Once Halloween comes around, it seems like the rest of the year just flies by as we prepare for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It also reminds me of my age because of the speed in which it comes and goes.
Remember when we were children and it seems liked YEARS before Christmas Eve arrived and then another century had to pass before Christmas Day was actually HERE? I miss the wonder of childhood!
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Interesting Experience . . .
A jury summons landed me at the courthouse most of the day on Tuesday. I've been called before but never for what looks to be a big case. Doesn't look like we have a judge who takes any excuse for not serving so jury selection should be interesting. Since there are indications that the prosecutor is after the death sentence, I sincerely pray I'm not on this jury because I know that I could not be part of a group that comes to a verdict of guilty and die. It would be something that would haunt me the rest of my life. I don't know how other people do it.
I always find it interesting how we are instructed that the defendant is innocent until proven guilty and the burden of guilt is on the prosecutor. Naturally, if on a jury, I would abide by that but you have to wonder how many people look at the man or woman in the defendant's position think, "Well, he/she obviously did SOMETHING to land there!" It's human nature which is what probably makes discernment even more difficult. Attorneys sure have their work cut out for themselves to get their evidence around prejudices that will want to surface in juror's minds.
The death penalty scares me! Even though a person may be on trial because they TOOK a life, I'm not sure, at all, that I could do this in turn by a guilty verdict for death. The judge instructed us to be fair but it doesn't seem fair to put the burden of coming to a penalty of death on the souls of twelve other people. Should be interesting. And I wondered where I came by my current migraine!
I always find it interesting how we are instructed that the defendant is innocent until proven guilty and the burden of guilt is on the prosecutor. Naturally, if on a jury, I would abide by that but you have to wonder how many people look at the man or woman in the defendant's position think, "Well, he/she obviously did SOMETHING to land there!" It's human nature which is what probably makes discernment even more difficult. Attorneys sure have their work cut out for themselves to get their evidence around prejudices that will want to surface in juror's minds.
The death penalty scares me! Even though a person may be on trial because they TOOK a life, I'm not sure, at all, that I could do this in turn by a guilty verdict for death. The judge instructed us to be fair but it doesn't seem fair to put the burden of coming to a penalty of death on the souls of twelve other people. Should be interesting. And I wondered where I came by my current migraine!
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Out of control . . .
I think the Catholic Church is losing control . . . to the laity! While I realize our priests need help in and outside of the Mass, the laity at our parish seem to be taking over and putting the priest in second, third, or ignore him place. They forget that the priest is the one who can consecrate the bread and wine. There would be no Mass without this. Yet, more and more, the laity is being disrespectful of the the priest and what they represent.
Our parish has a daily Novena for vocations. This is nice but there are factions in the congregation who act like our Blessed Mother will strike us down and the world will end if the priest forgets to have this said at the end of Mass. It would certainly be more appropriate for someone to mention the omission to the priest AFTER Mass than to start yelling out the Novena so the priest knows he has goofed up AGAIN! Last I heard, the priest was still in charge of the Mass.
My 'favorite' erring extraordinary minister is one without training or proper manners around the altar. Her claim to fame is that she is an ex-nun. Actually, she isn't even that as she left before completing her studies. This, however, is why she feels she can just do what SHE perceives as 'necessary' at Mass. She should now better at her advanced age. The priest should be man enough to take her aside and tell her what's what. In the meantime, the congregation gets to watch her orchestrate Mass according to her personal drummer and we are the captive and often shocked audience.
The Church might become better organized and attract more vocations and converts if the laity butted out of what they don't know and left the process of the Mass to the priest's decision. This certainly hit home today. The priest was halfway out of the sanctuary at the conclusion of the Mass when someone decided they wanted to do a hymn. Since it was not anticipated, people each grabbed their own personal musical note and went with it. A particularly self-important woman decided to raise her voice in song the PROPER way and blared it out the 'right' way rather than trying to blend in with the rest. They had hit their third verse, the priest was long back in the sacristy, and I left.
Our parish has a daily Novena for vocations. This is nice but there are factions in the congregation who act like our Blessed Mother will strike us down and the world will end if the priest forgets to have this said at the end of Mass. It would certainly be more appropriate for someone to mention the omission to the priest AFTER Mass than to start yelling out the Novena so the priest knows he has goofed up AGAIN! Last I heard, the priest was still in charge of the Mass.
My 'favorite' erring extraordinary minister is one without training or proper manners around the altar. Her claim to fame is that she is an ex-nun. Actually, she isn't even that as she left before completing her studies. This, however, is why she feels she can just do what SHE perceives as 'necessary' at Mass. She should now better at her advanced age. The priest should be man enough to take her aside and tell her what's what. In the meantime, the congregation gets to watch her orchestrate Mass according to her personal drummer and we are the captive and often shocked audience.
The Church might become better organized and attract more vocations and converts if the laity butted out of what they don't know and left the process of the Mass to the priest's decision. This certainly hit home today. The priest was halfway out of the sanctuary at the conclusion of the Mass when someone decided they wanted to do a hymn. Since it was not anticipated, people each grabbed their own personal musical note and went with it. A particularly self-important woman decided to raise her voice in song the PROPER way and blared it out the 'right' way rather than trying to blend in with the rest. They had hit their third verse, the priest was long back in the sacristy, and I left.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Amazing . . .
Those in California have probably heard the latest banter between the candidates for governor. One of them got ahead of the other in the polls, had a good debate, and, suddenly, a rabid lawyer just happens to pick up something about the candidate that is making ground. Oh, and the lawyer is also good friends with the opposition!
The premise is that one of the candidates fired her illegal alien housekeeper and the housekeeper is coming forward to discuss her mistreatment and dismissal. She claims she was only fired because her boss was running for office. The poor woman! She only made around $50,000 a year working there. She also worked there more than five years which makes one wonder exactly HOW mistreated she was.
As I watch the almost daily news casts and meet the press situations, I have to wonder at the way this is all going. The illegal alien admits to falsifying her identification and using someone else's Social Security number to get the job. Why isn't the victim of identify theft being helped? Why are they giving press to the person who stole the Social Security number being looked at in the light of being a thief?
The lawyer representing the illegal alien isn't being very lawyer-like with her response to questions. You have to wonder about a world that exalts the criminal aspects of a person's behavior.
The premise is that one of the candidates fired her illegal alien housekeeper and the housekeeper is coming forward to discuss her mistreatment and dismissal. She claims she was only fired because her boss was running for office. The poor woman! She only made around $50,000 a year working there. She also worked there more than five years which makes one wonder exactly HOW mistreated she was.
As I watch the almost daily news casts and meet the press situations, I have to wonder at the way this is all going. The illegal alien admits to falsifying her identification and using someone else's Social Security number to get the job. Why isn't the victim of identify theft being helped? Why are they giving press to the person who stole the Social Security number being looked at in the light of being a thief?
The lawyer representing the illegal alien isn't being very lawyer-like with her response to questions. You have to wonder about a world that exalts the criminal aspects of a person's behavior.
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