Politics and the Catholic Voter's Guide

With elections and campaigning going on here in America, there is a lot to think about. Who is the true conservative?  What are the  issues?  Who can beat Obama?  Who will win?  Many things.  Decisions. It is almost like the old game show:   Will the Real ____Please Stand Up.  In this case it is:  Will the Real Conservative Please Stand Up.

I have in my mind who I think would be a good candidate as probably most everyone, though there are some who are probably still undecided. Part of me is afraid to support or wholeheartedly back one person because I know that person is human and I know that person will get into the White House and make mistakes. I have been disappointed in the past. I need to remember this person is applying for a job. The American people are the employers looking for an employee and just like any business once you hire someone they will not be perfect.  They may do a great job but they will make mistakes and fall short of your desires and their desires and even their goals. No one knows the future and no one knows what the next president will have to face. What is the next crisis or issue America is to face? We do not know.

Since most of the candidates are stating that they are prolife and the true conservative I know I am going to need to pray about it but I am also going to try to follow what the Catholic Church has put out for us to help us decide. The Catholic Voters Guide.

Granted there are a lot of issues out there that are not covered in the Catholic Voter's Guide. Ieleive we also need to read the Catechism of the Catholic Church and see where the Church stands on issues such as: war, death penalty, illegal aliens and more and then chose the candidate who lines up with the Church's teachings. I don't feel there are any candidates who line up completely. The voter's guide addresses these issues also. It instructs us to first remember the non-negotiables :  abortion, euthenasia, stem-cell research, human cloning and homosexual marriage. Then after that line up the other issues with the church.


Our world needs prayer and we all need to pray to ensure we choose the right person to be in the White House at the right time.

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http://www.caaction.com/pdf/Voters-Guide-Catholic-English-1.pdf

O Antiphons

I am going to link to a page here that explains the O Antiphons. This is the first year we have included this in our Advent. My family looked at me kind of weird, wondering where I am coming up with this stuff but learning the Catholic faith is teaching me that there is alot I do not know.  


An antiphon is a short sentence sung or recited before or after a song or canticle. Many times this is a Scripture verse.


The “O Antiphons” refer to the seven antiphons that are prayed before the Magnificat during Vespers of the Liturgy of the Hours. They cover the wonderful period of Advent preparation known as the Octave (or 8 days) before Christmas, Dec. 17-23, with Dec. 24 being Christmas Eve and Vespers for that evening being for the Christmas Vigil.

Today is day six of the O Antiphons:


O Emmanuel, Rex et legifer noster, expectatio gentium, et Salvator earum: veni ad salvandum nos,  Domine, Deus noster.


O Emmanuel, God with us, our Kind and Lawgiver, the expected of the nations and their Savior: Come to save us, O Lord our God.




http://maryellenb.typepad.com/o_night_divine/advent---o-antiphons-dec-17-23/


I think this website explains it very well and has great coloring pages, more like the one above, or just use as pictures to help teach your children the O Antiphons.  I printed them all out and we are praying them in the morning with our Advent devotions or in the evening before our meal and then I place them on the refrigerator. My son is a little too old for coloring so I just use them as pictures.


I thought I would add this website also.  http://fisheaters.com/customsadvent10.html


Happy 4th Week of Advent!!

December 6: Feast of St. Nicholas

Don't forget December 6th is the Feast of St. Nicholas. Here is a link to a great website with a lot of resources. Whether you homeschool or not it would be a good idea for your child to know of the true story St. Nicholas.
What I like hearing about is how he attended the Council of Nicea and played a role in the Nicene Creed we recite every Sunday.

We traditionally have our son put his shoes out by the fireplace and then I put something in them the night before for him in the morning. It has ranged from candy to small toys and lately since he has entered the teen years, a little bit of money. We could do stockings as that was supposedly part of the legend but we do shoes. For Christmas I will put the stockings out and maybe put a little something in them but since we do St. Nicholas Day I am not real big on the stockings.

I like remembering the real St. Nicholas.