Attend The Cross and The Light

Facebook Link.
Ticketmaster.

March 24-31, 2013.
11 Performances. Musical Hall, Detroit, MI

Kelly Neito

My friend and tour de force producer-writer, former Miss Michigan, comedian, writer, and composer --  Kelly Neito has been producing a version of this spectacular for the past 12 years. It starter in her parish as the Living Stations of the Cross. Each year she added something to it. Three years ago it was a full fledged musical presentation staged at the Detroit Cathedral with union talent that attracted tens of thousands.

But now they've out grown that, as well. This year for the first time they've moved  to a professional venue,  on a legitimate stage, and added a full Act. This is the most dramatic passion play (with the Resurrection and beyond that the Midwest has seen). If the last year was any predictor, this production will be on Broadway soon. It's that good.

There are only 11 performances at the Detroit Music Hall during Holy Week. Well worth the money and effort. A great musical, written and produced by a Catholic with stage chops to spare, in Detroit's best venue by any measure.       

God's Architect: Sagrada Familia by Antoni Gaudi

CBS 60 Minutes is doing a special on Sagarada Familia.

"Perhaps the world's most beautiful and unique church, the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, has been under construction for more than 130 years, since genius architect Antoni Gaudi started working on it in 1883. Long after his death, builders are using modern technology to realize the master architect's vision."

Feast your eyes on this. Benedict XIV recently consecrated the structure as a basilica.  The idea was to conceptualize the 2,000 year history of the Church in one structure. Amazing. Big images are necessary. But, see the typical reaction by pagans, and my response, below.

The following images were snapped by my cousin, Burt Williams. He writes:  ...a few photos of the 'Gaudi' designed church - La Sagrada Familia and one of his other buildings; Casa Batllo.  It was started way back in 1882.  I recall there is a renewed effort to finish it within the next few years.  According to Wikipedia; "It is anticipated that the building can be completed by 2026, the centenary of Gaudi's death.  Judging by his architectural style, especially considering the time (1882) I could see why he might have seemed to be a bit extreme.  If you ever get a chance to see this church, I would highly recommend it.  Even with a wide angle lens, the size of the building is difficult to capture. 

Casa Batllo

On the CBS comment box comes judymar14 March 8, 2013 11:54 AM EST

DISGUSTING...How many people could have been fed over the last 130 years for what it has been costing to build this monstrosity?

And my response:

judy...actually it fed many, many people. It fed the thousands of workers and their families for over 100 years. Not just with food (for some worked for pay), but it fed others with inspiration (for some worked for free). And the materials purchased bought food for the suppliers, the transporters, and those that fed the workers(who might have been poor without the work). And the construction and its presence added jobs for the surrounding community. And today and for years to come, as tourists (like me hopefully, someday)  come and spend thousands of dollars to travel there, dine and board there. Every dollar spent helped feed, cloth and shelter people that might be poor without the expenditure.  Did you think money was melted down and taken away from the poor? Just the opposite. This beautiful church will feed tens of thousands as people spend their money to get there, and then donate to the church out of love of God, and in respect to the artistry. Remember the Catholic Church gives more money, service, and relief, world wide than probably any other single body. The largest group of benevolent hospital and medical services are Catholic, many staffed by nurses who are nuns and make little or no money. The world's University system and the scientific method... all came from Catholic disciplines.  Today, much of our offerings help the poor directly. Your comment would also apply to any painting... as if the painting should not have been painted, and the painter should have given the $10 for the paint to the poor. But with the painting completed, it will earn thousands of dollars to feed his or her family and donate even more to those less fortunate.

DAVE ARMSTRONG CATHOLIC APOLOGETIC BOOKS NOW ON SALE 40%-50% DISCOUNT. WHILE SUPPLIES LAST Click Here for Discount Page of Great Catholic Apologetics

Here is a great opportunity to round out your Catholic library with easy to read and understand books by prolific Catholic author, blogger Dave Armstrong. Dave's writing is clear, direct and flush with many Biblical citations and quotes.

EWTN Schedule for WISDOM FROM ABOVE

Wisdom From Above will air on EWTN beginning Sunday March 3 at 3:00 AM Eastern (Midnight, Pacific) with a second airing of the same episode on Saturday, March 9 at 6:30 PM Eastern (3:30 PM Pacific). That will continue with new episodes weekly for 13 weeks, with the exception of Holy Week.

The series will conclude sometime in early May after it's  13 week "season." 

Wisdom From Above Now Shipping

We have received our first shipment of Alex Jones' WISDOM FROM ABOVE DVD and are now shipping. Development began in April 2012, Recording in July, and editing from September through early January 2013. The 76 page Study Guide is emailed as a PDF. Here's Alex's LIBRARY PAGE, with clips and the much deserved production credits on the MORE INFO PAGE.

How Dare an Armed Congress Disarm the Public Who Needs to Defend Itself Against Crazies and Politicans.

 I think a basic history civic test should be administered to all congressional representatives. If they can't answer this question, they don't take their seat.  Joshua Boston Cpl passes. Feinstein flunks.

Senator Dianne Feinstein,

I will not register my weapons should this bill be passed, as I do not believe it is the government's right to know what I own. Nor do I think it prudent to tell you what I own so that it may be taken from me by a group of people who enjoy armed protection yet decry me having the same a crime. You ma'am have overstepped a line that is not your domain.

I am a Marine Corps veteran of 8 years, and I will not have some woman who proclaims the evil of an inanimate object, yet carries one, tell me I may not have one.

I am not your subject. I am the man who keeps you free. I am not your servant. I am the person whom you serve. I am not your peasant. I am the flesh and blood of America.
I am the man who fought for my country. I am the man who learned. I am an American.

You will not tell me that I must register my semi-automatic AR-15 because of the actions of some evil man.

I will not be disarmed to suit the fear that has been established by the media and your misinformation campaign against the American public.

We, the people, deserve better than you.

Respectfully Submitted,
Joshua Boston
Cpl,
United States Marine Corps
2004-2012

Bill Whittle for President

Americans United for Separation of Church and State Proposal

Americans United for Separation of Church and State should be given a city of "refuge" where they can make all their own laws and see how long they last.

One of the requirements we must insist upon is that no law that they impose on themselves can have any seminal reference or origin in religion. Thus, killing will be allowed freely in such an Americans United for Separation of Church and State city, because "Thou Shall Not Kill" has its origins in religion. Also, thievery, adultery, envy, immorality of all kinds, telling lies, etc. will all be legalized. Why? Because they must remove all artifacts of religious morality from their society.

My prediction is that they will kill themselves within a year or die of disease.

Oh, yes. Neither can these cities of "refuge" take advantage of any advancements in science, because the scientific method came out of the assumptions of religion that the universe is orderly and predictable via a benevolent mechanism to favor human life. That is the basis of the scientific method.  Science's foundation is in religious faith that the universe is orderly and kind.

Then, with AU (and other such groups) out of the way by their own choice, we can introduce God back into public life and begin once again to embrace what is Good, True, and Beautiful—all of which has it's source in our Creator.

Gun Control vs. Abortion Control

Search "gun control" and "abortion" on-line and you'll be "treated" with a host of posts and challenging questions about why liberals support gun control (because guns kills dozens in horrific massacres like Sandy Hook), but are all for abortion (which kills millions of boys and girls whose whole life is before them).  If you think logically and humbly about this, the offensive folks from Westboro Baptist may be on to something. But then the Catholic Church has been onto this for some time... like centuries. Here are some quotes from Pope Benedict XVI's World Day of Peace Message for 2013 delivered December 14, 2012.

Peacemakers are those who love, defend and promote life in its fullness.

The path to the attainment of the common good and to peace is above all that of respect for human life in all its many aspects, beginning with its conception, through its development and up to its natural end. True peacemakers, then, are those who love, defend and promote human life in all its dimensions, personal, communitarian and transcendent. Life in its fullness is the height of peace. Anyone who loves peace cannot tolerate attacks and crimes against life.

Those who insufficiently value human life and, in consequence, support among other things the liberalization of abortion, perhaps do not realize that in this way they are proposing the pursuit of a false peace. The flight from responsibility, which degrades human persons, and even more so the killing of a defenseless and innocent being, will never be able to produce happiness or peace. Indeed how could one claim to bring about peace, the integral development of peoples or even the protection of the environment without defending the life of those who are weakest, beginning with the unborn. Every offense against life, especially at its beginning, inevitably causes irreparable damage to development, peace and the environment. Neither is it just to introduce surreptitiously into legislation false rights or freedoms which, on the basis of a reductive and relativistic view of human beings and the clever use of ambiguous expressions aimed at promoting a supposed right to abortion and euthanasia, pose a threat to the fundamental right to life.

"Wisdom From Above" Gets a Proofing - Thanks, Mary!

Mary Lyle Proof "Wisdom From Above"

While EWTN reviews Wisdom From Above for its theology, we're busy back in S.E. Michigan going through technical reviews and proofing the 13 Episodes, and writing the Study Guide. Next step is to make the 100+ little fixes. We should be done with everything but the fixes before Christmas. My thanks to Mary (Freeman) Lyle who has volunteered her time to come and sit at my computer to proof all the on-screen text, and then take the Study Guide on her Christmas break and proof it as well. She's been showing up at 7 AM on Saturdays (!!!! Yes, I fix her omelets and ham). She's good. I've watched these episodes a dozen times already, and she finds multiple typos in every lesson. When Mary was in college she interned at my production company years ago. Then after a stint of teaching in CA she moved back to MI and lived with us for 3 years renting a room, while she substitute taught, and looked for a full time job. Then she met Randy Lyle, got married, and moved out. They adopted two great kids from Russia, and live near by so now and then between her teaching assignments she finds time to help me run conferences, and proof stuff. Many, many thanks, Mary. God bless you!