The Pope Is Her Shepherd Too

Pope Benedict strongly rebukes Pelosi over abortion

House speaker Nancy Pelosi’s photo-op with Pope Benedict XVI turned sour when the Pontiff used the 15-minute meeting to reaffirm the teachings of the Catholic Church on the right to life and the duty to protect the unborn.

No photo of Nancy Pelosi and the Pope will be forthcoming, since the meeting was closed to reporters and photographers. The two met in a small room in the Vatican just after the Pope's weekly public audience.

Immediately after the meeting, the Holy See’s press office released a statement saying, "following the general audience the Holy Father briefly greeted Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, together with her entourage."

"His Holiness took the opportunity to speak of the requirements of the natural moral law and the Church's consistent teaching on the dignity of human life from conception to natural death which enjoin all Catholics, and especially legislators, jurists and those responsible for the common good of society, to work in co-operation with all men and women of good will in creating a just system of laws capable of protecting human life at all stages of its development."

Go here to read the full article.

Now we all have to remember to pray for Nancy Pelosi, that the words she heard will sink in and affect her heart and more importantly, her soul.

I am glad she won't get a picture.

Thanks to Cottage Blessings for the story.

Who's In Charge?

It has been quite exciting watching all of the Papal events on EWTN the last few days. How I would love to be there to see him in person, but I wouldn't get to see everything like I do on TV. My parents and my brother, the priest, get to go to the Papal Mass at Yankee Stadium on Sunday. Lucky them!! (You had better pray for us while you are there!)

Today I sat down to watch the Papal Mass at the stadium in New York City. The kids were in high gear, tumbling all over each other like little puppies, and occasionally stopping to yell, "The POPE!" Or, out of the blue, Dominic would start singing, "Happy Birtday to you, Pope!"

Partway through the Mass, I started to wonder who on earth was in charge of the music selection. A glorious occasion, Pope Benedict is here, let's bring out the best music! What do we get? Mediocre stuff, at best. Quite a mishmash, too. It seemed more like a big variety show than a solemn Papal Mass.

However, they almost redeemed themselves after communion. Placido Domingo came out to sing "Panis Angelicus" and it was wonderful. The Pope thought so, too.

I guess there were a few other songs that were fine but they were overshadowed by the goofy stuff. So much for Pope Benedict's call for liturgical music reform.

*By the way, this is our 100th post! Wow!

Celebrating the Pope's Birthday

Yesterday we were watching the Papal event at the White House and talking about how it was Pope Benedict's 81st birthday (or as Anne calls him "Pope Benidit"). Then we decided to make him a birthday cake. Here it is, our own little zucchetto cake.