is. I have always taken great comfort in the fact that the Catholic Church alone, as in so many of Her Truths--is the Church that has never definitively pronounced that Judas is in Hell--we leave as Jesus Commands the judgment of hell to only ONE and HE alone makes those definitive judgments. More the Catholic Church in Jesuit like sensibilities continues to call out the tenuous Truth--as long as you are alive--there is Time--and yet, it is later than you think...Like the two thump heart-beat of humanity:
save the lost, strengthen the believer
there is time, it is later than you think
evangelize the world, build the Church
all may enter, narrow is the way
today if you hear His voice, harden not your heart
Come unto me, I will give you rest
and yet the bottom echo of that two heart-beat of all humanity is the resounding Choirs of HOPE in the Beatific Vision:
You Have Not Seen The End of All Things YET.
So having been comforted from the time of a small boy that Judas and his fate belongs to God Alone, I have often had the story book like dream of two women in Heaven--one comforting the other--the Mother of Jesus, the Mother of God, Mary the Mother of us All--with her arms of love holding tightly and giving comfort to the mother of Judas...I can only Imagine....such love, such forgiveness, such HOPE. If my small boy dream could be true---how much more love and compassion does the most loving Queen of Heaven have not only for us, but for those we hold up to her for aid when we are almost without hope to pray for them?
I suspect you are very much like me-- I believe the Word of God and the Doctrines of the Church-I believe in the three theological virtues and I accept that of this faith, hope, and love that the greatest is LOVE. And I find more and more, that I am lacking in the greatest of these--look forward to the Day that it alone remains and us hopefully with it-- world without end in the Beatific Vision of Heaven with the Holy Family and the Saints of God--including all those we love, hold dear, and live and breathe to get to Heaven.
For now--in what I so often in the Sighs of my heart refer to as the "until" --this in our understanding of time--undetermined, but from Eternities side all so very determined--this very real Valley of Tears...Until..."Until the Son of God be Revealed"...."Mary, kept all these things and pondered them in her heart Until"...
I take such comfort that even the FATHER says to Our Lord Jesus after HE has done so much--can you Imagine as we enter into this lovely Holy Week and we re-experience again that beautiful gift of Saving Grace--the Life, Suffering, Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and now He has established the Church and He has breathed the Breath of the Holy Spirit and He has finally gone back to the Father--gone back to Heaven and what does the Father say to Him?
Psalm 110:1 “The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.”
We think of Heaven as a wonderful and Beautiful place and of course it is more lovely than we can IMAGINE, and we think of the WORK of CHRIST as being Done on the CROSS. Did HE not say It is Finished? And yet, we have this tear in Heavenly history where we are allowed to see a vignette that happened in TIME where the Father speaks to the Son.... Sit...UNTIL...Do you not see that ALL of Heaven is busy with the one DESIRE of the FATHER and the SON--all of the Focus of HEAVEN is "us-ward to those who believe" Heaven is busy praying the will of the FATHER....Until.
Do not let Go of the Light at the end of the Road, we are stumbling Heavenward--two steps forward, and one step backward, but stumbling Heavenward...Until. My dear suffering mother of children here on earth, my friend of so long. We are in the UNTIL--and so longing as I do to get there one day with all I love--for now, Today while it is still called Today---I revel in the virtue of HOPE. Let us hold fast to our HOPE. Let us HOPE and not lose heart, pray and STAND praying and forgiving--pray like the woman in my favorite parable Jesus told on earth.
Let me remind you of my favorite parable--Luke 18: 1-8
“ And he spake a parable unto them to the end that they ought always to pray, and not to faint; saying, There was in a city a judge, who feared not God, and regarded not man: and there was a widow in that city; and she came oft unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest she wear me out by her continual coming. And the Lord said, Hear what the unrighteous judge saith. And shall not God avenge his elect that cry to him day and night and yet he is longsuffering over them? I say unto you, that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”
Amazing to me-- this is the only time that God promises to do something Speedily. My dear friend--with the Sorrows I myself have endured there is one thing for sure I have let fall to the Ground from my youth, and that is Exclamation points. I no longer believe in Exclamation points--and yet, when I read these words, I almost feel the shout of an Exclamation point in my heart. Can you imagine--Speedily!!! I often grouse to St Theresa of Avila that she was so right when she told Jesus, "Look is it any wonder how few friends you have? Just look how you treat them." And daily I complain to sweet St. Therese of the Little Flower about how Father likes to doll out to us in little bits and never all at once. My Lord and My God, help my belief--Jesus I Trust in YOU--Make me to do thy Will O, Lord---HOPE.
I pray the Psalms often. I learned this from the Early Church Fathers. In fact this is the thing from the very beginning that Christians kept from their Jewish roots--the praying of the Psalms. When I can do no other devotions, I remember to meditate on the Psalms. Here is one of my favorite in times of stress:
Psalms 73: 21-26 "When my heart was embittered And I was pierced within, Then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before You. Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. With Your counsel You will guide me, And afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
One day when we are together, if you like I will sing it to you. But, until that day--open your heart and hear the Saints of God sing it over you. I always teach that Truth and sadly Error to are both Sung First--you know so well the importance of Song and good music. Fortify yourself with good music--music that causes that HOPE to spring fresh and anew--that allows you to whisper in faith one more day...we have not Yet seen the end of all things...Until the Son of God appear...Rejoice.
I can promise you--one who has seen the darkness of faith--I can promise you--Jesus will come--Speedily!!! In this blessed Holy Week as we offer our slight wounds and sufferings to His and allow HIM to bring us fresh and anew into that new Springtime of Faith where we Stand with the whole Church and say anew, He is Risen, Alleluia, He is Risen Indeed!
You remain ever in my heart, in my prayers, and in my Holy hours--and knowing that the Vinzant family is ever remembered on your HOPE bead of your rosary is always the great source of comfort to me. Yesterday, I celebrated my 30th wedding anniversary with many of these same thoughts--such as I have I give to you. We cannot change the past. We cannot change the ones we love. But we can live lives of quite HOPE that HE who holds tomorrow holds our hands and never leaves us alone. And that He can take even the broken dreams and scattered promises of our lives and bring Good out of Evil and Shine the Light of the FACE of LOVE even into the darkest darkness. He can bring Good out of our own willful wrongness and sins and bring us into the Love of His Forgiveness.
This is HOPE –that we can believe even from our wounded past that HE has a plan of Goodness and Mercy for our future. I love this old Swedish hymn and I will leave it with you as my prayer for you and yours:
Children of the Heavenly Father
Children of the heav’nly FatherSafely in His bosom gather;
Nestling bird nor star in HeavenSuch a refuge e’er was given.
God His own doth tend and nourish;In His holy courts they flourish;From all evil things He spares them;In His mighty arms He bears them.
Neither life nor death shall everFrom the Lord His children sever;
Unto them His grace He showeth,And their sorrows all He knoweth.
Though He giveth or He taketh,God His children ne’er forsaketh;
His the loving purpose solelyTo preserve them pure and holy.
Lo, their very hairs He numbers,And no daily care encumbers
Them that share His ev’ry blessingAnd His help in woes distressing.
Praise the Lord in joyful numbers:Your Protector never slumbers.
At the will of your DefenderEv’ry foeman must surrender.
your friend,
daniel
You have been in my heart since I first read your email--but I have needed to find some time to really respond. I was gone for one week to Orlando on business with bad connections to the Internet and then have been feeling poorly with travelers cough since returning home. But, my prayers are intact for those I carry deep in my heart and your family is always safely tucked there.
So often for us as parents it is two steps forward and one step backwards--particularly if there is more than one child in our heart. We cannot really ever chose--we have to love them all, and yet we love the lost more deeply it seems. And we so want to see them walk in success--and more than all we want to see them overcome our defects. And harder still is when we see them wallow in excess in the very slight things we took as hardly worth working on in our own lives. But, hardest is to see them cling so desperately to a world we were so easily able to reject and we cannot for the life of ourselves understand how they find the allure so appeal ling for so long. The truth is that all of this world and its passing glory is nothing more than lipstick on a pig--and as long as the piglet has the least bit allure to the shinny objects, or the reflecting objects, or the wallowing holes of emptiness--they will not long for the comfort and real warmth that HOME has to offer.
This is why there is such comfort in the Church--and in her liturgical year, her seasons, and her Traditions--she is HOME--and she ever calls us HOME--like a Mother--like THE MOTHER of us all that she always is. I have always taken great comfort in the fact that the Catholic Church alone, as in so many of Her Truths--is the Church that has never definitively pronounced that Judas is in Hell--we leave as Jesus Commands the judgment of hell to only ONE and HE alone makes those definitive judgments. More the Catholic Church in Jesuit like sensibilities continues to call out the tenuous Truth--as long as you are alive--there is Time--and yet, it is later than you think...Like the two thump heart-beat of humanity:
save the lost, strengthen the believer
there is time, it is later than you think
evangelize the world, build the Church
all may enter, narrow is the way
today if you hear His voice, harden not your heart
Come unto me, I will give you rest
and yet the bottom echo of that two heart-beat of all humanity is the resounding Choirs of HOPE in the Beatific Vision:
You Have Not Seen The End of All Things YET.
So having been comforted from the time of a small boy that Judas and his fate belongs to God Alone, I have often had the story book like dream of two women in Heaven--one comforting the other--the Mother of Jesus, the Mother of God, Mary the Mother of us All--with her arms of love holding tightly and giving comfort to the mother of Judas...I can only Imagine....such love, such forgiveness, such HOPE. If my small boy dream could be true---how much more love and compassion does the most loving Queen of Heaven have not only for us, but for those we hold up to her for aid when we are almost without hope to pray for them?
I suspect you are very much like me-- I believe the Word of God and the Doctrines of the Church-I believe in the three theological virtues and I accept that of this faith, hope, and love that the greatest is LOVE. And I find more and more, that I am lacking in the greatest of these--look forward to the Day that it alone remains and us hopefully with it-- world without end in the Beatific Vision of Heaven with the Holy Family and the Saints of God--including all those we love, hold dear, and live and breathe to get to Heaven.
For now--in what I so often in the Sighs of my heart refer to as the "until" --this in our understanding of time--undetermined, but from Eternities side all so very determined--this very real Valley of Tears...Until..."Until the Son of God be Revealed"...."Mary, kept all these things and pondered them in her heart Until"...
I take such comfort that even the FATHER says to Our Lord Jesus after HE has done so much--can you Imagine as we enter into this lovely Holy Week and we re-experience again that beautiful gift of Saving Grace--the Life, Suffering, Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and now He has established the Church and He has breathed the Breath of the Holy Spirit and He has finally gone back to the Father--gone back to Heaven and what does the Father say to Him?
Psalm 110:1 “The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.”
We think of Heaven as a wonderful and Beautiful place and of course it is more lovely than we can IMAGINE, and we think of the WORK of CHRIST as being Done on the CROSS. Did HE not say It is Finished? And yet, we have this tear in Heavenly history where we are allowed to see a vignette that happened in TIME where the Father speaks to the Son.... Sit...UNTIL...Do you not see that ALL of Heaven is busy with the one DESIRE of the FATHER and the SON--all of the Focus of HEAVEN is "us-ward to those who believe" Heaven is busy praying the will of the FATHER....Until.
Do not let Go of the Light at the end of the Road, we are stumbling Heavenward--two steps forward, and one step backward, but stumbling Heavenward...Until. My dear suffering mother of children here on earth, my friend of so long. We are in the UNTIL--and so longing as I do to get there one day with all I love--for now, Today while it is still called Today---I revel in the virtue of HOPE. Let us hold fast to our HOPE. Let us HOPE and not lose heart, pray and STAND praying and forgiving--pray like the woman in my favorite parable Jesus told on earth.
Let me remind you of my favorite parable--Luke 18: 1-8
“ And he spake a parable unto them to the end that they ought always to pray, and not to faint; saying, There was in a city a judge, who feared not God, and regarded not man: and there was a widow in that city; and she came oft unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest she wear me out by her continual coming. And the Lord said, Hear what the unrighteous judge saith. And shall not God avenge his elect that cry to him day and night and yet he is longsuffering over them? I say unto you, that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”
Amazing to me-- this is the only time that God promises to do something Speedily. My dear friend--with the Sorrows I myself have endured there is one thing for sure I have let fall to the Ground from my youth, and that is Exclamation points. I no longer believe in Exclamation points--and yet, when I read these words, I almost feel the shout of an Exclamation point in my heart. Can you imagine--Speedily!!! I often grouse to St Theresa of Avila that she was so right when she told Jesus, "Look is it any wonder how few friends you have? Just look how you treat them." And daily I complain to sweet St. Therese of the Little Flower about how Father likes to doll out to us in little bits and never all at once. My Lord and My God, help my belief--Jesus I Trust in YOU--Make me to do thy Will O, Lord---HOPE.
I pray the Psalms often. I learned this from the Early Church Fathers. In fact this is the thing from the very beginning that Christians kept from their Jewish roots--the praying of the Psalms. When I can do no other devotions, I remember to meditate on the Psalms. Here is one of my favorite in times of stress:
Psalms 73: 21-26 "When my heart was embittered And I was pierced within, Then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before You. Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. With Your counsel You will guide me, And afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
One day when we are together, if you like I will sing it to you. But, until that day--open your heart and hear the Saints of God sing it over you. I always teach that Truth and sadly Error to are both Sung First--you know so well the importance of Song and good music. Fortify yourself with good music--music that causes that HOPE to spring fresh and anew--that allows you to whisper in faith one more day...we have not Yet seen the end of all things...Until the Son of God appear...Rejoice.
I can promise you--one who has seen the darkness of faith--I can promise you--Jesus will come--Speedily!!! In this blessed Holy Week as we offer our slight wounds and sufferings to His and allow HIM to bring us fresh and anew into that new Springtime of Faith where we Stand with the whole Church and say anew, He is Risen, Alleluia, He is Risen Indeed!
You remain ever in my heart, in my prayers, and in my Holy hours--and knowing that the Vinzant family is ever remembered on your HOPE bead of your rosary is always the great source of comfort to me. Yesterday, I celebrated my 30th wedding anniversary with many of these same thoughts--such as I have I give to you. We cannot change the past. We cannot change the ones we love. But we can live lives of quite HOPE that HE who holds tomorrow holds our hands and never leaves us alone. And that He can take even the broken dreams and scattered promises of our lives and bring Good out of Evil and Shine the Light of the FACE of LOVE even into the darkest darkness. He can bring Good out of our own willful wrongness and sins and bring us into the Love of His Forgiveness.
This is HOPE –that we can believe even from our wounded past that HE has a plan of Goodness and Mercy for our future. I love this old Swedish hymn and I will leave it with you as my prayer for you and yours:
Children of the Heavenly Father
Children of the heav’nly FatherSafely in His bosom gather;
Nestling bird nor star in HeavenSuch a refuge e’er was given.
God His own doth tend and nourish;In His holy courts they flourish;From all evil things He spares them;In His mighty arms He bears them.
Neither life nor death shall everFrom the Lord His children sever;
Unto them His grace He showeth,And their sorrows all He knoweth.
Though He giveth or He taketh,God His children ne’er forsaketh;
His the loving purpose solelyTo preserve them pure and holy.
Lo, their very hairs He numbers,And no daily care encumbers
Them that share His ev’ry blessingAnd His help in woes distressing.
Praise the Lord in joyful numbers:Your Protector never slumbers.
At the will of your DefenderEv’ry foeman must surrender.
your friend,
daniel
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Dear Ones,
We STAND together for TRUTH--and so many of you do not know much of my family. For all we do together, I realize I am a very private man. But, you and your friendships and love in Christ make me more and more a better man. Today, on Sarah Ruth's birthday--I wanted to share 3 of my favorite pictures with you my very dear friends and thank you for your love to me and my family and your many prayers for all of us.
I gave my Witness on New Life in Christ for the Crhp team as we prepare for the March 30-31 Renewal weekend--ever mindful of the loss and missteps of my past--ever mindful of the many things done, that can never be undone--ever mindful of the many who will forever view me in light of one single failure or defect or life-event--knowing I can not change the past or anyone's mind--I can only live a life of purgation and repentance for today, tomorrow. to be different, better, real...walking always walking--two steps forward, and one backwards--stumbling forward, stumbling- God willing-heavenward--we fall down, but we get up--walking..."draw me and let us Run together unto HIM"...
God bless you and yours,
You remain in my daily prayers and my Holy Hours,
pray for us:
daniel
Sarah Ruth--in the arms of God
Andrew-24 in Coppell
Lewis-22 in Coppell
Jan Vinzant in Waco, Texas
Many blessings to you on the day of her birth;With her smile, sunshine & gladness were given.I know the dear Father prepared her on earth for a beautiful birthday in heaven.
This is a retake of our family birthday blessing that our family friend Barbara wrote for Sarah Ruth's birthday today--she would be 29 today--and entered suddenly and too soon for me into the arms of God on October 14th, 2000 at 21 , asleep in the back seat of a car in a terrible wreck.
Please offer up your HOPE beads for the Vinzant family and pray for Sarah Ruth as I know she prays ever for us....
We STAND together for TRUTH--and so many of you do not know much of my family. For all we do together, I realize I am a very private man. But, you and your friendships and love in Christ make me more and more a better man. Today, on Sarah Ruth's birthday--I wanted to share 3 of my favorite pictures with you my very dear friends and thank you for your love to me and my family and your many prayers for all of us.
I gave my Witness on New Life in Christ for the Crhp team as we prepare for the March 30-31 Renewal weekend--ever mindful of the loss and missteps of my past--ever mindful of the many things done, that can never be undone--ever mindful of the many who will forever view me in light of one single failure or defect or life-event--knowing I can not change the past or anyone's mind--I can only live a life of purgation and repentance for today, tomorrow. to be different, better, real...walking always walking--two steps forward, and one backwards--stumbling forward, stumbling- God willing-heavenward--we fall down, but we get up--walking..."draw me and let us Run together unto HIM"...
God bless you and yours,
You remain in my daily prayers and my Holy Hours,
pray for us:
daniel
Sarah Ruth--in the arms of God
Andrew-24 in Coppell
Lewis-22 in Coppell
Jan Vinzant in Waco, Texas
Many blessings to you on the day of her birth;With her smile, sunshine & gladness were given.I know the dear Father prepared her on earth for a beautiful birthday in heaven.
This is a retake of our family birthday blessing that our family friend Barbara wrote for Sarah Ruth's birthday today--she would be 29 today--and entered suddenly and too soon for me into the arms of God on October 14th, 2000 at 21 , asleep in the back seat of a car in a terrible wreck.
Please offer up your HOPE beads for the Vinzant family and pray for Sarah Ruth as I know she prays ever for us....
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