Chocolate Jesus

UPDATE: The showing was called off.

An artist is going to be showing a chocolate sculpture of the crucified Jesus next week (by the way, Jesus is completely naked in the sculpture). The title of the exposition? "My Sweet Lord."

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CHOCOLATE_JESUS?SITE=CAACS&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

The 6-foot sculpture by Cosimo Cavallaro was to debut Monday evening, four days before Christians mark the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Good Friday. The final day of the exhibit at the Lab Gallery inside Manhattan's Roger Smith Hotel was planned for Easter Sunday.

I went to artist Cosimo Cavallo's Web site, which lists the sculpture's creation as 2005 with the title "I did it daddy." It's evident that Cavallo, while very talented, has little respect for Christianity.

Of course, Bill Donohue of the Catholic League had a response to it, calling it hate speech and urging people to boycott New York City's Roger Smith Hotel, which is planning on showing the exhibit. He also had this to say:

"As I’ve said many times before, Lent is the season for non-believers to sow seeds of doubt about Jesus. . . . All those involved are lucky that angry Christians don’t react the way extremist Muslims do when they’re offended—otherwise they may have more than their heads cut off."

He has a point about nonbelievers trying to mock and discredit Christianity every year around Easter (see the "Jesus Tomb" for recent examples), and I agree with boycotting. However, his veiled threats are unsettling. Christians have a right to be indignant about this, but the way to do that is expressing your ire with your words and money (as many have already done by writing and calling the hotel).

Maybe you should think twice before buying a chocolate cross for Easter.

You can view press releases from the Catholic League here:
http://www.catholicleague.org/07press_releases/quarter_1/070329_naked_jesus.htm
http://www.catholicleague.org/07press_releases/quarter_1/070329_artist_wants.htm

'The term paper is dead'

As I flew back from a visit to Washington D.C. yesterday, I browsed through The Washington Post and found this interesting commentary on what may be the biggest problem facing teachers... how do they know how to best determine whether their students have learned something? Internet plagiarism is becoming so rampant, he writes, that it has effectively rendered the term paper method useless.

Schools have responded by upping their use of academic integrity pledges and search engines such as TurnItIn.com, which checks student work against a large database of previously written material. But the rise of such measures hasn't reduced plagiarism at all; in fact, students and teachers are more likely to spar over plagiarism than ever before.

Young people today are simply too far ahead of anything schools might do to curb their recycling efforts. Beyond simply selling used term papers online, Web sites such as StudentofFortune.com allow students to post specific questions and pay for answers.

One main problem is students using Wikipedia, more of a public forum than a credible information source, as if it were the Encyclopedia Britannica. While there are some ways to detect cutting and pasting in papers -- the writer mentions the change in tone of a paragraph -- I can only imagine how frustrated teachers are with this.

I'd be curious to hear the thoughts of readers who are teachers either in our Catholic schools or public schools. And if there are any students reading this who want to debate this commentary, be my guest.

Colorado bishops reject HB 1330

The Colorado bishops have issued a statement calling on Catholics in the state to help fight House Bill 1330, which would allow same-sex couples and heterosexuals who cohabitate to adopt children:

http://www.coloradocatholicherald.com/display.php?xrc=438

Opinions?

Losing the baggage but keeping the suitcase

The homilist for the 12:10 p.m. cathedral Mass today, Father Ricardo Coronado-Arrascue, talked poignantly about the importance of the sacrament of confession in our lives and particularly touched on how hard it is for us to truly believe that God has forgiven our sins and wiped our slates clean. Father Ricardo gave a great analogy of carrying baggage in a suitcase. In confession, we often let God take the baggage out of the suitcase, but we still cling to the suitcase expecting to fill it up again. But in confession, God wants to take both the baggage and the suitcase away. The suitcase can represent many things, such as those sins that are repeated often and the emotional and spiritual baggage it repeatedly produces. When God takes away our sins, there is no further need to punish ourselves (something I am ocassionally guilty of), which usually increases the chances of committing those sins again.

We live in a morally relatavistic world where we are taught that we are no more than hypocrites who are just waiting to screw up. To strive for any kind of holiness "infringes" on others so we need to just keep it to ourselves. But that's not how God created us. He created us to be in community, lifting each other up when we fall and helping to keep each other's gaze toward heaven. John Paul II's theology of the body teaches us that the best way to know God and ourselves is to make a gift of ourselves to others. Yeah, we can be hypocrites, but that's not who we really are. It should not handcuff us from continuing to grow and to aid others who need help. Confession is a gift from God to unlock those handcuffs.

It's hard to truly believe one's soul is completely clean after confession when it takes place amid such a worldly environment. But such healing and love are glorious truths that we need to hold onto this Lent and it should make Confession, not a dismal experience, but one of great humility and love.

BREAKING NEWS: CS Catholic Charities has a new director

Stay tuned to CCH Online tomorrow for a story on the new Colorado Springs Catholic Charities executive director. A notice to parishes and diocese offices announced his hiring this afternoon. His name is Jason Christensen, he's from Illinois and he has a wife and two children.

French court rejects gay marriage

The debate over the definition of marriage was a hot topic around here in 2006. Looks like it's not unique to our corner of the world.

France's highest court rejected gay marriage on Tuesday:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6478741,00.html

But the mayor who officiated the union of two men has vowed to continue his fight:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6449321.stm

If you read the BBC story, you'll notice this interesting aside regarding the two men's criminal bahavior:

Chapin and Charpentier were given suspended jail sentences in February 2007 for stealing 4,000 euros form (sic) their 80-year old landlady, part of which they used to purchase their wedding suits.

That's a lot of dough for a couple of suits!

"Sacramentum Caritatis"

Pope Benedict XVI released today an apostolic exhortation on the Eucharist and Mass, "Sacramentum Caritatis," which Catholic News Service describes as "a papal reflection on the discussions and suggestions made during the 2005 world Synod of Bishops on the Eucharist."

Once I have had a chance to read the entire document, I will post some thoughts on it. But if you have already read it, feel free to get the conversion going here.

Catholicism and current movies

There seems to be a spate of Catholic-themed films (or at least with strong Catholic elements) in theaters now. Unfortunately, two of them are smaller, independent films that may not make it to the Springs (but will likely get a screening in Denver). Here's a quick rundown...

1. Breach -- this film has been out for a little while and won't be in the theaters much longer. It's about Robert Hanssen, the worst spy in American history whose other life was as a devout, traditional Catholic husband and father of six children. The film is from the perspective of the young FBI agent wannabe (and lapsed Catholic) who is assigned to shadow Hanssen. I'd be interested in your thoughts on the portrayal of Catholicism. At times they seemed to portray his traditional faith (and love of Opus Dei) as creepy and cultish, and other times it served to show just how much a division there was in him. Perhaps his ultra devotion to the faith was a response to the extreme life of betrayal of his country and family that he led on the side.

2. Beyond the Gates -- This sounds excellent, although the Web site is currently not showing any Colorado Springs or Denver screening dates. Very high praise from Catholic News Service:

"Beyond the Gates" (IFC) towers above most current films, with even the more worthy ones seeming like fluff in comparison. It's a gripping film about one of recent history's most regrettable episodes: the international community's failure to come to the aid of the thousands of men, women and children who lost their lives during the Rwandan genocide. The Catholic element here is strong.

Father Christopher believes in saying Mass no matter what the outside danger, and throughout, is shown carefully explaining the significance of Catholic doctrine and rituals. Despite a short-lived despair, stemming from his helplessness at the violence he's powerless to alleviate, his character is one of the most positive cinematic depictions of a priest in recent memory.

(William) Hurt -- in real life, a clergyman's son and monk's brother -- gives a wonderfully committed and believable performance, and (Hugh) Dancy -- currently winning raves on Broadway for his terrific performance in the classic World War I drama "Journey's End" -- convincingly conveys the growing horror and his illusionment of his character.

3. Into Great Silence -- This looks fascinating and is a documentary made by a filmmaker who lived for six months in almost complete silence at a Carthusian monastery in France. It is not scheduled for a Colorado Springs screening but will show at Chez Artiste in Denver beginning May 18. Again, from CNS...

Groning's respectful, no-frills approach utilizes no narration or background music. Yet, the soundtrack is far from silent. The sounds of bells chiming, wood being sawed, footsteps falling on long corridors, Gregorian chants and the like are ever-present.

The film begins with a monk praying intently in his cell. From there, other monks and activities are observed, albeit from a careful distance. We see them performing their daily ablutions, sweeping the floor, shoveling snow, watering plants, cutting fabric for clothes, all without speaking, though there is not an absolute vow of silence there.

Many will find the film's austerity and nearly three-hour length overly demanding, but for those viewers willing to give themselves up to it, they'll be rewarded with a rich cinematic and spiritual experience.

There is also a restored, remastered version of the classic "Becket" making rare theatrical screenings around the country, but the screening schedule has been hard to find online. I did not find any Colorado Springs screenings, but I did find a run beginning April 13 at Tamarac Square Cinemas in Denver. DVD release is tentatively set for May 15.

Any current film recommendations on your end?

Shorts in church

Something bothered me when I was in church this weekend. A grown man in the pew in front of me was decked out in shorts and sandals at Mass. To me, that shows a lack of respect for the Mass, as it's very informal dress. Women also seem to be adhering to inappropriate dress styles at church.

Does it bother anyone else? Personally, I like the fact that churches in other countries won't allow you in unless you are at least wearing long pants. Maybe parishes need to post a dress code. Or maybe I need to lighten up and appreciate the fact that people are present to worship.

U2, The Joshua Tree and the Theology of the Body

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the release of what I consider one of the 10 greatest albums ever made... U2's "The Joshua Tree." The album made U2 megastars in the same realm of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin. It also made them leaders of the spiritual rock movement, causing them to eventually rebel (at least on the surface for some of them) against their image as "saviors" over the next decade ... although they did maintain a lot of their Christian spirituality (read this book. It's on sale at Amazon for just $6). One of my biggest regrets was turning down the chance to see them at JFK Stadium in Philly on the Joshua Tree tour. I saw them on the Achtung Baby tour at the Spectrum, but by then they had started their rebellion against stardom and the power of the Joshua Tree show was a distant memory.

While Bono is not Catholic (his mother was, I think), I always appreciate the great respect he shows the Catholic Church. His knowledge of Scripture is very impressive. And I have great respect for Bono's efforts to provide AIDS/HIV medication in Africa, to have forgiven the insurmountable debts of poor countries, and the strong Christian overtones in his lyrics. I still think their early "conversion" albums of "Boy," "October" and "War" are the gold standard for those looking to rock with a Christian message. One thing I love about them is that the band really looks at themselves as a marriage, and Bono will often talk about the band in those terms. It is amazing that in the nearly 30 years the band has been around, there have never been any other members other than the original four (not including an Australian concert that Adam Clayton missed, and if you read the book in the above link, it explains that).

That's also why it's no surprise to me that Bono seems to be writing more and more about marriage and true, Christian love that entails gift of self. Christopher West's latest column in The Colorado Catholic Herald (which happens to come out today; timing not intentional) discusses this growing trend, and he analyzes the lyrics to U2's latest new song, "Window In the Skies."

The rule has been disproved
The stone it has been moved
The grave is now a groove
All debts are removed

The sky over our head
We can reach it from our bed
If you let me in your heart
And out of my head…

In the bridge, Bono echoes the joy of Eden – and one of the main themes of John Paul’s teaching -- when he cries: “I’ve got no shame, oh no, oh no!” Then, admitting the many ways he has hurt his wife (Bono has been faithfully married to his high school sweetheart for nearly 25 years), he says, “But love left a window in the skies, and to love I rhapsodize.” As the song ends, he offers the same hope “to every broken heart, for every heart that cries – love left a window in the skies.”

So, has Bono been reading up on the theology of the body? Perhaps. Or, maybe as John Paul II himself emphasized, these are simply truths that find an echo in every human heart and Bono has tapped into it.

I could go on and on about the greatness of U2 and why they are important to listen to. As far as I'm concerned, they're the greatest rock band, period. {Editor's note: Thinking about this, they are actually in my top 3.] No band has put out more relevant music over a longer period time than them. And Bono has shown me to be a man who, despite his human failings, sincerely tries to follow God's will each day.

Cool Shroud talk at Pikes Peak Community College

We got this promo too late for the newspaper, but I wanted to draw attention to it at least here. Dr. John Jackson, who runs the Turin Shroud Center in Colorado Springs with his wife, Rebecca,(see Jim's "lost tomb" post below as well as our front-page story in the March 9 Herald), is giving what I guarantee will be a fascinating talk on their research of the Shroud. I've heard them a couple of times, and their analysis of the shroud pretty impressive. I'm not sure if he will touch on the "Lost Tomb of Jesus" special that aired Sunday on the Discovery Channel, but maybe if there's a Q&A...

"The Shroud of Turin and Science"
By Dr. John Jackson, PhD.
Pikes Peak Community College
2:30-4 p.m. March 16
Centennial Campus Atrium
5675 S. Academy Blvd.

The talk is free. You should definitely check it out if you can get out of work.

Awesome Chesterton talk

Thanks to everyone who made the effort to come to the "Chestertonian Reflections on Lent" talk by Dale Ahlquist, president of the American Chesterton Society, Wednesday night at Divine Redeemer. Dale gave a very funny, very reflective talk on aspects of Lent using G.K. Chesterton's words (he apparently never wrote exactly on Lent but Dale had more than enough to work with). With less than a month of notice, I wasn't sure what kind of turnout we'd get, but it was close to 130 people. Thanks to everyone who re-arranged their schedules and found babysitters to make it down there.

For those who couldn't make it, the Herald is offering a CD of the one-hour presentation for a $10 suggested donation (includes shipping). We are hoping to take any proceeds from this and put it toward bringing in another speaker. My goal is to have a Herald Lecture Series in full force each year, bringing in a speaker every couple of months on a timely topic. Make the check out to The Colorado Catholic Herald and send it to:

The Colorado Catholic Herald

Attn: Chesterton Talk

228 N. Cascade Ave.

Colorado Springs, CO 80903

And very special thanks to our co-sponsors -- Aquinas and More bookstore and prolifeprofessionals.com -- and Father Jim Klein, Ken Toal and Katie Webb and the Divine Redeemer volunteer crew who graciously supplied refreshments after the talk.

[3-9-07 Update: Some interesting items we talked about while driving to Denver yesterday were:]

* A Chesterton canonization cause is stalled but there is heavy interest in it.

* EWTN will be airing a performance of Chesterton's play, "The Surprise," which debuted last year at the annual national Chesterton Conference in Minneapolis.

* For those fans of "The Apostle of Common Sense," there will be a season 4 and likely a season 5.

So... what did you think of "Lost Tomb of Jesus"?

Please share your thoughts on the special. It certainly was dramatic and the filmmakers relied a lot on gnostic gospels.

Lenten Friday soup recipe

Are you looking for a soup recipe for Fridays in Lent? I think I make pretty good black bean soup, and it's not too difficult to assemble.

Here are the ingredients I use:
2 cans of black beans
18 oz of beer (it's ok to use cheap beer)
cilantro (about 1 TBSP, eye measured; I prefer freshly cut)
1/2 onion, diced (you can use more)
4-5 cloves of garlic (I like garlic, so I use more. You can use less)
a dash of hot sauce (Louisiana, Crystal, Patio or Cholula work best for me)
1-2 TBSP green chiles, diced
1/2-1 jalapeno, diced (use more or less depending on your tolerance for spice)

Take one can of black beans and mash into a paste using a potato masher (or food processor, if you prefer.) This works best if you add it to a crock pot, but a pot holding at least a gallon works if you're going to boil it.

Add all the ingredients to the paste except the beer and second can of beans. Then add one can of beer, then the second can of beans, then the rest of the beer you wish.

Crockpot method:
Put it on low and let it stew for a good 6-8 hours. Let it sit on warm 20-30 minutes before serving.

Pot method:
Bring to a boil on high heat. Watch to make sure it doesn't boil over.
Reduce to medium and let it simmer 15 minutes. Take it off the heat and let it sit a few minutes before serving.

If you have time, you can prepare it in advance and let it sit in your refrigerator so the flavors mix. You can also try heating it halfway, letting it cool, then heating it the rest of the way the day you want to eat it.

You can serve it plain, with sour cream, or with hot sauce to taste. I like to place warm tortillas on the side.

Enjoy!

Incongruous advertising

My wife and I have an infant at home, so we receive a bunch of publications geared toward our demographic (which makes me wonder if our doctor is selling marketing lists).

I was leafing through one of these (american baby) this morning, and I came across a three-page advertisement (plus removeable card to mail for more information) for an intrauterine contraceptive device. I found this rather disconcerting and offensive for multiple reasons. Besides religious objections to artificial birth control, I think it's rather startling to see an ad that describes pregnancy prevention in a magazine that ostensibly celebrates children and parenthood.

What's the message there? Your current child is worthy of living, but your next one is undeserving?