Center for Spiritual Direction Updates

For those of you who live in Western, MA, I just posted the Fall schedule of workshops at the Center for Spiritual Direction including an "Exploring Watercolor" workshop by yours truly.

New Website Updates

Here are some new articles I just posted on the website. The first two deal with praying to God when we are angry at God or feel God is nowhere to be found. The last is a new Book Review. The book isn't coming out until next month so enjoy the sneak peek!

Dear God, I'm Mad As Hell

Where Are You Lord?


HolyLand USA: A Catholic Ride Through America's Evangelical Landscape by Peter Feuerherd

St. Maria's Messenger

Two young farmgirls run "St. Maria's Messenger" aimed at girls and teens to help them focus on their spiritual side and remain pure until marriage. St. Maria refers to St. Maria Goretti. They just posted their latest e-letter at

http://smm-eletters.blogspot.com/2006_08_01_smm-eletters_archive.html

which focuses on St. Faustina of the Divine Mercy movement - one of my favorite saints.
I'm happy to help them get out the good news about their publication.

Sleep Update

Thankfully, David did sleep better last night. He woke up for the day at 5:40 a.m. but I will take it. Hopefully we can make it two in a row.

Currently, every night we read a short "life of a saint." Tonight's Saint was Raphael the Archangel, protector against nightmares. So, David fell asleep tonight praying to St. Raphael. I figure it can't hurt!

Middle of the Night Prayers for Sleep

5 year old David has been suffering from insomnia the past couple weeks. Traumatized by a bad storm we had, his fears have just magnified leading to bad dreams and a general inability to simply roll over and go back to sleep. Of course, his first response when he wakes up is to come get Mommy, which then means that Mommy needs to lay down next to him to help him fall back asleep.

I have walked the path of sleep-deprivation before. While I hear stories from other mothers on how their children have slept through the night from the age of 2 weeks, I was not blessed in that regard. David did start sleeping through the night at two months only to start waking up again at five months. We solved that one by having him sleep in our bed until we did a slightly modified Ferberization when he was a little over a year old. Isaac was due soon and we needed to have at least one child sleeping. After that experience, my husband made me promise we would never have another child sleep in our bed. Therefore, I now go to them.

No matter how prolonged David's issues with sleep were, nothing could have prepared us for Isaac. He was the original non-sleeping baby. He just didn't get tired. He would take a 10 minute powernap and be good to go for the rest of the day. At night, he would wake for hours - not crying, just babbling. Even my laying next to him didn't help. He was simply awake. He didn't sleep through the night until he was two years old. Thankfully, his bouts with insomnia are now few and far between, although every now and then, he will have a night that involves more waking than sleeping.

There are people who can function reasonably well on little sleep. I am not one of them. Sleep-deprivation makes me cranky and miserable. A normally patient person, everything grates on my nerves when I am tired. Therefore, for everyone's sakes, I pray every day that my children will sleep through the night. I even have them pray that they will have a good night sleep. After five years, why God sometimes chooses to answer those prayers and sometimes not remains a mystery to me. I was pondering that as I lay on the floor next to David from 2 to 4 am last night, listening him to relate all the things that were on his mind, trying to keep him quiet so that Isaac wouldn't wake up. I just kept praying and praying, all to no avail. Meanwhile, my anger kept increasing - my anger at the little boy who just wouldn't be quiet and go to sleep, and anger at my husband who was sleeping happily in the next room because in the five years my children have been on this earth, they have not once gotten up in the middle of the night and looked for Daddy. I kept trying to keep things in perspective, but I have found that at 3 a.m., I pretty much lack perspective. I even tried explaining to David that it was in his best interest to let me sleep because that way I would be more fun to be around the next day. He didn't seem to care. When he finally fell asleep at 4 am, I tried to escape back to my own room. He came to get me 5 minutes later. I hoped that maybe he would at least sleep later in the morning because he had been awake so long. He woke up at 6:30 am ready to face the day! Needless to say, I was not so eager to be up.

I was still seething, a response I realized was totally irrational. I also knew I needed a break. While I could fake being a happy mommy for a little while, it was not going to last long. Just listening to them talk was like someone running their fingernails on a chalkboard. I begged my husband to take the boys out for an outing today to just give me some time to rest. Thankfully, he obliged, and once they returned I was in a much better position to take care of the boys for the rest of the day.

So, tonight, again I prayed. Hopefully, God will be kind to me. I even told David if he sleeps all night, he will be able to get a sticker on the calendar tomorrow. Meanwhile, I keep reminding myself that this, too, shall pass, and that one day, I will wish that this was the biggest problem I had with them!

Important Pro-Life Message

More "Straight Talk" from Michael Galloway, founder, Catholic Online, and co-founder, Your Catholic Voice Foundation (YCVF).

The Baby In the Womb has Three Enemies
Apathy, Treasonous Sympathizers, We Choose Agenda.
Someone should step into the fight.

The Roe Vs Wade ruling did not make the United States a Nation of Murderers.

It simply revealed that we are a nation of murderers if someone removes the restraint. Not a pretty picture is it? Compromise of principle is a slippery slope.

One of four pregnancies will be terminated by abortion this year. Over one million senseless and brutal acts committed by the powerful against the powerless. It will not stop until we have had enough and get serious about providing alternatives.

Have you had enough? What will it take to get you and me off our backsides?

How can this occur? Let me share a few observations in our continuing series to provoke thought and a more successful action to promote life and adoption. It is critical now.

Years ago, newspapers would call attention to a criminal act by emphasizing Public Enemy No. 1. The Public Enemies of the Child in the Womb may surprise you.

The baby in the womb has three enemies that make the challenges of childhood disease and health trauma pale in comparison. These enemies will orchestrate the death of one in four children in the womb. In cultures outside the United States, the statistics are even more alarming, particularly for baby girls. If you are going to fight an enemy, you should know something about the enemy you intend to engage.

Enemy Number 1: Apathy. We don't know and we don't care. The debate surrounding women's rights, abortion rights, and the language utilized by all sides to raise the rhetoric is generally ignored by almost half of the population. We are numb and dumb. It is more offensive to have pictures of aborted babies on a television news program than the very fact the pictures demonstrate babies are being slaughtered. Forty five percent of our population, according to polls have no strong opinion on Abortion, yet nearly 70%, in the same polls, say that religious belief is an important priority in their lives. Evidently, those that believe that abortion kills a child have been unsuccessful in communicating their message in a meaningful way that would be measured by some meaningful depth of conviction by one half of our society. It is time to make the Apathetic Uncomfortable by every effective means of communication.

Enemy Number 2: Treasonous Co-conspirators and Sympathizers even in church circles. These deluded individuals are quoted as saying that "they are certainly against abortion, but are for a woman's right to choose." They have reached an accommodation with the Kingdom of Darkness; they are sell outs, they should not be in leadership in the Church or in any para-church organizations. There is no neutral position to claim in the issue of abortion. You either want it stopped or you are complicit in the brutal killing of helpless innocent children.

It is reminiscent of some cowardly people who once said, "Well, I believe slavery is wrong, and I would never own slaves, but I support a person's right to choose to own slaves." No one with a truly formed conscience that felt the impression of the Holy Spirit believed that slavery was right, in spite of the fact that there were laws and court rulings that supported slavery. Amazingly, the slave owners and those who made a profit in the "trade" utilized the familiar argument heard today. "Anyone against slavery is against personal freedom expressed as a right to choose. If you don't want to own slaves, don't interfere in our rights to own slaves. We have a legal right to choose. We will suffer economic hardship if we are not allowed to retain slaves. Even the Highest Court of the Land says the slave is a non-person without rights that must be respected." Sound familiar???

It was never right, and it was never going to be right to own a person, even if the law considered them less than full persons. Being sanctioned by state or federal rulings did not make it right. Our society, and particularly those that were slaves suffered greatly until we collectively said, "Enough" and backed our conviction with our actions. We had to look carefully at the rights of individuals set forth in our country's founding documents. We should be mindful that there were church attending people who were content to do nothing, and gave support to the "Right to Choose" argument of those who chose to own slaves. They were just cowards. We have a lot of cowards in the religious circles today.

We have to stop being so politically correct and allowing for so many diverse opinions, when some "opinions" are simply wrong. Misguided PC Tolerance is killing babies. Let judgment start with the church and those who claim allegiance to Christ. No wiggle room. No neutrality. While we hear a lot about utilizing a litmus test for public office appointments being inappropriate, there should be no such reluctance for those that profess to represent Christian based organizations. Are they Pro-life, or Pro-Death? We should ask. They should answer.

We all know the clever word games associated with utilizing the phrase "Pro-Choice" to establish that we are for a person's right to choose. Get real. Everyone is pro-choice about some issues, and anti-choice about other issues. Want an example?

Our society may say that every man should have the right of choice regarding his right for personal sexual expression, but my support for his right of choice would cease the moment he expressed intentions to harm my daughter. When there can be a victim by the action following a choice, the right to choose was just narrowed or completely disappears. Some "choices" are simply wrong!

A room full of sixth graders could sort this out. Can we?

Enemy Number 3: We do what we choose. The organized expressions of a mistaken philosophy of life that makes perceived personal happiness and convenience the primary consideration for all decisions, rejecting even the concept of moral absolutes as archaic meanderings of a less enlightened civilization and the current preoccupation of a "radical religious right" is alive and well, and spreading around the world.

Throughout history, this philosophy has found its way through many expressions and movements, but it is safe to say, in all of history, it has not been as pervasive as it is today. Regardless of the name of the movement, all expressions share a common theme:

Man is the center of the universe, and man is a law unto himself. Therefore, whatever man determines, at that moment in history to be right, is right.

The implication of embracing such a philosophy of life is staggering. Any act can be reasoned out within this incorrect philosophical context. Any Act! No atrocity is bad if it serves my personal good. No act is wrong or right, it is just expedient. There is no absolute right or wrong. We determine.

We are living with the result of this philosophy mirrored by
our society's actions.
"Children are likely to try sexual expression anyway, so let's teach them technique without moral restraint or compass. You already have two children and are now established in your career. Better to abort this child than have a child that is unwanted. You don't really want to marry this girl you have been sleeping with. Convince her to abort the child so there are no future ties and messy obligations. (see Chris and Monica Debate) Baby girls are less valuable than baby boys. Abort them. Children with handicaps will be burdened throughout their entire life. Better they do not start.
On and on."

We are alarmed with the increase in child abuse, and the daily reports of unthinkable acts of violence against helpless children. Why? It is the natural result of a society throwing off any objective moral restraints. Read Romans, Chapter One in the Sacred Scriptures.

The baby in the womb has three enemies. Unfortunately, that baby is not quite ready to step into battle on its own. Someone should step in, and now.

Every pregnancy occurs in relationship to some family. Often, the support of the family is the dominant single influence in the decision to choose life. Can the influence of a parent or grandparent overcome the enemies of the child in the womb? Is it possible that even good Catholics could waiver in a time of teen pregnancy? Our decisions, even when it is tough to do the right thing, make all the difference.

Jack Dunn vs. Dan Brown

Most of the furor regarding "The DaVinci Code" has died down, but in my little corner of the world things are just getting interesting. A local man, Jack Dunn, wrote a book called "The Vatican Boys" several years ago. "The DaVinci Code" is strikingly similar. Our local Catholic newspaper, "The Catholic Observer" ran an article on him a few weeks ago. You can Read the article here.

Since this article was written, my brother-in-law has taken on the case and filed a multi-million dollar suit against Random House on behalf of Jack Dunn. Mr. Dunn sent me the following media release which I am happy to share with you:

Media Release

Regarding the US District court filing by Jack Dunn against Dan Brown, Random House and Sony Pictures of August 16, 2006 for copyright infringement.

1. The Vatican Boys was published and copyrighted in 1997. The Da Vinci Code was published and copyrighted in 2003. Alerted by readers of my new book, Holyoke-The Belle Skinner Legacy in December 2005-January 2006 that there were substantial similarities in the texts of The Vatican Boys and The Da Vinci Code I read the book for the first time in January 2006 and noticed immediately what I consider to be substantial similarities that relate to the structure of the stories, including but not limited to the characters, plots, themes, scenes, feel and flows of the stories. While I was reading some of the scenes in The Da Vinci Code it appeared to me like I was re-reading what I wrote in The Vatican Boys.

2. I alerted Random House and Sony Pictures on 4/26/06 2006 that I felt there were problems with the contents of the books and possible copyright infringements. I received no response from either company except a letter from Random House that they received my complaint.

3. In good faith I sent a copy of the Vatican Boys to Random House for them to review.

4. After soliciting and receiving several opinions of Literary experts and a screenwriter whose analysis confirmed my opinions that there were substantial similarities in themes, plots characters, and feel of the story that they felt would be ‘noticeable to a lay reader’ I filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court in Springfield, Massachusetts on August 16, 2006 a copy of which has been emailed to you. Damages are estimated to be in excess of $400 Million Dollars.

Cited in the complaint by means of ‘flow charts’ are the sequences of events and character interactions of The Vatican Boys that also appear in The Da Vinci Code. A far as similar phrasing or scenes that appears in both books there are many examples:

5. TVB page 209, “it’s a way of getting Catherine out of this,” – TDC page 409 -Langdon refers to, “getting Sophie out of here alive” in TDC

6. Both Catherine Turrell and Sophie Neveu have reoccurring nightmares, and they both ‘dream about Bridges’.

7. Page 61, TDC, “Each term was indeed the sum of the two previous,” and in TVB on page 171 “the first two and the last two digits of each set were exactly the same,” the use of variations of number sequences that involve the number 2 to figure out the codes.

8. Catherine Turrell in TVB is in her 30’s, is a beautiful and rebellious French woman whose family has a county estate in France. Her father has a friend who is a Knight Banker who helps Turrell get away and then helps Hathaway and Turrell gain access to accounts at his bank that contain secrets that are accessed by using a number combination involving the number 2 and a five-letter of the alphabet password. Sophie Neveu is in her 30’s, is a beautiful and rebellious French woman whose family has a county estate in France. Her Grandfather has a friend who is a Knight Banker who helps her and Langdon gain access to a safety deposit box that is in his bank that contains a secret that is accessed by using a number combination involving the number 2 and the five-letter of the alphabet password. Once they get the secret he then helps them to get away.

9. On Pages 275-279 of TDC, a strangely noticeable similar scene takes place that is substantially similar to a scene in TVB in Pages 180-188, where Neveu, Langdon and Teabing have the cryptex that will lead them to the Holy Grail (Relic), and Silas the Opus Dei soldier beaks in to where they are all together, trying to get it. Silas now has a ‘injured right ankle’ that he gets at this exact point in the story. In TVB Rovarik, Hathaway and Turrell are in a place all together with the relic and the Opus Dei mercenary Jeremy breaks in trying to get it and Hathaway at this same point in the story has just fallen and has ‘a injured right ankle’.

10. The use of “playing cat and mouse,” –TVB page 43 – “game of cat and mouse,”- TDC page 293.

11. Descriptions of what the characters ‘see’ or ‘look at’ the same point in both stories in London as Fleet Street is used as a ‘major point of entry’ for the characters in the stories in both books, TDC page 337, “Fleet Street?” There’s a crypt on Fleet Street?” - TDC page 347 descriptions in the Temple Church of, ”Langdon was feeling gooseflesh too as they stepped into the circular chamber His eye traced the curvature of the chambers pale stone perimeter, taking in the carvings of gargoyles, demons, monsters and pained human faces all staring inward.” TVB Page 155, - Fearsome dragons guard the entrances to Old London, hellish demons perched on tall pedestals said to stop evils from entering the city. The most prominent one is on Fleet Street,” - on page 156, Catherine, “she looked up to see the dragon on its Fleet Street perch. Seeing it reminded her of the nightmares, the ones in which a gorgon haunted and hunted her on a bridge.” In both stories when the characters look at their surroundings, they ‘see’ dragons and demons.




These are just a few of the hundreds of examples of similarities in the ‘use of characters, phrasing, scenes, descriptions, information’ that first appeared in the fictional novel The Vatican Boys that are used in The Da Vinci Code. There are many others listed in the charts by comparisons of the stories, the line -up of characters, the events and the flows of information into the plots of the stories of the two books compared in sequence. The arrangements of the ‘words’ may have been changed around to try to conceal the duplications, but the nature of the use of the same ideas and characters and the similar phrasing or descriptions of the characters interactions are unmistakable.

And, we are talking about two books of Fiction.

Jack Dunn