Memorial Day Movie Fest

Now that Memorial Day weekend is here, barbecues are heating, boats are revving, and sleeping bags are getting cleaned across the United States. My family plans to spend at least part of Memorial Day weekend acknowledging our military by watching some old favorites among military movies.

We'll definitely be starting off with The Great Escape, about a massive POW escape during World War II. We might follow up with a comedy like Sgt. Bilko or Stripes. I like Private Benjamin, but it has some scenes at the beginning that we definitely don't want to expose the kids to.

In my opinion, the "war movie to end all war movies" is Saving Private Ryan. We rented that one a few months ago, so I guess we won't get it for this Memorial Day, but I still recommend it if you have a constitution that can handle a very realistic war movie. If you want to see real heroic virtue, you won't find much better.

And really, that's what the war and military movies are about. Even the silly movies (like Private Benjamin and Stripes) show people who go into the military with the wrong motives but ultimately learn something about responsibility and duty, and discover that they enjoy the way it makes them feel to live up to those virtues.

So maybe this Memorial Day, we can take some time out from the food and the boating, and remind ourselves to let the meaning of the holiday inspire us a little.

View from a Counter

Some of you may have noticed I recently acquired a counter from Sitemeter. I really like it because it offers me some information to help track what people are looking for on my site, and has helped me to find some of the other sites that link to mine. What I hadn't counted on is how it helps me to know what I write about that people most seek.

What I discovered is that by far the thing that most draws people to Carmel Sundae is information about chastity.

It's ironic; chastity is something we all know about, so why are so many people seeking information about it? We all know that sex outside of marriage leads to unplanned pregnancies and the spread of disease. We all know that sex in non-permanent relationships leads to heartbreak. We all know that every form of artificial birth control has a failure rate, and that abortion causes lasting harm. Yet people keep on looking for information and encouragement on the subject of chastity.

I think the reason is that sex is a highly emotional thing. Even though we know that when it isn't used carefully it causes pain, it still tempts. It tempts us, it tempts those we love. It tempts adults, and it even tempts children. We are put on this earth to love God and one another, to love and be loved; and we long for signs of the nourishing love we so crave. When we are the loneliest is when we are most vulnerable to the temptation to fill the void with external expressions of the love we need. We get to be in a hurry for love, because the ache can get so bad.

And let's face it: for a lot of single people, the ache is bad.

It's worse for children than it ever was before, with more and more living apart from at least one parent, and more and more caring for themselves while their parents work outside the home. It isn't much wonder that more teens than ever are seeking intimacy.

That so many people are still seeking information on chastity does truly tell us something. Young people, especially, are vulnerable to misteaching about sex and its purpose, because they are vulnerable to that fear of not being loved. Let's keep counteracting the influence of those who teach wrong things about sex, yes; but let's also make a special point of letting the young people in our lives know that we love them. Let's not just give them the tools and information to fight temptation, but also make them less vulnerable to temptation in the first place. It's deep, soul-filling love that they are really seeking.

You mean we can't order them by catalog?

Everyone nowadays knows that the way to have a baby is to have sex. As Snopes points out, we are quick to chuckle at the idea of not knowing this. But it seems as though the reciprocal were some dark, mysterious secret: that the way not to have a baby is not to have sex.

Artificial birth control is so lauded that most of the "establishment" rarely consider whether it might be dangerous, or even how the most popular methods work. Couples are rarely told, for example, that the IUD is not a contraceptive device, but an abortifacient device.

The local gynecologist has charts in his exam room listing methods of "contraception" that name things like the IUD and Depo Provera, which are not contraceptives but abortifacients. Yet the charts are startlingly silent about Natural Family Planning, the only 100% safe method. Why would a medical community supposedly dedicated to the well-being of its patients put out such literature that teaches dangerous falsehood and omits helpful information?

Why is it that we think it so obvious that sex is the means to pregnancy, but our society is so cautious about pointing out that abstinence prevents it?

Time to Plan for Father's Day

Now that Mother's Day is past, it's time to start planning for Father's Day. Do you think your husband or dad could use a nice wallet? Or perhaps he's more traditional, and would prefer the old classic, a tie?

The nice thing about these gifts is that they are personal, but not too personal, or just plain disgusting.

So pick your gifts for that special man in your life carefully. Show him that you love him, or at least that you find him amusing.

But remember, if you can't find anything else, you can fall back on the old standards. Men always appreciate something for the yard.

Count 'em

I just thought I'd share with you the haiku my son wrote.

Five syllable line
Line with seven syllables
Five syllable line

That's just the kind of humor he has. If you find it amusing, you might check out his blog.

And now we return you to your regularly scheduled blogger.

Culture of Fear?

As the debate wages on over John Kerry and his relationship with the Catholic Church, we see views increasingly polarizing over such questions as whether he should be allowed to receive Communion while remaining a staunch supporter of abortion. Kerry's views on not only abortion itself, but everything from stem cell research to the "morning after pill" are bringing many Catholics question whether a Catholic in good standing can separate morals from political views. Yesterday Michnews posted an article confronting head on the decision that faces bishops and voters alike today.

First, I will make clear that Church teaching is clear on one thing: a person in a state of mortal sin is not to receive the Eucharist. It's a Biblical view, and no Catholic has the authority to override Scripture. Church teaching is also clear that abortion is a sin, and that to promote it is also a grave sin. Scripture again speaks on this subject, saying that for the one who causes others to sin, it would be better for him to be drowned with a millstone tied to his neck.

So the question is not whether or not John Kerry is objectively sinning: he is. Nor is the question whether or not, knowing of this sin, he should receive Holy Communion: he should not. Scripture and Church teaching alike are clear. The question is how the faithful, and particularly Mr. Kerry's own Bishop, should respond.

A part of me would feel vindicated and hopeful to learn of the good Bishop taking a strong stand on the matter, publicly announcing that Mr. Kerry cannot receive. But the reality is that I do not know what pastoral discussions the Bishop may have had privately with Mr. Kerry, so I, like millions of Americans, am not in a position to pass judgment on how the Bishop has responded to the situation. How can we judge a situation when we do not actually know the full situation? My energies would be far better spent praying for the wisdom of this Bishop and all bishops.

Even better, my energies should be spent praying for a change of heart for Kerry himself.

But I would hope that the one reaction the faithful would not resort to is fear. The column mentioned above says "The disparity over this issue once more points to a dangerous moment for the Catholic Church in America."

Is this how far we've fallen? Do we fear that prayer and fasting no longer effect good? Do we so fear the failure of the pastoral counsel of a faithful pastor that we object to its being attempted before public action is taken?

Our response to horrors like fetal stem cell research and abortion should be one of sorrow, penance, and action. It should not be one of fear, though. We fear that the next election will fall to the wrong person, when our response to recent issues should instead be one of faith: not faith in the election, but faith in God who will not abandon us even if our nation votes foolishly.

And our response should an increase in our own reverence toward the Body and Blood of Christ.

My husband said the other day "The people doing this" (referring to those angry voices who blame the Bishop for how he handles the situation) "are not even doing it out of reverence for the Eucharist. They're doing it out of political vindictiveness." I hope that he is mistaken, but I am certain that it is at least something that each of us should pray about.

Before any of us yell about someone else's disrespect of the Eucharist, we should each spend an hour of pure worship and adoration ourselves.