Terry's Tidbits

Terry's Kitchen: Broccoli and Rice Casserole

2011-08-26T17:21:00.007-05:00

This is my famous “Broccoli and Rice Casserole recipe. It is the first recipe that my mother gave to me when I moved out of the house and into my apartment back in 1981. It works great as a side dish with any kind of meat. I also double it and make it for pot luck dinners at work and church. Usually, I don’t have to worry about leftovers. Enjoy!

Broccoli and Rice Casserole
1 10oz pkg. chopped broccoli, cooked and drained
1 small jar cheese whiz
1 cup minute rice, uncooked
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 tablespoons butter or oleo
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 325
Grease a 1 quart casserole dish. (I usually use a bread pan.)
Cook and drain broccoli as per instructions on package.
Mix all ingredients in casserole dish.
Bake uncovered for 35-45 minutes.
Serve hot.

A Test Drive for Catholic Radio

2010-05-16T22:31:00.004-05:00

You are invited to take a test drive. No, it’s not the latest hybrid. What I am talking about is Catholic radio. A friend pointed me in the direction of Catholic radio about 5 years ago when she turned me on to Fr. Corapi (pronounced co-rah-pee). Since then, I have discovered other great Catholic programming on the radio and TV.

Before my friend turned me on to Catholic radio, I didn’t know that it even existed, or that the Wichita area had a Catholic radio station. Now I have a preset on my car radio for KAHS 1360 AM. Our local station carries EWTN programming, and even has a local show on Wednesday evenings.

Twenty-eight years ago, a Poor Clare nun by the name of Mother M. Angelica turned a garage into a TV studio as an outlet to get her video series of talks on the air. This became know at the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN). EWTN is now the largest religious media network in the world. It transmits programming 24 hours a day to more than 148 million homes in 144 countries and territories on more than 4,800 cable systems, wireless cable, Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS), low power TV and individual satellite users. Since then, EWTN has established programming on shortwave radio. They also have a 133 station AM/FM network and have an agreement with Sirius Satellite Radio to carry Catholic programming.

Catholic radio is a great resource. You can learn and know about your Catholic faith. In this day and age, with so many people, groups and politicians misrepresenting what the Catholic Church teaches, it is important to learn what the Church actually teaches. Catholic radio can be your source for this information.

It will never replace your spiritual life. It will never replace your need to receive the sacraments or to say your daily prayers. You should always take advantage of what your parish offers, but sometimes with our busy lives that’s not possible. Catholic radio can help you fill those gaps. It is a great supplement to what you should receive at church. Catholic radio has strengthened my spiritual life. Since I started listening to Catholic radio, I have started praying the rosary on a daily basis, I have joined the Knights of Columbus, and I am now an RCIA sponsor.

The problem with Catholic radio is that just like public radio, it is listener supported. Many of these stations are on a shoestring budget. They depend on you the listener to pay the bills. There are no commercials. The other problem, at least with our local station is that they don’t have the strongest signal. In some parts of the metro area, in some buildings, and at night, you can’t pick them up. They do, however, have a web site where one can stream the audio and listen live on line. http://kahs1360.com/Home.php. Also many of the programs are available for podcast or download.

My challenge to you is to give Catholic radio a test drive. If you aren’t in the Wichita area, check the following link for a station near you, http://www.ewtn.com/radio/amfm.htm or go online and stream the programming. Make a donation if you can. If you can’t make a donation, at least pray for the success of Catholic radio. You might be surprised how much you will learn about the Catholic Church and how your faith will take off.

To My Friends

2010-04-23T00:09:00.002-05:00

Today, Friday, April 23, 2010 will be one of the most difficult days of my postal career. I have been working at Chisholm Station for a long time (since January 1998). I have made many friendships during my 12 years at Chisholm. Now it is time to move on. Tomorrow, I will begin anew at Munger Station. The reasons for this move, well let’s just say that I really needed a change of scenery. I know in my heart that this is the right move for me. The hard part is saying good-bye to all of those who I have gotten to know over the years. That however doesn’t mean that these friendships have to end. Maybe our paths will cross again some day. At least there is hope. If not, then I guess that’s the way it was meant to be.

A wise man once said,

"Make new friends and keep the old; one is silver and the other gold. A circle is round-it has no end; that's how long I want to be your friend. "

Thanks to all of my friends.

Things That Matter

2009-12-05T11:11:00.011-06:00

Have you ever been so passionate about something that you felt like you had to shout it out to the whole world? Was this cause so important that perhaps you could make a difference, and maybe even save the lives of others?

I have a cause that I feel is that important and I recently responded with a letter to the editor of the Wichita Eagle. The letter was published. (It’s not the first time I’ve had one published.) The next day, a friend of mine suggested that I get a hobby.

In this country we have the freedom to speak up and express ours opinions about things that are important to us, even if others may not agree. People in other countries don’t always have what we call “freedom of speech”. We should not take this right lightly. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

My letter was in reference to another letter that suggested that it was wrong for the Catholic Church to use communion as a weapon for politicians who oppose the Church on the issue of abortion. This was in reference to Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-Rhode Island, a Catholic, who recently criticized the nation’s Catholic bishops for their opposition to the health care reform unless the Congress restricts federal funding for abortions. You can read the story here on my blog. Here’s my letter to the editor which was published on Sunday November 29, 2009. http://www.kansas.com/opinion/letters/story/1075675.html The bold print is what the Wichita Eagle edited out of my letter.

The Catholic Church is not a cafeteria where one in disagreement can pick or choose what they want to believe. One cannot start pulling pages out of “The Bible” or “The Catechism of the Catholic Church” just because they don’t agree with what the Church teaches.

Name withheld (Communion Should Not Be a Weapon) was wrong in saying that the bread symbolizes Christ’s body. The bread actually becomes the true body and blood of Jesus Christ! That’s why Bishop Thomas Tobin was right in asking Rep. Patrick Kennedy not to receive communion. Through his actions and statements, Kennedy was in a state of sin. The Church teaches, “Anyone conscious of a grave sin must receive the sacrament of Reconciliation before coming to communion”.

In his letter to Kennedy, Tobin uses this occasion as a “teaching moment” not just for Kennedy but for all Catholics. Bishop Tobin offers Kennedy the opportunity “…to enter into a process of discernment, conversion, and repentance”. Bishop Tobin also explains the obligations of Catholics and describes what it means to be a Catholic, “…that you are part of a faith community that possesses a clearly defined authority and doctrine, obligations and expectations. It means that you believe and accept the teaching of the Church, especially on essential matters of faith and morals….

You can read the full text of the letter at the web site of “The Rhode Island Catholic”. http://www.thericatholic.com/opinion/detail.html?sub_id=2632

It obviously made an impact on at least two other people. One looked up my name in the phone book and called me thanking me for expressing my opinion. The other also looked up my name and sent me a letter also thanking me and saying that it inspired her to write to the hierarchy of the Church on this issue.
Here is the text of her letter to me. I’ve omitted her name for privacy reasons.

Dear Mr. Brennan,

I am writing a big Thank You to you! You have voiced the opinion of many area national and international Catholics.

We are constantly bombarded by the media, enjoining us to fit the Church into our lives instead of the other way round. We’re told what to believe by atheists and Protestants.

You have inspired me to write to our hierarchy urging them to follow the Church even when their teachings are difficult.

Sincerely,

Name Withheld

To my friend who suggested I get a hobby. This is my hobby! In some ways it is more of a hobby because it is only through Jesus Christ and His Church that we will get to heaven. That makes it a way of life. It is our job on earth to get to heaven and take as many people as we can with us. Most people write to be heard and to inspire others. It is obvious that my letter to the editor did just that. This is the reinforcement I need to continue my hobby (way of life) of writing whenever I feel that I have words of wisdom to share.

Follow Up: Bishop Tobin Lectured on Hardball and What Can We Do to Support the Bishop!

2009-11-24T18:16:00.003-06:00

In a follow up to a story to the one I put on here yesterday, seems like Bishop Thomas Tobin in under attack for his letter to Congressman Patrick Kennedy. He went on MSNBC Hardball yesterday and was rebuked and lectured in an insulting interview by Chris Matthews, also a Catholic. See the Interview and story here.
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=17820

Also Judie Brown of the American Life League made some comments about the letter. She also gave some ideas about how we can show our support for Bishop Tobin.

http://www.all.org/newsroom_judieblog_response.php?id=2851

Take action:

1. Thank Bishop Tobin for his courage in standing up for the truth and for his concern for Congressman Kennedy’s soul. Contact the bishop’s public affairs manager, Karen Davis (call 401-278-4600, fax 401-278-4659 or e-mail kdavis@dioceseofprovidence.org), or write to this address:
Most Rev. Thomas J. Tobin, D.D.
Diocese of Providence
One Cathedral Square
Providence, RI 02903

2. Contact Congressman Patrick Kennedy to let him know that you are praying for his conversion to truth. E-mail him through his congressional web site, call 202-225-4911, fax 202-225-3290 or write to this address:
Representative Patrick Kennedy
407 Cannon House Office Building
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515

Another Catholic Politician Defies the Church and The Response by His Bishop.

2009-11-23T19:15:00.010-06:00

Another Catholic politician has gone rogue. No it’s not Sarah Palin. This time it’s the son of the late Edward Kennedy, Congressman Patrick Kennedy. Kennedy represents Rhode Island’s First Congressional District in the U S House of Representatives.

It seems that Kennedy has a history of going against the Catholic Church on the abortion. In February 2007, Bishop Thomas Tobin of Providence asked Kennedy not to receive Communion because of his voting record supporting abortion rights. Recently, Kennedy criticized the nation’s Catholic bishops for their opposition to the health care reform unless the Congress restricts federal funding for abortions. Since then, the two have had a harsh war of words. The feud went public when on November 10th Kennedy told reporters that he had canceled a meeting with Tobin. In response, Bishop Tobin published a letter to the Congressman in his regular column in the “Rhode Island Catholic” entitled “Without a Doubt”.

The Church has a history of Catholic politicians defying the Church’s teaching on abortion. Kennedy is one of many, including his late father. Others include Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi; former Kansas Governor and now secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius; Vice President, Joe Biden; former New York Governor, Mario Cuomo; and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

The letter is one of the best that I’ve seen by a Catholic Bishop in response to the anti-abortion stance of a Catholic politician because it defines what it means to be Catholic. It not only explains to Kennedy what his obligation as a Catholic, but is a great teaching moment because in the Bishop’s words, “…might be instructive to other Catholics, including those in prominent positions of leadership.”

Bishop Tobin refers to the “Code of Cannon Law” saying, “Lay persons are bound by an obligation and possess the right to acquire a knowledge of Christian doctrine adapted to their capacity and condition so that they can live in accord with that doctrine.” (Canon 229, #1)

He goes on to say, “…being a Catholic means that you’re part of a faith community that possesses a clearly defined authority and doctrine, obligations and expectations. It means that you believe and accept the teachings of the Church, especially on essential matters of faith and morals…”

Finally, because Kennedy is in a state of sin and and as the Church teaches, " Anyone conscious of a grave sin must receive the sacrament of Reconciliation before coming to communion.", Bishop Tobin offers Kennedy the opportunity "...to enter into a sincere process of discernment, conversion, and repentance."

You can read the whole letter here.

http://www.thericatholic.com/opinion/detail.html?sub_id=2632

Other Sources...

http://www.catholic.org/politics/story.php?id=34816&page=1

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091122/ap_on_re_us/us_ri_bishop_kennedy;_ylt=AkOr0CfmxqmZG.FOox08qpys0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTNranBqdmk2BGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMDkxMTIyL3VzX3JpX2Jpc2hvcF9rZW5uZWR5BGNjb2RlA21vc3Rwb3B1bGFyBGNwb3MDMQRwb3MDMwRwdANob21lX2Nva2UEc2VjA3luX3RvcF9zdG9yeQRzbGsDZnVsbG5ic3BzdG9y

The Christmas Novena

2009-11-23T15:05:00.004-06:00

Beginning on November 30th, St Andrew the Apostle's feast day, it is tradition to pray the following beautiful prayer 15 times a day. Normally a novena is a nine day prayer, however sometimes the term is used for any prayer that is repeated over a series of days. This prayer is often called the "Christmas Novena" or the "Christmas Anticipation Prayer" because it is prayed 15 times every day from the Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle (November 30) until Christmas.

The Novena is not actually addressed to St. Andrew but to God Himself asking Him to grant our request in the honor of the birth of His Son at Christmas. You can pray the prayer 15 times, all at once; or divide up the recitation as necessary, (perhaps five times at each meal). Prayed as a family, this novena is a great way to help focus the attention of your children on the Advent Season.

Hail and blessed be the hour and the moment

in which the Son of God was born

of the most pure Virgin Mary,

at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold.

In that hour vouchsafe,

I beseech Thee, O My God,

to hear my prayers and grant my desires

(here mention your request)

through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ

and of His blessed Mother.

Amen.

(It is piously believed that whoever recites the above prayer fifteen times a day, from the feast of St. Andrew (30th of November) until Christmas will obtain what is asked.)

Imprimatur

MICHAEL AUGUSTINE, Archbishop of New York

New York, February 6, 1897

For America

2009-09-11T22:24:00.007-05:00

On September 17, 2001, the late, great Jack Buck made one of his final apperarances at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis. Showing the signs of Parkinson's disease that he was fighting, that would take his life 9 months later, he fired up the crowd by reading the following poem. He concluded by silencing those who thought baseball was coming back too soon, saying: "I don't know about you, but as for me, the question has already been answered: Should we be here? Yes!"

For America

by Jack Buck

Since this nation was founded under
God, more than 200 years ago,
We've been the bastion of
Freedom...
The light which keeps the free world
Aglow.
We do not covet the possessions of
Others, we are blessed with the
Bounty we share.
We have rushed to help other
Nations...anything...anytime...
Anywhere.
War is just not our nature...we
Won't start, but we will end the fight.
If we are involved we shall be
Resolved to protect what we know is
Right.
We've been challenged by a
Cowardly foe, who strikes and then
Hides from our view.
With one voice we say there's no
Choice today, there is only one
Thing to do.
Everyone is saying the same thing
And praying that we end these
Senseless moments we are living.
As our fathers did before, we shall
Win this unwanted war.
And our children will enjoy the
Future, we'll be giving.

Following in His Footsteps

2009-09-06T17:57:00.016-05:00

Up until about two years ago, we had a Catholic singles group here in Wichita. I was pretty active with the group. I served as the president, treasurer, and newsletter editor. We did some community service, a few religious, but mostly social activities. It was a way great for single Catholic adults to meet each other. It was part of my stewardship to the church. I was willing and able to donate the gift of my talent and time. Our only problem is that we had a difficult time getting new single adults to join, and become active. At the end of December 2007 we decided to call it quits. That was the end of our group.

At first I didn’t know what to do with my time. Then in the October of 2008, our parish had a stewardship fair after all the Masses one Sunday. I went in and looked around. There were a number of ways that I could get involved and donate my gift of time and talent. I thought about a few of them. Greeter, Usher, Social Committee, Welcoming Committee, Compassion Ministry, Respect Life Committee, Youth Ministry, Youth or Adult Education, RCIA, Parish Newsletter, Knights of Columbus, and SEAS Navy. The possibilities were endless and I had so much time and talent to give that I could fit into any one of these.

I put off making a decision, maybe hoping the singles group might get back together. Then when I went home to visit my family for Christmas, my parents had gotten from one of our relatives, a cd with lots of old family photos. Someone had taken the time to scan all of them and put them on a disc. One of the photos was from a newspaper clipping from August 4, 1965. It was of my grandfather accepting the gavel as the Grand Knight of the Martins Ferry, Ohio Knights of Columbus. He ended up passing away from colon cancer in December of that year.

My dad had never been a Knight, but he has gotten involved in the community and the church in other ways. He was and continues to be a Lector. He has served on parish committees, and he is very active with the local Kiwanis Club, and volunteers at the local senior center delivering meals on wheels.

I didn’t know much about the Knights other than what I had seen at church. Those were the guys who handed out tootsie rolls and had pancake breakfasts after Mass. Those were the guys who wore those funny looking hats (chapeau) and capes for special processions.

When I got back to Wichita, I did some research. I found out that the Knights were more than tootsie rolls and pancake breakfasts. I have a friend (Tom) who has been in the Knights for years and had invited me on many occasions to join. I called my friend Tom and followed in my grandpa’s footsteps. I joined the Knights of Columbus. Here’s why!

The Knights were founded by a Catholic priest, Fr Michael J. McGivney. Many Catholics who came to the United States in the 1800’s were Irish immigrants. His parents were among them. Michael was one of 13 children, 6 of whom died as infants or in childhood. He learned early about sorrow and the harsh grips of poverty. He also learned about powers of love and faith, and family fortitude. As he grew up and became a priest, he saw how the Irish immigrants were discriminated against and looked down upon as a lower social class. Many lived in unsanitary conditions and performed hazardous jobs for poor pay. As a result, many Catholic husbands and fathers lived short lives. He saw what could happen to a family when the breadwinner died. He also saw a need for a fraternal organization for Catholic men similar to the Freemasons. Freemasonry was condemned by the Catholic Church and Catholic men were prohibited from joining the organization because of their anti-Catholic and Christian beliefs.

On February 2, 1882, at St. Mary’s Church in New Haven, Connecticut, Fr McGivney gathered 24 men from his parish to address these needs. That was the beginning of the Knights of Columbus.

Within the order, there are four “Degrees” of Knighthood, each one meant to exemplify one of the four principles. “Charity” and Unity were the first two in 1882. “Fraternity” and “Patriotism” would be added later.

Today the Knights have grown to more that 13,000 councils and 1.7 million members in the United States, Canada, the Philippines, Mexico, Poland, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Panama, the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, Cuba, Guatemala, Guam, and Saipan.

To this day the Knights of Columbus are still true to its founding principles of charity, unity, and fraternity. Charity is the foremost principle of the order. The order has been called “the strong right arm of the Church” for support of the Church programs of evangelization and Catholic education, civic involvement, and aid to the needy. During the year ending December 31, 2008, total charitable contributions reached $150,036,865 ---exceeding the previous year’s total by more than $5.1 million. The figure includes $32,295,376 donated by the Supreme Council and $117,741,489 in contribution from state and local councils, assemblies, and Squires circles.

The quantity of volunteer service hours to charitable causes grew to 68,783,653 in 2008. That’s 87,885 hours more than the year before.

Cumulative figures show that during the past decade the Knights of Columbus has donated more that $1.325 billion to charity and provided nearly 626 million hours of volunteer service in support of charitable initiatives.

Fr McGivney’s founding vision also includes a life insurance program that offers member, spouse, and children the opportunity to provide for their security and well-being. Rated AAA (Superior) by Standard & Poor’s and A++ (Superior) by A. M. Best.

If a Catholic man would like to get involved or learn more about the Knights of Columbus he should contact his local council or check out their web site at http://kofc.org/eb/en/index.html.

What Happens in Heaven

2009-08-30T02:10:00.005-05:00

I have talked about this with a friend of mine. While we pray for need, how often do we actually pray in thanksgiving for the gifts that we receive?

I Love this...WHAT HAPPENS IN HEAVEN This is one of the nicest e-mails I have seen, and it really puts thingsinto perspective..

I dreamt that I went to Heaven and an angel was showing me around. We walkedside-by-side inside a large workroom filled with angels. My angel guidestopped in front of the first section and said, 'This is the ReceivingSection. Here, all petitions to God said in prayer are e received.'

I looked around in this area, and it was terribly busy with so many angelssorting out petitions written on voluminous paper sheets and scraps frompeople all over the world.

Then we moved on down a long corridor until we reached the second section..

The angel then said to me, 'This is the Packaging and Delivery Section.Here, the graces and blessings the people asked for are processed anddelivered to the living persons who asked for them.. 'I noticed again howbusy it was there. There were many angels working hard at that station,since so many blessings had been requested and were being packaged fordelivery to Earth.

Finally at the farthest end of the long corridor we stopped at the door of avery small station. To my great surprise, only one angel was seated there,idly doing nothing. 'This is the Acknowledgment Section,' my angel friendquietly admitted to me. He seemed embarrassed 'How is it that there is nowork going o n here?' I asked.

'So sad,' the angel sighed. 'After people receive the blessings that theyasked for, very few send back acknowledgments .

''How does one acknowledge God's blessings?' I asked.

'Simple,' the angel answered. Just say, 'Thank you, Lord.

''What blessings should they acknowledge?' I asked..

'If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overheadand a place to sleep you are richer than 75% of this world. If you havemoney in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, you are amongthe top 8% of the world's wealthy .

''And if you get this on your own computer, you are part of the 1% in theworld who has that opportunity..

''If you woke up this morning with more health than illness ... you are moreblessed than the many who will not even survive this day ..

''If you have never experienced the fear in battle, the loneliness ofimprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation ... you areahead of 700 million people in the world.

''If you can attend a church without the fear of harassment, arrest, tortureor death you are envied by, and more blessed than, three billion people inthe world.

''If your parents are still alive and still married ...you are very rare .

''If you can hold your head up and smile, you are not the norm, you're uniqueto all those in doubt and despair.

'Ok, what now? How can I start? If you can read this message, you justreceived a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you as veryspecial and you are more blessed than over two billion people in the worldwho cannot read at all.

Have a good day, count your blessings, and if you want, pass this along toremind everyone else how blessed we all are.

ATTN: Acknowledge Dept.: 'Thank you Lord, for giving me the ability to share this message and forgiving me so many wonderful people to share it with

.'If you have read this far, and are thankful for all that you have beenblessed with, how can you not send it on????

I thank God especially for all my family and friends!!

Urgent: Pro-Life Action Needed!

2009-07-22T13:36:00.035-05:00

It is getting serious. I have been receiving emails from sources that I trust (Knights of Columbus and Priests for Life) stressing the seriousness of the health care legislation that is currently before Congress. It seems that the health care reform bills now being finalized in Congress will result in federally mandated abortion coverage by nearly all health plans, recruitment of abortion doctors into local health networks, and the nullification of many state laws that place reasonable limits on abortion, unless Congress explicitly excludes abortion.

Just last week, a Senate panel voted to include abortion coverage. Check out the story here…
Senate Panel OKs Abortion Coverage in Health Care Bill, Senator Forced to Admit

And congress is trying to rush this through. Only we can stop them. They need to hear from each and every one of you! That’s why I am urging a grass roots effort to stop this. Please follow the link below and call or write your Senators and Congressmen, even if they are pro-life. Tell them that you want abortion to be explicitly excluded in any health care reform bill. It is important to let them know how you feel. Please do this today or it may be too late.

Did you see Fox News Sunday this past weekend? White House Budget Director Peter Orszag was a guest on the show. He said that he could not rule it out that no taxpayer money will go to pay for abortions.

WALLACE: Are you prepared to say that in a government public-funded, taxpayer-funded public health insurance plan that no taxpayer money will go to pay for abortions?
ORSZAG: I think that that will wind up being part of the debate. I am not prepared to say explicitly that right now. It's obviously a controversial issue, and it's one of the questions that is playing out in this debate.
WALLACE: So you're not prepared to rule out...
ORSZAG: I'm not prepared to rule it out.

Here’s what the Knights of Columbus said in an email that I received today.

Urgent Pro-Life Alert
July 22, 2009

Abortion mandate in health bill

The healthcare reform legislation currently before Congress contains an abortion mandate that is a grave threat to human life. The bill's language will result in federally mandated abortion coverage by nearly all health plans, recruitment of abortion doctors into local health networks, and the nullification of many state laws that place reasonable limits on abortion.
The National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) has called this legislation the "largest expansion of abortion since Roe v. Wade."

We urge you to write to your senators and congressman today. Click here where you can learn more about the health legislation and send a message to your two senators and congressman.

To read a letter from 19 House Democrats who insist they will not support a health bill unless it explicitly excludes abortion, click here.

Time is of the essence as congressional leaders want to pass the bill in the Senate and House by the end of July.

A coalition of prominent pro-life leaders have arranged a Stop The Abortion Mandate live webcast for the public this Thursday, July 23rd, 2009, at 9 PM Eastern (8PM Central, 7 PM Mountain, 6 PM Pacific).

Please go to www.stoptheabortionmandate.com to register.

Pujols: To Walk or Not to Walk?

2009-07-04T23:28:00.003-05:00

Hey baseball fans, here’s a question for you. Most of you who know me know of my love of baseball, especially the St. Louis Cardinals. If you are a true baseball fan, you are aware of Albert Pujols and the great year he is having. My question is why do so many teams let him beat them? Why don’t more teams pitch around him and walk him intentionally? Take their game last night for instance. Pujols came to bat in the 8th inning with the Cardinals down 3-0. The bases where loaded and two out. The book says you pitch to him which is what the Reds did. The result was a grand slam home run and the Cards led 4-3. If you are the Reds, why not walk Pujols? Even though you walk in a run, you still have the lead, and then take your chance on the next hitter, in this case Ryan Ludwick. Ludwick isn’t near the hitter that Pujols is, and Ludwick hasn’t been hitting the ball well for the month of June, a weak .200 batting average with just 3 home runs. You get Ludwick out and you escape with a 3-1 lead. Will we ever see something like this, a team giving Pujols the free pass, even though it would mean walking in a run? I’m glad a team hasn’t done this yet because I really like seeing Albert bat with men on base. Oh, by the way, the Cardinals ended up winning the game 7-4.

A Question for Obama

2009-06-21T18:12:00.009-05:00

Happy Father's Day to all the Fathers out there!

While watching the news this morning I saw a clip of Barack Obama talking about Father's Day. In it, he said, “We need fathers to recognize that responsibility doesn't just end at conception."

The line was from a Father's Day speech that he gave in 2008. But with Obama he has a tendency to say one thing and do something else. In another speech that Obama gave to Planned Parenthood while he was running for President, he said, "The first thing I'd do as President is sign the Freedom of Choice Act."

Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council has a question for Obama in a 30 second television ad that begins with a clip of Obama's Father's Day speech. In the ad, Perkins is holding his son, Samuel in his arms. He asks Obama, “If, as you say, fatherhood begins at conception, when does life begin?”

I would also like to hear his answer to the question because when I first heard the clip I had the same response as Perkins did. But I am afraid we already know the answer. Seems like actions speak louder than words. As a Senator, Obama has voted against the Born Alive Infants Protection Act, which would have protected from infanticide those children who survive abortion attempts. As a Senator and as President Obama has voted and authorized the spending of US taxpayer dollars here and overseas. Obama is right on his way to making good on his promise to Planned Parenthood. And if he has his way in the upcoming health care debate it wouldn't surprise me to see government mandate the Freedom of Choice Act calling it health care.

Sports Bits

2009-02-15T19:22:00.002-06:00

NCAA Football – Florida was crowned National Champions based on their record and 24-14 victory over Oklahoma in the National Championship Game. Not to take anything away from Florida, but I am still not convinced that the system used is the best method to pick a National Champion. Who’s to say that Florida was any better than USC or Utah? USC had the same record and Utah was undefeated. I like many believed that both had legitimate claims at least to a share of the title. Wouldn’t a better way to choose a champion be through a playoff system such as an 8 or 12 team bracket. I would much rather see the argument be who’s number 8 and who the number 9 team is that didn’t get a chance to play for the championship………………National Signing day is past and according to Rivals.com the Ohio State Buckeyes had the third best recruiting class in the nation. Other Big Ten Teams: (7) Michigan, (16) Michigan State and (25) Penn State. In the Big 12: (5) Texas (13) Oklahoma (22) Texas A&M (28) Nebraska, (31) Kansas, and (95) Kansas State.

NFL Football – The Super Bowl this year was just that. Super! Although KC is my favorite team, I have enjoyed watching the Steelers since Terry Bradshaw and the days of the “Steel Curtin”. Those teams were good offensively but it was the defense that carried them. It looks like they have that formula back again. I was one of many that jumped on the Arizona Cardinals bandwagon during their playoff run. Warner, Fitzgerald and company and their high octane offense were fun to watch. But in the end they made too many mistakes and the Steelers defense prevailed……………….Speaking of the Cardinals, the Kansas City Chiefs should have a new look in 2009. The move to replace Carl Peterson was past due. One has to like the move to bring in Scott Pioli. Kansas City fans will be hoping that he can duplicate the successes he had in New England. I don’t know enough about Todd Haley other that what I saw during the NFC Playoffs and the Super Bowl, however his Cardinals were 4th in overall offense in the NFL last season. Maybe this will be just what the Chiefs offense needs to get well. It will be interesting to see who they bring in as assistant coaches and which players stay.

NCAA basketball – At the beginning of the season I said that KU at times would be fun the watch and at other times it would be difficult to watch them. This week we saw both. On Monday at Missouri, it was their game to win and they blew the lead. On Saturday, even though it wasn’t pretty, it was their game to lose and they managed to take advantage to some breaks and pull out the victory. This team is young and inexperienced. That being said they have some talent in the right spots, but don’t have the depth that they have had in the past. The last 6 games will be a good warm up going into the post-season. The game at Oklahoma will be the most difficult and an almost certain loss for the Jayhawks.
The games at home against Nebraska, Missouri and Texas won’t be easy. I could see KU going to the sweet 16 this year but not much further. A repeat of last year is definitely not in the works this year……….Sorry K-State fans but you will have to wait at least one more year to go dancing. Your strength of schedule is too weak. A win over the Jayhawks might have saved your season. I thought your season was finished after the embarrassing loss at Nebraska, but the Cats finally got it rolling with key wins at home against Missouri and on the road at Texas. The Purple could still salvage the season if they win out the remainder of their games including a home game with Missouri.…………..Wichita State is finally starting to show some hope and potential of what they might be under Greg Marshall. They could finish in 5th place in the Valley which is saying a lot with the start they had to the season. They have some good young talent and plenty to look forward to for next year……………….Have you noticed the emphasis on swinging elbows lately? One thing I noticed is that the defensive players tend to guard so close so when a player pivots or swings his body, the elbows follow making it look more violent than it really is.

Baseball – With just two returning starters and 14 lettermen, this will be the least experienced team that WSU fans have ever seen. If these guys can show some hope early, an attractive home schedule against Pepperdine and Long Beach State might be fun………….”Pitchers and catchers report” are the four words that a baseball fan looks forward to all winter long. Saturday, February 14th was that day. Forget the ground hog, for a baseball fan, it means that spring has sprung. The Cardinals have a lot of question marks. (1) The biggest is the health of Chris Carpenter. Carp has pitched only 21 innings over the last two seasons. There will be a lot of tests on his arm this spring. (2) Albert Pujols had off-season elbow surgery. Will he be ready for opening day? (3) Troy Glaus had off-season shoulder surgery. It has already been announced that he won’t be ready for opening day. Who will fill if for him till he’s ready to return? (4) The Cards released Adam Kennedy last week. Who will be the second baseman? (5) The team still hasn’t signed a closer. Who will be the man out of the bullpen in the 9th inning? Should be a fun spring keeping it all straightened out. Keep posted.

Joe the Plumber and the American Dream

2008-10-19T17:49:00.004-05:00

Joe the Plumber has a dream, and (The Liberal Democratic Machine) Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and the media are trying to take away his American Dream. Instead of facing the question that Joe, Sam, or whatever his name is, they are trying to dig up dirt on Joe. It’s not important what his real name is, if he has licenses, or how much his back taxes are. And why did Obama and Biden question how much money he makes as a plumber?

What they are doing is avoiding the answer to Joe’s question. That’s because Obama’s answer paints him as a modern-day Robin Hood. He wants to rob from the rich and give to the poor. Obama said, “I want to make sure that everybody who is behind ya, that they have a chance for success too. I think when you spread the wealth around, it’s good for everyone.”

That, my friends, is socialism. What he wants is income redistribution. What he forgets is that everyone does have the same chance for success. We are all entitled to an education. In America we can choose the career path that we want. The American Dream is belief that allows all of us the chance to achieve our goals in life through hard work. And now Obama wants to penalize the people who make the right choices and make the most of them. He wants to take away that dream. When you do that, you take away the incentives people have to produce?

The danger with this is that Joe and all the other people out there with dreams will get upset that government is taking too much of their money and they have to work too hard to make even more money. They will throw their hands up in the air and say enough is enough. They will come over to the other side and take money from the government. For those who say that won’t happen. Think again. It happened this week when Hawaii decided to drop the only state universal child health care program in the country. Families were dropping private coverage so their children would be eligible for the subsidized plan.
"People who were already able to afford health care began to stop paying for it so they could get it for free," said Dr. Kenny Fink, the administrator for Med-QUEST at the Department of Human Services. "I don't believe that was the intent of the program."

Obviously, there will always be people who will slip between the cracks but, there is already a system to take care of these people. There are government programs and private charities in place to help these people. What Obama wants is welfare for the middle class by taking away from the people who already pay the most taxes. Did you know that 86% of all federal income taxes are paid by the top 25% of income earners? Infact, the top 50% pay 97% of all taxes. The top 1% pays 39% of the taxes. And Obama wants to take more from them. Of the people he wants to give this money to, 40% do not pay taxes. There is a better way. The tax cuts by George Bush actually increased revenue. The increase in taxes to the top 5% that Obama wants could hurt the people that Obama wants to help forcing the small business man to cut costs and jobs.

This country was built on the dreams of people like Joe the Plumber. Its people like Joe who purchase the small businesses that give you your job. If we elect Barack Obama to raise taxes on these people, who will be there to hire you? Have you ever gotten a job from a poor person?

Rebutting the ‘Catholic but…’

2008-10-06T23:10:00.003-05:00

The following is Bishop Olmsted’s column from The Catholic Sun for Lent 2004 (March 18, 2004 Issue). It is a great article that is as timeless today as it was back when it was written. It is our daily ‘how to’ guide for living our lives as Catholics. It should be a way of life, not just during Lent but for every day.

Most Reverend Thomas J. Olmsted Bishop of the Diocese of Phoenix

© Copyright 2004-2008 The Catholic Sun. Reprinted with permission. Visitwww.catholicsun.org.

“I am a Catholic businessman but I don’t let the Church influence what I do at the office or in the boardroom;” but Jesus says (Mt 7:21), “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.”

“I am a Catholic politician but I don’t let my Catholicism impact on how I vote or what legislation I promote;” but Jesus says (Mt 7:26-27), “Everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”

“I am a Catholic physician but I don’t let my faith mold my decisions regarding abortion, contraception, or other medical practices;” but Jesus says Mt 5:37), “Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the evil one.”

“I am a Catholic talk show host but I don’t let the Church inhibit my right to say whatever I want on the air;” but in the Letter of James, God says (2:17) “Faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

“I am a Catholic priest but I don’t let Magisterial teaching keep me from dissenting from moral or doctrinal points nor let it limit my own ‘pastoral solutions’;” but at ordination each priest professes a solemn oath, “I believe everything contained in God’s Word, written or handed down in tradition and proposed by the Church… I also firmly accept and hold each and every thing that is proposed by the Church definitively regarding teaching on faith and morals.”

Lent is the time to kick the “Catholic but...” out of our own daily lives. It is the time to expunge rationalization from our minds and to root out compromise from our hearts. Lent is the time to say a determined “No” to the temptation to water down our faith for personal gain. It is the time to say a much larger “Yes” to Jesus and His Gospel of Life. Lent is the time for Totus Tuus, the time to renew our commitment to love God with all our mind and heart and strength.

The “Catholic but…” syndrome stands in direct contradiction to Jesus’ clear and unequivocal demand (Mk 8:34-36), “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the Gospel will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?”

The “Catholic but…” syndrome is not without precedent in history. The fact that Jesus Himself directly and frequently opposed such rationalization shows its prevalence 2000 years ago. How often we are tempted to separate what we do in Church from what we do at home, to isolate what we believe from how we vote or what we do at work or at leisure. How easily we can compartmentalize our lives, thus keeping our adherence to Christ from shaping all that we say and do. This is why the formation of conscience holds such a pivotal role in our effort to grow to full maturity in Christ.

Each Lent, the Church urges us to rekindle our love for Jesus and to take a closer look at how completely we are taking up the Cross that fidelity to Him entails. This means we need to examine our consciences, and to insure that they are formed on the solid foundation of the Gospel.

During these 40 days before the Easter Triduum, the Father shines new light upon our souls so we can discover (or rediscover) the essential connection between truth and freedom, and between faith and culture. When freedom is detached from truth, objectivity goes out the window, relativism reigns, and ethical chaos gives rise to the “Catholic but…” It becomes impossible to establish right from wrong, good from evil. The pursuit of holiness is thrown off course.

To take the time, then, during Lent to form our consciences more fully in accordance with objective truth (known from God’s Revelation and the natural law) not only brings wholeness and integrity to our personal lives; it also makes it possible for us to bring healing and reconciliation to society. Let us take advantage, then, of this Lenten season 2004 to engage seriously in the pursuit of truth and freedom. Here are some concrete suggestions for doing so:

Ask the Holy Spirit for His gifts of courage and understanding, humility and right judgment.
Consult the Catechism of the Catholic Church to find clear teaching about the moral conscience and its correct formation (See paragraphs #1776-1802).
Consider your own family situation, your work and your civic duties, and then ask: “Do I live my whole life as a vocation and a mission from the Lord?”
Carve out a few days for a spiritual retreat or at least set aside half a day to go apart from everyday life and examine, with God’s help, how you are integrating the gift of faith in all dimensions of your life. On the first day of Lent each year, the Lord says to us through St. Paul (2 Cor 6:2), “Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

Now is the time to rebut the “Catholic but…” It is the time to say “Yes” when we mean “Yes,” and to say “No” when we mean “No.” Lent is the time to profess our Catholic faith with gratitude and to put every part of it into practice.

Rediscovering Wichita, Step by Step: Swanson Park

2008-06-14T23:34:00.012-05:00

Due to my recent blood clot/deep vein thrombosis, I have, out of necessity, taken up a new hobby. Walking! It is amazing what you notice when walking that you don’t see when driving your car at 40 mph. It has given me the unique opportunity to rediscover my Wichita Neighborhood. I have also been walking at Sedgwick County Park where I did a geocache with a friend.

And I have found one of Wichita’s best kept secrets, Swanson Park, one of the Wichita Wild Habitat areas. This park is located in the northwest part of town and covers 93 acres. There is a paved 32 car parking lot 1/2 mile north of Central on the west side of Maize Road where a 1.3 mile paved trail begins. The Cowskin Creek flows through this park in a series of slow meanders. Native and restored prairie, old hay meadows and woodlands make up the area. Wildlife in the park includes wood ducks, meadow voles, and white-tailed deer. The deer are most likely to be found in the wooded areas where they find cover and food that the trees and shrubs provide.

Bring your own water as there are no drinking fountains in the park. Don’t forget the insect repellent as the habitat is great for breeding mosquitoes. Also there are no public restrooms or picnic tables. There are however plenty of benches to stop and take a rest and there is lots of shade as much of the trail goes through wooded areas.

The area was part of an 8 million acre Osage Indian Reservation. The US Government purchased the land for $1.25 per acre and opened it to white settlement.

“Swanson Park sits on land homesteaded in 1874 by Nels Swanson, a Swedish immigrant. Although his 160 acre tract had less farmable land than surrounding tracts, it was rich in wildlife with a dependable source of water---the Cowskin Creek. After receiving the title to the land, he tried his hand as a miner in Colorado for a few years. He returned in 1888 with his wife Elisabeth, and their two-year old son, Simon. With the help of a neighbor, they built a three-room house, a barn and outbuilding.

Simon, the oldest of Nels and Elizabeth’s three children eventually took over the farm. He married Ottilia Dueker in 1920 and they raised three children of their own: Kjersti, Gloria, and Harold.

Simon was a conservationist before the idea was popular. He rotated his crops, plowed straw into gullies to prevent erosion and left unbroken prairie grass borders around his fields to provide wildlife habitat. He maintained areas along the creek and in other parts of the farm in their natural state. The native prairie grass grew so tall in good years it reached above his head.

The farm remained in the Swanson family for 100 years. Part of it became Swanson Park in 1975 and the remainder was sold for the housing development southeast of the park. The quality of the wildlife habitat you see here today can be credited to the loving stewardship bestowed on this land by the Swansons”
---from one the many information display signs in the park.

My Wake Up Call

2008-05-25T20:40:00.005-05:00

About 2 month ago, I got my “wake up call”. As I usually do every year I took a week of vacation to watch March Madness. See "March Madness and the KU Jayhawks". At the start of my vacation I was noticing some tightness and tenderness in my calf muscle below the knee. As the week went on and I was up and around running errands, the soreness went away. Then came Thursday of March Madness week and I sat around for four days watching college basketball. When I went back to work on Monday, I once again noticed the tightness and soreness. I thought it could be anything. Maybe it was a pulled or strained muscle. In the past, I had a history of inflamed arteries in that leg, but nothing serious and with antibiotics they always got better. In February, I was also diagnosed with a bronchial infection. As fate would have it, over a month later, I was still dealing with this infection. It just wouldn’t go away. On Monday I called my doctors’ to schedule a check up for Tuesday morning.

When taking a shower on Tuesday morning, I noticed that my right leg was swelled and much bigger and redder than my left leg. The doctor scheduled an x-ray to check out my lungs. Next I received a sonogram where they found a blood clot on the inside of my leg, above the knee. Next they scheduled a CT-Scan where they discovered that part of the clot had broken off and gone to my lungs. I had a pulmonary embolism.

I wouldn’t be going home that night. I would get an ambulance ride to the hospital where I would spend the next thee days. I would spend the next four weeks at home laying around with my legs elevated before I would go back to work.

Among the causes of blood clots also known as Deep Vein Thrombosis, DVT are prolonged sitting, such as during a long plane or car ride, prolonged bed rest or immobility, obesity, damage due to injury, and inherited blood conditions. Possibly my week of watching college basketball was not very good for me, although I am on my feet all day while at work. I am not the most active person when away from work and I will be the first to admit that I am overweight. I don’t recall injuring my leg; however I am always bumping it against something at home or at work. My dad also has a history of blood clots that started when he was about my age. I suppose the cause for my blood clot could be any combination of these.

The blood clot should dissolve on its own. There are things I can do to lessen my chances or to prevent another blood clot. Now, I will probably wearing support stockings or compression socks for the rest of my life. I will also be taking blood thinners such as coumadin or warfarin. My other big lifestyle change will include walking regularly to get exercise and stimulate circulation.

I guess that I am lucky to have gone to have gone to my doctor on that March morning and I am lucky to be alive. It could have been much worse. However it is something that I can live with. I can make changes to my lifestyle and life for a long time with this condition. Many people do. Getting in shape is something that I have put off for a long time. Now I have received my “wake up call”! Now, I know what I have to do!

March Madness Final Four Picks

2008-03-20T00:39:00.005-05:00

Here it is, the night before the dance begins. And I thought it was fitting that if I am going to be sharing my opinions on this blog, I would stick my neck out on the line and put up my final four picks. I also welcome each of you to do the same. Just click on the comment section below.
I have Tennessee, Kansas, Texas, and UCLA making it to the final four and Kansas beating UCLA in the championship game. Let the games begin!!!

March Madness and the KU Jayhawks

2008-03-17T13:24:00.007-05:00

I am a die hard baseball fan and if I had to choose one sport over another, I would definitely, take baseball over all the others. Having said that, the first week of March Madness is one the best weeks in all of sports. From “Selection Sunday” when everyone is glued to their TV sets to see where their favorite teams will end up or in some cases if their team will be chosen, through the play in game, now officially called “the opening round game” through the final buzzer on Sunday, when the field has been whittled down from 65 teams to the “Sweet 16”, it doesn’t get much better.

For the casual fan to the die hard fan, it’s all about filling out your bracket to win the office pool. Each has their own method to predict the winners. Some by the color of the uniforms, some by the team mascot, and others use more scientific ways.

Every fan and every team has a dream at this time of the year. The slate has been wiped clean. It’s a new season. The big story that everyone is looking for is which team will be the next Cinderella. It’s all about who will have the biggest upset in the tournament. Being from Wichita, Kansas what an exciting tournament it was two years ago when our beloved Wichita State Shockers made it to the Sweet 16 only to get beat by another team on a Cinderella run, George Mason. The only problem was that there was just one slipper. The Shockers went home and George Mason went on to the final four.

Last year the tournament wasn’t quite as exciting. Seems the selection committee did too good of a job in seeding the teams and there were only three upsets. The average is 8.5 upsets per year.

Being a KU fan, we have been on the other side of the fence all too often. What other team in America has that much talent but can’t make it to the final four. Last year, the Jayhawks made it to the Elite Eight before bowing out to UCLA 68-55. The two seasons before that, they lost in the first round. KU fans do, you remember Bucknell and Bradley? Which KU team will show up this year? This team is loaded with talent, and Bill Self has them playing at their best. Yesterdays’ game vs. Texas in the Big 12 Championship will be one to remember. This team, if they show up, has the talent to beat anyone in the nation. Sometime it takes them a while to get it going. Sometime they don’t get it going. Most KU fans would tell you that anything less than a final four appearance would be a failure. Which KU team will show up? Let the Madness begin!

Why I Blog

2008-03-15T00:57:00.006-05:00

When growing up, I always enjoyed sports (In fact, some might call me a sports fanatic.) and thought that I might enjoy being a sports journalist. I didn’t do much writing as a child or a teenager, and got my first chance to write while in high school. During my senior year, I had an elective to fill and the opportunity arose to join the staff of our school newspaper “The Oracle”, as the sports writer. I gladly accepted, typing my articles on a typewriter. Thank God for computers and word processing software. I even competed in the Kansas Scholastic Press Association Contest, winning third place in sports writing.

I went on to college the next year and graduated with a BA in Business Administration. Three years later, I had a job as a clerk with the U S Postal Service. Twenty-four years later, I still work as a distribution clerk for the Postal Service. During that time the only other writing that I’ve done was as editor of the newsletter, and as president for our local Catholic singles group where I had my own column.

I have always wondered what if instead, I had gone on the study journalism? What if I had followed that dream? This blog is my opportunity. I have no idea where it will take me. Chances are, it will just end up being a hobby, but I owe it to myself to try something that I have always enjoyed doing.

I am not sure where this blog will go. Since my childhood, my interests have expanded and so I will be writing on more than just sports. Topics will include sports, religion, politics, and anything else that I find interesting.

What might I gain from this experience?

It will give me a record of my thoughts and a place to share and save them.

It will force me to learn and read in order to gather input for my output.

It will give me the opportunity to learn and play with new technology.

So Welcome to "Terry’s Tidbits". Please come in, stay for a while, and feel free to comment is you wish.

Why am I Catholic?

2008-03-12T21:52:00.005-05:00

I really liked this video and think that it explains a lot about my faith. The video was made by Katerina Mare. It was made for a Confirmation Retreat to accompany a "Why am I Catholic?" talk. The slideshow gives six reasons for being Catholic: 1) the Eucharist, 2) the Church, 3) the Sacraments, 4) Mary, 5) Marriage (actual and spiritual), and 6) Communion of Saints.

Eventually, as time allows, I hope to do a post on each of these reasons.

The video is filled with images and quotes from saints, popes, and theologians associated with each point. This can be a good resource for talks, RCIA, youth groups, adult study groups and more!

The song for the video, which I also really liked is "Jesus Christ You are my Life," the theme song from the 2005 World Youth Day. The song was composed by Marco Frisina, an Italian from Rome. He wrote the Italian refrain, and a verse for Spanish, Italian, and French soloists. Marco's brother wrote the English refrain. Bro. Rufino Zaragoza, is a co-composer and translator of the song.