Much Ado About Da Vinci

A few of my friends have asked: "Are you going to see THE movie?" (THE movie...like I'm supposed to know which one.) Turns out they mean The Da Vinci Code. And, the reason they ask is because I'm Catholic, and they're curious to know on which side of the fence I'm on regarding "The Da Vinci Issue".

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised at all the hub-bub. There's talk of boycotts and protests. Apparently, even the Vatican has expressed its disdain.

I read the book and loved it. I think Ron Howard is a talented director. While Tom Hanks isn't who I had in my mind's eye as Robert Langdon, he's a fine actor who can be counted on to turn in a solid performance. I do plan on seeing THE movie. I'll have a big bucket of popcorn and an icy cold soft drink, and I'll surely love it.

Reflecting on all of this talk about THE movie, I pulled the novel that started it all from my bookshelf and turned to an opening page that, for me, says it all:

FACT:
The Priory of Sion -- a European secret society founded in 1099 -- is a real organization. In 1975 Paris's Bibliotheque Nationale discovered parchments known as Les Dossiers Secrets, identifying numerous members of the Priory of Sion, including Sir Isaac Newton, Botticelli, Victor Hugo and Leonardo da Vinci.

The Vatican prelature known as Opus Dei is a deeply devout Catholic sect that has been the topic of recent controversy due to reports of brainwashing, coercion and a dangerous practice known as "corporal mortification." Opus Dei has just completed construction of a $47 million National Headquarters at 243 Lexington Avenue in New York City.

All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals in this novel are accurate.

The rest, ladies and gentlemen, is FICTION.

A Prayer for Mothers

Dear Lord, we pray for mothers and give thanks for all that they do for each of us…
Nurture
Care
Teach
Love
Help
Direct
Correct
Nurse
Forgive
Cook
Laundry
Drive
Worry
And watch over us
For no matter how old we are,we are still kids in their eyes. We ask the Blessed Mother to watch over all mothers and give them the wisdom and strength to do what moms do.

Amen.

Found at Elder High School, Cincinatti, OH.

I'm new!

Remember the scene from the movie "The Jerk" when Steve Martin finds great delight in seeing his name in a phone book for the first time? "The new phone book is here! The new phone book is here!" he loudly and proudly proclaims. He feels like he has arrived. At last, he is somebody.

I'm feeling a little like Navis Johnson myself.

The Cafeteria was recently listed in the Catholic Blog Directory. It's the equivalent of the phone book for Catholic blogs. Currently, there are 775 blogs included in the directory. Right there in the "C" listings, the Cafeteria Catholic is listed between Cafe Susanna and The Cafeteria is Closed. (Of course, this Cafeteria is always open!) What I find particularly fun is that this barely year-old blog is listed as "NEW".

There's something refreshingly official about it all. A grateful tip of the hat to the good folks at the CBD.

Maybe, I'm not a jerk after all. Rather, I've arrived.

One

Here we are in the merry month of May already. Before we get too far into this month I want to take a moment to mark a milestone that happened a few days ago. The Cafeteria Catholic passed the first anniversary of blogdom recently.

It's been a year since that night when I was inspired by a cup to create a blog about my particular brand of Catholicism. At the time, I felt compelled to write everyday. I was particularly pissed off at the time that Cafeteria Catholics like myself were being silenced as we welcomed a new pope. I had a lot to say. I needed to write about how being a Catholic (even a cafeteria-style version) is just part of who I am. I felt compelled to speak up for those who had the courage to speak out against what they were experiencing in our church. And, I was the first to admit I didn't have a clue about what it was to be a Catholic blogger.

More than 365 days have passed, and I'm the first to admit I still don't have a clue. And, that same spirit that inspired me to write every day a year ago now prompts me to check in about once a week. I'm grateful to the small, but loyal following that has taken a moment or two out of their lives to check in here from time to time. I hope you'll keep visiting. And, I hope I'm inspired to keep writing a bit from time to time.

Meanwhile, here we are once again celebrating the month of Mary.

Happy May Day!