Preach it, John, Preach it!

This:

Only a modern thinker, by which I mean ‘only a morally retarded one-dimensional thinker’ could regard both the Eve by whose proud disobedience all mankind was condemned, and the New Eve by whose humble obedience all mankind was saved as ‘weak.’ Heroines and villainesses on whose decisions turn the fates of worlds can be called a lot of things, but the Marxist and feminist interpretation of life only has two words for life in all its complexity: strong and weak. Whatever is strong is an oppressor, an exploiter, and guilty, and whatever is weak is oppressed, exploited, and innocent.

Being feminine does not mean being weak. That is a Marxist lie, produced by the morally retarded one-dimensional and therefore stupid idea that all human relationships are mutually hostile power struggles about power. Being feminine means being not masculine. 

Male pride is brittle. I am sorry, fellow guys, but we have weaknesses particular to our sex, and a woman can shatter us with word, if it is the right woman and the right word. Women, at least old fashioned & old school women, seem to have more endurance and more stick-to-itiveness and more Christian charity than men, by and large. 

They go through pregnancy, and THEN look forward to doing it again. Sheesh! Who says feminine girls are weak? 

It is the masculine girls who are weak, the Buffy Vampireslayers. They have the brittleness and pride of touchy male pride — feminists are as sensitive to any trifling slights against their honor as a Spanish Grandee — but they do not have the corresponding masculine virtues of chivalry, generosity, and honor for the fallen foe that Christianity introduced to ameliorate the savage pagan attitude that glorifies strength and despises the weak.

...is the point I was trying to make in clunky fashion here.

Also, this:

Of course, I also agree with St. Paul that men should love their wives as Christ loves his bride the Church, which is to say, men should regard marriage as crucifixion. It is not fun and games, loverboy. You think joining the army demands total commitment from you? Marriage, you do not get R&R, do not get leave, and you are never off duty. You are husband and father forever and aye, till death do you part, amen. 

You might come to marriage for the sake of Eros, romantic love, or for the sake of Philos, because you seek the companionship and friendship of the beloved, because you like her as well as love her. But marriage is Agape, self-emptying, self-denying, self-sacrificing love. So do not rejoice if St. Paul crowns you with the crown of marriage, husbands, and asks your wives to submit to your leadership and rule, because the crown is a crown of thorns, and the rulership is like that Christ refused of the devil when offered the kingdoms of this world. Your task, husbands, is to take second place in your wife’s affections once children arrive. You live for them, not they for you.

...is probably the best exegeses of Saint Paul's letter to the Ephesians that I've read.

It's (Officially) a Boy!

Introducing Anthony William!

As it turns out, one of his great-great-grandfathers was named Antonio (Anthony), and another was named William. This is coincidental (or is it?).

We've kinda known that it was a boy since the 13-week genetics ultrasound. At that point, it can be pretty hard to tell the difference, but both the doctor and ultrasound technician were pretty sure.

Hoag is now doing 4D ultrasounds. They didn't do that with Damien.

We've had the name picked out for over a year and a half. Shortly after the genetics ultrasound, we spelled out "Anthony" on the refrigerator under Damien's name in letter magnets. One day, Damien found his way into the kitchen, grabbed the "o" out of "Anthony" and started playing with it. The Murloc barked at him, "Damien, leave 'Anthony' alone!"

I'm sure that's only the first time of many we'll be hearing that.

Ummm... don't look now, but our baby is missing half his head.

I think he already looks a little like Damien. Is that a dimple I see in his chin? We may have another lady-charmer on our hands!

Such a lady's man!

iConfess I'm Shocked

So my friend's iPhone app has been doing quite well, apparently.

It's now the top paid app in the "Lifestyles" section of the app store.

And it's also in the top 25 purchased apps in the app store.



It started small, with the Catholic blogosphere.

Thomas Peters at American Papist praised it.
Mark Shea called it "very cool."
Father Z called it "useful but flawed."
Father Roderick tweeted about it.
Even Father Barron recommended it.
Early on in the viral outbreak, Patrick himself appeared for an interview on one of SQPN's podcasts.

Then it got big.

ABC: Confession App: Catholic Church Sanctions New iPhone App.

CNN: New app helps Catholics confess on the go.
Fox: Church Approves 'Confession' App for iPhone.
CNBC: Bless me iPhone for I have sinned.
New York Times: Forgive Me, Father, for I Have Linked.

Time Magazine: Smartphone Sins: Catholic Bishop Approves iPhone Confession App.

Associated Press: New iPhone, iPad app helps you keep track of sins.

USA Today: U.S. Catholic Church blesses iPhone app for confession.

The Guardian: Bless me, Apple, for I have sinned.

NPR: Confessing Sin in the Age of the iPhone.

HuffPo: Confession App Sanctioned By Catholic Church.

PC Magazine: Hail Mary! Catholic Church Blesses iPhone App.

(I'm tired of linking. Find the rest yourself)

It was also covered on segments on Fox News, CNN, and the Today Show (I don't have the clips). Apparently Conan made a joke about it on his show. Something about butt-dialing God.

Even Perez Hilton mentions it.

Some of the coverage was good:
AP: Religion Tech: Confessing Sins on Your iPhone.

Other, well, not so much, prompting Get Religion to correct The Times (of London).

Then it got... really big.

Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, commented on it, saying it is not a replacement for confessing to a priest. Of course, Patrick already new that and never intended that it would be used as a substitute, only as an assistance.

This caused a fair amount of confusion as several news outlets announced that the Vatican "excommunicated" the app. Seriously.

HuffPo: Vatican Bans Confession Via iPhone App.
Reuters (via LA Times): New iPhone app helps Catholics through confession.
The Telegraph: Vatican bans iPhone 'God app'.

Of course, you can't say the phrase "One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic" in an empty room without stirring up controversy. The range of criticism showed the Chesterton effect in full force. Complaints in the comments sections on the blogs and news articles ranged from "the Catholic Church is so silly for offering this backwards and outdated rite. Why, a Catholic can commit the most outrageous sin and simply confess to a priest to receive absolution! It makes wrong-doing so easily forgiven as to encourage it!" to "the Catholic Church is so silly for offering this quaint and un-biblical rite. Why, anyone can receive forgiveness by simply offering contrition directly to God! Involving a priest simply adds needless complexity to obtaining redemption to the point of encouraging people not to seek it!" to "the Catholic Church is so silly for offering this wrong-headed and hurtful rite. Why, telling people to confess their sins to a priest makes them feel guilty and shameful about ordinary behavior! The guilt-complex it creates is responsible for driving gay teens to suicide!"

(In case you don't believe me on that last one, this HuffPo piece makes a connection between Pat's app and teen suicide. For reals.)

Despite my earlier protestations, I did end up buying the app today. The personalized examination of conscience is good. This is what it gave me when I entered my name.

Perhaps a little too good