Saturday, July 31, 2010
"Never Never Land" Is Overrated
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Update on Dr. Ken Howell
For those of you who have read about Dr. Ken Howell in my previous posts, I am happy to say he was officially rehired as a professor to teach on Catholicism once again. You can read more about him in my previous posts, if you have not yet, by clicking here and here.
Fired U of I professor vindicated, will again be allowed to teach Catholicism class
U of I says Kenneth Howell will continue as adjunct professor
Thursday, July 29, 2010, 12:00 AM (MST) |
ADF Media Relations | 480-444-0020
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana confirmed to Alliance Defense Fund attorneys Thursday that it will once again allow popular professor Dr. Kenneth Howell to teach on Catholicism after recently firing him for explaining the Roman Catholic Church’s position on human sexual behavior to members of his class.
ADF attorneys representing Howell sent a letter to university officials on July 12 explaining that the university’s actions violated his rights protected by the First Amendment and asked that he be reinstated.
“A university cannot censor professors’ speech--including classroom speech related to the topic of the class--merely because certain ideas ‘offend’ an anonymous student. We greatly appreciate the university’s move to put Professor Howell back in the classroom, but we will be watching carefully to make sure that his academic freedom is protected throughout the university’s ongoing process,” said ADF Senior Counsel David French.
A letter from the University of Illinois Office of University Counsel admits no wrongdoing on the part of the university but states, “The School of Literatures, Cultures and Linguistics will be contacting Dr. Howell to offer him the opportunity to teach Religion 127, Introduction to Catholicism, on a visiting instructional appointment at the University of Illinois, for the fall 2010 semester. Dr. Howell will be appointed and paid by the University for this adjunct teaching assignment.”
The letter then adds that a university committee will continue its investigation of Howell’s situation.
Howell, who had been teaching at the university since 2001, was relieved of his teaching duties based in part on an anonymous complaint sent via e-mail to university officials. The e-mail was sent by the friend of an anonymous student who claimed to be “offended” by a May 4 e-mail Howell sent to students elaborating on a class discussion concerning Catholic beliefs about sexual behavior.
The May 4 e-mail from Howell addressed a May 3 lecture in which he explained how the Roman Catholic Church distinguishes between same-sex attraction and homosexual conduct. He accurately stated the church’s teaching that homosexual conduct is morally wrong, framing the issue in the context of natural moral law.
"Learn to Live"
"Learn To Live"
by Darius Rucker
Grandpa Campbell would sit upon his front porch
And I'd be right there just sittin' on his knees
He'd tell stories of love and feast and famine
And I'd hang onto every word that he would breathe
He'd say, 'Boy as you walk through this life
Here's a little wisdom that'll help you get by?
You gotta live and learn, you gotta crash and burn
You gotta take some stances and take some chances
You gotta laugh and love and take all life has to give
You gotta live and learn so you can learn to live
Though I left home and I went to Carolina
I then set off just to see what I could see
I did some things that I wasn't really proud of
And sometimes life just got the best of me
But I'd always think back to those days
And I know what Grandpa Campbell would say
He'd say you gotta live and learn, you gotta crash and burn
You gotta take some stances and take some chances
You gotta laugh and love and take all life has to give
You gotta live and learn so you can learn to live, yeah, oh oh
After years of runnin' 'round and searchin'
I found me a woman who loves me just for me
All those mistakes I thought that I was making
Led me right here till you're sittin' on my knees
Son as you walk through this life
Here's a little wisdom that'll help you get by
You gotta live and learn, you gotta crash and burn
You gotta take some stances and take some chances
You gotta laugh and love and take all life has to give
You gotta live and learn, you gotta live and learn
So you can learn to live, learn to live
"Smile! Your mother chose life!" :)
This year I also helped out with our Knight's of Columbus Pro-life booth. At first since no one was sitting there with me I thought I would become bored fast. I realized though that by sitting there looking bored people walking by were less likely to check out the booth. I then began to ask people if they wanted free tootsie rolls instead of just waiting for people to come up and by them. I found most people donated a lot more that way. I sold at least ten of our bumper stickers and a few other little things we had at the table.
There was one man in particular I remember the most from my time working at the booth. He was easily sixty something years old. He came up to my booth with his grandnephew and after they both looked at the booth for about five or six minutes the proceeded to donate their money. We were selling these bumper stickers that say, "Smile! Your mother chose life!" The older man saw them and bought me out. Granted there were only three left, but still it was something. He then had his grandnephew help him put them on all over his shirt. He told me how he was disgusted by the idea of abortion. I learned he had seven siblings who all had huge families, but he was not able to. He helped raise his nieces and nephews. He talked about how sad he was that he was not able to have children. His grandnephew (I want to say he was about ten or eleven years old) was incredibly polite, and also donated money to help with the "Crisis Pregnancy Center."
I enjoy hearing a person's story. Everyone has one, and there is always something to take away from them. I know that if I had sat there all grumpy because there was no one with me, I would not have met this man and heard what he had to say.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Courage And Fear
True courage is not the absence of fear—but the willingness to proceed in spite of it.--Unknown
Recently a friend of mine and I entered into a little debate about whether courage and fear are different or the same. I took the stance that courage is very different from fear. You see, I believe that fear is what feeds into courage. That is what you have to overcome, but fear itself is not really courage. Usually, when it comes to courage, people tend to think a lot before acting on something they know will take courage to do. They weigh out the pro's and con's and are more exact in the way they choose to overcome whatever obstacle they are facing. For example; should I join the military? Should I tell so and so how I feel about them? Should I follow my dream even if it takes me to a foreign country far away from my family? Should I enter into a convent/seminary? Should I stand up for the beliefs I have against things like abortion even when the majority of my friends are pro-choice? So forth and so on. Sometimes the fear is too great that a person ends up that they stay in their safe area. They freeze. That is what happens when fear consumes you. You back down.
At one point my friend used this, "courage is knowing that jumping out of a perfectly good airplane is insane, but doing it anyway cuz your friend pushed you out the door," as an example of fear and courage being the same thing. I do not really agree with this at all. I think that with this particular example I feel as though if you are forced out of a plane without personally choosing to do so yourself, then you immediately mentally react. You go into survival mode. Whatever your body is doing it is automatic. There is no time to think what moves you will make, you just have to move because you don't have a choice.
In the end after going back and forth on this I finally ended it with the above quote. I think I might have won with it because I have not received a response since.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
What Am I Reading Now?
Louisa May Alcott (author of Little Woman)
Jane Austin (author of Pride and Prejudice)
Matthew Kelly (author of Rhythm of Life)
C.S. Lewis (author of Chronicles of Narnia)
Jodi Picoult (author of My Sister's Keeper)
G.K. Chesterton (author of Charles Dickens: A Critical Study)
Victor Hugo (author of Les Meserables)
Nicholas Sparks (author of The Notebook)
Nathaniel Hawthorne (author of The Scarlett Letter)
George Orwell (author of Animal Farm)
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Dr. Ken Howell Interview
http://illinoishomepage.net/fulltext/?nxd_id=162235+
Monday, July 19, 2010
A Little Something To Reflect On
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Just Another Reason I Am Not A Fan Of Lady Ga Ga....
Katy Perry Slams Lady Gaga Video
(NewsCore) - Lady Gaga launched her
music video for new single "Alejandro"Tuesday -- and it has already stirred controversy with shocking scenes including nun rape, bondage, dirty dancing and sex scenes.
Rival pop star Katy Perry is among those angered by the clip, accusing Gaga of using cheap tactics and blasphemy to get attention.
"Using blasphemy as entertainment is as cheap as a comedian telling a fart joke," the singer said on her Twitter account.
Gaga's new eight-minute video shows the star wearing a red and white latex nun outfit as she is mobbed by a group of male soldiers -- who tear the clothes off her body and engage in a provocative dance that looks like they are raping the star.
Another outrageous scene shows Gaga in her underwear riding a soldier she has tied to a bedpost. She is later seen lying in a nun’s habit and swallowing a string of rosary beads in an act of faith.
The video starts with an army of men marching in nothing but high shorts and boots. The scene switches to a bloody heart, presumably Alejandro’s, tied in barbwire on a pillow. Gaga then strips down to underwear to join the men in dirty dancing which continues throughout the video.
Who does not like a fun road trip with good friends???
Yesterday I have to say was probably my favorite. A group of friends and I decided we would take a road trip to visit one of our friends. He happens to be a seminarian who was sent to Terre Haute for the Summer to help out.
The morning started out in my car where everyone ended up eating half-melted chocolate covered doughnuts and had lengthy conversations about the randomness of Lady Ga Ga and her music videos... More specifically how offensive her last one was. (I have been debating putting it on here for all too see, but it is just a little too awful...) We also ended up getting lost once in Terre Haute. Asking for directions at a gas station ended up being pointless because I am pretty sure the man had no idea where he was sending us. Once we called my friend, which is what we should have done, we found our meeting place easily.
We spent the afternoon going around to look at all the different Catholic churches in the area, ate lunch, and the visited St. Mary of the Wood's woman's college, which was started by St. Mother Theodore Guerin. It also happens to be the oldest woman's college in the nation. We joked around and had a pretty good time. I was sad when it came time to leave. I did not totally want to go, but some of the group were pretty tired, so we did leave.
The ride home was much more quiet with half the group asleep in my back seat. It was a fun time. It was nice to go visit my friend for a change, instead of waiting till he comes home to visit.
Friday, July 16, 2010
I know... I Am Bad.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
"Becoming A Woman Of Excellence"
Becoming A Woman Of Excellence
A woman of excellence
Is what I long to be
Filled with your godly wisdom
So it is part of me
A woman of integrity
No matter what I face
Standing up for righteousness
And for your saving grace
A woman of destiny
Living out your plan
Knowing where you’d have me walk
Being guided by your hand
A woman of promise
Standing on your word
Holding on to all the truths
While carrying out your work
A woman of compassion
For the ones in the dark
Those that do not know your love
And have darkness in their hearts
A woman that will never
Compromise the faith
With what the world may offer
But will keep the narrow way
A woman who loves Jesus
And will only follow Him
Gladly to give up the world
So His light can shine within
Lord this is my earnest prayer
As a daughter by your grace
Grow in me these qualities
As I walk with you in faith
© By M.S.Lowndes
Monday, July 12, 2010
Forgiving Even When It Hurts
Holding grudges... I suppose really thinking about it, yes I can hold them. I do not hold too many, but sometimes when someone I have been so close too does something so hurtful it can be hard to let it go... What's that saying? "Forgive, but don't forget." Now thinking about it, that saying is so contradictory. If you truly are forgiving someone then that means you need to forget it happened. Put the past in the past. It is much easier said then done.
Growing up I always considered myself pretty good at forgiving. Then again, I have never really had too much that was hard to forgive. I mean there is the usual, rumors being said about me, friends who are so close one day, and then for whatever reason the next day turn into people who hardly ever want to hang-around me, little things like that. Sure they stung a little bit, but nothing that I ever thought could be unforgivable.
Then again, I am no saint by any means. I am sure I have hurt some people in my past as well. I am sure I have even done it without realizing I did any damage. Even just yesterday I said a pretty hurtful thing about someone, and it really was not called for, but I said it. I definitely learned my lesson from it.
It is hard though when I do end up coming face to face with someone that I love dearly and really forgive them. It is even more hard when they act like they have done nothing that needs forgiven. When they make me even more hurt because they think I am the one that is acting crazy for being hurt. I know what I should do, but it is not something I really want to do. That is something I need to learn to do. Forgive even when it hurts...
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Planned Parenthood Brochure From 1952. Check It Out.
This Is Just Outrageous!
University of Illinois Instructor Fired Over Catholic Beliefs
Published July 09, 2010
| Associated Press
- Comments (626)
- Text Size
URBANA, Ill. -- The University of Illinois has fired an adjunct professor who taught courses on Catholicism after a student accused the instructor of engaging in hate speech by saying he agrees with the church's teaching that homosexual sex is immoral.
The professor, Ken Howell of Champaign, said his firing violates his academic freedom. He also lost his job at an on-campus Catholic center.
Howell, who taught Introduction to Catholicism and Modern Catholic Thought, says he was fired at the end of the spring semester after sending an e-mail explaining some Catholic beliefs to his students preparing for an exam.
"Natural Moral Law says that Morality must be a response to REALITY," he wrote in the e-mail. "In other words, sexual acts are only appropriate for people who are complementary, not the same."
An unidentified student sent an e-mail to religion department head Robert McKim on May 13, calling Howell's e-mail "hate speech." The student claimed to be a friend of the offended student. The writer said in the e-mail that his friend wanted to remain anonymous.
"Teaching a student about the tenets of a religion is one thing," the student wrote. "Declaring that homosexual acts violate the natural laws of man is another."
Howell said he was teaching his students about the Catholic understanding of natural moral law.
"My responsibility on teaching a class on Catholicism is to teach what the Catholic Church teaches," Howell said in an interview with The News-Gazette in Champaign. "I have always made it very, very clear to my students they are never required to believe what I'm teaching and they'll never be judged on that."
Howell also said he makes clear to his students that he's Catholic and that he believes the church views that he teaches.
McKim referred questions to university spokeswoman Robin Kaler, who said she couldn't comment on Howell or his firing because it's a personnel issue.
According to the university's Academic Staff Handbook, faculty "are entitled to freedom in the classroom in developing and discussing according to their areas of competence the subjects that they are assigned."
In an e-mail to other school staff, Ann Mester, an associate dean at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, said Howell's e-mail justified his firing.
"The e-mails sent by Dr. Howell violate university standards of inclusivity, which would then entitle us to have him discontinue his teaching arrangement with us," Mester wrote.
Cary Nelson, president of the American Association of University Professors, said professors should be able to tell students their own views and even argue in favor of them, provided students can disagree without being penalized.
"It's part of intellectual life to advocate for points of view," said Nelson, an emeritus English professor at the University of Illinois. "Hopefully when they go out in the world, they can emulate that. They can argue a case, and do it in a well-informed and articulate way, and can make a more productive contribution to our democracy that way."
Howell has taught at the university for nine years, and was recognized by his department in 2008 and 2009 for being rated an excellent teacher by students.
He said he and McKim disagree on religious views and believes he lost his job over "just a very, very deep disagreement about the nature of what should be taught and what should not be taught."
After he lost his teaching job, Howell also was fired as director of the St. John's Catholic Newman Center's Institute of Catholic Thought. The on-campus center directed questions to the Diocese of Peoria, which had paid for his position.
Patricia Gibson, an attorney and chancellor of the diocese, said Howell was let go because he could no longer teach at the university.
"We are very concerned and very distressed by what we understand is the situation from Dr. Howell," she said. The diocese hopes to discuss the situation with someone at the university, she said.
A Christian legal defense group, The Alliance Defense Fund, said it is considering helping Howell.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
"You Don't Have A Soul. You Are A Soul. You Have A Body."
~C.S. Lewis~
There is so much insight in that one short quote by C.S. Lewis. The fact is that our soul is eternal, while our body is only temporary. It will not go with us when we leave this life on earth. Society is all about our bodies... what feels good, looks good, tastes good, but the focus of that is so very much distorted. We all need to remember that the most important thing we should be focused on is our soul... our spiritual growth in our relationship with God. Most of the time what we think feels good is not always what is right for us spiritually. The above quote definitely puts that whole ideal into perspective...
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
It's My Girl's Feast Day Today! :)
Today happens to be one my Confirmation saint's feast day. St. Maria Goretti. She holds a special place in my heart after learning her story. It was pretty much an easy choice when it came time to finally choosing a saint's name. Once my mother brought her to my attention, I knew she was the one for me! I pray to her daily... Here is a little bit more about her for those of you who might not know too much about her. She is known as the patron saint of rape victims, of youth, young women, and purity.
The info below came from another website... I cut out a large portion of it in hopes that it would not be so lengthy, but it is still kind of long.
Early life
Goretti was born Maria Teresa Goretti on October 16, 1890 in Corinaldo, to Luigi Goretti and Assunta Carlini. She was the third out of six children.
Before the age of seven, her family had become so poor that they were forced to give up their farm, move, and work for other farmers. They ended up sharing a house with another family which included Giovanni Serenelli and his son Alessandro. Soon, Maria's father Luigi became very sick with malaria, and died when Maria was just nine years old.
Maria's martyrdom
On July 5, 1902, finding eleven-year old Maria alone sewing, Alessandro Serenelli came in and threatened her with death if she did not do as he said; he was intending to rape her. She would not submit, however, protesting that what he wanted to do was a mortal sin and warning Alessandro that he would go to Hell. She desperately fought to stop Alessandro from abusing her. She kept screaming, "No! It is a sin! God does not want it!" Alessandro at first choked Maria, but when she insisted she would rather die than submit to him, he stabbed her eleven times. The injured Maria tried to reach for the door, but Alessandro stopped her by stabbing her three more times before running away.
Maria's little sister Teresa awoke with the noise and started crying, and when Serenelli's father and Maria's mother came to check on the little girl, they found the bleeding Maria and took her to the nearest hospital in Nettuno. She underwent surgery without anesthesia, but her injuries were beyond the doctors' help. Halfway throughout the surgery, Maria woke up. She insisted that it stay that way. The pharmacist of the hospital in which she died said to her, "Maria, think of me in Paradise." She looked to the old man: "Well, who knows, which of us is going to be there first?" "You, Maria," he replied. "Then I will gladly think of you," said Maria. The following day, twenty hours after the attack, having expressed forgiveness for her murderer and stating that she wanted to have him in Heaven with her, Maria died of her injuries, while looking at a very beautiful picture of the Blessed Mother.
Serenelli's imprisonment and repentance
Alessandro Serenelli was captured shortly after Maria's death. Originally, he was going to be sentenced to life, but since he was a minor at that time the sentence was commuted to 30 years in prison. He remained unrepentant and uncommunicative from the world for three years, until a local bishop, Monsignor Giovanni Blandini visited him in jail. Serenelli wrote a thank you note to the Bishop asking for his prayers and telling him about a dream, "in which Maria Goretti gave him lilies, which burned immediately in his hands."
After his release, Alessandro Serenelli visited Maria's still-living mother, Assunta, and begged her forgiveness. She forgave him, saying that if Maria had forgiven him on her deathbed then she couldn't do less, and they attended Mass together the next day, receiving Holy Communion side by side. Alessandro reportedly prayed every day to Maria Goretti and referred to her as "my little saint." He attended her canonization in 1950.
Serenelli later became a lay brother living in a monastery and working as its receptionist and gardener until dying peacefully in 1970.
Maria's Cannonization
On June 24, 1950, Pius XII canonized Goretti as a saint, the "Saint Agnes" of the 20th century." Owing to the huge crowd present, the ceremonies associated with the canonization were held outside of Saint Peter's Basilica. Pius XII spoke, not as before in Latin, but in Italian. "We order and declare, that the blessed Maria Goretti can be venerated as a Saint and We introduce her into the Canon of Saints". Some 500,000 people, among them a majority of youth, had come from around the world. Pius asked them: "Young people, pleasure of the eyes of Jesus, are you determined to resist any attack on your chastity with the help of grace of God?" A resounding "yes" was the answer.
Monday, July 5, 2010
How I spend my 4th of July... :)
7/4 10:30 a.m. - Finally get myself out of bed after a late night watching fireworks. Get ready for noon Mass
7/4 12:00 p.m. - Mass
7/4 1:30 p.m. - Family cook-out.... Hot dogs, hamburgers, baked beans, potato salad, and like seven different red, white, and blue desserts... Personal favorite thing that day was my Aunt's delicious berry parfait! Yummy! Along with cook-out there was a dance party. That's right... I had to show off some of my zumba moves. Best part about the dance party was how everyone was sober. Yeah. My family is just that awesome. Ha ha ah ha ha
7/4 7:30 p.m. - leave cook-out to get ready for fire works with friends.
7/4 8:30 p.m. - meet friends to carpool to the fireworks
7/4 10:10 p.m. - after spending about an hour and a half in the car we FINALLY make it inside the fair grounds to park for fireworks.
7/4 10:30 p.m. - Fireworks time!!!!
7/4 11: 30 p.m. - After another half-hour we make it off of the fair grounds property
7/5 - Midnight Make it back to our cars to go home
Most entertaining part of the day was the car ride on the way to the fireworks. Good times!
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Parade and Fireworks...
Here are just a few pictures we took of our fun first half of my 4th of July week-end.... I love hanging out with my family... The ones where you see me in my pink angels shirt happened to be taken at our local parade. The ones with the dark blue shirt are from this evening while we were waiting for some fireworks to go off. It was such a fun day. :)
Friday, July 2, 2010
Best Ever Potato Chips
Crunch time! Our testers dug into 233 bags of chips and found 21 worth their salt.
Best Original
Lay’s Kettle Cooked Original
Thick-cut and extra crunchy, these picnic must-haves are basic but not boring.
To buy: $3.30 for 8.5 ounces.
Related: 24 Nutritious and Tasty Snacks
Best Crinkle-Cut
Ruffles Original
It’s no surprise that this iconic, dip-gripping favorite has been the life of the party since 1958.
To buy: $4 for 10 ounces.
Related: The Best Hot Dogs
Best Barbecue
Lay’s Kettle Cooked Mesquite BBQ
Not too smoky, not too sweet, this winner comes alive with paprika, garlic, and sugar.
To buy: $3.30 for 8.5 ounces.
Related: The Best Barbeque Sauces
Best Salt and Vinegar
Dirty Sea Salt & Vinegar
Pucker up: These intensely tangy snacks pack a powerful kick that lingers.
To buy: $2.50 for 5.5 ounces.
Related: The Best Brownie Mixes
Best Salt and Pepper
Dirty Cracked Pepper & Sea Salt
A crisp texture and a piquant flavor make these rounds a hit.
To buy: $2.50 for 5.5 ounces.
Related: The Best Salad Dressings
Best Jalapeño
Deep River Zesty Jalapeño
Not for the faint of heart, this fiery winner demands to be paired with a frosty margarita.
To buy: $3 for 5 ounces.
Best Cheese Kettle New York Cheddar With Herbs
Cheddar, Romano, Parmesan, and butter all in one bold blend? Yes, please.
To buy: $2.90 for 5 ounces.
Best Sour Cream and Onion
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