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Morning AB, All…..

Been an odd week, huh?

Before, as always, thank you for doing this thread.

I wrote my priest an email and queried as to why he didn’t cover this matter from the pulpit.

Well that’s not exactly right. I wrote Father Jim an email asking the above and, it would seem, Father Jim DID cover this issue from the pulpit.

In fact, Father Jim wrote me back, nicely, he not only covered it, he received a standing ovation at the 8:30 am mass the prior Sunday and he was the one who insured that a copy of the Bishop’s letter was included in that week’s bulletin.

It would seem that I only attended the OTHER priest’s mass, to which Father J said I should email HIM and ask why he didn’t cover the matter.

Now I scratch my head because I kind of thought such as covering this very important issue would be something agreed on by all the clergy, AND, also, well I don’t want to go writing the other priest doing a nanny-nanny-boo-boo Father J said I should write you….yada, yada.

So I left this matter alone at this point because Bishop Malooly’s letter was indeed inserted in that week’s bulletin, I verified with the choir that Father J DID cover this matter, and last time I told Father J he looked like his dog he got mad at me although his dog is very handsome.

Anyway, Father J said I should attend the church’s “right to life” meetings, which I can’t as they meet on the nights I have choir practice. Also another church office worker sent me an email and told me that the right-to-life meeting for that night was cancelled, but I had no intention of going anyway.

A couple of days letter this same church office worker emails me that she’d inadvertantly included the email of another parishioner who’d written Father J about the same thing, would I please ignore the text of that email.

Which made me immediately go back and check and sure enough the text included in Father J’s response to me was from other parishioners although it was very tame and I didn’t know them and I won’t tell. Evidently Father J writes his email leaving his staff to copy and paste into the appropriate email and seriously, he does look like his dog.

So I am still a campaign treasurer, got all the rules and stuff on this matter….wish me luck. This should be interesting, definitely a learning experience.

Looking forward to a rollicking Sunday talk show thread because there sure is plenty to talk about.

I wrote this before I went to the 4:30 mass yesterday and this was a most interesting experience.

First, Father J conducted the 4:30 mass, something he almost NEVER does. But I was glad to hear it would be him and I pondered if at this late date he would discuss this contraception issue.

Comes time for the homily, Father J approaches the pulpit, BANGS his fist on the podium, and with his voice on BOOM setting, says...”Two weeks ago the current administration declared pregnancy a DISEASE!”

I settled in for what I hope would be a roaring few minutes.

Indeed Father J went on, filling in all the details, us parishioners all spellbound, me so proud of my church that was standing up for its principles as it always has. Like them or not, the Catholic church took a stand on birth control, abortion and sterilization and never backed down despite tremendous pressures to do so.

With more surprise, yesterday being the day after Obama’s big “compromise”, Father J even touched this subject, telling us what Obamer offered...ie “free” contraception and day-after pills, always with his BOOM voice on. He put his hands to the side of the podium in a clench and lowered his head conspiratorally.

“Does anybody think this contraception is really going to be free?” he boom-whispered.

A child, oh maybe about four years old, shouted out, “NO”.

Of course we all broke out in laughter at such good timing but Father J used the interlude well. “Even the children get it,” he said.

He went on to explain that Obamer said that the health insurers would be able to save money on delivery rooms, OB’s and such, thus the funds to provide free contraceptives.

He then lowered his voice to a boom-whisper once again. I paraphrase: “Watch out you senior citizens. Because if he’s willing to save money on the unborn, what makes you think he won’t want to save money via euthanasia instead of spending money extending the lives of the elder?”

It was a stem-winder all right.

I think, just tween you and I, that Father J deliberately conducted this mass he so seldom does specifically BECAUSE there were complaints that the other priest did not address the issue.

Just a hunch. He has my admiration and I shall tell him so next time I see him.

On a final note, before sending us on our way, Father J asked if we’d did like the Bishop asked and contacted our local politicos.